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SEAL
HUMAN BEING |
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| | Reviews: 156 |
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| Average Rating: 8.41 |
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je ne sais quoi
by Distant Voyageur "Nicholas Computer" Io
Reviewed on September 16th, 2003
I find it surprising that so many people (including established music critics) panned this album. The opening track, as the slinky cover art suggests, is dark and forboding with Seal's husky voice soaring above the chaos. The album is thick with texture, thanks in part to the fabulous production of Art of Noise alumni Trevor Horn and the orchestral arrangements of Anne Dudley. There's a lot of "panned" stuff going on that will pop out at you if you listen with headphones.Although the album is heavy with strings, it also has acoustic flavorings smartly mixed in with the rest (the liner notes include a heated conversation Seal had with his producer concerning the inclusion of the acoustic). "Latest Craze" is a dance groove with an intoxicating guitar riff on the chorus that will float in and out of your dreams in you're not careful. Much of the album centers on the quest for love and the longing for love lost. "Just Like You Said" is my favorite. The acoustic guitar carries the weight, but the lyrics speak of profound sadness and nostalgia ("say if you can its OK/just like you said way then"). Another gem is "No Easy Way", the last song (excluding the "reprise") and a fitting lyric for the finale. When Seal sings "if I see a tear in your eye, it's an easy way to goodbye", it seems as if the person who's the focus of his lyrics is walking away from him as he sings. Find yourself a good chair, turn the lights low, and really concentrate of what you are hearing, lyrically and vocally. This album will grow on you; I guarantee it.
More "Human Being" reviews:
[2004-11-05] In a word - Class! (8)
[2004-09-22] Human Being
~ Seal (8)
[2003-11-19] Great Album (10)
[2003-11-11] Hypnotic, rewards the patient, deep thinking individual (8)
[2003-10-29] Cool & captivating (8)
[2003-09-16] je ne sais quoi (10)
[2003-04-10] A Sadly Overlooked Gem (8)
[2003-02-25] Seal is more than just a 'Human Being' (10)
[2003-02-17] Truly A Masterpiece ... (10)
[2003-01-06] Seal sings with the most feeling of anyone I know (10)
[2002-12-25] Still Remains. (10)
[2002-10-17] Seal does it again (10)
[2002-09-29] Seals finest work! (10)
[2002-09-23] Real Art Requires Patience! (10)
[2002-09-21] The only reason I have a CD player (10)
[2002-09-10] Stunning (10)
[2002-09-06] IT'LL HAVE TO GROW ON YOU (10)
[2002-09-01] Vastly underrated gem. (10)
[2002-08-30] Great! But not his best. (6)
[2002-05-25] give it time (10)
[2002-04-28] Human Beings (8)
[2002-04-23] A disappointment (4)
[2002-04-18] Still The Best (10)
[2002-03-30] mere human beings (8)
[2002-01-22] Excellent (10)
[2001-12-05] the man who cannot be catagorized. (10)
[2001-11-14] Really enjoyable for soothing but catchy music (10)
[2001-08-29] Seal's music just keeps getting better! (10)
[2001-08-01] Darker side of Seal (6)
[2001-06-27] Lyrical Problems (6)
[2001-05-18] Amazing (10)
[2001-03-20] oooooOOOoooohhh that voice (10)
[2000-12-28] Seal does it again (8)
[2000-12-20] Great CD by others standards (8)
[2000-11-08] An Overlooked Success (8)
[2000-10-25] Very Mediocre (4)
[2000-10-23] "?" (8)
[2000-09-21] Human Being. (10)
[2000-08-20] A Subdued and Intricate Moodpiece (8)
[2000-08-17] Highly underrated album (8)
[2000-07-11] complete nonsense (2)
[2000-06-09] Lush and Lovely (8)
[2000-05-19] Outstanding! (10)
[2000-04-25] Maybe album of the year (10)
[2000-04-10] A Tragic Journey Through Pain (10)
[2000-04-02] my opinion (10)
[2000-03-25] Out Of This World (10)
[2000-03-18] Seal does it again (8)
[2000-03-14] Good album... (10)
[2000-03-14] Another Side of Seal (8)
[2000-02-21] Please give this album a another listen, yo will be surprise (10)
[2000-02-06] A Simple Challenge to the Musically Handicapped (10)
[2000-02-04] Seal + Trevor Horn, part III (6)
[2000-01-30] A mediocre entry from a great talent (6)
[2000-01-21] Marvin Gaye Lives! (10)
[1999-12-12] Trevor Horn creates another masterpiece! (8)
[1999-12-02] A TRUE SEAL FAN FOR 9 YEARS! (10)
[1999-11-17] Yet another masterpiece (10)
[1999-10-31] too much formula (2)
[1999-10-23] I bought it for the cover art... (10)
[1999-10-15] FANTASTIC!!!! (10)
[1999-10-13] An epic work of art... (10)
[1999-10-09] FANTASTIC (10)
[1999-10-03] Not a masterpiece, but an excellent album (10)
[1999-09-27] Beautiful, soulful music! (10)
[1999-09-21] Great C.D. Work of Art! (10)
[1999-08-28] Seal's Weakest Recording. (4)
[1999-08-13] Wow, this is a beautiful album (10)
[1999-07-24] More Than Meets the Eye (8)
[1999-07-21] Mindblowing (10)
[1999-07-19] Mature audiences only. (8)
[1999-07-15] BEST YET! (10)
[1999-07-10] An "okay" release. (6)
[1999-07-04] The CD grows on you (10)
[1999-06-15] Another great CD from Seal with emotional lyrics. (10)
[1999-06-15] Pop-art (10)
[1999-06-12] Seal is a mature artist (10)
[1999-06-06] Success is sweeter the third time around..... (10)
[1999-06-03] Pure "Colour" ; Take a deep listen and you?ll LOVE it (10)
[1999-05-28] awful (2)
[1999-05-28] Only for the true hearted Seal Fan!!!! (10)
[1999-05-26] SEAL FINALLY GOES OVER THE DEEP END. (2)
[1999-05-26] Superb! (10)
[1999-05-22] SEAL IS ONLY HUMAN, HE CAN TRY AGAIN. (2)
[1999-05-21] Totally disappointing... (2)
[1999-05-20] True Fans will Understand (10)
[1999-05-18] "Human Being" is good not great (8)
[1999-05-17] Perusing new waters... (10)
[1999-05-17] I forgot I even had this CD (2)
[1999-05-13] Wonderful (8)
[1999-05-09] Good background music, but not like his first two cd's (4)
[1999-04-30] Inspiration! (10)
[1999-04-28] Beautiful, simply beautiful (10)
[1999-04-20] Simply enchanting (8)
[1999-04-19] Not his best, but better than a lot of music out there! (8)
[1999-04-17] Simply the best!! (10)
[1999-04-04] SEAL DOES IT AGAIN! (8)
[1999-03-29] I love Seal (10)
[1999-03-27] Excellent (10)
[1999-03-26] Excellent singing and great wall of sound but ... (6)
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