Sting/ The Bridge

sting

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR 

Sting/ The Bridge

Genre: Pop-rock

Label: A & M

Rating: ****

Post his Police days, British musician Gordon Sumner aka Sting came out with a series of great solo albums - The Dream Of The Blue Turtles, ... Nothing Like The Sun, The Soul Cages and Ten Summoner's Tales. After that, the wonderful songs did come, but more in small, isolated doses at times experimenting with world beat, rather than as part of consistent, seamless albums.

Sting's latest record The Bridge, pun intended, bridges that gap. To quote the àrtiste himself, these songs "are between one place and another, between one state of mind and another, between life and death, between relationships, between pandemics and between eras... we need a bridge".

With any new Sting album, one would initially consider three things. The first is his voice, which seems to have been stuck in a much-welcome time warp. Then come his melodies, often blending different styles like rock, pop, jazz, reggae and Celtic music like an assorted gift hamper. Finally, it's his choice of words, often remarkable for their imagery, depth and poetic value.

The album's deluxe edition has 13 tracks, including  three bonuses. Typical of him, Sting uses certain motifs, with the reference of water and rivers being made in different songs. On the title track, he sings, "It's not made of iron or steel nor stone, yet it spans the rising waters; we are but bags of blood and bone, if we carry the weight of our sons and our daughters".

Indeed, it's the incisive lyric-writing that makes Sting stand apart. Check the way he uses similar phrases with different interpretations. For instance, the opening song 'Rushing Water' begins, "How many times have I had this dream that breaks me from my slumber? "How will I ever get to sleep again, counting sheep in a book of numbers?" Then, there's a song titled 'The Book Of Numbers', where he writes, "The holy Book Of Numbers, I take it's something that you've read, the long search in the wilderness, for a place to lay my head".

The subject of love is interpreted differently. Against a backdrop of melodic whistles, the commercially-appealing 'If It's Love' has the lines, "If it's love, it has no season; if it's love, there is no cure; if it's love, it won't see reason, and of this you can be sure". Then, on 'Loving You', he plays the silent sufferer, singing, "We made vows inside the church, to forgive each other's sins, but there are things I have to endure, like the smell of another man's skin". The topic is handled with negative intensity on 'For Her Love', which talks of the extent of deceit and betrayal a man may go through to win love.

The outstanding, cleverly-crafted lyrics are backed by great musical parts, like the whistles on 'If It's Love', and the saxophone solo of 'Harmony Road'. 'The Hills Of The Border' has a lilt reminiscent of 'Fields Of Gold', with the Celtic arrangements lending a twist. The trademark biographical song comes in the form of 'Captain Bateman', which talks of a navy officer and a "creature of captivating beauty". The bonus track 'Captain Bateman's Basement' is a marvelous departure, with its scat vocals, percussion and bass. Co-producers Martin Kierszenbaum and Maya Jane Coles help Sting create a fabulous record, with guitarist Dominic Miller, drummer Manu Katche and saxophonist Branford Marsalis chipping in.

The only drawback, arguably, is the version of Otis Redding's 'Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay' as a bonus track. It may have been meant as a tribute, but it not only seems unnecessary but also lacks any distinctive factor. Overall, of course, Sting comes up with an album that matches the earlier class. As mentioned, there have been great songs later, but as a collective set, The Bridge deserves a visit. The lyrics just add to the beauty of the ride.