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| Sting & The Police - The Very Best Of Sting & The Police |
 Released: 1997/2002 Label: A & M / UTV Records Cat. No.: Total Time: | |
Reviewed by: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck, October 2002 Sting has had two careers, one as the leader of one of the most successful rock groups, The Police, and as an enormously successful solo artist. When he went solo, his musical direction became broader and it invited a different audience to listen to his work. Jazz and world elements became a part of his musical backdrop to his thoughtful lyrics, and the rock and pop sounds became a part of the mix instead of the entire focus as it was previously. This 18-track set compiles some of his best solo work and with The Police. I found it exceptionally fascinating hearing the old Police songs then hearing Sting as a solo artist. The CD's tracks fall together to generate an impact that forces you to reflect upon how Sting was a presence with a band and how he shaped and molded his own career by reaching out in to new and unexplored realms of music. His first band featured Branford Marsalis on saxophone. I remember how Branford received unfair and harsh criticism for leaving jazz behind and joining a mainstream pop band. In reality, he was an innovator by joining forces with Sting. You cannot argue with success, and they both proved that they were solid musicians with a lot of great music to offer a large audience with many different tastes. I have always enjoyed The Police and Sting. Both sounds have been both appealing and enjoyable over the years. With The Police, you could rock and sing along to every song. Who could forget the smash hit "Roxanne"? "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" was also a memorable tune, and his first solo hit. Sting's material was quite engaging and considerably deeper, including being more introspective from a lyrical standpoint as well as more relaxing and complex than his work with his former band. There is more than enough material here to put together an excellent selection of songs from both careers for Sting. This CD serves as sufficient reminder of the impact that the man has had on music since he began his career.
Rating: 5/5 More about The Very Best Of Sting & The Police: Track Listing: Message In A Bottle (4:49) / Can't Stand Losing You (2:58) / Englishman In New York (4:25) / Every Breath You Take (4:13) / Seven Days (4:39) / Walking On The Moon (4:59) / Fields of Gold (3:40) / Fragile (3:54) / Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (4:20) / De Do Do Do , De Da Da Da (4:09) / If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (4:14) / Brand New Day (6:20) / Desert Rose (4:46) / If I Ever Lose My Faith In You (4:29) / When We Dance [Edit] (4:17) / Don't Stand So Close To Me (4:03) / Roxanne (3:12) / So Lonely (4:47) Musicians: Contact: Website: www.sting.com Discography
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[Two versions of this album exist. It was first released in 1997, and has been now re-released in the UK only, with a different tracklisting, in acknowledgement of Sting having received an award - "Outstanding Contribution To The UK Music Industry" - at the 2002 Brit Awards. It adds "Seven Days," "Fragile," "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da," "Brand New Day," "Desert Rose," and "So Lonely," and doesn't include "Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot" (edit), "Russians" and "Roxanne '97 (Puff Daddy Remix)." The tracklisting in the usual place below is for this UK version. The tracklisting for the 1997 edition (still available outside the UK) is: Message In A Bottle / Can't Stand Losing You / Englishman In New York / Every Breath You Take / Walking On The Moon / Fields Of Gold / Everything Little Thing She Does Is Magic / If You Love Somebody Set Them Free / Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot (edit) / Russians / If I Ever Lose My Faith In You / When We Dance (edit) / Don't Stand So Close To Me / Roxanne / Roxanne '97 (Puff Daddy Remix). The original album artwork is not much different and is included above. - ed.]