Synchronicity

Just great! But what’s up with Mother? I had to check my phone to make sure I didn’t switch to a different album.

You could gain a great amount of knowledge by reading up on the topics Sting refers to in his songs. Contrast this to the amount you might learn from reading up on things David Lee Roth mentions in his lyrics: "Might as well Jump!" Draw your own conclusion from the fact that the Van Halen LP with "Jump" sold more copies in the US than Synchronicity did. At least Syncro outsold it in Canada - Eh! Tea in the Sahara is based on the novel "The Sheltering Sky". Sting is very much the intellectual and used this LP to remind everyone that he is. He mentions Mephistopheles, Scylla and Charibdes - and that name dropping is from just one song. The name of the album (and title song(s)) also show his knowledge of psychiatry and psychology (or some may say fringe psychology). This was the only of the five Police LPs that included a lyric sheet. I recall Sting saying lyric sheets were pompous. He must have hoped that some listeners might want to find out who Scylla and Charibdes were and knew that it would be near imposssible to find anything without the proper spelling back in the pre-internet pre-spell check days. I prefer Side 1 which is bookended by the two Synchronicity tunes. Walking . . . and Oh My God are two other gems that fill in the middle of Side 1. Miss Gradenko is Stuart's contribution and is easy to like since Ringo trained us to listen to the drummer's song, politely clap and move on. Andy's song "Mother" is hideous but I guess they had to give him his three minutes. When you hear the haunting and creatively avant garde guitar he laid down on Tea In the Sahara you realize you must take the good with the bad. Side 2 starts with Every Breath . . . the monster hit which imo is not as strong as Syncr II - but hey it sold a shit whack of records and is probably the best known Police song. Side 2 has the two other big hits and ends with what is probably my favourite song on the album: Tea in the Sahara - or at least my vinyl ended with that. It's nice to see Murder By Numbers included in the re-release. That was a pretty good song to be excluded from the album. Leaving that song off and including Mother must have driven Sting bee-shit crazy.

Any one of The Police's albums could rate as a favorite. This one hits all of the sweet spots for me. It keeps just enough of the punk/reggae vibe of their earlier works, but expands a slightly more mainstream rock milieu. It spawned quiet a few hits (all of them deserving, IMO) and even the lesser tracks still have a lot going for them. As a whole, the album is rather dark with it's investigations into murder, stalking, oppression, devilry and just the weight of day-to-day existence amongst the uncertainty of the world. The album kicks off with the almost discordant Synchronicity I, full of ambiguous lyrics, soaring vocals, and jamming piano & guitar. Sting gets a little preachy, but cheekily so, in Walking in Your Footsteps, with great tribal percussion lending weight to the musical message. O My God might be the weakest link for me, but still has a pretty good jazzy hook and a sound that Sting will move more toward in his solo work. Ditto the story aspect of Tea in the Sahara, which could easily come off of his Ten Sumner's Tales album. Many people react against Mother (Andy Summer's sole writing/singing credit) and feel it's too far afield from the rest of the album. Personally, I dig it's weirdness and primal angst, and musically, the Middle Eastern sounds of the oboe and the funky time signature. Miss Gradenko (Stewart Copeland's sole writing credit) hints at a corporate/government scenario rife with danger & intrigue. Murder By Numbers is as Dirty Deeds-esque lyric paired with a bouncy, fun melody for an ironic look at hired violence. Then there are the biggies, tracks 6-9: Synchronicity II is probably my fave track with it's cynical look at a day in the life of the working man. I can never be in a traffic jam without feeling like lemming packed in shiny metal box. Every Breath You Take, King of Pain, and Wrapped Around Your Finger all earned their place on the airwaves & the charts, each distinct, and yet also of a piece - much like side two from any number of Beatles albums. This album is a masterwork from a band at the top of their game. That they called it quits right after is in some ways disappointing, but may have been the best call they could make, as they clearly went out on top.

One minute in and I can tell I’m not going to make it through this record due to my dislike of Sting, so I’m just going to roast it: They should have just called this record “Cultural Appropriation: The Album” “Hey Mr. Dinosaur, you really couldn’t ask for more”. A grown-ass, 32-year old man wrote those lyrics. Hey everybody! it’s Saturday night…what do you say we get tepidly funky with The Police? “Andy, this is your mother calling…I know you’re busy making misogynistic snake charmer music with your friend Sting, the “tantric sex practitioner”, but it would be nice if you answered the phone every once in a while. Your father’s gout is acting up again and he’s in hospital. Ok? Call me back, please” Ohhhh, Ohhhh, Ohhhh…why won’t Synchronicity II stop?!? If the Police had any sense of humor, the video for “Every Breath You Take” would have been Sting sitting in a tree with binoculars staring into an unsuspecting woman’s bedroom while singing the song. The Peeping Tom national anthem. At least Sting is self aware enough to call himself the King of Pain. The suffering he’s unleashed upon the earth with his music is immeasurable. What kind of Tea we talking about having in the Sahara?…Hemlock?….Sure, sign me up. What’s the statute of limitation on crimes in the UK? I’d like to report a homicide. I just witnessed The Police murdering Jazz. BOOM. ROASTED.

