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All rights reserved.Ten Summoner's Tales - Sting (CD 1993)
Foxy_shy s one-man Sting and the Police W/O: Part III the LaureateReview created: 01/17/04
by: foxy_shy -- a member of Epinions
Pros:
Every darn second of it
Every darn second of it
Cons:
I wish When We Dance was included
I wish When We Dance was included
There are albums that grow on you. And there are albums you grow to appreciate. Funny, but my experience proves 10 Summoner s Tales to be one of the latter. My first Sting album, there were days when I really was into it. Then other great albums took its place, and when the time came to write a review I gave it a four I just wasn t listening to it anymore. These days, sitting at my desk, reading some textbook by candlelight (just passed my second exam five yet to come!!), this album s become one of my best pals.
I guess good albums they get tricky sometimes.
4th LP, 10 Summoner s Tales finds Sting at a creativity peak. He was there before ( Nothing Like the Sun), he ll be there again (Brand New Day, Sacred Love). Soul Cages, the predecessor of the one at hand and his 3rd album, was different though. Dedicated to his late father, morbidly personal, painfully beautiful, genius to the point of obsession I could go on though to me it was and will remain above all of his creativity peaks, back in the day few critics would agree. Now, similarly to how it will happen again at a later stage of his career, having returned from the world of mourning and Celtic dreams, Sting is expected to deliver something amusing. Something, you know, entertaining. Something easy and nice. Just sing us a song, man
He does. Twelve pieces. Easy and nice? You ve got it. Perfect pop? Oh, absolutely. Selling out? Sting? Well
Ladies and Gentleman, 10 Summoner s Tales is what you demanded Sting the court entertainer.
You could say I
lost my faith in science and progress
This was the first time Sting had an opener like that. Driven by those chromatic harmonicas, the song breathes timeless, while an arrogant narrator in a familiar voice one after another denies faith in every power and dominion there exist in our world and in our minds. The chorus comes and he states his creed: If I ever lose my faith in you there ll be nothing left for me to do. One of the few songs every person in the world may relate to, it definitely is something different for every listener. We all believe in something a wise man, Sting leaves it for you to insert it right there in the chorus, leaves the name unsaid.
I could be lost inside their lies
Without a trace
But every time I close my eyes
I see your face
It s also one of the best videos ever. Whether you are a king or a fool, whether your faith lies in a hundred crosses, flying around your brain, or in the clouds speeding by a lonely tower on a mountaintop, it s what you cannot live without. For me it s God, my Lord and Savior. But of course, each time I whisper along to this song, I also think of her. If I ever lose my faith in Her existence well, there s hardly much left for me to do in this world then.
Deserving of a special mention is also stellar percussion by Vinnie Colaiuta ah yess, the band
Sting: lead vocals, bass, harmonica, music, lyrics
Dominic Miller: guitars, music on Shape of My Heart
Vinnie Colauita: drums
David Sancious: keyboards
concerning David Sancious, the man does more than just a decent job replacing Kenny Kirkland, which becomes clear when you listen to LOVE IS STRONGER THAN JUSTICE, a country-ish rocker, telling a rather amusing story. Would you be surprised if I told you it ends with an awesome jazzy part? Oh come on, it s Sting, you shouldn t be! The man loves two things melting genres and telling stories. This song is a bit of both, a story about seven brothers who agree to redeem a small Mexican town from an evil gang not for free, there are senoritas of course.
The outcome was predictable
Our banditos were despicable
Of blood we lost a dozen liters
A small price to pay for las senoritas
The town mayor was happy but his face was glum
The maidens numbered only one
There weren t seven brides for seven brothers
I knew I had to get rid of the others
More stories in four minutes. We stop for one of the most touching pop ballads ever a walk in the FIELDS OF GOLD. A song about memories of love, it is not only graciously easy to sing (not characteristic of Sting), it simply doesn t grow old. Vinnie s percussion is amazing yet again, this time much more subdued than on the opener, just audible enough to create the mood. And that acoustic guitar solo is one of the most unforgettable moments in the 90s pop music.
Never made promises lightly
And there ve been some that I ve broken
But I swear in the days still left we ll walk in fields of gold
Four funny songs follow all about love, all ironic, all finding Sting soar as a Laureate. HEAVY CLOUD NO RAIN is particularly good, telling three stories of failure each connected with an absence of rain in different ages only to wind up with I asked my baby if there d be some way, she said she d save her love for a rainy day, so I look in the sky but I look in vain, heavy cloud no rain. The song just makes you smile, not least because of the funky beat and harmonicas the story s set to.
