Tim Brough's Black Leather Bookshelf

The Inevitable Return to The Soul Vault
4 Out Of 5 Stars

In the four years since Seal released his first "Soul" CD, it has quietly racked up over a half-million sales. That's a pretty good number in this day and age, and probably more that "6 Commitment" has sold since being released two years ago. Like Micheal McDonald discovered via his two "Motown" albums, there's nothing like expertly executed nostalgia to resurrect a stalled career. While Seal is hardly faded into obscurity, it was inevitable that Seal would ultimately come back for another dip into this well.

Much like the 2008 "Soul," Seal's beautiful voice slides like silk across these 11 songs, and again, he has the smooth production of David Foster (with an assist from Trevor Horn) to assure that there are no flaws in the system. So when Seal wraps those pipes of his around Teddy Pendergrass's "Love TKO" or leans into The O'Jays' "Backstabbers," you can feel the professional commitment all parties bring to the recording. I also like the way they kept the Philly Groove that so enhances The Spinners' "I'll Be Around."

What leaves me a little cold towards "Soul 2" are the same things I felt the first "Soul" could have been better. The song selection is comprised of songs you'd likely hear two or three times a day on your local All Golden Oldies radio station. Seal pulls no surprises out of the bag (ala Ann Peeble's "I Can't Stand The Rain" and Denice Williams' "Free" from the first version), and he could have easily dug deeper than the done to death "What's Goin' On" or "Let's Stay Together." (I mean, really. Even President Obama has covered that one.) Even with the safest material here, Seal's "Soul 2" makes for a pleasant interlude. Be prepared for "Soul 3" likely appearing around 2016.



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The initial single, "Prayer For The Dying" was stunningly direct in its ascertainment of life in the early 90's:

"Fearless people, Careless needle.
Harsh words spoken, And lives are broken.
Forceful aging, Help me I'm fading.
Heaven's waiting,It's time to move on."

I remember almost going into shock the first time I heard this song. I was so struck by its beauty and acceptance, as the chorus soared into the line "hold on say yes while people say no." It remains, for me, Seal's finest moment.

Yet this is an album that contains many moments of musical bliss. The ubiquitous "Kiss From a Rose" became a huge and deserving hit, thanks to being in the "Batman Forever" movie along with the silky harmonies through the song's bridge. Joni Mitchell lends an appealing duet vocal to the hopeful "If I Could." For those who still need the funk of the debut, there's the opening call to action of "Bring It On."

Like on the debut, Trevor Horn layered a sonically lush production that suited Seal perfectly; this was one of the best produced albums on the 90's in addition to simply being a great album overall. It would have been easy for Seal to clone his debut or to have tailored his second album to the reigning hip-hop-pop albums of the day (Ace of Base, Snow, PM Dawn, etc). Instead, he created an album that maintains its integrity and depth as it closes in on its 20th anniversary. Seal didn't just act as a performer who mirrored the times, with this album, he became an artist that transcended them.

Opening the All American Songbook, 4 out of 5 Stars