Reggatta De Blanc

fuck the police... but not THESE police. Who knew that their non-hits were so... quirky?? An enjoyable time. Sting knows how to sing and how to structure a song. Not sure if the album lives up to its promise of "White Reggae", but maybe the white reggae was the friends we made along the way. It's a high 3 for me, but I've been giving out too many 4s lately, so a 3 it shall be.

The adoration for The Police continues to elude me. They're great musicians (and I'm not even counting out Sting himself here), but the record has occasional flits of greatness (seriously, even I enjoy "Message In a Bottle"), but never really nails it: some songs feel half-finished, and it switches between serious and almost-Offspring-level of jokey ("On Any Other Day"). I will say, I never noticed their post-punk tracks before, but those aren't the ones that usually play. Favorite tracks: "Message In a Bottle", "Deathwish", "No Time This Time"

Official Police Fan club, member number 606 and stayed up late to watch them on Old Grey Whistle test. Great days! Every track on this is a classic- they were huge at the time but time moves on, although it still makes me turn up the volume. Listening back now Stewart Copeland's drumming is particularly noteworthy, the vibe with bass and Sting's vocals were so influencial. I can't believe this has only just made it to the list. Shame on you Robert.

Let's be real: true black reggae is fucking boring. There's a reason you only hear it in seedy bars in Thailand that cater to cooked westerners: if you listen to reggae with a clear head you notice very, very quickly that there is ZERO variation in tempo, chords, themes, etc. If you've heard 30 seconds of real reggae, you've heard it all. Not exaggerating there. Is what The Police did appropriation? Probably... but who cares. It's not like The Police took their kazillion dollars out of some starving Jamaican's mouth. True reggae sucks too much to have ever been pop chart big. People idolise the IDEA of Bob Marley, not his music. Reggae only became palatable on a large scale once The Police mixed it with new wave. And that's worth noting: they mixed it with something as shit as new wave to improve it. 2/5 because message in a bottle is a legitimately good song.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s my pleasure to welcome you to the Second Annual Roast of The Police! Last year, we “honored” The Police’s 1983 record, “Synchronicity” with a track by track takedown. Our guest of honor this year is 1979’s “Regatta de Blanc”, the album that spawned a genre that is still going strong nearly 45 years later…“White Reggae”. Seriously, folks, where would all the dreadlocked trustafarians that follow Phish be without this record? ...OK, enough about Phish, let’s get on with the show! -90 seconds in and *I’m* getting ready to send an SOS to the world. Please, someone…anyone…put an end to this. -Imagine being so entitled that the British colonization of Jamaica wasn’t enough for you…you need to appropriate the music of their people, a citizenry that your country had already marginalized for centuries, and make your own “white” version of it. To top it off, you do it as a band called “The Police”. -I guess when people call The Police a “punk” band they’re referring to tracks like “It’s Alright for You”, which is about as punk as eating a bowl of muesli for breakfast and heading off to your accounting job at Halliburton. -Yes, please “Bring on the Night”, because I can’t stand another minute of this record this morning. -I’m going to reboot the Death Wish movie franchise, but this time, Charles Bronson’s character will be spurred to commit violent acts of vigilante justice after being forced to listen to The Police’s entire discography. -“Some may say” you shouldn’t affect a Jamaican accent when you’re the palest white person on earth. Sting, clearly, isn’t one of them. -Speaking of complete bullshit, here’s “On Any Other Day”… (It’s great, some of these jokes write themselves) -I’m sorry the Bed is Too Big now, Sting, but no one forced you to buy a California King mattress. -If not having a raincoat is the only thing keeping Sting from coming over, I’m going to start praying for rain. -“I only stare this way at you”…”I’ll be watching you”…if there was a spate of unsolved Peeping Tom incidents in England in the late 70’s, this man, Gordon “Sting” Sumner, should be the primary suspect. -“Ain’t nobody got No Time This Time for that.” Well, that was fun wasn’t it? I’m glad you could join us and we look forward to seeing you again next… …one second, folks… …I’ve just been informed by our producers that, sadly, this will be our final Roast of The Police. I’m being told that there “just isn’t enough material” to cover and that, like the clam chowder we served tonight, “the soup is just too thin” when it comes to this band. So with that in mind, I’d like thank you for your time and for joining us here at the Friar’s Club tonight. In closing, I’d like to leave you with two very important messages: Firstly, ACAB. …and second, BOOM! ROASTED!