SHE S TOO GOOD FOR ME is a surging rock n roll number, telling what She doesn t like about him ( she don t want to fix my tie, she don t even want to try ), and breaking time and again against the chorus but oh, the games we play she s too good for me. Then suddenly the bridge comes, all guitars disappear, instead we get slow and in love, with strings, romantic music and candlelight:
Would she prefer it if I washed myself more often than I do
Would she prefer it if I took her to an opera or two
I could distort myself to be the perfect man
She might prefer me as I am .
SEVEN DAYS is one of Sting s best songs, period. Brief soft eruptions of guitars and strings give an amazingly melodic appeal to what is a slow ballad, telling a story of a man who s in love with a girl and now suddenly there appears a rival. He feels he s losing her, but lacks courage to tell her how he really feels. I agree with Sting who once said the character probably wins in the end. The song closes with a lyric from the Police days the gorgeous Every Little Thing She Does is Magic. I ll quote my fave two verses though:
Does it bother me at all
My rival is Neanderthal
It makes me think
Perhaps I need a drink
IQ s not an issue here
We won t be playing scrabble for her hand I fear
I need that beer
SAINT AUGUSTINE IN HELL is more violent, as it tells a terrible story of a man whose love for a wrong girl leads to his death from her jealous boyfriend s switchblade. Dominic Miller churns out gorgeous riffs one after another, while in the background there s genuine keyboard/organ madness. Sting s vocals burn with passion, until another astonishing bridge finds our hero in Hell, set to a nice jazzy piano Relax, have a cigar, make yourself at home The chorus is one of the catchiest things Sting has written, ever.
She walked into the room on the arm of my best friend
I knew whatever happened our friendship would end
The album changes its pace here. Next three songs are slow, contemplative, touching these will be real love songs. When I first heard this album, they were the reason I was disappointed, now I think this sudden mood-swing was nothing short of genius. Shows his and sings my sensitive side oh, but if only When We Dance was here! This would be my favorite Sting album then.
IT S PROBABLY ME became a single in a different arrangement, as a pop duet with Eric Clapton s guitar (the video to Lethal Weapon 3, the song is also playing during the opening credits), and I prefer that version. This here is jazz, and it s ok.
EVERYBODY LAUGHED BUT YOU is a wonderful love song, and again, like on Fields of Gold, the acoustic guitars are amazing. But they really surpass perfection on Dominic Miller s SHAPE OF MY HEART. Andrew (Bob_Tomato) once suggested to me the song wasn t included in Sting s Best-of compilation, because it wasn t his song, so he fairly let it remain associated with Dominic, his guitarist. Well, the lyrics of course were his. Still, no matter how good Sting s lyrics get in this song about a man, whose whole life is a card game, this time it is really more about music and the heartbreaking guitars (the song made a video to Leon with Jean Reno). Courtesy Dominic Miller, a masterpiece for all times. Just please don t cover it again. Please.
I know that diamonds mean money for this art
But that s not the shape of my heart
Another surprise follows, and again I have to admit this song has grown on me and I like it being put on this album. SOMETHING THE BOY SAID is Laureate s scary story
Finally, the closer is a nice pop song NOTHING BOUT ME. The piano solo after the bridge is the best on the album and the way the closing chorus fades as if jamming is really funny and never ceases to annoy my mom whenever she gets to hear it. Yep, for some of us Sting still is a mystery. When if fact, he couldn t be simpler.
No need to read no books on my history
I m a simple man, it s no big mystery
In cold weather a hand needs a glove
At times like this, a lonely man like me needs love
Final thoughts
Sting has had funny and entertaining songs before (Moon Over Bourbon Street, Rock Steady), he will write more in the future (All Four Seasons, Big Lie Small World, Perfect Love Gone Wrong, Forget About the Future), but here we have 5 such songs on the same album! Add some of his most earnest love songs, one of the best songs ever (If I ever Lose my Faith), and even a scary story like the one you tell your children in front of a fireplace when it s dark outside the result is something pretty special. This is Sting the court entertainer, Sting the Laureate, and 10 Summoner s Tales is one of his best albums, easy yet every bit as deep as all his work. As enjoyable, too.
Thanks for reading, and feel welcome to crash this humble one-person W/O, if you have something to say about Sting or the Police. I m going to keep writing about my favorite artist for a while now. And don t forget Simon who writes the best reviews on a fantastic band the Cure round here. He s writing them right now!
See ya soon.
