Record Reviews

STING ~ THE BRIDGE A&M 602438587070 (Barcode: 602438587070) ~ UK ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is the fifteenth studio album by British singer / bassist / songwriter StingFind albums by this artist, recorded with a small group of musicians, which includes multi-instrumentalist Martin KierszenbaumFind albums by this artist, who also co-produced the album with Sting, guitarist Dominic MillerFind albums by this artist, drummer Josh FreeseFind albums by this artist and a few others including Jazz buddies saxophonist Branford MarsalisFind albums by this artist and drummer Manu KatcheFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten songs, all written by Sting or co-written with Kierszenbaum, Miller and two others contributors. A Deluxe edition with three additional tracks and an outrageous price tag also exists. In the booklet accompanying the album Sting, outspoken as always, whines about the pandemic and other personal problems, as if he was the only human being affected by it. Writing songs / music was an escape route for him, like for most musicians on the planet, except those who did not make it of course. But Sting is Sting and you can’t take his songweaving talent away from him, which means that he can still put a nice tune together with some decent lyrics on top, even though he has hardly anything new so say since a long time. His vocals are as idiosynchratic as ever, and for those of us who love them, it’s way too late to change our minds now. The production and sound of the instrumental accompaniment is pretty unnerving and often difficult to swallow, with American Pop mannerisms taking over, which taste sadly like a second hand chewing gum… Overall, this is Sting and this is what he does, take it or leave it. For those who love him for what he did in the past, this album is a sad reminder of better times, but hope dies last they say, so I still hope he will find himself again sooner or later.

Updated: 20/12/2021Posted: 20/12/2021

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