All too often, pop singers who sound amazing on their studio albums can't cut it live ... which made Seal [ tickets ]'s Thursday (12/11) night performance in Boston all the more impressive.

When Seal sings live, he still sounds like Seal. The phenomenon was enough to prompt one Boston concertgoer to ask her companion, "Do you think he's really singing?" No lip-syncing here, lady; this guy has a heavenly set of pipes.

Also impressive was the fact that Seal didn't feel compelled to bury his hits deep in the set list, as many artists do; instead, he got things off to a running start by opening the show with "Crazy," the 1991 track that made him a star.

The singer--whose dark-chocolate skin, smooth-shaven head, much-discussed facial scarring and six-foot-four-inch frame make him a commanding presence even before a note escapes his lips--was dressed casually in dark, loose-fitting cargo pants and a sleeveless, black T-shirt. He kept the between-song banter to a minimum, and instead showed off his powerful vocal delivery and dynamic range.

Occasionally, Seal extended his stand-mounted microphone into the audience, prompting the fans to sing along. (Note to Seal concertgoers: this is the only time at which you should ever sing along with Seal in full voice while attending his concert. He is an amazing singer; you are not.)

Mid-set, Seal further demonstrated his vocal chops by singing "Don't Make Me Wait"--a track found on his latest album, "Seal IV"--accompanied only by a lone keyboardist. The singer then strapped on an lefty-strung acoustic guitar for one of his best-known hits, 1994's "Don't Cry," as well as 1991's "Whirlpool."

All five members of Seal's backing band--two keyboardists, a guitarist, a bassist and an energetic drummer who doubled as a bassist on several songs--returned for the remainder of the show, and helped kick up the energy level of the relatively sedate performance, particularly on the up-tempo, funk-filled "Waiting for You," also from "Seal IV."

Credit must be given to the soundboard operator, who created a mix that was perfect for the small room, which holds less than 2,000 people; Seal's vocals were crisp, clear and well in front of the lush instrumentation.

The regular set ended with "Heavenly," another cut from the new album; the song's slow pace and moody vibe guaranteed that it would not be the night's final number.

After a short, applause-and-screaming-filled break, Seal and company returned to the stage and kicked off their two-song encore with a cover of Roxy Music's "Don't Stop the Dance"--a fun diversion for the singer, but probably not what most fans had in mind, considering his sizeable catalog of worthwhile originals.

All was forgiven as Seal broke out the uplifting "Bring It On" from his 1994 album; the singer, whose manner was reserved for much of the night, became most animated during the high-energy number.

The song is one that encapsulates Seal's two most-defining musical attributes--a superhuman voice coupled with an ability to emote through his songs feelings of positivity, optimism, hope and love--and was a fitting end to the show.

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