Sting: The Bridge - 2021
Sting is one of several artists who have now had very long careers and are still putting out albums periodically, without ever particularly changing the formula.
Like the post-millennium output of Van Morrison, Paul Simon, Mark Knopfler, Elvis Costello and Rod Stewart - among others - you know pretty much what you are going to get, and there is something rather comforting and reassuringly trustworthy in that. I put this album on and I know it will be easy-going, relaxing, lyrically thoughtful, gently rhythmic and immaculately played. Sting's albums have always been hi-fi demonstration standard in their sound quality - razor sharp acoustic guitars, subtly syncopated percussion and clarity of voice.
There is not really much I can do in terms of track-by-track analysis - songs like Rushing Water, If It's Love, Loving You, the brassy, punchy The Book Of Numbers and the folkily beguiling The Hills On The Border, along with the rest of them are all enjoyable, mature compositions.
The also folky Captain Bateman is a solid song too as is the haunting The Bells Of St. Thomas. The instantly recognisable long-time contributor Branford Marsalis returns on tenor saxophone for a lovely solo on Harmony Road.