4.1 - Lots of energy, lots of snap. For just three guys, they create a ton of sound. They're also incredibly tight - there's not a missed note or beat in the recording. I love the dreamy reggae-infelected interplay of bass and guitar on "Bring On the Night" as well as the trippy guitar sonics on "Walking On the Moon."

Somebody call the police...to tell then this album is shit.

I hadn’t heard this album in ages and wow it hasn’t aged a bit. Really great album.

Obviously I knew "Message in the bottle" and "Walking on the moon" so I was expecting kinda two hit wonder album. But the rest is just not pleasant. I just wonder why The Police was/is popular? And why Sting even considered himself as singer?

Brilliant at the time.

the police's reggatta de blanc has one of their greatest and well known songs, "message in a bottle" and... not much else. i couldn't get much into it. this album has an interesting fusion of new wave and reggae, which definitely set the police apart. i like some reggae and some new wave, but not this combination.

The quintessential Police album, my childhood was surrounded by these songs and I did not like them one bit. My next door neighbor's older brother admitted that he was a huge Police fan (early 90s) and my friend & I mocked him for this constantly. Joke's on me, as usual.

Starting with full disclosure: I'm a long-time fan of the Police and Sting's solo work. Despite that, TIL that the album title means White Reggae. That made me think about my recent review of UB40's debut, where I griped about cultural appropriation - UB40 are a complete rip-off of Jamaican reggae and so one could argue that there's only one reason they made it bigger than Jamaican reggae acts. I'm not going to do the same with the Police though, for a simple reason: they had reggae stylings but they made it something different, something new. If you're going to sound exactly like a band from Jamaica, then I might as well listen to a band from Jamaica (in fact, ethically, we SHOULD listen to that band from Jamaica instead). The Police are reggae, punk, new wave - they're unique. They were influenced by and incorporated certain styles but then made it their own (I said a similar thing about Led Zeppelin's evolution of delta blues to hard rock, while fully acknowledging that they failed to credit a lot of the original writers of the songs they ripped off). No one is truly 100% original, but the Police deserve credit for a very original (and very cool) sound. That sound isn't just the writing, which is excellent, but also the players. Sting's outstanding voice and solid bass, Andy Summers' under-rated guitar playing, and Stewart Copeland's distinctive drumming. Sting is definitely the key - he wrote pretty much every hit and was the face and voice of the band - but each member put their unique mark on the sound. All the elements that made the Police great are evident on this album, making it a super easy 5 for me. Favorite tracks: Obv. the hits - Message in a Bottle (great guitar line) and Walking on the Moon (classic) - Reggatta de Blanc (a fun moment live), It's Alright for You, Bring on the Night, The Bed's Too Big Without You, Does Everyone Stare.

I went into this one only really knowing Message in A Bottle but it's great the whole way through. I had no idea it would be so punky - I can really hear a lot of the bands who would be influenced by this record later. Can't wait to dig more into The Police.

The Police are one of the greatest bands of all time. Three piece that Copeland and Summers filled out to sound amazing. Sting is "a hell" of a songwriter. He was throwing out hits for fun in this period. Message in a Bottle is one of the greatest songs of all time and I never tire of hearing it. I remember this as being a bit patchy but with some real songs. Listening to it again in the middle of this exercise, I realise the difference between good bands and a great band. I've been a bit mean on the 5 stars and wouldn't have given this at the start of listening but this is is as good an album as anything else on this list.

