Some songs transcend airplay and chart success to become emblematic of their respective eras. A select few of those become canonical, universally recognized as among the greatest tunes of all time. Seal has songs that fit both descriptions, with “Crazy” forever evoking the zeitgeist of the early ’90s and career-defining “Kiss from a Rose” gaining massive popular and critical acclaim in 1994 after getting a boost from Batman Forever.
Seal is revisiting the two self-titled albums those songs came from on his current tour, for which he is joined by their producer Trevor Horn in the role of music director. Seal fans catching his back-to-back dates this weekend in Las Vegas can rejoice that their favorite works from Seal and Seal II will be delivered by an artist very much at the top of his performance game, while audiophiles with reverence for Horn’s history of audio excellence may be astounded to find the opening act is Horn’s seminal synth-pop band The Buggles.
That would be the band with the first video broadcast on MTV for the prophetic song “Video Killed the Radio Star.” Horn would go on to co-found Art of Noise and perfect his groundbreaking approach to studio work and sampling as he built an extensive body of production work. By the time he met young rave enthusiast Seal, he was ready to apply his techniques to a decidedly pop music project.
Seal, meanwhile, had survived the school of hard knocks and had the idea for “Kiss from a Rose” when DJ/musician Adamski asked him to provide vocals to uplifting EDM track “Killer.” Seal had toured Europe and Asia by that time, developing a style seasoned with the art rock of David Bowie, the artistry of Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye’s tone, Frank Sinatra’s phrasing and Stevie Wonder’s soul.
He had also developed a clear concept of his identity as a recording artist, which manifest in his “solitary brother” lyrical contribution to “Killer” that made the No. 1 U.K. hit unforgettable. It would be Horn who recognized Seal’s potential as a solo star though. In Horn, Seal found not only someone who wanted to hear him when he was a broke, struggling artist but also someone who knew exactly what to do with his voice.
The result was Seal, released in November 1990. It was the album everyone had in 1991 regardless of tastes. The songs served as dance or dinner music, good for getting lost in oneself during long drives or in someone else during long evenings. The lyrics were reassuring at a time of change when nothing seemed assured: “We’re never gonna survive/Unless we get a little crazy.”
Seal II was a big hit as well but it wasn’t until “Kiss from a Rose” became the saving grace of box-office flop Batman Forever that it was exposed to a wide audience via the movie’s end credits and a music video featuring Seal backlit by the Bat Signal. Now, for a short time, he’s singing the song live with its producer personally creating its sonic setting.
The Venetian, 8 p.m. June 2-3, starting at $49.95 plus tax and fee. ticketmaster.com
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