44 minutes too long.

Usually Andy Summers is my biggest gripe with the Police, but he really came into his own on this record. Stewart Copeland continues to be monumentally underrated, and Sting brings the same flavor he always does: tasty, but quick to get sick of. As a whole though, I think this is my favorite I’ve heard from the Police.

Massively overrated band overall, this album is decent enough

We all know the singles are excellent. Radio play, critics and countless polls have been telling us that for decades. But blimey, there's a lot of dishwater to get through first. For me the album struggles to stay afloat after a really strong opener, flitting through weak AOR tracks with dull instrumentation and toe-curling delivery (\"Mother\"... really?). It picks up again with the brilliant Synchronicity II which kicks off a \"Greatest Hits\" style run of singles- but it seems the album is judged mainly against the strength of these 3-4 tracks. It's an effort to get there!

Mixed bag. Some great tunes (Synchronicity II, King of Pain, Every Breath) and some not so good (Mother!). A band about a to go their separate ways and it shows

Easily their least interesting album, although the previous album had all the warning signs it was coming. Sting got so far up his own arse he could barely stand for Stewart and Andy to play their instruments. I remember him bragging in interviews how smart he was for not letting them play at every turn. Really this is the first Sting solo album (not a compliment), but the label was probably afraid nobody would buy a Sting solo album (they were right). “Rumors” but without the good stuff.

The Police make music for people that don't like music

This was one of my first "cassette tapes"! I LOVE this album!

Police are a strange band, I just don't understand how they were the "biggest band in the world" at one stage. But hey, I don't understand how One Direction were either. This album has that 80s electric coldness to it that I sometimes enjoy. Maybe it's my negative feelings towards Sting, but here it felt dry and smug. I feel I say this on every album, the hits are great, but there's a lot of filler. Also, Mother should never have been committed to tape.

I was 10 years old. This was my first favorite album and soon to be first favorite band, thanks to an older cousin. This album was very influential to my listening development I still listen to this album regularly. I preferred Regatta or Zeñata back in the day, but after this revisit I realize that this album will forever be legendary. Synchronicity is by far the most realized Police album. A bunch of my friends made lists of our top 10 most personally influential albums and several of my friends included Synchronicity on that list. I did not, but it would definitely be top 20 in my book.

Ich hatte das schlimmste befürchtet, bin aber mehr als angenehm überrascht worden. Der bekannteste Song der Platte ist gleichsam der am wenigsten dafür typische, was der Platte unrecht tut.

