Seal 6: Commitment Explained

Seal 6: Commitment
Type:	studio
Artist:	Seal
Cover:	Seal_-_Commitment.jpg
Released:	17 September 2010
Recorded:	2009–2010
Studio:	The Village Studio (Santa Monica, California) Blue Studios (Malibu, California)
Genre:	Soul R&B neo soul pop
Length:	44:37
Label:	Reprise 143
Producer:	David Foster Jochem van der Saag Ric Salmon (exec.)
Prev Title:	Soul
Prev Year:	2008
Next Title:	Soul 2
Next Year:	2011

Seal 6: Commitment is the seventh studio album by British singer Seal. It was released worldwide on 20 September 2010 with the exception of the United States where it was released on 28 September 2010.^[1] The album is produced by David Foster, who also produced Seal's previous sixth studio album Soul. It debuted at number eleven on the UK Albums Chart, becoming Seal's highest-charting album on the chart since Seal IV in 2003. As of January 2012, the album had sold 52,932 copies in the United Kingdom.^[2] The album has produced two singles – "Secret" and "Weight of My Mistakes".

Background

In an interview with Reuters Seal attributed the title of the album to his wife Heidi Klum, saying, "I think that commitment is the recurring theme that kept popping up. Certainly the last seven years of my life since I met my wife (Heidi Klum) have been extremely committed. But not just in our personal life. My work has a level of commitment to it. The team around me consists of people who are committed."^[3] According to Seal the recurring themes on the album range from "relationships to searching to sacrifice to digging in the dirt." He said, "I had to do that on one or two songs. In order to write things that are going to resonate with people, you are going to have to dig in certain places."^[3]

Angus Batey of The Guardian stated in his interview with Seal that:

Reception

Commercial reception

On 26 September 2010, Seal 6: Commitment debuted at number 11 on the official UK Albums Chart, outpeaking previous studio album Soul and his Hits album. It became Seal's fifth top 20 album in his homeland.^{[4] [5]}

Critical reception

Dave Simpson of The Guardian gave Seal 6: Commitment a mixed review, rating the album two stars, expressing:

Singles

"Secret" was released as the album's first single in the UK on 12 September 2010, where it reached number 82. The second single from the album is "Weight of My Mistakes", which has been remixed by Brio Taliaferro for the single release. The music video for the song was directed by Nabil.^[6] The radio mix of "Weight of My Mistakes" was due for release 21 November 2010.^[7]

Track listing

All tracks produced by David Foster; co-production by Jochem van der Saag.

Deluxe Edition

Personnel

• Seal – all vocals, guitars, bass, instruments, programming
• David Foster – instruments, programming, arrangements, orchestral arrangements
• Jochem van der Saag – instruments, programming
• Marcus Brown – keyboards, acoustic piano, organ, bass, arrangements (1, 4), instruments, programming
• Mark Summerlin – guitars, instruments, programming
• Gus Isidore – guitars, instruments, programming
• Michael Thompson – electric guitars (2)
• Dean Parks – guitars (9)
• Steve Sidelnyk – drums, instruments, programming
• David Foster – arrangements, orchestral arrangements
• William Ross – orchestration (1, 3, 5, 6, 8)
• Brad Dechter – orchestration (2, 4, 9, 11)
• Gina Zimmitti – orchestra contractor
• Jerome Leroy – music preparation
• Thanh Tran – music preparation
• Courtney Blooding – additional backing vocals (11)

Production

• Ric Salmon – executive producer, management
• Tom Whalley – A&R
• Jochem van der Saag – engineer, mixing (1–7, 9–13)
• Dave Russell – engineer, recording
• Jorge Vivo – engineer, recording
• Chris Owen – additional engineer
• Chris Lord-Alge – mixing at Mix LA (Los Angeles, California) (8)
• Keith Armstrong – mix assistant (8)
• Nik Karpen – mix assistant (8)
• Andrew Schubert – additional mix engineer (8)
• Brad Townsend – additional mix engineer (8)
• Armin Steiner – string recording at 20th Century Fox Studios (Los Angeles, California)
• Larry Mah – Pro Tools
• Greg Calbi – mastering
• Steve Fallone – mastering
• Sterling Sound (New York City, New York) – mastering location
• Nabil Elderkin – photography
• Thomas Mastorakos – creative direction

