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Track Listings
| 1. A Change Is Gonna Come |
| 2. I Can't Stand The Rain |
| 3. It's A Man's Man's Man's World |
| 4. Here I Am [Come And Take Me] |
| 5. I've Been Loving You Too Long |
| 6. It's Alright |
| 7. If You Don't Know Me By Now |
| 8. Knock On Wood |
| 9. I'm Still In Love With You |
| 10. Free |
| 11. Stand By Me |
| 12. People Get Ready |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Soul is a confusing beast. We know Seal has a great voice and can easily imagine him being covering golden oldies with aplomb. Yet this collection of soul favourites is frustratingly patchy. Opener "A Change Is Gonna Come" is impassioned and beautifully-arranged (the album is helmed by David Foster of Celebrity Duets fame, who has made sure it sounds fresh and compelling), and even though it could never compare to Sam Cooke's original, it's ultimately a successful reworking. Seal applies his sandpapery tones to James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World", Al Green's "Here I Am" and "I'm Still in Love With You", and Ben E King's "Stand By Me"--all of them with decent results. Decent, yet hardly overwhelming. And here's where the confusion kicks in: why cover a bunch of songs that have already been done to death? Christmas being right around the corner is perhaps one good reason in commercial terms. But when you listen to the singer transform less well-trodden territory like Deniece Williams' "Free" or Ann Peeble's "I Can't Stand the Rain", its hard not to feel this play-it-safe option--while undoubtedly a wonderful Xmas gift--is also a lost creative opportunity. --Danny McKenna
Product Description
Soul (CD Album) by Seal - 12 Tracks: 1. A Change Is Gonna Come 3:54, 2. I Can't Stand The Rain 3:34, 3. It's A Man's Man's Man's World 3:53, 4. Here I Am (Come And Take Me) 4:09, 5. I've Been Loving You Too Long 3:08, 6. It's Alright 3:46, 7. If You Don't Know Me By Now 3:50, 8. Knock On Wood 3:22, 9. I'm Still In Love With You 4:36, 10. Free 3:26, 11. Stand By Me 4:06, 12. People Get Ready 3:35 - Produced and Arranged by David Foster - Co-Produced, Engineered and Mixed by Jochem van der Saag - Format: CD, Album - Label: Warner Brothers - Vertrieb/Company: Warner Music - Bestell-Nr./Catalog#: 9362-49824-6 - VÖ/Released: 7. November 2008 - Land/Country: EU - Interpret/Artist: Seal - Titel/Title: Soul - Genre: Pop international; Soul - EAN/UPC: 093624982463
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
47 of 52 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Seal is not known for singing traditional soul music, and there is no reason why he should. Then again this album shows that he can!!
You may have heard his version of Sam Cooke's 'A Change Is Gonna Come' on Radio 2. The rest of the album sounds firmly up to that standard. After a couple of plays, my faves are the two Al Green hits. The plaintive Memphis style horns really get me where I live. The two Impressions' numbers sound really noteworthy too, especially 'It's Alright', a song that is always guarenteed to cheer me up.
If I have any problem with this album, that would be the length. Less than 46 minutes seems a bit mean these days. Better 46 minutes of pure magic though, than 70 minutes of pure dross.
Seal, you have gone up in my estimation. I would buy an album of this calibre every week if it was available.
You may have heard his version of Sam Cooke's 'A Change Is Gonna Come' on Radio 2. The rest of the album sounds firmly up to that standard. After a couple of plays, my faves are the two Al Green hits. The plaintive Memphis style horns really get me where I live. The two Impressions' numbers sound really noteworthy too, especially 'It's Alright', a song that is always guarenteed to cheer me up.
If I have any problem with this album, that would be the length. Less than 46 minutes seems a bit mean these days. Better 46 minutes of pure magic though, than 70 minutes of pure dross.
Seal, you have gone up in my estimation. I would buy an album of this calibre every week if it was available.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I bought this just before Xmas, and have listened to it a number of times now - its one of those albums that just smooths past you, and the time goes without you realising. We played this as 'background' when friends were over, and ended up turning it up so they could listen to it properly, and theyve ended up buying it too... I find it a very satisfying album to listen to, and if he made 'Soul II' Id buy it tomorrow!
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Since his first noticeable appearance in the listening world, circa 1991, The Wolf
has long held a quiet ambivalence with regard to Mr Seal (nee Samuel).
My first encounter with the man and his music took place in the dark bowels
of a nightclub of low repute in Toulouse where, upon a large screen, I became
an accidental witness to the video accompanying his debut single 'Crazy'.
It made me sit up and take notice - probably a wise choice given the prevailing
circumstances - all those misappropriated white birds fluttering around the
striking young man in the long ( and coveted ) black leather coat. With that husky,
powerful voice and wild hair he was a captivating and exciting presence.