Many hail this as the best album The Police have released in their career and it also happens to be their final release. While this isn't an entire retirement from their Reggae influence on earlier records, it is much less present. Although this album would still be important without it, 'Every Breath You Take' really cemented this album as a classic in the world of 80's New Wave and Pop music. The album is really diverse, both with the influences but also with its quality that ranges from some of the best songs of the decade to some of the most average and mediocre recordings in that style. The albums starts off with a typical up-beat and dancey New Wave song which happens to be the first of two title tracks. 'Synchronicity I' features a very fast keyboard loop done by Sting and a very groovy chorus. An incredible intro song to this one of a kind album. It is followed up by 'Walking in Your Footsteps' a song focused on the rhytmic drums with a few guitar and keyboard moments in the background. It takes influence from typical West African music to create a song that "screams" Savannah. I like the approach but there should've more to this in terms of lyrical and vocal performance as well as maybe some drummers who were born into this type of music and not a white guy doing an imitation. I still like it quite much as it still has an incredible groove even with its a more "slow" performance approach. 'O My God' feels way to average. It is just a standard 80's New Wave Pop song with not much to it except a nice performance. The only way I can describe the song is average with a little to much influences that don't really work or add and make the song feel very stale. The next song 'Mother' gets a lot of hate. Why? I don't know. The song is incredible; it doesn't really fit on the album, it is the only one not song by Sting, it is much more Punk then the rest and weirdly experimental. This is closer to No Wave than New Wave. It's so abrasive and dark, the lashing drums, the manic vocals, the ominous sound it creates! This is the best song on the album and you are all sleeping on it!!! In contrast, 'Miss Gradenko' does the same thing that 'O My God' did only that I like the chorus much more. It is short and sweet but very nice. The first half closes with 'Synchronicity II', a very, again, standard 80's sounding track but it works much more this time. The build up works and is worthy, the chorus is done very nice and the melodies are great. While I prefer Version I, I get why this was one of the many singles they released as album promotion. The second half starts with the song everybody knows. 'Every Breath You Take' is a stalker song disguised as a love song. It might be that I'm just so familiar with the song but this is an incredible track and easily my second favourite on the album. Followed up by 'King of Pain' which gets a lot of love but to be honest, I do not care for it much. I like the bridge but it feels very overblown once it reaches the actual chorus. Same thing with 'Wrapped Around Your Finger' which does feel less overblown and I welcome its presence more, I am not a fan of how Sting tries to impersonate a Raggae vocalist. It feels not really fitting (I do not want to use 'appropriated' but I gets close). Still, it has some really nice moments even with my criticism. The final song 'Tea in the Sahara' has to be my least favourite on the album. It just feels way to long, while being not even that long. It takes the two things that didn't work on Track 2&3 and combines them. The song is just boring! Only the somewhat passable atmosphere and chorus save this from being a "bad" song. favourites: Mother, Every Breath You Take, Synchronicity I & II least favourites: Tea in the Sahara, O My God Rating: strong 7 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

In which an insufferable prick, aided by more than competent musicians, makes a song about being a creeper.

There is something annoying about the lyrics on this album. Some songs are memorable but the bad ones are terrible.

Sting. Ugh.

I did not like a the juice

could barely force myself to finish listening to this. really not my thing. hate his voice, hate the drums. shite.

There were some bangers, but Jesus Christ, Mother was a lot.

Normally I don't mind The Police, but weirdly this one bar "Synchronicity II" and "Every Breath You Take" was forgettable by the time you reached the end, and you can tell it's the end, they were done. At least they dropped the white boy reggae act by now.

Incredible cohesive album with classics I didn't know were The Police

I am surprised that I didn’t favourite every single track on the album.

I was about to give up on this project. I really was; then I drew this record. I love the whole project. Prog rock, reggae, dancehall, dub, soul - so much blended into one unique sound. Reminds me of 311. Also one of the greatest songs of all time. So I’m finally proud to give an album 5 STARS on this journey. Hopefully the first of many. 🔥🔥. Favorites: Synchronicity I, Mother, Miss Gradenko, Every Breath, King of Pain

Cet excellent album de Police tombe à pique puisque j'ai justement une anecdote à vous partager. Il y a aujourd'hui une semaine, il m'est arrivé une drôle de mésaventure. Il est quatorze heures lorsque je sors de mon lieu de travail et m'en vais barouder dans le centre-ville pour m'acheter des vêtements. N'en trouvant pas à ma convenance, je décide plutôt d'aller chez le coiffeur. En sortant du salon sur les coups de dix-huit heures, je suis extrêmement satisfait de ma coupe. Le dégradé est impeccable et mes cheveux ont retrouvé de la souplesse. Cette magnifique journée est toutefois sur le point de basculer. Je rejoins mon arrêt de bus et attends patiemment que ce dernier arrive à l'heure prévue. Mon enceinte JBL FLIP 5 crache pendant ce temps l'album de John Zorn dans toute la rue. Soudain, deux personnes m'encerclent : « Bonsoir monsieur, nous sommes the Police. - Le groupe de musique ou les vrais policiers ? - Les vrais policiers. Nous recherchons une personne ayant volé une dizaine de costumes des New York Dolls. La victime décrit le malfaiteur comme un homme équipé d'une enceinte JBL FLIP 5 à la main et ayant une coiffure satisfaisante et le cheveu souple. - Mais c'est quoi ce délire, c'est eltrapeze qui vous envoie ? - Pas du tout, vous savez très bien qu'eltrapeze est interdit de séjour en Basse-Saxe. On va vous palper et fouiller votre sac. » Les policiers commencent alors à me palper et à fouiller mon sac. « Tiens tiens tiens, et que voilà ?.. » dit soudain la policière en sortant une perruque blonde et des talons aiguilles de ma poche avant. J'avais été piégé. L'enquête est aujourd'hui toujours en cours, je vous tiendrai donc informés de la suite des événements dans des critiques ultérieures.