Charts and certifications

Year-end charts

Chart (2010)	Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)^[9]	38
French Albums (SNEP)^[10]	23

Chart (2011)	Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)^[11]	71
French Albums (SNEP)^[12]	120

Certifications

Release history

Region	Release date	Format	Label
Germany^[13]	17 September 2010
United Kingdom^[14]	20 September 2010
United States^[15]	28 September 2010

Notes and References

1. Web site: Seal – Secret . 27 September 2010 . 4 October 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101004025738/http://www.seal.com/2010/08/13/secret/ . live .
2. Web site: Jones. Alan. Official Chart Analysis: Sales slow, but Sheeran and Cover Drive reign. Music Week. 2 February 2012. 30 January 2012. 31 January 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120131181304/http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=1048325&c=1. live.
3. Kit. Zorianna. Seal Sings About 'Commitment' On New Album. 28 September 2010. Reuters. Billboard. 3 October 2010. 7 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141007110114/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/956051/seal-sings-about-commitment-on-new-album. live.
4. Web site: The Official Charts.com – Top 40 Official UK Albums Archive – Week ending 2 October 2010 . . 6 May 2020 . 11 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210411065553/https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/20100926/7502/ . live .
5. Web site: The Official Charts.com – Seal – Top 75 Releases . 27 September 2010 . 17 February 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110217173518/http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/seal/#albums . live .
6. Web site: Seal Channels Inner Rocker in 'Weight of My Mistakes' – Video Premiere . 15 November 2010 . 10 November 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101110111045/http://www.popeater.com/2010/11/05/seal-weight-of-my-mistakes-video/ . live .
7. Web site: Weight Of My Mistakes: Seal: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads . Amazon UK . 11 September 2017 . 19 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220919210343/https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weight-Of-My-Mistakes/dp/B004BIGDBW . live .
8. Web site: greekcharts.com – Seal – 6 – Commitment. https://web.archive.org/web/20120317001245/http://greekcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Seal&titel=6+-+Commitment&cat=a. dead. 17 March 2012. IFPI Greece. Hung Medien. 21 October 2010.
9. Web site: Rapports Annuels 2010. Ultratop. 28 October 2021. 23 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210523030446/https://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=2010&cat=a. live.
10. Web site: Top de l'année Top Albums 2010. SNEP. fr. 28 October 2021. 28 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211028114409/https://snepmusique.com/les-tops/le-top-de-lannee/top-albums-annee/?annee=2010. live.
11. Web site: Rapports Annuels 2011. Ultratop. 28 October 2021. 25 December 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121225064332/http://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=2011&cat=a. live.
12. Web site: Top de l'année Top Albums 2011. SNEP. fr. 28 October 2021. 16 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201116062523/https://snepmusique.com/les-tops/le-top-de-lannee/top-albums-annee/?annee=2011. live.
13. Web site: Seal: Commitment: Seal: Amazon.de: Musik. Amazon.de. 22 July 2011. German. 8 August 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110808044345/http://www.amazon.de/Seal-Commitment/dp/B003TO5MTI. live.
14. Web site: Seal: Commitment (2010): CD: hmv.com . hmv.com . 27 September 2010 . 25 September 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120925072835/http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=12;1;301;-1;201&sku=509813 . live .
15. Web site: Amazon.com: 6: Commitment: Seal: Music. Amazon . 3 October 2010. 4 October 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101004111650/http://www.amazon.com/6-Commitment-Seal/dp/B003TO5MTI. live.