6: Commitment

Seal | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 28, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Reprise
• ASIN: B003TO5MTI
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,087 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #63 in Music > R&B > Soul > General AAS

Editorial Reviews

2010 release, the sixth studio album from the British vocalist. This highly-anticipated album was produced by David Foster. While showcasing Seal's one-of-a-kind husky baritone, ear for unforgettable melodies, and unique lyrical point of view, songs such as "Secret," "The Weight of My Mistakes," "Best of Me," and "If I'm Any Closer," delve into the emotions surrounding love, family, and commitment, hence the title. "Everything about my life is fully committed," he says. "I've never felt more focused on the matter at hand: My wife, my children, the family in general, my own well-being, and of course music and my career. Each one of these songs has personal meaning for me. I dug very deep and all I can hope for is that the music strikes a chord with people."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Seal is happy and in love...and I can't help but be sad., September 28, 2010

By 

Ray Mancini - See all my reviews

This review is from: 6: Commitment (Audio CD)

Seal is one of the few artists that truly affected me over the course of my life. Seal 1 and 2 soundtracked my college years, Human Beings slowly grew to become one of my favorite albums, and his fourth release had it's share of wonderful songs. I've always held Seal up there with the best...unique, incredibly talented, and deeply emotional.

And despite the labeling of being an Adult Contemporary artist, Seal never seemed to fully deserve that much-derided categorization. His songs always had a hint of pathos, or political fire, or a greater love for all the world. His music (with great thanks to Trevor Horn) became the vehicle for his unique vision, and gave his voice a wonderful foundation to work within, and often, soar above to glorious results.

Yet, System (5) began to give me pause. "Wedding Day" (his duet with Heidi Klum) was an unlistenable track that took Seal from a musical world all his own into a mainstreamed reality...one of gentle touches, tender kisses, and romantic love for a single individual..the well-worn topics constantly spelled out in almost every song by lesser artists. I guess Seal grew "down"...down into a sensitive, everyday guy who just likes coming home after a long day, seeing his beautiful wife, and being happy with the life he's made for himself. No longer did he have the weight of the world on his shoulders, or tumultuous emotions in his heart. His focus has became his family...and honestly, I can't begrudge the man that.

BUT, I can bemoan the fact that with it, he's adopted a sense of "generic-ness" in his music that I can't ignore. He's finally become an Adult Contemporary artist. No longer blazing his own trail, he's following others who came before him - including himself. His songs, always layered with unique instrumentation and even more profound lyrics that could appeal to multiple individuals in many ways, are now reduced to generic Hallmark card statements like "I did it all for love" and "you bring out the best in me." Where's the "Colors", the "Prayer for the Dying", the "Future Love Paradise"'s, with lyrics that spoke to you personally on a deeper level without ever giving away their true intent? I understand artists mature, and they grow...but why into this?

It pains me to write this, because I consider Seal one of my favorite artists. And I'm sure many will have disagreements with my assessment. But Seal has officially crossed the line for me with this release, and joined other artists I love like Sting and Phil Collins. Artists who no longer push boundaries, but are content to coast, either by channeling (or covering) the hits of the past, or indulging in the cheesiness and sappiness of the present.

I guess everyone grows "down". I just didn't think it would happen to one of the best.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Please go back to Trevor Horn, September 30, 2010

By 

caj - See all my reviews

This review is from: 6: Commitment (Audio CD)

I've actually always thought of Seal as a duo instead of a solo artist. I gave producer Trevor Horn as much credit with Seal's sound as I did the singer himself.

Turns out, I was right to do so because all of Seal's post-Horn work has been mediocre and somewhat bland. The best things about Seal's early cds were the incredible songs, sounds, and the knowledge that you were going to hear brilliance that you wouldn't find anywhere else with any other artist.

Seal II and Human Being are two of the most original and incredibly sounding cds I've ever heard. Musically, these songs went to places I had never been to and it was amazing to take the muscial journey. Seal I and IV were also incredible.

While this cd isn't awful, it does not live up to the quality of the first four. Personally, I'd much rather hear his unreleased songs from 'Togetherland' which Seal scrapped before making Seal IV than I had any of his recent new material.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More magic from Seal & Foster, September 28, 2010

By 

Nse Ette (Lagos, Nigeria) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: 6: Commitment (Audio CD)

Seal's new CD, his seventh (despite the title being "Seal 6: Commitment" - I guess they aren't counting "Soul") is obviously a labour of love. Produced by David Foster who produced his covers album "Soul" from 2008, it comprises 11 lavish paeans to love, the lyrics obviously inspired by the missus (super model Heidi Klum) and their four children. The album has a similar quiet mien as his under rated "Human being" album.

Lead-off single is the delicate acoustic ballad "Secret", and similar is the waltz-like "Letting go" ("Baby, baby, why must you travel? four little faces, they need you home").

There are no dance anthems as found on his "System" album, or "Killer" from his eponymous debut, but stepping up the tempo a bit are the bouncy "Weight of my mistakes", the groovy "Best of me" (think Lenny Kravitz's "It ain't over till it's over"), "The way I lie", and the absolutely lovely tempo-shifting "Big time" alternating between pounding beats and a Jazzy swing.

Everything else comprises ballads which he excels at; "Silence", "All for love" and the chilling theatrical "I know what you did" the standouts.

His raspy voice still soars and stretches like it did on "Kiss from a rose". As much as I enjoyed "Soul", it's great getting new songs penned by Seal. This might not initially grab you (and one can't help but feel Trevor Horn would have done a better job at adding subtle but vital nuances and flourishes) but it slowly grows on you.