Best known for his striking, chart-topping Batman Forever soundtrack cut “Kiss From a Rose,” it’s easy to forget that Seal has been churning out the hits (big and small, fast and slow) since 1991. His new greatest hits collection, Best: 1991-2004, focuses largely on the lush, soul-pop ballads that have made him a reliable adult contemporary radio staple (“Prayer for the Dying,” “Don’t Cry,” and, more recently, “Love’s Divine”), but it’s also a reminder of Seal’s acid house roots (shades of which can be heard on his first Top 10 single, “Crazy,” the club hit “Killer,” and “My Vision”). Casual fans will no doubt benefit most from a collection like this; it’s a great way to avoid all of those pesky self-titled CDs, and it gives lesser hits like the brooding “Human Beings” (from 1998’s failed Human Being) and the soaring “Waiting for You” (from last year’s Seal IV) a second life. But Best is also a great stocking-stuffer for the avid Seal fan. Not only does the album assemble a couple of Seal’s most notable soundtrack cuts, including his Top 10 cover of “Fly Like an Eagle,” it includes a new remake of “Walk on By” as well as a bonus disc of newly recorded acoustic versions. While a companion disc of dance remixes would have made Best a more complete picture of Seal’s career, there’s no doubting that, as he says in the liner notes, “acoustic” is his most “natural setting.”
Since 2001, we've brought you uncompromising, candid takes on the world of film, music, television, video games, theater, and more. Independently owned and operated publications like Slant have been hit hard in recent years, but we’re committed to keeping our content free and accessible—meaning no paywalls or fees.
If you like what we do, please consider subscribing to our Patreon or making a donation.
