Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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28 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An essential purchase., November 17, 2004
After four albums (and a few soundtrack appearances), Seal has put out a stellar greatest hits album. Absolutely stellar.
And the way to purchase the album is to get THIS version, as the acoustic disc is a worthy buy on its' own. It's revelatory.
The songs selected for the "regular" disc are the ones any self-respecting Seal fan would approve of. For my taste, there is a little too much emphasis on his fourth (most recent) disc, and there's probably one (or two) too many covers.
It may be my imagination, but the songs from his first two albums sound remastered, and I would have preferred one or two more songs from THOSE records.
Nevertheless, listening to the entire disc, there's no denying Seal is an amazingly talented individual. There has not been as perfect a partnership between an artist and a producer (Trevor Horn) since Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones.
Seal should be huge.
That said, this disc would be the perfect gift for ANY music fan on your list. It has appeal towards pop fans, R&B lovers, those who appreciate what was once called "soul" music, and even the open "alternative" music aficionados.
The second disc, simply put, is a joy to listen to. It's an exquisite set of his songs re-done in "acoustic" fashion. Seal clearly put this together out of a passion for performing in this manner, and it shows.
This makes an outstanding greatest hits collection into an essential purchase.
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15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must have compilation, November 12, 2004
I don't really consider a diehard fan of Seal's music, maybe more of a casual fan. Still I always loved his voice. He has one of the sexiest voices in music, the male equivalent to Sade in my opinion. When I saw Seal's greatest hits cd with the bonus disc of acoustic tracks of his greatest hits, I immediately bought it. Listening to this wonderful compilation, I almost forgot how much I love "Don't Cry" and "Kiss From a Rose", a couple of songs that at one time were overplayed too death on the radio but haven't heard on the radio for a long time. My personal favorite Seal song is the gorgeous ballad "Love Divine". I forgot what show I was watching but I heard that song on some tv drama and immediately fell in love with the song. I still love that song to this very day. It is one of those rare songs that moves me deeply. It is so emotional and powerful. Most of the songs I have heard but there were a few I haven't. One of them is the funky "Walk On By", an infectious r&b/soul/pop song that I can snap my fingers along to. I also love "Human Beings" which I only had heard bits of but not the song in its entirety. The only track I wasn't really big on is the cover of "Fly Like An Eagle". I never cared for the original version to begin with. The acoustic disc is amazing. I have always wanted to hear Seal's music acoustically and I was not disappointed in what I heard. I especially loved the acoustic version of "Love Divine". If you can find this greatest hits package w/the bonus acoustic disc, it is worth buying.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is version to own!, November 29, 2004
I was hesitant to purchase this CD when I saw it originally released. After all, I already had the four albums, and the extra songs were covers. Not exactly a ringing endorsement. Then I heard that there was going to be a deluxe version with a bonus disc of songs performed acoustically. Now THAT piqued my interest. I consider Seal to be a rare vocal talent, and an ace songwriter with a gift for empathy that few can match. The thought of hearing him without the gee-whiz production of Trevor Horn (who really does understand how to produce Seal) made me grab this the week it was released.
I was not in the least bit let down. Stripped of the glossy synths of their album counterparts, songs like "Killer," "Don't Cry" and "Prayer For The Dying" take on a stately elegance. Even Seal himself states in the liner notes that he feels acoustic is his natural setting. Having this disc in addition to the originals is like a piece of Bavarian Chocolate after a lavish meal; it's the perfect after dinner topper.
As for the "Best" disc's main course, there are a couple delights. Rescued from soundtrack obscurity are Seal's covers of Steve Miller's "Fly Like An Eagle" from "Space Jam" and Echo and The Bunnymen's "Lips Like Sugar" from "50 First Dates." His gentle rendition of the Bacharach/David chestnut "Walk On By" holds its own to any other well known version. I am also glad that "Human Beings" made the cut, even if I wished another song or two might have snuck from that CD into the list. (All the more reason to hang on to that vastly underrated, personal work.)
The most important thing about Seal is that he keeps a utopian world view that also maintains a pragmatists' edge. A song like "Prayer For The Dying" holds up years later, maybe taking on more weight, given the current regime's narrow world view. And when all else fails, "Crazy" and "My Vision" can still make you dance.
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