More on Sting by me
...Nothing like the Sun
Fields of Gold: The best of Sting - the Videos 1984-1994
Brand New Day
Inside the Songs of Sacred Love DVD
..by other folks
Andrew - Sacred Love
Simon - Sacred Love
Ticktockman - All This Time DVD
Andrew - Brand New Day
Andrew - Mercury Falling
Andrew - 10 Summoners Tales
Andrew - the Soul Cages
Andrew - Nothing like the Sun
Tim - the Dream of the Blue Turtles
Andrew - the Dream of the Blue Turtles
More on the Police by me
Regatta de Blanc
Ghost in the Machine
I guess good albums they get tricky sometimes.
4th LP, 10 Summoner s Tales finds Sting at a creativity peak. He was there before ( Nothing Like the Sun), he ll be there again (Brand New Day, Sacred Love). Soul Cages, the predecessor of the one at hand and his 3rd album, was different though. Dedicated to his late father, morbidly personal, painfully beautiful, genius to the point of obsession I could go on though to me it was and will remain above all of his creativity peaks, back in the day few critics would agree. Now, similarly to how it will happen again at a later stage of his career, having returned from the world of mourning and Celtic dreams, Sting is expected to deliver something amusing. Something, you know, entertaining. Something easy and nice. Just sing us a song, man
He does. Twelve pieces. Easy and nice? You ve got it. Perfect pop? Oh, absolutely. Selling out? Sting? Well
Ladies and Gentleman, 10 Summoner s Tales is what you demanded Sting the court entertainer.
You could say I
lost my faith in science and progress
This was the first time Sting had an opener like that. Driven by those chromatic harmonicas, the song breathes timeless, while an arrogant narrator in a familiar voice one after another denies faith in every power and dominion there exist in our world and in our minds. The chorus comes and he states his creed: If I ever lose my faith in you there ll be nothing left for me to do. One of the few songs every person in the world may relate to, it definitely is something different for every listener. We all believe in something a wise man, Sting leaves it for you to insert it right there in the chorus, leaves the name unsaid.
I could be lost inside their lies
Without a trace
But every time I close my eyes
I see your face
It s also one of the best videos ever. Whether you are a king or a fool, whether your faith lies in a hundred crosses, flying around your brain, or in the clouds speeding by a lonely tower on a mountaintop, it s what you cannot live without. For me it s God, my Lord and Savior. But of course, each time I whisper along to this song, I also think of her. If I ever lose my faith in Her existence well, there s hardly much left for me to do in this world then.
Deserving of a special mention is also stellar percussion by Vinnie Colaiuta ah yess, the band
Sting: lead vocals, bass, harmonica, music, lyrics
Dominic Miller: guitars, music on Shape of My Heart
Vinnie Colauita: drums
David Sancious: keyboards
concerning David Sancious, the man does more than just a decent job replacing Kenny Kirkland, which becomes clear when you listen to LOVE IS STRONGER THAN JUSTICE, a country-ish rocker, telling a rather amusing story. Would you be surprised if I told you it ends with an awesome jazzy part? Oh come on, it s Sting, you shouldn t be! The man loves two things melting genres and telling stories. This song is a bit of both, a story about seven brothers who agree to redeem a small Mexican town from an evil gang not for free, there are senoritas of course.
The outcome was predictable
Our banditos were despicable
Of blood we lost a dozen liters
A small price to pay for las senoritas
The town mayor was happy but his face was glum
The maidens numbered only one
There weren t seven brides for seven brothers
I knew I had to get rid of the others
More stories in four minutes. We stop for one of the most touching pop ballads ever a walk in the FIELDS OF GOLD. A song about memories of love, it is not only graciously easy to sing (not characteristic of Sting), it simply doesn t grow old. Vinnie s percussion is amazing yet again, this time much more subdued than on the opener, just audible enough to create the mood. And that acoustic guitar solo is one of the most unforgettable moments in the 90s pop music.
Never made promises lightly
And there ve been some that I ve broken
But I swear in the days still left we ll walk in fields of gold
Four funny songs follow all about love, all ironic, all finding Sting soar as a Laureate. HEAVY CLOUD NO RAIN is particularly good, telling three stories of failure each connected with an absence of rain in different ages only to wind up with I asked my baby if there d be some way, she said she d save her love for a rainy day, so I look in the sky but I look in vain, heavy cloud no rain. The song just makes you smile, not least because of the funky beat and harmonicas the story s set to.
SHE S TOO GOOD FOR ME is a surging rock n roll number, telling what She doesn t like about him ( she don t want to fix my tie, she don t even want to try ), and breaking time and again against the chorus but oh, the games we play she s too good for me. Then suddenly the bridge comes, all guitars disappear, instead we get slow and in love, with strings, romantic music and candlelight:
Would she prefer it if I washed myself more often than I do
Would she prefer it if I took her to an opera or two
I could distort myself to be the perfect man
She might prefer me as I am .
