Soul

スタイリッシュなアプローチで魅了した前作『System』から約1年振りとなるシールのアルバムは、ソウル・クラシックスのカヴァー集。ファースト・シングルであるSam Cookeの「A Change I s Gonna Come」をはじめ、Ann Pebbles、JB、Eddie Floyd、Otis Redding、Al Green、The Impressionsらが残した名曲の数々を魅惑のハスキー・ヴォイスで歌いあげます！

Although he worked in funk and blues bands early in his career, Seal is by no means a classic soul singer. He's been virtually everything else, starting with house music in his native London, and later turning to various flavors of adult contemporary and pop music. But the power and sincerity of his voice is indisputably great, which makes him a natural to sing soul music -- where passion and conviction are prerequisites. Soul, his tribute album to the great soul songs of all time, is a sincere, well-considered affair, which comes as a small surprise considering the usual type of tribute album (with an easy-to-market concept and an easy-to-digest list of songs). It's the height of ambition not only to cover "A Change Is Gonna Come," Sam Cooke's landmark of hopeful triumphalism, but to place it as the opening song. Seal's version isn't exactly innovative, but he carries it over well. His other choices fall into either of two slots: the inspirational ballad or the sensual love song. Examples of the former come with Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready" (another civil rights anthem to place alongside "A Change Is Gonna Come"), James Brown's turgid "It's a Man's Man's Man's World," and Ben E. King's "Stand by Me." (The last is the only unwise song selection; it's practically impossible to wring anything new out of that standard.) The other category, the sensual love song, includes Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long," two of Al Green's hits, and one from the Philly soul canon ("If You Don't Know Me by Now"). What makes Soul an overall success isn't just Seal's caressing vocals and obvious knowledge of how to interpret these songs faithfully without drifting away; it's the subtle yet effective production work of 15-time Grammy-winning producer David Foster. Although his work of the 2000s for Michael Buble and Josh Groban wasn't going to instill hope in the hearts of listeners, he does plenty of good work here, with earthy, organic arrangements and funky beats that are slightly clipped for a contemporary feel. Wisely, he fills in just a few of the portions of each song, relying on most listeners' familiarity with these classics to fill in the gaps. ~ John Bush

エレクトロニック路線だった前作『System』から一転して、この新作は全編ソウル名曲のカヴァー集。あの歌声を頭に鳴らしながら収録曲リストを見れば、聴く前からそのハマりっぷりは想像できますが、一発目からサム・クックを〈I was born～♪〉 ……ってハマりすぎでしょ。デヴィッド・フォスターの助力もあって、熱い歌唱を披露しながらも間口の広いポップ感を体現。その実力に改めて感嘆させられる好盤だ。　　　　 　
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