From the very first notes, this album changed how I think about The Police. I’ve always loved the singles (and the singles are here: the deceptively beautiful “Every Breath You Take,” the heartbreak jam “King of Pain” and the dub-influenced “Wrapped Around Your Finger”) but the album has some surprising left turns too. “Mother” is a bizarre one — it’s fascinating but not something I need to listen to more than once. I love the opening energy of “Synchronicity I” though — starts things off with a bang! The calmer songs are played beautifully too. “Tea in the Sahara” is spacey and gorgeous. And “Murder By Numbers” has a great off-kilter jazz rhythm. Fantastic drumming throughout the album but I really noticed it on this one. It’s a toss-up for me as to whether “King of Pain” or “Murder By Numbers” is my favorite. I guess I’m going to have to go through every Police album now because I had no idea the album cuts were just as good as the singles. 4.5

If only it wasn't Sting. I really like a lot of the music on this album, theres some really good stuff. But then Sting opens his mouth and it's like listening to fingernails on chalkboards. I'venever been able to handle his voice, it really scrapes on my nerves. Such a shame because I could easily love some of these songs were the music accompanied by someone less Sting.

Comme vous le savez désormais, avant même les débuts du générateur des 1001, j'étais déjà en train d'essayer de confectionner le parfait générateur pirate. Alors qu'aujourd'hui trois superbes générateurs pirates me permettent de générer de nouveaux albums à volonté, les premiers prototypes étaient beaucoup moins convaincants. Par exemple, l'un des premiers prototypes ne me proposait que des albums de The Police. Après deux albums écoutés dans la douleur, j'abandonnais logiquement ce prototype, la faute à une diversité vous l'aurez compris pour le moins discutable. Je garde depuis un très mauvais souvenir du groupe The Police, et c'est pour cela que je lui accorde la note de 3/5.

While I think the Police are a fantastic group, this is my least favourite album. Perhaps too much Sting, not enough Stu. Synchronicity is my favourite song. and shout out to 'Scrantonicity'!

Les Flics were the biggest band on the planet when I was very little, and this astonishes me as now they seen faintly obscure, at the prog-edge of post punk, their hits far-off. Which is to say, we are near-guaranteed a heavy The IPolice revival shortly. During the third track, another clever fragment, I expected a streamlined pop song to follow; instead, we have the cartoonishly ghastly “Mother”. This is funny! This is one the lightest big hitters for hits I’ve heard; there are weird excursions into synth rush, world music, folded-up sketches like “Mrs Gradenko”, and the band are snappy and sleek throughout. I really don’t know how to rate this.

I wish I liked Sting's voice more. If I did, I'd be a much bigger fan of the Police. That said, this is a pretty good album. Quirky, eclectic, silly at times, and downright awful for one track ("Mother" seems like it was recorded by Primus before they figured themselves out). I want to give it four stars but it didn't quite reach that level for me.

Synchronicity It's the police Walking in your footsteps Sounds like he's saying "Woking in your food stamps." That pretty much ruined it for me Oh my God The Police have a sound. It's unique, but I'm not necessarily a fan. This sounds like that. Mother What the heck is this? Someone needs to check on Sting. Miss Gredenko That was better than the last song... Synchronicity II I don't like 2 part songs as a rule. This is at least a return to reasonable Police music Every Breath You Take Ahhh. Classic creeper song. King of Pain Mother should have had this track name. This one wasn't bad. Wrapped around your finger I also recognize this one. This album took some warming up. This one is okay. Tea in the Sahara This song was a nap Murder by numbers This album was murdered by the number of bad songs. +1

Some great tracks, some okay tracks, some awful tracks. Overall, so-so.

Undeniably a talented bunch, but together it sounds insipid. No, thanks.

Quite an odd mishmash of styles and "look at me, I've read a psychology book" guff with huge swings in quality between tracks ("Mother", "Walking In Your Footsteps", the "Synchronicit[ies]" ffs). I, too, would have come to blows with Sting during the recording of "Every Breath You Take". I do quite like "King Of Pain", however

No, I'm not going to pretend that I like this album. The music sounds like the vaguely jazzy background musak ITV played when broadcasting a loop of Teletext pages at 4:30 AM. But this album is still quite the curiosity, as I found plenty to laugh at. Take the song Walking In Your Footsteps: it contains the couplet "Hey Mr. dinsaur/ You really couldn't ask for more". It's hard to treat that lyric portentously, yet it's in a song musing on the extinction of the dinosaurs and fearing for humanity's fate under the shadow of the nuclear weapon. Is Sting being whimsical, sardonic, bitter, absurd, or is he just unintentionally undercutting his message with a weak lyric? I don't suspect Sting of having much of a sense of humour, unless you count Old Rainforest-Breath's ads for Jaguar. Or how about the song Mother, the only one written and sung by Andy Summers? It's just bloody odd. It's like a early-60s' Halloween novelty record, and Andy sings like he's forgotten his much-needed lithium. Mind, that's probably my favourite track: at least it's having fun in its derangement. So, the best track on the album is only interesting by virtue of its madness. That doesn't augur well for the rest of the album, does it? Simultaneously pretentious and artless, The Police? More like The Poo-lice.