SEVEN DAYS is one of Sting s best songs, period. Brief soft eruptions of guitars and strings give an amazingly melodic appeal to what is a slow ballad, telling a story of a man who s in love with a girl and now suddenly there appears a rival. He feels he s losing her, but lacks courage to tell her how he really feels. I agree with Sting who once said the character probably wins in the end. The song closes with a lyric from the Police days the gorgeous Every Little Thing She Does is Magic. I ll quote my fave two verses though:
Does it bother me at all
My rival is Neanderthal
It makes me think
Perhaps I need a drink
IQ s not an issue here
We won t be playing scrabble for her hand I fear
I need that beer
SAINT AUGUSTINE IN HELL is more violent, as it tells a terrible story of a man whose love for a wrong girl leads to his death from her jealous boyfriend s switchblade. Dominic Miller churns out gorgeous riffs one after another, while in the background there s genuine keyboard/organ madness. Sting s vocals burn with passion, until another astonishing bridge finds our hero in Hell, set to a nice jazzy piano Relax, have a cigar, make yourself at home The chorus is one of the catchiest things Sting has written, ever.
She walked into the room on the arm of my best friend
I knew whatever happened our friendship would end
The album changes its pace here. Next three songs are slow, contemplative, touching these will be real love songs. When I first heard this album, they were the reason I was disappointed, now I think this sudden mood-swing was nothing short of genius. Shows his and sings my sensitive side oh, but if only When We Dance was here! This would be my favorite Sting album then.
IT S PROBABLY ME became a single in a different arrangement, as a pop duet with Eric Clapton s guitar (the video to Lethal Weapon 3, the song is also playing during the opening credits), and I prefer that version. This here is jazz, and it s ok.
EVERYBODY LAUGHED BUT YOU is a wonderful love song, and again, like on Fields of Gold, the acoustic guitars are amazing. But they really surpass perfection on Dominic Miller s SHAPE OF MY HEART. Andrew (Bob_Tomato) once suggested to me the song wasn t included in Sting s Best-of compilation, because it wasn t his song, so he fairly let it remain associated with Dominic, his guitarist. Well, the lyrics of course were his. Still, no matter how good Sting s lyrics get in this song about a man, whose whole life is a card game, this time it is really more about music and the heartbreaking guitars (the song made a video to Leon with Jean Reno). Courtesy Dominic Miller, a masterpiece for all times. Just please don t cover it again. Please.
I know that diamonds mean money for this art
But that s not the shape of my heart
Another surprise follows, and again I have to admit this song has grown on me and I like it being put on this album. SOMETHING THE BOY SAID is Laureate s scary story
Finally, the closer is a nice pop song NOTHING BOUT ME. The piano solo after the bridge is the best on the album and the way the closing chorus fades as if jamming is really funny and never ceases to annoy my mom whenever she gets to hear it. Yep, for some of us Sting still is a mystery. When if fact, he couldn t be simpler.
No need to read no books on my history
I m a simple man, it s no big mystery
In cold weather a hand needs a glove
At times like this, a lonely man like me needs love
Final thoughts
Sting has had funny and entertaining songs before (Moon Over Bourbon Street, Rock Steady), he will write more in the future (All Four Seasons, Big Lie Small World, Perfect Love Gone Wrong, Forget About the Future), but here we have 5 such songs on the same album! Add some of his most earnest love songs, one of the best songs ever (If I ever Lose my Faith), and even a scary story like the one you tell your children in front of a fireplace when it s dark outside the result is something pretty special. This is Sting the court entertainer, Sting the Laureate, and 10 Summoner s Tales is one of his best albums, easy yet every bit as deep as all his work. As enjoyable, too.
Thanks for reading, and feel welcome to crash this humble one-person W/O, if you have something to say about Sting or the Police. I m going to keep writing about my favorite artist for a while now. And don t forget Simon who writes the best reviews on a fantastic band the Cure round here. He s writing them right now!
See ya soon.
More on Sting by me
...Nothing like the Sun
Fields of Gold: The best of Sting - the Videos 1984-1994
Brand New Day
Inside the Songs of Sacred Love DVD
..by other folks
Andrew - Sacred Love
Simon - Sacred Love
Ticktockman - All This Time DVD
Andrew - Brand New Day
Andrew - Mercury Falling
Andrew - 10 Summoners Tales
Andrew - the Soul Cages
Andrew - Nothing like the Sun
Tim - the Dream of the Blue Turtles
Andrew - the Dream of the Blue Turtles
More on the Police by me
Regatta de Blanc
Ghost in the Machine
Review ID: 10000000000234581
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