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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
On the border of perfection!, September 12, 2003
There are quite a good number of fantastic debut albums that have always been the best album by a lot of artists but to me, Seal's self-titled debut album is arguably the best debut album by any artist in my opinion. Released in 1991, this album pushed the boundaries of dance/pop/soul and even some hip hop and resulted in what I consider the most innovative, sophisticated dance album ever made and this album is fighting head to head against it's 1994 follow-up oddly also entitled "Seal" as Seal's strongest collection of music. It's still impossible to believe that this album was actually released in 1991 as every song is so many years ahead of it's time and this album hasn't dated one bit even in 2003! Talent has become exceedingly rare these days but even back in 1991 when talent and music was far better, Seal's debut stood so many miles above all other albums around this time for many reasons: It's blend of dance, rock, and pop perfectly suits the mainstream crowd yet at the same time, it also has the maturity and brilliance that makes it last all the way to this very day. This album has defined a long period in my life from 1992 onwards. This album stands out in so many ways from any other album from this time and even from his other albums. One reason is its rich atmospheric mood; another is its urban dance vibe, and just the general mood of this album: Dark, moody, yet highly energetic and edgy. "The Beginning" is the most appropriate title for the opening track on this album. This is a fabulous blend of dance, techno, pop, and soul with a slightly orchestral sound to it and aggressive driving rhythm. "Deep Water" is like two songs in one. The first half is a mellow slightly country-oriented number but odd changes occur in the middle and the song morphs into an odd but highly danceable song. Many are familiar with it but who can ever forget the haunting ambience of the U.K. number one hit "Crazy" with its driving rhythm, aggressive bass, dark stormy mood, and edgy production? There are so many awesome things about this incredible single that I just can't put any words into how astounding this song really is to do it any justice. Seal reached an early peak in his music with this awesome single and it was what made me a fan of his since then. If you are driving along a freeway in Chicago approaching downtown at full speed (without going over the speed limit of course!), put this song on at full volume and prepare for the musical experience of the year! Few songs have so much power like "Crazy" does. Even though "Crazy" is likely one of the strongest tracks on the CD, the other tracks on this album should not be lost in that song's shadow as every one is worth noting but some especially deserve the utmost listening. The other major hit from this album is the Adamski produced "Killer" which brought Seal into the spotlight with his awesome voice and the songs electrifying mood. Both "Crazy" and "Killer" got all the recognition that they deserved and are still very popular on the radio today. "Whirlpool" is acoustic ambient ecstacy with it's cloudy evening and laid back atmospherics and it's urban nighttime mood. The soulful, jazzy vibe of the song is impossible to resist being pulled into. I don't know what it is about this song but it makes me cry with positivitsm and joy. "Future Love Paradise" is a scorching rock number with a very atmospheric tone with a dark cloudy dreaminess to it and the result is another excellent song."Wild" is a wild classic with a very raw production to it and a very live sound to it. The chord changes are just awesome. "Show Me" is a very hauntingly beautiful ballad with a very dreamy atmosphere like the feel of the sun breaking through the clouds. The dark blue glowing magnum opus of this album is the final closer "Violet", the best song on the album besides "Crazy". This is a haunting, dark cloud ambient, and highly soulful mid-tempo ballad with small amounts of electronica and electronic beats and also if you haven't noticed, the ambient keyboards are courtesy of blossoming New Age Musician Mars Lasar who would go on to create some of the best New Age albums of all time such as "The Eleventh Hour" and "11:02" and the approaching atmospheres of those albums are quite noticeable on this track but let's not change the subject of this review. Play this song on a rainy evening when you're alone and just be prepared for a waterfall of tears. The beauty of "Violet" did just that for me. "Violet" is this good! The ending might sound like a sad ending with its mournful outro but it was just the ending of the first chapter and the beginning of the next one. Seal's albums have generally been few and far between since this album came out but every one of them including his latest are all excellent albums and the wait between them is worth it. While his second album definitely rivals this one as his best, Seal, or anyone else in that matter, has never toyed with dance, pop, soul, and atmospherics the way he and his crew did on this album and it makes "Seal [1991]" a special gem that must be acquired as soon as possible. This album changed my life forever with it's artistic brilliance and atmospheres. Dance music doesn't get any better than it does on here. Seal's music has always been innovative and Seal continues to put out some of the best music of the times and his music has a special place in my CD collection. This album is about as perfect as an album can possibly get. Support Seal. Support real talent. Go and buy it today and buy it new even if it means spending the extra dollar! Enough said!
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting, Soulful and Diverse Debut, October 6, 2000
Im usually one for the heavier stuff, but you will be surprised how compelling Seal's debut album really is. The choice of studio musicians are also very interesting - Trevor Horn and Trevor Rabin? The mode is primarily dance, specifically house music, which means you get big thumping uptempo beats and lush synth work. At that its admirably good, with Seal's scratchy-yet-smooth voice crooning over the top giving each of the tracks an erotic, sensual vibe that you just don't usually get with typical dance music. Not my style, but anywhere there's a Chapman stick involved, I am on the scene. Then there's also some acoustic guitar textures and other good stuff thrown in for good measure to "seal" the deal. Contains the hallucinatory hit "Crazy", the positive credentials of which are without question, but check out "Killer" (a dance tune which just BARELY flirts with industrial) and the pretty ballad "Show Me".
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
MESMERIZING!, March 20, 2000
Thank the dudes from Art of Noise and ZTT Records for helping Seal craft a perfect CD. There is a plethora of styles, textures, layers, and moods. Seal's wonderful voice adds so much depth to a record so rich with demension. I loved it all, but if I had to pick some favorites: "Whirpool"-Gotta hear it. Flows like Champagne. "Future Love Paradise"-Builds to a rockin' crescendo. "Violet"-Soothing, dreamy. "Killer"-Jammin, jammin. I have never heard anything else that quite matches the groove of this debut. A must for your collection.
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