Yikes...not a fan of the police...the music is fine, but Sting's voice sounds like what I imagine turpentine tastes like...

You mean to tell me one of the albums I need to listen to before I die is a man singing about dinosaurs, how every woman he dates reminds him of his mummy and how every step you take every move you make every breath you take he'll be watching you? No thanks

pre-listen: oh god The Police ugh post-listen: Synchronicity 1 is completely forgettable in every way Walking in Your Footsteps is one of the most embarrassing things I've ever heard, like they made a Barney song serious hahahaha the indulgent wind instrument solo in O My God is so bad Mother is one of those pretentiously "experimental" things Sting likes so goddamn much Synchronicity 2 is kind of refreshing in that its not the most dogshit thing in the world but its still a 1/10 song Every Breath You Take is justifiably a hit but I'm sick of it also it's basically Sting talking about stalking someone so thats not great King of Pain is actually good thank god for a break in this shitfest For what its worth at this point I am finishing the album specifically because it is SO BAD overall that I am just astonished Wrapped Around Your Finger is blandly whatever but the music video is hilariously the wrong energy for it, way funnier than just listening to the song Tea in the Sahara sucks in an ordinary, sucky Police song way Murder By Numbers is just another forgotten 80s track I cant believe I have to wait almost a day to get fed another album that might not suck as much, this site needs a "bring me my new album immediately" button

Several great songs that I forgot about, a good reminder of how much I actually enjoy The Police.

Murder by numbers, king of pain, and of course, every breath you take are classics. Great album

J’adore l’album, vraiment toutes les tounes ont quelque choses! A reecoute 5*

Very creative take on classic rock / new wave sounds, with some jazzy elements, some punk, some reggae sounds, etc. Andy's tone is always on point.

Brilliant

One of best pop albums of the 80s. Synth pop, new wave, classic melodies, jazz vibes... not a single bad song. What a way to finish a career...

So many memories in one album! One of the greats

Is it true that in 1983 Sting was busted for smuggling the Kentucky Waterfall into London? [shake magic 8-ball] ... Syncronicity has got to be their weakest album, but still ranks high as a solid album without any duds. Tea in the Sahara song is probably the only one that's a waste of time, it makes me think of the Ten Summoner's Tales release after the Police broke up. Listenable, but not something worth searching for. Sure, "Mother" is a strange song, but there's an odd pleasure to it. And it probably served Sting better to answer the phone and write "Mother" than reject the calls and listen to his brother and sister ask "why don't you answer the phone when mom calls...?" every time he sees them. The Police was a super-accessible band. There's a ton of radio on this album, Every Breath, Synchronicity II, Murder by Numbers, I think this whole album was played on the FM growing up. Even Miss. Gradenko, which is probably the best track, got airplay. Finally, some 80's without Saxophone and suckage. The pace of some of these like King of Pain and Wrapped Around Your Finger are sleepy, but this whole album makes me think of growing up on Top 40. So perhaps I'm the wrong person to review this but Synchronicity is like a gateway drug to the good stuff. Earlier Police stuff is less refined, less acceptable and a whole lot more fun.

While equal parts disturbing, catchy and hypnotizing- Synchronicity IS the best Police Album. I recently acquired it on vinyl, and when I heard it as a collection of songs I was blown away. I consider myself a casual police fan- I like their sound but I've never gone out of my way to listen to them. I can tell you now this is gonna change. 6/5 Awesome album. Will listen to on repeat for the next 7 months

Great album. Happy the whole way through. 4.6. Well maybe not Mother.

Great album by a great band. "Synchronicity II" and "King of Pain" are high points, but the entire album is a classic. This and Ghost in the Machine are my favorite albums by them.

Great listen, works together as an album with a huge hit in the middle.

The non-Sting tracks are the weak ones, of course, but this is a classic.

