Grammy-winning R&B superstar Seal is back with a brand new album, “Seal 7” after a four-year hiatus in album production. At just 49 minutes, the album certainly doesn’t overstay it’s welcome, but it also doesn’t present anything particularly new, and none of the tracks are on par with his much-loved 1995 hit “Kiss from a Rose.”
While the album includes keyboard-backing and commanding percussion instrumentation much in the style of his popular earlier work, these elements have become hackneyed over time.
One upshot is the album starts and ends on equally strong notes. “Daylight Saving,” is a melancholic opener featuring beautifully haunting harmonies which appropriately set a somber tone. The solid closer, “Love,” is a soothing, piano-heavy number that reminds one of Seal’s strengths.
Enjoyable intermediary songs include “Padded Cell,” a tense lament, and “The Big Love Has Died.” But these intermittent gems are few and far between.
Much credit is due to long-time collaborator, Trevor Horn, who returns with pleasant musical arrangements. “Seal 7” also features a wide range of emotional songs, showcasing Seal’s impressive vocal range; his soulful baritone and gorgeous falsetto are on full display.
But these strong points don’t outweigh the more glaring negatives. One prominent negative is the album’s generic “heartbroken” thematic core weakens the emotional potential of Seal’s stirring vocals and prevents the album from being the soaring comeback it was intended to be. Even the more impressive songs suffer from commonplace lyrics like, “Whatever you’re doing to me / I hear my heart sing / I can not be wrong.” The album recycles once powerful ballads which, especially later in the track listing, start to blend together.
Seal’s latest effort is a mixed bag. “Seal 7” is a slight album with its occasional joys, but not a cohesive success. While Seal, at the accomplished age of 52, has a voice that is emotive and evocative as ever, this thin collection of repetitive songs doesn’t do his talent justice.
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