Ah yes, the bounty of Tuesdays at CC ...
This week one of the CDs I walked away with was Sting's new one, Sacred Love --- and if all must be said in a short attention span form, this one is a very good one from one of the masters of complex pop even if it doesn't necessarily feel as warm as previous efforts
Sting - Sacred Love: B+
The album begins with your typical Sting melancholy tour de force "Inside" (reference: Mad About You, Shape of My Heart) -- really interesting as a choice to open the album because the smartness of the lyrics and how the emotionality builds up and then explodes into so many related chaotic phrasings about what we hold inside vs. what we show to the outside world --- deep and good, if I had to guess, this is another instant classic for our eponymous artist pal Sting
The second track "Send Your Love" (actually gets remixed in the last track of the CD, this track better than the last track) -- this one is a well made pop song with really eclectic elements --- the addition of Spanish nylon guitar by Vicente Amigo is brilliant -- but all the elements including some Middle Eastern and Spanish Moor feel -- a dynamically wonderful simple song
"Whenever I Say Your Name" is another Sting masterpiece of emotional balladry but this time with the unique soul statement of Mary J. Blige --- amazingly MJB's dynamic powerful soul vocals work well within the textures of sound, harmony, and tempo changes --- the first three tracks on this CD are really amazing music from Sting
"Dead Man's Rope" is a redux or play on the Police's "Walking in your Footsteps" both musically and lyrically --- it doesn't get so close as to be WIYF Part II, but is kind of a 2003 version that has many of the elements of the minimalist straightforward Police style meshed nicely with the spirit feel of Soul Cages -- some may not like this one because it might seem TOO SIMPLE on first listen, and perhaps too Sting cliche (ex: the women's chorus, the rehash of Police lyrics) but it's a real elegant, layered tune that gets better each spin
"Never Coming Home" --- I don't think I would ever contemplate saying Sting and techno in the same sentence -- ok, so imagine dark subject of Sting melancholy ballad -- with understated Sting vocalization -- that blends with a technoish drum beat and some seeming RAP delivery from Sting -- this one is a strange one, I suppose that you will either love it or hate it --- it's quite busy sounding, almost as if some London DJ remixed one of his melancholy ballads (I want to hear the original unadorned version :) ) --- I think it tolerable, you may differ
"Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing)" is in that Sting -- I am playing a part of a character songs (ref: Moon over Bourbon Street) --- mold. It's what I listen to Sting for, good songwriting that is like storytelling and simple appearing, elegant songs
"Forget About The Future" is a bluesy jazzy number with traditional elements that is from the core of the Sting playbook -- great music to just let spin while you do something else -- another nice track, maybe not great in the ultimate sense, but great to listen as a creative changeup --- understated and cool vibe
"This War" is a bluesy semi-funky rocker with great guitar embellish --- again, does anyone write such great thoughtful lyrics (Back to the political in the first time in a while) that really match up with the music as well as Sting does --- and with such regularity? the answer is no and not too often, another good track
"The Book of My Life" features Anoushka Shankar has a real unique world music flavor to it -- despite hitting a real melancholy tone overall -- its a sonic wonder for someone like me who doesn't listen to world music too much, so many great instruments and harmonies, it's really a cool listen
"Sacred Love" is a sassy bluesy one with lots of lyrical bluster from Sting -- that transitions effortlessly into a great pop hook -- honestly, it feels more Don Henley solo than it does Sting -- he does a creditable job, it's easy to listen to, but it's not one of my favorites on this one
So four years since his last solo effort, Sting is back with creative lyrics than is contained in five normal CDs, and a willingness to pull from his musical past for elements --- all these things and many more intangibles make this album a really great one, especially for Sting fans --- the only thing that may bother some is the rather non-warm feel to this one, some may feel it is put on
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quote:
Posted by: ChrisG at November 22, 2003 06:41 PM
Whenever I Say Your Name is a 'must listen' song, with a harmonic structure borrowed from J S Bach. Compare the ascending chords with, say, the slow movement of the double violin concerto. I've rarely heard such an effective fusion of the old and the new. Fabulous.
Also check out:
1.
http://www.thomhartman.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=3&t=000382#000015
2.
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Articles/Keyboard-Temperament%5BFrancis%5D-FB.htm
Have Fun.
unquote.
Actually, it's BWV 924, Prelude in C major from Clavier-Büchlein for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach.
I've heard the disc a few times and I still don't cling to it like I did with Ten Summoner's Tales. Maybe it'll take a few more listens. I still respect STING, even tho I drew comparisions. Like on Peter Gabriel's "UP" album, it was filled with sequences. Bruce Hornsby's new album was filled with drum'n bass. I was happy to hear Vinnie C. and Manu K. again. The end of Never Coming Home reminds me of Bring on The Night. I'll get into it.
I have to say that before I heard this album I didn't really like sting or his music, but after my mum made me listen to the album every night when she drove me home it has grown on me and it's now one of my alltime favourite albums.I'm going to see him in 5 days and I could give drug addicts a run for their money, I'm so hyper when I think about it!