Where do I start? I still remember hunching over the record at the shop, wondering if I should spend all my money on it or not. I chose not to. [Several years later, I bought all The Police on CD.] I still think Synchronicity is the lesser of the better Police albums, with Reggatta de Blanc being significantly superior. But that doesn't mean Synchronicity is a bad album, not in any way; it is clearly the work of mature musicians delivering the goods while also experimenting, which is what stands it apart from the previous Police albums. It's also a story of 2 sides: side 1 is the more experimental affair (Mother stands out in everything, but the two Synchronicity songs as well as Walking in Your Footsteps also stand out for their social statement). Side 2, on the other hand/side, is where magic happens, with songs that are deeply personal and creative. Every Breath You Take was a moment in history, when the whole world listened to the same song for weeks on weeks; such phenomenon doesn't happen anymore, in a world where everyone carries their own personal radio station on them. And can you imagine a song such as Wrapped Around Your Finger charting as well as it did, with all the creativity (here's looking at you, Stewart Copeland) it's bursting with? For side 2, for the history it made, and for the maturity it displays, Synchronicity deserves the perfect score.

Amazing, one of my favorite

This is a perfect album. Lots of variety but no throwaway tracks.

Amazing album from start to finish. Really takes me back to the summer before my senior year in high school, when you couldn't turn on the radio without hearing Every Breath You Take. The hit songs are great, but the songs I really love from this album are the less popular numbers, especially Walking in Your Footsteps and Tea in the Sahara. 5 stars.

Fantastic numbers, superbly executed

Great. A few weird tracks, but fantastic.

Excellent songs, world influences on the rhythms and sounds, synchronicity II is one of the hallmark songs of the 80’s (and my favorite Police song), terrific musicianship top to bottom: guitar chords and sounds that were unorthodox but worked terrifically with the vocal melodies, drum parts that surprised me with their complexity, and of course terrific bass lines paired with the songwriting. All around great work, five star album from a five star band

Candidate for the best Police album, and the only one I frequently come back to listen start to finish. This album doesn't feel like any other. It places you in this surreal futuristic world that feels like several 80s movies snippeted together with scissors and glue. The most remarkable feature that sets this album apart from others is how the first half (more like a third) is full of unusual picks, nothing to really sing and dance to, but then the second half has exactly that, all the hits. This is the opposite of how music is normally done in like every album. And usually, this is a fault, but I find it very interesting how well it works here. Usually you listen to an album like this, you start off with the hits you love, and then the last half or so is full of "whatever nobody cares," except for possibly the closer. I feel that this formula actually works well in the context of this album, and enhances its replayability. Maybe not for people who don't like this kind of music. But if you did, it does place greater emphasis on those beginning tracks that deserve it. The titular opener straps us into an F-Zero-esque high speed race, accompanied by the bleak colors on the cover. The second track feels like a jungle. It's so strange how the tracks on the first half don't scream out, giving proper attention to the unique production. Just hear how "O My God" phases in... very weird to me. It's funky but doesn't have insane dance hooks of the second half. And not to mention the avant-garde jazz solo that's a callback to their prior album, Ghost in the Machine, transitioning to everyone's favorite "Mother." I seem to be the only guy who likes it... it's like the tracks get more and more stranger until we reach this Eastern-style pinnacle of mental breakdowns before snapping into reality with "Miss Gradenko," prepping for the fun music that "Synchronicity II" starts with. "Synchronicity II" is one of my favorite Police songs. I love singing and dancing to it, but I never know the lyrics. Fantastic chorus and power transitions, wonderful work all around on the guitar, drums, and synths. You can tell with that solo that they've really learned a lot from the Ghost in the Machine, and I'm really glad you could still hear this song on classic hit radio (in the US at least). "Every Breath You Take" is that pop outlier that doesn't really fit in the rest of the album, kinda disrupts the flow, and is the #1 reason why I wouldn't claim this album is perfectly coherent, although it's pretty darn close. But then again, it's an amazing pop mellow pop song with a heartbreaking story about divorce. We return with the dance hits with "King of Pain." The synths are the star here, especially in 3-4 minute mark. I really like the muted guitar interludes (before it's louder solo), but there's also a nice beat and catchy chorus. "Wrapped Around Your Finger" has my favorite synths and Sting's vocals. Really smooth, utilizing motifs from the first half, building up to that chorus that reminds us why it's on the second half. It has a bit for everyone, hard to dislike. "Tear in the Sahara" is a personal favorite. At this point, people are probably tuning out. Again, great synths, original and really sets the setting rather than forcing its way in. "Murder by Numbers" is a fitting closer, feels like a jazz nightclub, although I like how louder it gets in the latter half. Few complains, but overall an outstanding album that I recommend to anyone. One of the pinnacle New Wave albums, and certainly their best effort.

