jchertudi's cd collection.

Initially this was my favorite Police album as a kid. It's fast and punkier than the rest, which appealed to my 5th grade self. There are a lot of good songs on here, but in comparison to the rest of their albums, it definitely does not have the songwriting maturity. The singles, Roxanne and Can't Stand Losing You, are an immature but catchy enough mix of rock and reggae at this point. I think So Lonely actually does that mixture best. The rest lean towards ever-so-slightly punk rock. The biggest problem with this album is the way it just dies after Truth Hits Everybody. The final track, Masoko Tanga, is kind of a cool jam, but it's still a jam. It's not worth listening to the preceding two tracks to reach it.

Reggatta de Blanc finds Sting reaching much greater maturity in his songwriting. The mix of rock and reggae is subtler and better than on their previous, and songs like Bring on the Night and The Bed's Too Big Without You perfect it. It doesn't hurt that Message in a Bottle is also one of the best pieces of straight rock 'n' roll ever written. Unfortunately, the album is still tarnished by the inclusion of less-than-stellar music, such as It's Alright for You and On Any Other Day (sorry Stewart). It finishes a bit stronger, with No Time This Time being a killer song for Stewart's drumming, but otherwise Reggatta de Blanc also loses steam in its final 3 songs.

For their third effort, The Police sound a bit more mellow and radio friendly, with the reggae influence still present, but toned down. Zenyatta gets off to a fantastic start, with the first 7 tracks being undeniably great. Canary in a Coalmine is perhaps a little lower quality, seeming almost silly in its poppiness, but it's short and quick. But like the previous two albums, this one REALLY tanks after De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da. Two instrumentals, neither of which is interesting, and a boring, drugged out jam in Shadows in the Rain. Alas for Man in a Suitcase, a great track wedged amongst all these duds.

I may be the only one who thinks this is The Police's best album. It definitely sounds more dated, with '80's synthesizers and horns plastered all over the classic Police sound, but I think it's the most consistent song-for-song. The only track that seems like just straight out filler would probably be Too Much Information. Demolition Man also drags a bit long, I suppose. The other plus to this album is that even though they threw the singles all at the front of the album, the last 3 songs are actually great too! They also give a break from the upbeat, horn-filled music from the middle of the disc, with their darker and more serious tone. Finally The Police end their record successfully!

The final album for the band, Sting got his desire to go out on a high note. It sounds completely different from other Police records, with high production values and lots of keyboard parts. Nonetheless, the songs are too great to be denied. Interestingly, the start of the album is the weakest. The two Synchronicity songs are great, but everything else is OK, or in the case of Mother, ear destructive noise. But the second half of the album, starting at Synchronicity II; holy crap! Probably the greatest string of songs ever put together outside of a best-of collection. It's just one amazing song after another. A great way to end their career.