Sting - The Dream of the Blue Turtles

From one spin of The Dream of the Blue Turtles, Sting's first solo release, it's obvious that for him there would be life beyond the Police. Teamed with a band of top jazz players, he presents his musical visions that had gone unrealized while he was still constrained by his former ensemble. In style and subject matter, it's a decidedly diverse collection of songs and the playing is excellent throughout. The love songs are mostly focused on endings or escapes, and it's quite possible to interpret much of the imagery in reference to the bitter breakup of the Police. Sting's concern with history and politics is in evidence: he makes a father's plea for sanity and restraint in the nuclear age, takes up for the U.K.'s much-abused coal miners, and relates the savage stupidity of World War I to the destructive effects of adolescent heroin addiction. Songs that seem elaborately constructed and recorded contrast with others that are presented as one-take jams. Seen as a whole, The Dream of the Blue Turtles is eclectic, ambitious--sometimes pretentious--but altogether worth owning. --Al Massa Amazon.com essential recording

His first solo effort was his best...

I bought this on LP in 1985 and finally updated to CD and it has never gotten old. True, this sounds a lot more like the later songs of the Police than the Sting releases of late, but if you, like me, ever say, "Gee, I like Sting's music, but I sure like the older stuff and what he did with the Police the best," then this is the CD you want. July 6, 2008

Sting's first album is passable, with naive lyrics

Sting's first album after leaving The Police was a reasonable commercial success, assuring himself a solo career, at least for some time. I listen to the album when it came out, in 1985, when I was 18, and I was impressed by it, but it hasn't aged that well. The music is pleasant though hardly memorable, and the lyrics are literate (perhaps too literate) but also naive. What sounded brave and intelligent 20 years ago, sounds pretty naive now. Like the pre - End of the cold war "Russians" (with a good coda from Prokofiev) or "The Children's Crusade" (about the youth killed in World War I, an odd topic for a rock song). "If you love somebody, set them free" sounds like a response to Police's megahit "Every breath you take" (can't one take a position in the middle, without going to the extremes?). Then there is the luddite "We Work the Black Seam together" (about the then topical miner's strike in the north of England) and the homage to New Orleans "Moon over Bourbon Street" inspired by the book Interview with a Vampire (this was before the Brad Pitt movie). The best song of the album to me is the calypso-inspired "Love is the Seventh Wave" (great video as well). November 22, 2007

After today... Consider Me Gone

This has always been my favorite Sting solo album, partly because it doesn't really feel like a solo album. As Sting says in the liner notes, "people keep referring to this album as a solo effort, which of course is ridicilous" well Mr. Sting I agree with you. This Blue Turtles band was absolutely fantastic and kudos to you for hiring these amazing musicians and assembling this great band. Branford Marsalis is absolutely mind blowing on a few of the tracks, such as "Children's Crusade" and "Shadows in the Rain". "Consider Me Gone" is wonderful, just put that on with a nice glass of wine and enjoy.. ahhh! Even dated songs like "Russians" and "We Work the Black Seam" are still very enjoyable. I could go on and on... but this is the finest collection of songs Sting has composed without the Police. I still listen to this one quite often 20+ years later. September 27, 2007

first solo album of Gordon Matthew Sumner (STING)

As His first solo work is just remarkably well done!!!! May 13, 2007

First solo effort Awesome!

I liked him with The Police, but Sting got me forever with this music. May 10, 2007

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