Deluxe edition of Seal’s second album to be released
By Dan Biggane | April 17, 2024
Seal’s second album, remastered and expanded with unreleased tracks, released in June
The singer’s second eponymous studio album from 1994 has been remastered and expanded to celebrate its 30th anniversary.
This edition follows 2023’s expanded reissue of Seal’s 1991 debut which featured Crazy and Future Love Paradise.
Included in the 2CD/Blu-ray is an unreleased version of the worldwide smash Kiss From A Rose. Listen below:
Building on the breakout success of his debut, Seal soared to even greater heights in 1994 with his second eponymous album. In honour of the album’s 30th anniversary, Rhino will release a Deluxe Edition that includes a newly remastered version of the original, expanded with previously unreleased recordings.
Seal (often called Seal II) debuted in May 1994, showcasing the artist’s distinctive blend of pop, dance, and soul music. Produced by Trevor Horn, the album’s 11 tracks include standouts like Prayer For The Dying, Bring It On with Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman of Prince and the Revolution, and the duet If I Could, featuring the incomparable Joni Mitchell.
The LP topped the UK album chart and peaked at No.15 in the US, where it was certified 4x platinum. In the summer of 1995, Kiss From A Rose was featured in the blockbuster film Batman Forever, propelling it to No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and earning Seal three Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
Unreleased Recordings
The Seal (Deluxe Edition) is set for release on 14 June in various formats. A 2-LP version will be available on black vinyl and a “Milky White” vinyl exclusively from HMV as part of their Vinyl Week. A 2CD/Blu-ray version will feature exclusive Dolby Atmos and PCM 24/96 High Resolution Stereo mixes of the album.
The expanded reissue unveils 10 previously unreleased recordings, offering alternate versions of album tracks like Newborn Friend and Don’t Cry, as well as a haunting take on Dreaming In Metaphors that features Seal alone at the piano.
The Deluxe Edition collects additional gems from that era, including the B-side Blues In E, a cover of Steve Miller Band’s Fly Like An Eagle from the Space Jam soundtrack, and a version of Manic Depression that Seal recorded with guitar virtuoso Jeff Beck for Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix.
Seal (Deluxe Edition)
2-CD/Blu-ray Tracklisting:
Disc One: Original Album (2024 Remaster)
1. Bring It On
2. Prayer For The Dying
3. Dreaming In Metaphors
4. Don’t Cry
5. Fast Changes
6. Kiss From A Rose
7. People Asking Why
8. Newborn Friend
9. If I Could
10. I’m Alive
11. Bring It On (Reprise)
Disc Two: Rare
1. Bring It On – Alternate Version *
2. Reality *
3. Prayer For The Dying – Alternate Version *
4. Kiss From A Rose – Alternate Version *
5. Fast Changes – Alternate Version *
6. Newborn Friend – Alternate Version *
7. I’m Alive – Alternate Version
8. Don’t Cry – Alternate Version *
9. People Asking Why – Alternate Version *
10. Dreaming In Metaphors – Alternate Version *
11. If I Could – Alternate Version *
12. Love Is Powerful
13. Manic Depression – featuring Jeff Beck
14. Blues In E
15. The Wind Cries Mary
16. Fly Like An Eagle
* previously unreleased
Released through Rhino on 14 June, you can pre-order here.
Want to read more? Check out our Seal interview from last year