Photo Credit: Eric Ryan Anderson
Words by Tom Farmer- @tomfarmer5000 @TomFarmerJourno
Known for asking profound questions like whether the Russians love their children or imploring a prostitute to change their occupation, Sting’s latest dose of husky vocals and clear-cut lyricisms are all together more gentle. The latest single “Rushing Water”, the opener of upcoming fifteenth (fifteenth!) solo album “The Bridge” is funky and light-hearted. With synths, a web series called “On The Bridge” and a Las Vegas residency beginning later this month, the former New Wave icon has come a long way.
For a man who has thrived and been inspired by dystopian situations and melancholy stories, you would think Sting was well-equipped to get creative when the world grinded to a standstill last March. Whilst this is certainly not an album where he expresses his love for lockdown TV like “Tiger King” or wishes to lounge around in his pants to “help control the virus”, global events have played their part in the construction of the album. Discussing the opening track “Rushing Water”, Sting states that the song is “a fitting start to an album that seeks to bridge all of the petty differences that can separate us”.
The uniting intent of the record is not only evident lyrically but sonically also, with the first notes of the track perhaps echoing an 80s dancefloor. With a funky bassline and synths gently weeping in the background, “Rushing Water” sounds miles away from the Sting we know. However, it is impossible to separate Sting from driving guitar and husky vocals, which bounds in before you know it. With organs and keyboards, blended with the synths, there is a lot going on, layering the track to create a sense of warmth and atmosphere.
"The Bridge", the new album from Sting, is released on the 19th of November. (Photo: Eric Ryan Anderson)
Akin with the slightly more “jazzy” style the rock veteran has opted for, the Northumberland-born songwriter has adopted some more glamorous forms of PR than merely putting posters up. In October, fresh from its reopening as the city of flamboyance and glamour (discuss), Sting will do a residency in Las Vegas. This may well make him the first man with both a CBE awarded by The Queen and a stint performing in the “City of Sin”. In between the trips to gambling tables and theme parks, Sting will also be releasing a weekly web series called “On The Bridge”, exclusively on Sting.com.
Whilst the single sounds uncannily like (dare I say it) a pop track, which- despite popular belief- is not an insult. With a sense of likeability and an easy-going nature, it is a perfectly palatable sample of what Sting is set to release in November.
"The Bridge", the upcoming new album from Sting can be pre-ordered here.
The Limited Edition International Box Set Also Available for Pre-Order HERE
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