Ever since the massive success of "Kiss from A Rose," Seal has included more ballads on his albums. Commitment would have benefited from more of a balance of uptempo and slow tracks. Instead there are too many overproduced power ballads like "Silence" and "I Know What You Did." "All for Love," features .jpg)
lyrics drenched in cliches, particularly surprising due to Seal's songwriting ability. However, "You Get Me" contains sincere lyrics from a man in love, and Foster uses a lighter touch on the track. Highlighting the piano and strings, the sparser arrangement underscores the song's intimacy.
Commitment closes with "Big Time" (not to be confused with Peter Gabriel's So track), a song that could be seen as a companion to Seal IV's "Tinsel Town," although much less cynical. Foster's over- the-top production style actually enhances the tune, which approaches Seal's signature rock and dance sound more than any other track. Here Seal flexes his vocal chords, never overpowered by the orchestral bombast toward the end. More tracks like this and "If I'm Any Closer" would have added more variety to the disc.
On much of the album, Seal appears as the picture of contentment. While this is certainly a positive element, it would have been interesting to include other themes and moods. His first two albums stood out for their diversity and uniqueness, and Commitment simply does not approach those works. Perhaps he will return to his edgier side in future albums; hopefully he will someday reunite with producer Trevor Horn, who expertly guided him on some of his most memorable compositions. However, Commitment's uptempo tracks show that Seal is still capable of producing quality music, and that he possesses one of the most powerful and compelling voices in contemporary pop.
Article comments
1 - Joann
Bummer! I was hoping this was going to be a "two thumbs up" review because I'd like to hear some new GOOD Seal. It does seem like some of his songs and albums haven't been too great since "Kiss from a Rose," but I keep hoping! What did you think of the album he put out a year or two ago covering 1970s soul hits?
2 - Kit O'Toole
Joann, I thought "Soul" was OK, but not up to his standards. Give "Seal IV" a try, though--that's an underrated album. But again, he needs to get back with his old producer! Thanks for commenting.
3 - Joann
Thanks, I'll look for #4. Just curious--what did you think fell short on "Soul"? He has such an interesting voice. But I thought maybe some of the song selections on that one weren't great.
4 - Kit O'Toole
I agree--some of the selections on "Soul" weren't great, and his voice (good as it is) just couldn't handle some of those classics. I also thought it was a bit overproduced.