Review Summary: Few debuts have sounded this fine.
Debut albums have often been trials of sorts for different musical acts. For some, they’ve been instant masterpieces; for others, stepping stones to bigger and better things; and in some cases, they’ve been more of the same or utter failures. Nevertheless, Seal’s first record manages to fit in both the first and second categories: it’s both a masterpiece and a stepping stone. This is due to the fact that it has effective, catchy songs that stick with you; and yet, Seal still managed to outdo himself with his second release.
Now, on to the songs. As mentioned earlier, quite a few of these stick with you. Take
Crazy, for instance. The song talks about the insanity of human society, and at the same time, electronica effects manage to mesmerize you along with the chorus:
But we're never gonna survive unless
We get a little crazy
No we're never gonna survive unless
We are a little
Cray cray crazy
Another great song on the record is
Future Love Paradise. An often forgotten song, it’s easily one of his best. The music feels otherworldly, a rather spacey cohesion of diverse elements that defies description. In what sounds at first like "another fairy tale", Seal tackles issues such as racism and drug addiction:
Don't you know that racism has a minimum future kids
Can only lead to no good
to no good
Besides your sons and daughters
already know how that feels
One day (One day)
All the queens will gather round
Spreading love and unity so it can be found
Well then all the riders say it's all to do with drugs
Well inject me
With your love
Inject me with your love alright
Yet another fine track is
Killer. This song is carried by a constant guitar riff, and again deals with the issue of racism:
Solitary brother
Solitary Sister
Is there still a part of you that wants to give
Racism in among future kings can only lead to no good
Besides all our sons and daughters already know how that feels
So, to sum it all up, this is a very fine record. It contains some of the best songs Seal has ever made. While it is the author’s view that
Seal (II) is slightly superior, this still remains highly recommended. Few debuts have sounded this fine.
