Sting: Sacred Love - 2003

 

Probably the least interesting of the three is this, which saw Sting using guest collaborators, Santana-style and, to a certain extent, sacrificing innovation for sonic perfection. 

The songs don't offer much deviation from the Sting blueprint, save the now-obligatory contemporary beats. It makes for impressive, effective mood music - dinner party fare. It is still a pleasant enough listen, however. The album was somewhat blighted by suffering from the 2000s affliction of being released in multiple versions and formats, something that detracts from its identity. I still don't know which version I have. 

Inside is a typically shuffling Sting number of the type that has appeared on many albums while Send Your Love is an excellent, upbeat and bassy song, full of verve and vitality. Great percussion on it too along with those Arabic-style strings Sting likes to use. Whenever I Say Your Name is a nice slow number, enhanced by a guest vocal from Mary J. Blige. 

Dead Man's Rope has a soulful, deep ambience to it. Never Coming Home features some programmed, contemporary drum sounds and a nice, jazzy piano bit at the end. Stolen Car was the album's best known track, and it is a beguilingly rhythmic one as also is the enjoyable Forget About The Future, one I particularly like. 

Talking, as I was earlier, of Santana, This War starts with some very Carlos-esque fuzzy guitar and is one of Sting's rockiest tracks for a long while. The Book Of My Life is archetypal Sting once again with that North African percussion providing an attractive backbeat and Sacred Love is also instantly recognisable as Sting. Nothing wrong with this at all. You know what you're going to get and it duly delivers, it just doesn't push any boundaries.

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