I was disappointed at first listening to the generic pop sound of this record and Sting's mention of Jesus in Dead Man's Rope. I've always enjoyed his spiritual lyrics as being more pure and less religious so I was surprised by this tune. However, as I listen to this album more, it grows on me, especially "Inside" and "Send Your Love".
I keep playing the Sacred Love cd, trying to attach myself to any of the tracks. The music and lyrics are beautiful, but most of them have not drawn me in. Excited at the prospect of seeing him for the first time in Feb., but hope the set list includes a variety of previous releases. I'm a diehard Sting fan.
Gosh - so much disappointment - I'm surprised because I think this is a beautiful record,
especially "Inside", my favourite. I think many of the songs express Sting's inward concerns, taking the "witness" point-of-view of the sincere spititual seeker. I like it and have played it many times without tiring of it.
It gives a brand new meaning to the label "limited edition"
I think it's a terrific album. Not because I like the songs, the lyrics, the sound or the cover, but exactly because I don't! It shows Sting as a musician who keeps moving, keeps redefining himself and refuses to be categorized as... Its very intellectual, true. But brilliant. Consider the european limited edition, SACD, surround and all - state of the art hifi formats, and as an ironic gesture the sound is truely the worst ever on a sting album. Compressed and lacking details, like MP3 and current www formats. But admittedly, this album is more about politics than about beautiful music, or maybe its about the politics of music?
(pardon my spelling, english is not my primary language)
Whenever I Say Your Name is a 'must listen' song, with a harmonic structure borrowed from J S Bach. Compare the ascending chords with, say, the slow movement of the double violin concerto. I've rarely heard such an effective fusion of the old and the new. Fabulous.
Sting continues to evolve. I agree the first three songs are stunning. Many other strong efforts also. Musically, transcendent. Just when you suspect a chord to fall, he surprises with an emotional twist. This is high art, not craft.
I could listen to Sting's album in the store. It is the first time I don't buy the new Sting's album ! It is quite disapointing. I guess I won't be the only one.
I acknowledge that I may have missed the words. Because I'm French, music and voice go first, words are second priority. And the music is... boring: over compressed re-digested pre Police work with a "Kipper like" sound. Though Brand new day started to sound like that, the voice was supported by the music. Here it is not the case.
I guess Sting is just a dried out musician. Happens to a lot of musicians. Usualy after 1 album. So it is not too bad after all. Maybe writing is his stuff now. But writing doesn't pay that well and his fame puts him under a lot of pressure from record company etc... A lot of people have a good job thanks to him. He is unfortunatly a well known "product" and can not take risks with his work.
I hope he will enjoy his world tour. I won't be there to support him this time...
I loved this album. I think it has some of his best work. Dead Man's Rope is real and it is a beautiful song that is very deep! This and "Whenever I say your name" as prayers for me. I think he has grown as an artist. You can not expect the man to never change and not grow as an artist. This album promotes hope in an increasingly frightening world. I think it suits him perfectly. If you have read his book "Broken Music" it all fits perfectly.
The lyrics on "Sacred Love", from a yoga standpoint, are concise and show years of hard work. This is the purpose of this album.
For the third disc in a row, Sting decided not to include the best song that was from the recording sessions on the US release. In this most recent case, the track is "Like A Beautiful Smile" and I suggest to any Sting fan that they attempt in tracking it down. Unlike most of Sacred Love, where the charlatan named Kipper handles the bass playing, Like A Beautiful Smile actually features Sting's smooth and groovin' bass style.
I agree with all the opinions on this billboard. The last Sting album that left me sated as a complete work was 10 Sumners Tales. In the last three albums, the only song that has stopped me from thinking it's time to allow the blond to turn grey is A Thousand Years, one of THE most beautiful songs ever written. What confuses me though is that now and again, songs commissioned for movies like Until and his rendition of Windmills of my Mind were truely incredible, and I expected more of that brillience, but sadly no. I long for the day when Neil Dorfman takes the helm again to produce an album as warm and sensual as Nothing Like The Sun....
yeah, the 80's sting is better! but still, i'm a sting fan no matter what. =)
i miss the old Sting as well. I can listen to Blue Turtles and Nothing Like the Sun forever.
the jury is still out for me on this one. I did like some songs off his last album but i havent listened to it since. I think I liked his live 9-11 album a lot more though...
I think Sting has forgotten that he was once punk. While I agree that artists need to take risks, this album was not so much a risk in my opinion.. but rather an attempt to sound contemporary with his peers. As the hair falls out and the skin starts to sag, some people tend to move on and others dont take David Lee Roth for example... some, like Sting try to forget their roots entirely.
Your comments are totally fair --- I can understand why you would feel that way. Admittedly, it is not one of his strongest efforts, yet I think it better than say the other two most recent CDs
I regard myself as a Sting fan, and therefore it has not been a pleasure to witness the musical downslide of his three latest studio albums. I simply miss the wonderfully strong haunting melodies and the more organic and lively arrangements of his past. It happens too often that a person's musical fountain running dry is followed by a desperate try to sound modern. This guy Kipper... where did he come from? And more importantly - why? He (or his electronics) give nothing to the music and sadly it's a lot Sting would need nowadays.