Soulful art-rock outfit Seal Party has released their new single ‘Maison’, a rich and captivating taster of their forthcoming debut album ‘MMXXII’, which will be released this summer. An appearance by R&B organ wizard Chris Rob (Kanye West, Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Anita Baker, Talib Kweli) brings ‘Maison’ to a soulful, timeless place.
Filled with improvisation, fury, and lyrical beauty, ‘MMXXII’ evokes ‘70s soul, rock and R&B while maintaining a raw and exploratory approach. This eclectic work meshes unusual songwriting and musicianship with a style that is at once playful and rebellious.
As a songwriting-production duo, Chris McGrew (drums/production) and Kevin Seal (keyboards/vocals) formed Seal Party after many years of helping other artists realize their visions. On their debut record, these studio veterans let their own voices come to the fore, revealing their fury and beauty, both rock and groove. Epic melodies soar over tasty chords to tell their stories.
Surprising sounds come when sidemen step into the spotlight. Habitually session musicians, quarantine culture gave McGrew and Seal access to an empty recording studio — namely Studio C of Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco (AKA Wally’s HydeOut), in the room of the former Wally Heider Studios, where artists ranging from the Dead Kennedys to the Grateful Dead to Herbie Hancock recorded some of their most legendary sides.
Recorded by Liam Wesley Craddock and Chris McGrew, the ‘MMXXII’ album was mixed by McGrew and Jaimeson Durr (Sammy Haggar, Joe Satriani, Hope Sandoval).
Seizing the moment, they invited world-class horn players, violinists, organists and vocalists, each equipped with hand sanitizer and throwing their best ideas into the mix. ‘MMXXII’ features an all-star cast of 22 collaborators, including blues and RnB royalty like Isaiah Sharkey (D’Angelo, John Mayer, Patti LaBelle) and Keyon Harrold (D’Angelo, Maxwell), punk icon Larry Boothroyd (Jello Biafra & the Guantanamo School of Medicine, Victims Family), bassist Uriah Duffy (Whitesnake, Fantastic Negrito), Ben Misterka (Collectivity), saxophonist Kenneth Whalum (Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Maxwell, Justin Timberlake), trumpeter Rich Armstrong (Spoon, Boz Scaggs, Tony! Toni! Tone!, Thomas Dolby), guitarist Jonnie Axtell (Psychefunkapus, Dee Snider, Tone Loc) and saxophonist Daniel Casares (Atta Kid, Jazz Mafia, the New Mastersounds).
The result is ‘MMXXII’ – a continuous, expansive, engrossing album that is eclectic and beautiful. Decades of studio magic seep into the tracks, like the casks flavoring the Scotch. Stretching across genre boundaries, jazz luminaries and punk stalwarts join together to create a series of unique songs.
As of June 10, the ‘Maison’ single is available everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, where the full ‘MMXXII’ album can also be pre-ordered. On August 5, the digital version will be released via New Age Distribution and the CD released by X Racer Productions. The album release party will take place on June 30 at San Francisco’s Rickshaw Stop. Tickets can be obtained at https://bit.ly/3PHCUML.
CREDITS
Chris McGrew – drums, percussion
Liam Wesley Craddock – percussion
Kimiko Joy – vocals
Renee Padgett – vocals
Rich Armstrong – vocals, vocal arrangement, and trumpet
Daniel Casares – saxophone
Scott Thompson – bass
Chris Rob – organ
K-Seal – vocals, piano
Written & produced by Chris McGrew & Kevin Seal
Recorded by Liam Wesley Craddock & Chris McGrew
at Wally’s HydeOut in Hyde Street Studios, San Francisco
Mixed by Jaimeson Durr & Chris McGrew
Mastered by Justin Weis
‘Maison’ single cover artwork by Serena Di Pinto’s
Artist photos by Shealin Ritter and Maryzelle Ungo
“A dynamic duo where their soul music talents can shine when given the opportunity to create for themselves. Their style can be compared to greats of the genre, such as Sly and the Family Stone, Dexys Midnight Runners, and The Isley Brothers” ~ Vents Magazine
“Fun improvised sense of music collectivism… Soulful, optimistic and uplifting, Seal Party’s music packs a powerful mix of rock, soul and R&B, created and performed with taste, along with a good sense of groove” ~ Amplify Music Magazine
“The uplifting lyrics combined with the sweet harmonies are smooth and calming… a three-minute escape from stressful realities to reflect on life’s silver linings and appreciate every minute despite ups and downs” ~ Music-News.com
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