This really is a strange one. It has exactly the same catalogue numbers
and on the surface it is totally indistinguishable from the "normal"
Seal (debut) album.
There is, however, a way to identify which version is which without
listening to the album. On both CD and LPs, there's an extra ID code
stamped onto the disc. It's located between the centre hole and the track
grooves.
Here are the code for the "normal" album:
| LP: | 903174557-1 A4 |
| CD: | 903174557-2.2 WME |
And these are the codes for the "premix" version:
| LP: | 903174557-1 A |
| CD: | 903174557-2 WME |
When you listen to the album, the first indication comes when you compare the
track times. Three tracks are different to those of the "normal" version.
They are;
"Crazy",
"Wild", and
"Violet".
The next (shocking?) surprise is when you listen to the album.
The edit of "Crazy" is basically the same as the other album's version,
but it fades out just as Seal is singing;
"No no, never survive, Unless we get a little bit..."
To emulate this edit, simply fade the volume to zero beginning at 4:30
on your timer and reaching zero at 4:47.
The version of "Wild" is an entirely different mix. The whole of the
musical arrangement is different to that of the "normal" album.
It starts with the same guitar thrash, but instead of continuing with
a basic drum beat and tame guitar, you are treated to a fantastic
flick-bass line. Then the drums kick in. This is the same rhythm as
the "normal" mix. With the drums comes the thrashing chords of a
guitar.
With more bass and guitar, this mix seems to flow from the initial
thrash and into the song more fluently. Finally, the track ends with
another thrash which echos to silence.
In my opinion, it is much funkier :)
Violet is more an remixed version than an edit. The most obvious
difference being the absence of the background "movie voices".
Another, less noticable difference, is in the drum arrangements.
In this mix, the drums do not come in till Seal begins to sing.
The heavier snare drum starts when Seal sings
"How can I tell you,
How can I explain..."
On the "normal" album version, this snare doesn't come in for another
two and a half minutes.
The final difference is the fade at the end. It doesn't feature the rain
noises and the "Soaking wet" background voice.
According to Seal, there are two verisons because he and Trevor Horn had
very little time to finish the first version (due to the damands of single
releases), and later decided there were better versions of the three
tracks. (or as Seal puts it; "a bad habit that Trevor and myself share, THE
INABILITY TO LET GO!!")
Thanks to Noel O'Sullivan
<nosullvn@alf2.tcd.ie>
for confiming the existence of this version. Up until he mailed me about
this anomaly, I thought I was the only person on the planet to have
heard/own this variant album.
Further thanks to Joerg Fitzner
<fitzner@uran.informatik.uni-bonn.de>
for the disc stamping ID details.
A full track list and release details of Seal's debut album can be found here
|