Today sees the first new material from Seal in over 20 months. Although it feels like an eternity, it was only March '97 when Seal's rendition of the Steve Miller Band classic 'Fly Like An Eagle' graced the airwaves. Now available in stores across Europe, Seal's latest outing is the plural title track from the forthcoming album, "Human Being".
For fans of Seal, the single "Human Beings" a familiar tale of love, live, and death, this time set against a background of strings, keyboards, guitars, wailing voices and an unmistakable tolling bell. All this blended together in that unmistakable style of the mighty Seal/Trevor Horn partnership. On my first listen, the initial few bars reminded me of Garbage's 'Stupid Girl', but as the multiple layers of strings set the scene, I soon realised that this song is far more dark Amazingly, though, it raises my spirits everytime I listen. With the initial verse, Seal's deep, subdued tones set a disturbing atmosphere, shattered by a climactic chorus, the content of which leaves me wondering if Seal could possibly have lost his faith in 'the One'. Don't think for a minute that he's bolted too early leaving the rest of the song an anti-climax, as each verse differs slightly and is followed by a chorus achieving the same heights as the first.
The single is great, and has me craving for more. Like everyone else outside the music industry, I'll have to wait for another couple of weeks...