Seal’s latest album, Soul, begins with the lyrics, “I was born by the river in a little tent/ Oh and just like the river I’ve been running ever since.” For anyone sent to a happy place reminiscing the ’60s and ’70s Motown-style classics — and that should be everyone — Soul is a delight to the ears. In it, Seal covers 12 classics from this genre, and though the album lacks originality by the nature of the remade hits, his voice is consistently delightful.

Seal, born in Nigeria and raised in England, has established himself as an R&B/Soul and pop phenom as demonstrated by his two Grammy awards (Song of the Year and Record of the Year) for “Kiss from a Rose” in 1996 and another nomination (for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance) in 2007 for his single, “Amazing.” His repertoire, including eight albums of original music (and more compilations and remixes) gives Seal the credence to create an album of other musicians’ work.

Seal seems to have intentionally kept the original sound of each song; the tracks sound uncannily similar to the originals, often down to the backing instrumentals, like on the orchestral string opening notes in the first track, “A Change is Gonna Come,” recorded first by Sam Cooke.

Seal handles ballads skillfully, and the fifth track, “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long,” shows off his vocal abilities. His soulful, clear voice makes that track and the entire album both romantic and inspiring: “My love is growing stronger/ As you become a habit to me/ Oh I’ve been loving you too long/ I don’t wanna stop now.” The more upbeat tracks (“Knock On Wood” by Eddie Floyd) lend themselves less seamlessly to Seal’s smooth voice, but these are still enjoyable listens.

At times Seal’s rendering of classics sounds like soul singer Michael McDonald’s, but since Seal takes almost no liberties with the original songs’ melodies and instrumentals — whereas McDonald changes the vibes slightly — Seal’s tracks do not toy with the unexpected. The seventh song, “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” sounds exactly like Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes’ classic version transposed down a few keys.

However, a new sound is not what Seal was striving for on Soul. Classics are labeled as such because they need not (and often should not) be recreated. Instead, it seems his purpose was simply to revive the timeless soul songs, the likes of which are no longer produced. Each track is a nod to the struggles and accomplishments of the civil rights movement era, notably the ageless “Stand By Me.”

In the closing track of the album, a rendition of The Impressions’ “People Get Ready,” Seal is backed by a gospel choir in a truly beautiful, moving song. Although his stunning voice and r?sum? would have warranted more variations on the classic songs he chose, Seal’s voice is perfect for taking listeners back to the age of Soul.

4 stars out of 5