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SYSTEM,
CD
Seal is back; and rest assured…without any trace of vengeance. His new album “System” is a good set of eleven rather plain tracks, which will find its place only in the collections of those die-hard Seal fans, who want to be reminde
d of his good’ol dance numbers such as Crazy and Killer.
“System”, being his fifth album, has him collaborating with producer Stuart Price of ‘Confessions on the dance floor’ fame. If he thought that Price will be his ticket to a comeback and some fame, then he was simply being delusional. There’s nothing exceptional about the album and is unlikely to create any ripples (let alone waves) except with DJs who might be interested in mixing it on the dance floor with hopefully favourable results. His throaty yet soulful voice is definitely a saving grace; but how far can one go on a good and at times even talented set of vocal chords, and some largely repetitive dance melodies?
Seal definitely has given ‘the road not taken’ a miss, and a far miss it is. He has stuck to his same dance-pop club sound, exported straight from the 90s, a few of the tracks seem to have been inspired by his most popular song ‘Crazy’. Having forayed into pop, non-dance and partly R&B tracks in the middle of his career, he is back to square one with his up-tempo dance tracks.
The tracks seem robust with lyrics which try to be deep and meaningful in some vague, modern way, leaving it neither danceable to nor fit for the easy-listening category.
The duet with his supermodel wife Heidi Klum titled “Wedding Day” is a brave, easy-to-make-fun-of and rather silly attempt. Mrs. Seal seems to have gone all the way to please her more musical and better half, but you have to be a hard core Seal fan if you want to appreciate the melodies that are supposedly reflective of his blissful domestic life. This kind of display is probably one of those things that is better kept reserved for the private space!
The title track “System” and “Loaded” are the saving points of the album. Everything from the “deep” lyrics to the unimaginative dance tracks and crooning ballads, is rather unremarkable. The album will be of some nostalgic value (thanks to the similar sounding signature music); newbies may sample it for the repertoire of his amazing but diminishing voice.
Die-hard Seal fans (if such a category even exists) can buy it out of a collector’s compulsion and compulsive dancers may want to shake a leg or two , but there is nothing in this particular album, that is not worth a miss.
DEEPA KURUP
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