What followed between then and now has always seemed, to me, to be a
bit of a hit and miss affair.
Mr Seal has his supporters, no doubt, and I would not wish to offend them
but each and every one of his releases ( and I have listened to them all )
have displayed huge inconsistencies in quality of both writing and performance.
To be sure every album has had two or three very strong songs but for the rest things
skate too close to the middle of the road to have been wholly convincing and satisfying.
Then along came 'Soul'.
This was the album Mr Seal was born to make.
The twelve songs in this project display a consummate and quite exemplary artistry.
The voice has matured into a powerfully expressive instrument which redefines
each and every one of these great songs - and what a collection it is!
From the pure falsetto moments on 'I Can't Stand The Rain'; through the rasping
delights of "Knock On Wood', to the elemental beauty of 'If You Don't Know Me By Now'
and 'I've Been Loving You Too Long', Mr Seal is in complete command of his materials.
'Free' is a surprising and wonderfully realized inclusion and my own particular favorite.
Production by Mr Foster also deserves strong applause.
The orchestral and horn arrangements in particular are stupendous.
Mr Seal is, here, a very fine singer, firing on all six cylinders and at the very height of his powers.
Highly Recommended.
has long held a quiet ambivalence with regard to Mr Seal (nee Samuel).
My first encounter with the man and his music took place in the dark bowels
of a nightclub of low repute in Toulouse where, upon a large screen, I became
an accidental witness to the video accompanying his debut single 'Crazy'.
It made me sit up and take notice - probably a wise choice given the prevailing
circumstances - all those misappropriated white birds fluttering around the
striking young man in the long ( and coveted ) black leather coat. With that husky,
powerful voice and wild hair he was a captivating and exciting presence.
What followed between then and now has always seemed, to me, to be a
bit of a hit and miss affair.
Mr Seal has his supporters, no doubt, and I would not wish to offend them
but each and every one of his releases ( and I have listened to them all )
have displayed huge inconsistencies in quality of both writing and performance.
To be sure every album has had two or three very strong songs but for the rest things
skate too close to the middle of the road to have been wholly convincing and satisfying.
Then along came 'Soul'.
This was the album Mr Seal was born to make.
The twelve songs in this project display a consummate and quite exemplary artistry.
The voice has matured into a powerfully expressive instrument which redefines
each and every one of these great songs - and what a collection it is!
From the pure falsetto moments on 'I Can't Stand The Rain'; through the rasping
delights of "Knock On Wood', to the elemental beauty of 'If You Don't Know Me By Now'
and 'I've Been Loving You Too Long', Mr Seal is in complete command of his materials.
'Free' is a surprising and wonderfully realized inclusion and my own particular favorite.
Production by Mr Foster also deserves strong applause.
The orchestral and horn arrangements in particular are stupendous.
Mr Seal is, here, a very fine singer, firing on all six cylinders and at the very height of his powers.
Highly Recommended.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Disappointing
First off, £2 in Sainsbury's hiding among the Celine Dion Greatest Hits. Hadn't listened to Seal since Seal IV, so for £2 worth a go. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Baldman
Very different for Seal but lovely
A change of direction for Seal but this is a lovely Cd and one that you could easily listen to over and over.
Published 2 months ago by Cat Woman
Brilliant album
A wonderful album of covers by Seal. Seal has a wonderful soulful voice. Played this album many times whilst cooking christmas dinner, brilliant!
Published 5 months ago by J. Mcsorley
Great Soul
It takes courage to record an album of all time greats, because people are always going to compare. The originals are more than often treated as a holy grail. Read more
Published 5 months ago by R. W. Pleijsant
Seal on Soul
All soul standards, backed by a wall of brass, with a touch of Sam Cooke and Al Greene. great value for soul fans.
Published 9 months ago by gutenberg
Not Seal's best, but not nearly as bad as some of the reviews would...
Overall, I found this a very enjoyable album. The song selection is very nice, and Seal's versions of some of the songs are heartfelt and "soulful". Read more
Published 18 months ago by American in Europe
Awesome soul
Fantastic album with a sound you would not normally associate with Seal. If you want to chill out, with a glass of wine and feel good this is the album to listen to. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Gary72
Super Cool Seal.
Top quality tracks. When an artist does a "Cover" album it's usually when they are on their way down and don't have any new stuff to sell but not in Seals case. Read more
Published on 8 Jan 2010 by Mr. S. Newbury
time these classics had a workover
...and Seal has just the voice to do it. Great production, great voice, great songs. Don't be put off by purists comparing these versions with originals, recorded in some instances... Read more
Published on 6 Sep 2009 by Mandello
'Soul' by Seal
Fabulous chill out album. Kept playing it over an over in the car.
I even bought further copies for my friends!
I even bought further copies for my friends!
Published on 14 Aug 2009 by J. Walker
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