This great album was released on 1 June 1985 around a year after The Police broke up. In fact, they just stopped working with each other and in fact are due to start touring again soon!
Sting (who's nickname originated when he was with The Phoenix Jazzmen and took to wearing a black and yellow hooped jersey, like a bee!) was desparate to prove himself as a singer and songwriter in his own regard and to explore his roots in jazz, so the album has a very jazzy feel about it. The fact that most of the the band were big time jazz musicians with Wynford Marsalis' band also helped! To me, the album conveys the feeling that all concerned had a lot of fun doing this album, recorded in Eddy Grants studio in Barbados.
Stand out tracks were "If You Love Somebody, Let Them Free", "Russians" and "Children's Crusade". The album definately had a political edge to it too, particularly on "Russians", remember this was right at the time the cold war was ending.
We share the same biology
Regardless of ideology
Believe me when I say to you
I hope the russians love their children too
This track also features a classical piece by Prokoviev, Lieutenant Kije.
I have this album on vinyl, CD and again on CD, being the half speed master by Mobile Fidelity, which sounds awesome!
If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free
Russians
