Seal is not exactly the hardest-working man in pop music - not only is this just his fourth album in 13 years, it seems the Londoner can't even be bothered thinking up proper titles for them. Nor is Seal IV a massive artistic departure from his previous work, being much the same mixture of knee-trembling ballads, big radio-friendly choruses and golden soul vocals as before. Veteran producer Trevor Horn (the man behind Frankie Goes To Hollywood and Tatu) is on hand here, and it shows - this is commercial pop of the highest order, with glossy synths, keyboards and strings giving a touch of class to Seal's smooth, well-crafted love songs. In short, Seal IV is a marketing man's dream - slick, professional, blandly inoffensive and spiritually quite empty. No wonder Tony Blair's a big fan.

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