Seal (1991) vs Seal (1991) "premix"

Is there such a thread on here?

If so, could someone kindly direct me there. TIA.

 

Huge fan of this album, but never heard of the premix. What is that?

 

Some info here: Seal - Seal

And here: Recommended CD editions of SEAL's albums?

 

There were two versions of the album, and it's very difficult to tell them apart visually. The "premix" version was first and there are 4 differences:

• "Crazy" fades out over a minute early (4:47 vs 5:57)
  
• "Killer" is a different mix
  
• "Wild" has a totally different music track, the vocal track is the same. It's also shorter (5:18 vs 5:25)
  
• "Violet" is a slightly different mix and it doesn't have the movie voices in the mix. It's also shorter (8:02 vs 8:26)

The "other" version of the album is the more common version, by all accounts. "Crazy" doesn't fade out mid-chorus but comes to a stop over a minute later. Sort of, it does fade out a bit.


I've got both versions on vinyl, though the first time I played the second copy (the premix version) I thought my amp was dying as "Crazy" began to fade out unexpectedly!

Here's a rip of the premix version of "Wild"

 

"Other" version

 

I found a cool Cd in the used bins this weekend: Violet Acoustic live EP. Comprised of four tracks from the VHS that I used to have back in the day!

 

I'm surprised Seal wasn't a major star for longer. He was very talented and an excellent singer.

 

By any chance was that at the Bull Moose in Portland? The only reason I ask is that I saw a copy there a week or so ago, the only one I've ever seen in the used bins. I almost picked it up before I realized that I have the same tracks on the Acoustic Session promo CD.

Seal - The Acoustic Session

 

It was Maurice!

 

Is he not popular in the UK anymore ? He sold many albums in France in the 2000s.

I have this album but never really paid much attention to it. Loved "Crazy", but definitely prefer the Seal/Adamski version of "Killer". I wish I had the CD single.

 

Wow, I've followed most of Seal's career and didn't know there were two versions of this album.

 

This is complete news to me as well!

 

Good voice. But Trevor Horn was at least as responsible for Seal's success. Seal's ego was too big to realize that and his career reflected that mistake.

 

His best work was certainly with Trevor Horn.

 

He'll still have fans, but he hasn't had a substantial hit for years, well over a decade.

 

For what it's worth, there is a difference between my US cassette versus my Canadian cd.
The cassette has Exhibit B, the cd has Exhibit A.

 

I need to pull out my Crazy, Killer, and The Beginning cd singles and make a '91 era playlist along with the Violet EP.

 

For readers that care: the premix version of Seal also has more dynamic range than the second version. Album DR14 vs DR12.

I always had the premix version (without knowing it). The lower DR of the second version doesn’t motivate me to go find it.

 

I found the premix version in a charity shop for £1 some number of years ago. Looks unplayed. Can't be that popular as it didn't sell on e-bay even with a 99p starting price! Quite surprised. He was quite a big star, but maybe that was the early 90's!

 

Finally tracked down the UK LP for a price I wanted. This is a terrific sounding album -- the sonics are better than the US CD for sure, and the US CD is no slouch to my ears. I hadn't heard the premix, and it's super interesting. I think the final mixes of Wild and Violet are better, but it could be I'm just more used to them.

Still, this debut sounds as vibrant and fresh today as it did then (maybe a titch dated, but not by much). Did anyone stick with his career, and are there any later-years albums worth finding? He lost me with Human Being.

 

Yeah, but, a 2dB difference on a pre-1993 release doesn’t necessarily sound worse. It could be a tighter mix or have more low end information. The dBs don’t matter as much as how they were reduced.

 

I strongly suggest you get the second version. That version of Wild is special, so special that this marks the 1st time that I have ever recommended an album that has less dynamics than an alternative version. Plus, you get longer versions of 2 songs. Personally, I find the 2nd version to be an absolute masterpiece, one of my favorite albums of all time.

 

Interesting. I kinda prefer the premix to the final version, as it is a much more energetic and live-sounding production. The final, by comparison, is mellower, sparse, and synthetic, which I guess fits the overall tone/vibe of the album. Ironically, the final version sounds more like a demo than the premix, IMO.

 

Agreed, and that's where I jumped off too. I love the opening track on HUMAN BEING, but by that point, the success of "Kiss From a Rose" made him go that adult contemporary direction which bored me. For me, Seal feels like two separate artists. The one that made that first near-perfect album seemed to disappear shortly after.

 

I have the premix on UK vinyl, got it last year, and it was quite a surprise to hear how different some of the tracks were after listening to that album for the past 30 years almost. Totally agree on his later career taking a nosedive, but that’s what happens when you start to work with the king of schmaltz, David Foster.......