Saturday, October 14, 2006

Labyrinth


I've been a big Sting fan for as long as I can remember. I still think the early Police songs are some of the best pop songs ever written. What I love most about Sting is that he has consistently pushed the boundaries of what pop music is, and should be. He blurs boundaries between genres and the results are always beautiful.

The current bandwagon for aging rock stars is to release an album of standards. Sting isn't immune to this trend. He's been playing with the classics for the past 10 years. His cover of "My One and Only Love" is one of my favorites. But his new album has taken this concept to extremes. Songs From the Labyrinth is a selection of Elizabethan songs accompanied by lute. It's an intriguing concept and the results are surprisingly poignant. "Come Again" doesn't sound that different than a few of the songs on his 1987 release ". . . Nothing Like the Sun."

Four of the "new" songs are available to listen to online. Whether you like it or not, you'll be surprised.

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