The Police - what's the best album?

and they were, I guess, the Biggest Band in the World in '83. Rare for a band at the peak of its powers to simply....stop.

The only other one I can think of is The Jam splitting around the same time - although they obviously weren't as popular worldwide. Some obvious parallels between the two as well.

okay reading these quotes of them bouncing off of each other is reminding me of why I ever liked Sting in the first place

Like them all. But going for Zenyatta Mondata for 2 reasons:
1) it features the first pop song I was really mad about Don't Stand So Close to Me (fish aged 5)
2) Shadows in the Rain and Voices in My Head

his Klark Kent stuff is like a lost Police album

I dispute that "Don't Care" could have been a Police song

OK:

Outlandos best album though it's very close and Regatta is probably my sentimental favorite and one I've listened to most times in my life (w/ Synchronicity second)

Worst filler tie between "Born in the 50s" and "On Any Other Day" though I can't deny really digging the SOUND of both these songs.

Cosign love for "Fallout" -- if they'd put it on Outlandos my vote would have been easier. Have never heard the B-side, "Nothing Achieving," is it good?

Listening now, no, "Nothing Achieving" is not that good.

On Any Other Day is the best of the filler.

I dispute that "Don't Care" could have been a Police song

― Guayaquil (eephus!), Friday, April 12, 2013 9:53 AM (10 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

agreed but if you have the Kollected Works comp (I don't know what's on the actual album) you can hear that a lot of these songs were written for someone with a higher range. the overall sound is much closer to the Police than anything Sting's done!

that group interview is really really great by the way

I note that it is dated April 1.

I actually bought that issue of Revolver while waiting two hours for a table on Mother's Day 2000.

at a mall Cheesecake Factory.

that's when i'd reach for my revolver too

I've often been half-tempted to call up record stores asking what Police albums they have in stock, just to see how they pronounce the titles of the first three...

But is the interview real? That's what I'm asking.

yes. it's probably just their april issue and when someone wanted to put an exact date on it they defaulted to "april 1."

Worst filler is Secret Journey or Omegaman

no way, both those are great

Yeah. I'm listening to the back half of Ghost in the Machine now and it's terrific. Dunno why the band describes it as a dense, crammed album since the bits of saxophone and synth remind me of what Steely Dan might have done had they stuck around through New Wave and Gone Political.

Shall have to listen again. Liked Secret Journey at the time, but recall it now as a bit corny. Omegaman seemed like a rush job.

That interview is real. Supposedly it was recorded to be bonus material on remasters of the albums, but was discarded for obvs. reasons. (makes 'drinky-drinky' motion with hands) Revolver (which had just launched as an American answer to Mojo or Q) picked it up and ran it in their first issue.

I like the idea of Sting thinking, "Man, I miss the boys, let me invite them to Tuscany for the weekend for swimming and wine," then regretting it as they start beating each other's asses again and vowing never to speak again

bet it happens once a year at least

i watched that Police documentary that Stew put together a few years back and that is definitely how they always talked to each other

I thought for sure I was gonna vote Ghost in this but I am surprising myself by hovering my finger over the Zenyatta button instead. I would propose that the guitar sound on 'When the World is Running Down' is one of the most edible ever put to tape.

what would it taste like?

Zenyatta!

a smooth, translucent slice of pickled ginger

I was gonna say: a martini with St Germain instead of vermouth, with a slice of cucumber.

i concede to you!

Listening to Ghost for the first time in ages. I like the sound but can't shake the sense that it's basically Regatta with a wirier, more menacing sound (which they would bring to full fruition on "Synchronicity II") - that is, some killer singles, generally energetic playing... and a lot of underwritten songs whose choruses amount to everybody chanting the title repeatedly. There are still some great moments along the way, for example the way the solo comes in on "Omegaman" (too bad it's so aimless), but it kind of empties the magazine in the first three tracks.

synchronicity because it is different in that it is goin into new directions. btw it's rare that a band finishes with their best album, the only other one i can think of is talk talk (though laughing stock and spirit of eden are about equally great).

Mother is quite amazing

How unfortunate that Stingo didn't share his impressions.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EgqIkazCdAA

"Does Everyone Stare" may be their best filler. Is it their only piano-driven song? It's wonderful/awful how the piano just... can't... keep... in the groove with the incredible rhythmic tightness of the other instruments.

Yeah that is a good one, the piano is great...

I like Rob Sheffield's explanation: Copeland's autobiographical manifesto.

Would Deathwish be classified as filler?

that interview was indeed great, and made me think i probably wouldn't want to be in a band with stewart either

at some point in my ignorant youth i asked a friend of mine who knew french what the first few police albums meant in english; when we got to zenyatta mondatta he spit out 'high and mighty' without missing a beat

never liked the big hits much but i quite like a bit of solo Sting (Fragile, Englishman In New York) and i love King Of Pain by The Police.
is there more stuff like this in the back catalogue?

That one solo Sting album is really good.

sting solo is the woooorst

all o's warranted

Just the one album.

woooooooooooorst

Sting's very own "Rhythm Nation:"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYps5LfOaGg

I've heard a shocking number of just-hangin-with-Sting tales that earn the guy a good deal of my patience with all the stuff about him that sucks.

Once, friends of mine were out at a trendy place for a late dinner, and their table was next to Sting and his wife. Eventually he just invited them over and they spent a couple of hours kickin' it with Sting. But the best story - and if the subject of this story posts here, hey, how are you? - a friend of mine was working for a Milwaukee paper or weekly or something. One day, he gets a call from a publicist, who invites him to meet Sting before the show. He figures, what the hell, Sting! So he shows up to the venue and is escorted back to a room where Sting and his entire band is set up. But my acquaintance (also named Josh) notices a bunch of other civilians back there, too, so he gets the scoop: apparently Sting, bored a lot of the time, had (has?) a tradition of live band karaoke in every city he hits! So Sting goes around the room greeting everyone, and then, one by one, people in the room got to pick their favorite Stings/Police songs from a binder, and Sting and his band backed them up! But it gets better, because apparently after the songs were done Sting just hung around, milling about. So my pal Josh was leaning on a wall somewhere and Sting walks by, gives him a polite nod hello, and just says "Josh" in a matter of fact way. So Josh, thinking of no other alternative and unable to help himself, responds with the SNL copy guy line: "Stiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing."
iiiii
True story.