#369 on Rolling Stone top 500 album list.
As the title suggests, this is white man’s reggae at its best. The Police were great at mixing Rock, Pop, Reggae, and even a little Punk in their music. It was released in the middle of the punk movement around 1979, so naturally it had that flavor in it. At the head of this trio was Sting, the famous pop icon. He wrote most of the songs, except for the three that Stewart Copeland wrote.
Members
Sting-Vocals and Bass
Andy Summers-Guitar
Stewart Copeland-Drums
Standout Tracks[/b]
Message in a Bottle
Walking on the Moon
The Bed’s Too Big Without You
Contact
1. Message in a Bottle – Possibly the most well known Police song besides Every Breath You Take. This song probably is the most “punk” song on the album, although don’t consider it punk that quickly. As with many Police songs, it has a somewhat dark verse, then an cheery chorus. 5/5
2. Regatta de Blanc – A reggae instrumental. Well, there aren’t any lyrics, but there is plenty of chanting and yodeling. Fantastic drumming and guitar riff. 4.5/5
3. It’s Alright For You – I don’t care for this song that much. It’s a typical Police song, but it feels like it’s missing something. 2/5
4. Bring on the Night – Here is another punk/reggae song. Andy Summers(a very underrated guitarist) plays some super fast rhythm playing in the verses. As in Message in a Bottle, this has dark verses and an uplifting chorus. 4/5
5. Deathwish – Don’t let the name fool you; this song actually is a happy feel to it. I particularly like Sting’s distinct high-pitched vocals in this song. Perhaps they should have gotten different lyrics to go with the song, because the music does not go along with a name like Deathwish. 4/5
6. Walking on the Moon – One of the two songs on the album that you will find on the Police’s greatest hits. This is one of Sting’s best bass lines(in terms of music, not in difficulty), and Stewart Copeland has some excellent cymbal playing. 5/5
7. On Any Other Day – Here is the first of the three songs written by Stewart Copeland. The lyrics are written as if he was trying to make them suck. To give you an example: There’s a house on my street/And it looks real neat/I’m the cha who lives in it/There’s a tree on the sidewalk/There’s a car by the door. Very odd, yet good for a laugh. 2.5/5
8. The Bed’s Too Big Without you – Here is, in my opinion, Andy Summers best guitar riff. It is played throughout the whole song, but it never gets old. The bass line and the singing is also top notch. Unlike other Sting songs, this one keeps the dark mood through the whole song. 5/5
9. Contact – The second song written by Stewart Copeland. This one is a whole lot better than On Any Other Day. The chorus is the best part about it. “Have we got contact/You and me/Have we got touchdown/Can’t we feel.” 5/5
10. Does Everyone Stare – Here is the third song written by Stewart Copeland. The beginning is almost inaudible, but it gets better when Sting’s vocals kick in. It’s almost, I don’t wanna say, emo?????:upset: 4/5
11. No Time This Time – My least favorite song on the album. Should not have been used to close it off, as it is the worst song on here. 2/5
Rating: 3/5
Not essential unless you are a big Police fan
By the way, sorry if this review sucked, but I haven’t done this in a while. Oh well.