для тех готов громкие и качающие барабаны. в альбоме мировой хит, остальные песни средние, но есть интересные моменты. вокал и гармонические инструменты звучать склеенно. достаточно ровные по динамике, вокал утоплен

Love the police!

Excellent, varied, catchy

All-time favorite

Tea in the Sahara and Murder by Numbers are so good and I have never heard them before. Mother is weird and disturbing, though...

Love this album for start to finish. Bought it for my dad when I was a kid and managed to record it to tape before his birthday, but had to remember not to play it in front of him until after his birthday. Great tunes right the way through. Highly polished and well produced.

Thirteen year old me from 1983 would proudly announce that Side 2 is perfect, especially if you got it on cassette with "Murder By Numbers" as the last song. The two Synchronicity songs that bookend Side 1 are bangers. The issue lies with throwing a bone to Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland, especially on the dreadful "Mother" on which Summers actually sings lead. No wonder Sting wanted to go solo, there's no need for that shit. But Copeland and Summers brought out the best of Sting. Seven classics (eight if you include the aforementioned Murder By Numbers, which is a wonderful throwaway that proves Sting had a fully functional sense of humor). I eventually wore out that cassette from playing and rewinding Side 2 so many times, listening for hours on end. I went as long as I could, and considering Sting's notorious practice of tantric sex, that seems appropriate.

Every breath you takeee

Mother still grates on me but Synchronicity remains my favorite Police album

Brilliant. 5/5 Standouts: Synchronicity I, Walking in your Footsteps, Every Breath You Take, King of Pain, Wrapped Around Your Finger, Synchronicity II The rest of the songs are exceptional as well: Mother, Tea In the Sahara, Miss Gradenko and O My God. I had the LP of this album growing up so new to me is the bonus song: Murder by Numbers. But, I have to admit, after hearing it, it did sound familiar.

All gone wrong for the band by this album. Bland nonsense

One of the first albums I bought. A classic!

An artist at the top of his poetic powers. Love each band members addition to the project.

The Police were the first band I can remember that I loved, who broke up. At the time, it was shocking. Like, why wouldn't they just go on playing... forever? Listening to Synchronicity again today, I can see what I didn't see then. This album is the culmination of everything the band had been doing up to that point, and the completion of a circle. The songs are pretty terrific, perfectly arranged, some of the band's best, most complex and musically diverse work. There aren't really any notable flaws to this album, the strangeness of "Mother" notwithstanding (a song I actually like). What isn't on this album is the sense that band enjoyed making it. This is an album by three great artists who are ready to move on to other things, and from each other. I respect and enjoy this album enough to give it a 5. It's one of the great albums of that era. But they have other albums I love more. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Every Breath You Take, Wrapped Around Your Finger, King of Pain, Synchronicity I, Synchronicity II, O My God, Tea in the Sahara, Miss Gradenko, Walking in Your Footsteps, Murder by Numbers, Mother

Undeniable classic. The Police had many finest hours, fortunately, and this was absolutely one of them. I remember it being somewhat critically underrated at the time, despite several huge hit singles. As always, there are occasional lines of breathtakingly trite lyrics or even completely sophomoric moments - all Sting's fault; but he can be mostly absolved given his creative genius elsewhere on Police records. I always thought they were at their best in their most sonically exotic and mysterious passages, and that's evident on this record in spades. Excruciatingly close to being a masterpiece.

Tremendous album. Hated that this was the last one

Amazong album and melodies

My first Police album, and their fifth and final. I am familiar a couple of the singles (Every Breath, King Of Pain), I was pleasantly surprised with several others that I haven't heard before. I must commend them for carrying the energy throughout the entire album, while also changing styles on more than one occasion. Great vocals, groovy rhythm section. I'm not surprised this is their most successful LP, but I am curious as to why it was their last.

God damn it’s a good album. I’d like to give it 9/10 but this system uses 5 stars. Every song seems perfectly placed and recorded. Mother is strange but interesting. II is catchy as hell as is the rest of this piece of art

One of my favorite albums of all time. I came to appreciate it long after it’s popularity. I love it more every time I listen to it.

