Nothing Like the Sun - Sting (CD 1987)

There was a great outcry across the land when the Police broke up back in the eighties. Stewart Copeland went on to score films and tv, Andy Summers went his own way, and Sting --

Well, Sting went on to become an even bigger legend and one of the best songwriters around. His previous solo album, The Dream of the Blue Turtles was a bit incoherent in places, but with this one, he struck gold, and hasn't stopped since. Most of the songs center around love, in all of its forms, and are generally pop tunes, catchy without too much embellishment. I can handle that, I listen to Sting for the lyrics, which are always a bit sly and I feel like we're sharing a private joke or story between us.

Sting has never been shy about voicing his political views, and this album was the most vocal of how he saw the world and the many injustices in it. We need more like him, to be honest.

Listen to it when you're alone, or with someone you care about. This is music to go driving to, or just to sit and listen. It's danceable and makes you move. The liner notes are extensive and give quite a few insights to what Sting was thinking about when he was writing all this up.

The Lazarus Heart Digging into the sometimes twisted relationships we have with our mums, it's an odd little song with a fast beat that's a bit like some of the earlier stuff with the Police. Great saxiphone riffs in the background. Interesting imagry and poetry to it.

Be Still My Beating Heart One of my favorite cuts from this album, it's a deep, soulful song that has a very quiet rhythm line to it. The lyrics are all about that feeling of doubt and hope that all of us get just before the plunge into emotion.

Englishman in New York Written for and about the late Quentin Crisp, this is a delight to listen to, as anyone who's made the move to New York City can attest to, the lyrics capture the oddness and contradictions of the place. To be honest, the bit in the middle is about as close as I will get to either hip-hop or rap.

History Will Teach Us Nothing This one is cynical, and is rather painful to listen to, despite the raeggae beat to it. In fact, if you're depressed at all, just skip the next two tracks as well.

They Dance Alone Cueca Solo Written about the repressive Pinochet government, this brought the state of the "disappeared" of Argentina to the world's attention. It's a moving, sad song.

Fragile Dedicated to the memory of engineer Ben Linder, killed by the Contras in central America, this one has gotten a recent revival from the awful events of September 11th. It's one of the best things that Sting has ever written.

We'll Be Together Fun, lively, and another danceable hit, this one has all the energy that's been pent up for a while, and Sting cuts loose for a while with it. The video, if you ever see it, is also great with this one.

Straight To My Heart Fast, with a frenetic pace to it, it reminds me of a latin beat, with echoes of his work with the Police, but the sound is smoother, and full of literary puns about love.

Rock Steady Funny lyrics, a happy little melody to kick it along, and it's got an interesting tack on belief that isn't offensive at all.

Sister Moon Very jazzy, it's another ballad that drips with romance, and being alone. This is more of the stuff that Sting does best, and he keeps it simple here. It works.

Little Wing A Jimi Hendrix tune, Sting here makes it soulful, and a bit heartsick and another great one.

The Secret Marriage This one breaks my heart every time I listen to it. Loving what you can't have, but it's still there, and you don't want to give them up either.

This one has become a quiet classic, and worth it to find if you're a fan of Sting.