POP MUSIC REVIEW : Seal Delivers Missionary Zeal but Where’s the Message?

What was it that Seal was trying to tell us near the end of his long-awaited Los Angeles concert debut on Wednesday at the Wiltern Theatre?

Was the English singer-songwriter, best known for the 1991 hit “Crazy,” urging us in the first encore song to “understand” or “step into the sand”?

Was he recounting in the next number his search for “paradise” or a “pair of dice”?

No matter, Seal would have you believe in the liner notes to his latest album. The important thing about his music isn’t the lyrics, he says, but the vibe.

He’s wrong. What he’s saying does matter.

From the revival-tent fervor of the audience Wednesday, however, Seal’s fans seem perfectly content to settle for that vibe--which, in his case, is accessible and seductive enough to guarantee a wide and loyal audience.

In an age in which the most absorbing rock is obsessed with dark and angry themes, Seal steps forward with a spiritually tinged message that is relentlessly positive--all the way down to his husky, comforting vocals.

To make sure we didn’t miss the point, he even explained that “Prayer for the Dying,” one of the most popular songs from his latest album, is really a song about life and the living.

It’s not that Seal is mindlessly cheerful.

There is evidence in his music and manner--which moves from somber to celebratory--of life’s suffering and disillusionment. Like a man of the cloth, however, he constantly points to a better day.

What makes the uplifting approach all the more appealing to his audience is that it is supported by rich musical strains in the “adult-alternative,” pop-rock-funk style loosely associated with Peter Gabriel and Sting. His music’s special trademark is its strong dance factor, and that was delivered with considerable punch at times by his four-piece band.

Onstage, Seal adds a commanding presence. A charismatic performer with a regal stance, he comes across as someone utterly confident of the salvation ahead, and he reaches out to the audience with an almost missionary zeal. He also knows how to use his sexuality--punctuating the the beat with subtle hip twists.

Ultimately, however, Seal’s set seemed one-dimensional. For a man who cites the brilliant wordsmiths Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan as his own inspirations, he should know better than to downplay the importance of lyrics.

To maximize his potential as an artist, Seal needs to reach inside for the insights and revelations that give the music depth rather than simply coloring. Until then, he is in the awkward position of being known as a substantial artist without a lot of measurable substance.

The opening act on the tour is Des’ree, another English singer-songwriter, whose even more superficial brand of pop-soul positivism showcases many of the weaknesses of Seal without much evidence of the strengths.

* Seal and Des’ree play tonight at the Wiltern Theatre, 3790 Wilshire Blvd., 8 p.m. Sold out. (213) 380-5005.