The Policen kuuntelu on jäänyt aiemmin lähinnä radiotasolle, mutta sen ansiosta pari kappaletta tälläkin levyllä oli ennestään hyvin tuttuja. Yllätyin kuitenkin positiivisesti itselleni uusista kappaleista, jotka menevät omalla mittarillani helposti ohi ainakin Every Breath You Taken, jota on saanut aiemmin kuulla kyllästymiseen asti. Arvosanaksi mietin heti nelosta tai vitosta, mutta taidan kallistua jälkimmäiseen, koska levystä on vaikea keksiä mitään huonoa sanottavaa. Suosikkikappaleet: Synchronicity I, O My God, Synchronicity II, Murder By Numbers

I've heard Don't stand so Close and Every Breath - and generally thought The Police were a light pop-ska-rock band - interesting but not exactly challenging. Little did I realise they are actually a pretty dynamic band - with a whole range of styles and topics. I really liked this album, i even like/disliked the weirdest song - Mother. I.e., i didn't really love the song, but i loved the ambition and change in style.

4.5/5

They quit at the height of their powers and left a nearly perfect discography behind them. I say NEARLY perfect, as each Police album has at least one cringey song. It's a weird part of their musical signature that I've come to accept, allowing them that indulgence to get their ya yas out, and not letting it interfere with my enjoyment of the rest of the album. On this album it is of course "Mother." Beyond that, "Synchronicity" is a worthy Swan Song for them, featuring some of their finest work. I can't say it's my personal favorite, but it's probably their most musically varied and refined album. I love their sound and think it is largely due to the space they give each other as a trio. You can hear each instrument so distinctly in a way that you don't get from most other bands. Never simply washes over me. Each player has such a unique playing style of their own, and they are all adding really interesting touches throughout, but not in a showboating or proggy way. It's all in service to the songs. I believe another strength of theirs is that, in so many ways, they are such different people; ages, backgrounds, influences, temperaments, etc. They were able to bring all that together so fluidly, especially here in their later work.

I love the early Police

Great songs!

Enn önnur platan sem ég kann hvert einasta hljóð á utanað. Mér finnst hún enn stórkostleg, eftir öll þessi ár. Sísta lagið er það sem öll þekkja. Ef 11 ára ég var með eitthvað á hreinu, þá var það hvaða tónlist mér þætti geggjuð!

Absolutely amazing album from legendary band.

This album honestly has no skips except for one track

Knew The Police coming into this, but I was really unaware of most of their music. Though I liked the band, I never felt the pull to go and listen to an album in full, and man, can they put together an album. 'Synchronicity I' starts the album off on a really strong, high-energy note. The entire album goes from rocking, to mellow, back to rocking with a kind of ease that seems hard to achieve, but The Police managed to do it. It's cool, it's smooth, it's fun. What more is there to say? Besides, or course, that 'Mother' is pretty freaking weird.

I played this until my cassette tape broke, my favourite Police album. To me they're all awesome tracks - fast forwarding was too much bother in an Escort Mk2. Yeah yeah Every breath is a 'stalkers' song etc, it can be perceived in more than one way, which is why people had it played at their wedding. My favourite song on the album is Synchronicity II, I still remember the video being a cool helicopter shot over a scottish loch with crap dr who effects - cool at the time, but nothing you couldn't knock up with a drone, basic video editing and half an hour nowadays. Anyway, I love every song on this album - and Mother ties in first place nuttiest Police song with Sally (won't you be my girl) both great :D 10/10 for me

Love the police. King of pain, every breath.

I love Stewart Copeland on Synchronicity I and Murder by Numbers. One of the best drummers IMO

I mean, come on. Wore the tape out in junior high when it came out. Did I pre-order? I know this back to front and it never gets old. Just an amazing pop rock album of the time with incredible execution by master musicians. Plus, the hits, though I can't imagine a Millenial or Zoomer going for "Mother" (although it is an acquired taste). You had to be there, I guess. Hah hah.

What a revelation and – for me – a different side of Police. I had mostly listened their Singles on cassette. This album is unexpectedly mystic and Jungian and intellectually wide ranging. The moods and sounds … I enjoyed big ideas like Spiritus Mundi – a universal energy or inspiration for ideas – like a collective unconscious or and or muse. I love the rhyming genius in the tracks. the way the lyrics stack meaning mixed with from: The lilting on “Wrapped around your fingers” its almost astral “Tea in the Sahara” feels new - yet saved playful and prophetic. I love the lyrics cryptic and poetic. Rounding up, rather than murdering by numbers

Mistik bi albüm, vibe'ını beğendim. Baya bi güzel şarkı var. Çok calm çok profesyonel. Every Breath You Take bu albümdeymiş daha daha güzel. Bayılıyorum buna gerçekten ;_;

I usually hate the police, but this album as a whole had a really good flow. Killer atmosphere.

I really enjoyed this not my usual kinda thing but still 5/5