Seal (1991 album)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Seal
Studio album by
Released20 May 1991
RecordedNovember 1990 – April 1991
Genre
Length52:17
Label
ProducerTrevor Horn
Seal chronology
Seal
(1991)
Seal
(1994)
Singles from Seal
  1. "Crazy"
    Released: 26 November 1990 (UK)[1]
  2. "Future Love Paradise"
    Released: 22 April 1991[2]
  3. "The Beginning"
    Released: 8 July 1991 (UK)
  4. "Killer"
    Released: 4 November 1991 (UK)[3]
  5. "Violet"
    Released: 17 February 1992 (UK)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Chicago Tribune[5]
Robert Christgau(choice cut)[6]
Entertainment WeeklyA[7]
Los Angeles Times[8]
Music & Media(favorable)[9]
NME7/10[10]
Pitchfork7.4/10[11]
Q[12]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[13]
Select2/5[14]
Vox8/10[15]

Seal is the debut studio album by Seal, released in 1991. It contains the singles "Crazy", "Future Love Paradise", "The Beginning", "Killer" and "Violet". The album debuted at number one in the UK and went on to win Best British Album at the 1992 Brit Awards. Seal's following album, released in 1994, was also named Seal. It is usually referred to as Seal II.

There are two versions of the album, with minor and major differences in three songs.[16] The shorter version of "Wild" is more rock-based and heavy than the original. The shorter version of "Violet" contains no dialogue within the singing. Track lengths of both versions are given for each song affected. The only way to tell the difference is the CD Matrix; the Pre-Mix matrix is 903174557-2; the Remixed CD has the same Matrix but with .2 at the end (903174557-2.2). "Killer" is a re-recorded version of the UK number one single by Adamski, which also features Seal on vocals.

Many of the songs (including various ZTT mixes) were featured in the Greg Stump 1991 film Groove Requiem in the Key of Ski.[citation needed] Later Seal tracks appeared in other Stump films as well. The track "Killer" was also featured on the American crime series Homicide: Life on the Street and was included on the 2-disc soundtrack album.

Track listing

All lyrics and music written by Seal, except where noted.

  1. "The Beginning" (Seal, Guy Sigsworth) – 5:40
  2. "Deep Water" – 5:56
  3. "Crazy" (Seal, Sigsworth) – 4:47 or 5:57
  4. "Killer" (Adam Tinley, Seal) – 4:10 or 6:24
  5. "Whirlpool" – 3:56 or 3:51
  6. "Future Love Paradise" – 4:20
  7. "Wild" (Seal, Sigsworth) – 5:19 or 5:28
  8. "Show Me" – 5:59
  9. "Violet" (Seal, Sigsworth) – 8:06 or 8:31

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for Seal
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[37] Gold 35,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[38] Gold 25,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[39] Gold 100,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[40] 3× Platinum 300,000^
France (SNEP)[41] Gold 100,000*
Germany (BVMI)[42] Gold 250,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[43] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[44] Gold 7,500^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[45] Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[46] 2× Platinum 600,000^
United States (RIAA)[47] Platinum 1,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "Crazy BPI". Archived from the original on 7 February 2009.
  2. ^ "Seal singles".
  3. ^ "Seal singles".
  4. ^ Wilson, MacKenzie. "Seal [1991] – Seal". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  5. ^ May, Mitchell (18 July 1991). "Seal: Seal (Sire)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  6. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Seal". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  7. ^ Linden, Amy (16 August 1991). "Seal". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  8. ^ Hochman, Steve (14 July 1991). "Seal, 'Seal,' Sire". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  9. ^ "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. 1 June 1991. p. 12. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  10. ^ Dalton, Stephen (25 May 1991). "Seal: Seal". NME. p. 52.
  11. ^ Sherburne, Philip (17 October 2021). "Seal: Seal". Pitchfork. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  12. ^ Snow, Mat (July 1991). "Seal: Seal". Q. No. 58.
  13. ^ Hunter, James (2004). "Seal". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 723. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  14. ^ Harrison, Andrew (July 1991). "Seal: Seal". Select. No. 13. p. 73.
  15. ^ Appio, Isabel (July 1991). "Seal Clubbin'". Vox. No. 10. p. 79.
  16. ^ "Seal (Debut album) remixed/edited version". Futureloveparadise.co.uk. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  17. ^ About Chrissy Shefts
  18. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Seal – Seal". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  19. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Seal – Seal" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  20. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Seal – Seal" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  21. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Seal – Seal" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  22. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 1991. 42. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  23. ^ "Charts.nz – Seal – Seal". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  24. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Seal – Seal". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  25. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Seal – Seal". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  26. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Seal – Seal". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  27. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  28. ^ "Seal Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  29. ^ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1991". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  30. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 1702". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  31. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1991". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  32. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  33. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1991". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  34. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1991". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  35. ^ "1991 Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. 11 January 1992. p. 21. Retrieved 24 May 2022 – via World Radio History.
  36. ^ "Top Albums" (PDF). Music Week. 16 January 1993. p. 10. Retrieved 24 May 2022 – via World Radio History.
  37. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1992 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  38. ^ "Austrian album certifications – Seal – Seal" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  39. ^ "Brazilian album certifications – Seal – Seal" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil.
  40. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Seal – Seal". Music Canada.
  41. ^ "French album certifications – Seal – Seal" (in French). InfoDisc. Select SEAL and click OK. 
  42. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Seal; 'Seal')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  43. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Seal – Seal" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter Seal in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1992 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  44. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Seal – Seal". Recorded Music NZ.
  45. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Seal')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  46. ^ "British album certifications – Seal – Seal". British Phonographic Industry.Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Seal in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  47. ^ "American album certifications – Seal – Seal". Recording Industry Association of America.