Seal: System : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Like electromas-sager chairs, Designing Women reruns and detachable shower nozzles, Seal CDs are engineered to get his fans through the long, lonely winter months. His leisurely seduction ballads get the job done on System, but not since his debut has he gone for such a dance-friendly club sound. He builds on the template of Madonna's Ray of Light and Confessions on a Dance Floor, even working with Confessions producer Stuart Price. They've been listening to a lot of French disco ("Loaded," "The Right Life"), yet the beats add to Seal's heartthrobbery in anthems like "If It's in My Mind, It's on My Face." (Get your mind out of the gutter — it's about love!) "Rolling" is a dramatic acoustic ballad; "Wedding Day" is a dreadful duet with Mrs. Seal herself, Heidi Klum. Seal's voice isn't what it used to be; his high notes have gotten phlegmy. But he still has his Seal appeal, begging the ladies, "Baby, baby, can I come inside?/Baby, baby, what's taking so long?" Good luck getting your mom on the phone this month.