I liked The Police a lot in the 80s and I saw them during the Synchronicity tour. I haven't listened to them very much since then, but when I hear any of their songs in recent years, I am increasingly impressed with Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland as musicians. Love the complexity they bring to their craft. It's hard for me to separate all the public image stuff around Sting from the music he was part of with this band and in later years, but when I set that aside and just listen to the work, I usually like it. His voice sometimes is a bit much for me, but ignoring what I might think of his public persona I do hear some great stuff from him from time to time. He's also put out some music as a solo artist that doesn't interest me, but that's probably something I'd say of any musician who has recorded so many albums over decades. This is a solid album even today and very much brings me back to some fun memories.

Spiky and quirky new-wave elements reggaefied through the nascent trustafarian vocals of everyone's favorite tantric prick. A friend in college used to try to convince me this was a masterpiece - it's certainly enjoyably weird, not derivative at all, and probably their most interesting album as the tension between post-punk, reggae and sophisticated '80s pop is the tightest here. But.... Greatest Hits, if you must. It's fucking Sting after all

I feel like 3 English lads who appropriate reggae and then proceed to do nothing good with it is bad enough. But for them to then overly influence Rush for almost all of the 80s, well, that’s criminal.

If you listen to this album after midnight, your son will turn out gay. 9/10

"Are you a fan of the Police?" A student asked me this today. I, of course, said yes. The band only had 5 studio albums, and everyone of them is solid, good if not great. I consider this one in the great column. Imagine you have a hit like "Roxanne" on your first album, and then you have to follow it up with a second album. What do you do? For a lot of bands it's very difficult to follow up a big album, but the Police do it in spades with: - hit songs like "Walking On The Moon," "Don't Stand So Close To Me" - rockers like "No Time This Time," - reggae grooves like "Bring On The Night," "Does Everyone Stare", "The Bed's Too Big Without You" - fusion instrumentals like "Regatta De Blanc" "Contact" and "Deathwish" are pretty good, but forgettable for me. Definitely can replay this album multiple times. Probably my second favorite album of theirs.

Ah, Reggatta De Blanc, when life gives you the Police, you take it and enjoy it mercilessly. Starts off with an absolute bang! Message in a Bottle, is such a brilliant classic rock song mixed with reggae. Who else could sing so brilliantly about being stranded on a castaway island, no one else but Sting. Then turns into a great instrumental track, so dynamic and shows the raw sound of the Police, so passionate and filled with fire. THEN, ITS ALRIGHT FOR YOU. I LOVE ITS ALRIGHT FOR YOU. Copeland is SOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD IN THIS, BEST DRUMMER EVER. Love the build-ups, the fast tempo and did I mention Copeland? The ending is brilliant, sounding like an incredible, real jam session that they enjoy so much. The work on Bring On The Night, by Summers, with the meticulous guitar work and again Copeland, those two produce such brilliance. Deathwish is a nice little track too, sounds so youthful and energetic. Walking on the Moon, honestly, sounds more like what they’d develop over time with their Synchronicity album, with a more mature sounding piece. Again, such subtle brilliance with Copeland and Summers working in such a sweet pair together. As I say that, On Any Other Day is the other side of them, so fun and punky, which pairs well with the Copeland and Sting vocal duo. This turns into the highly reggae inspired The Bed’s Too Big Without You. A classic post-breakup song, showing the sorrow of a man. Then Contact, Copeland GOES SO CRAZY!!! Love him absolute BITS. The rest of the song is so simple, but how he makes it with such a sophisticated drum part is unbelievable. Does Everyone Stare… It’s like a precursor to Every Breath You Take; the way that the Police makes such dark songs sound so cheery and fun is so great. THEN YAAAAA NO TIME THIS TIMEEEEEEEEE, such a fun outro track. In all, this is definitely Copeland's best album, and shows the perfection of the youthful sound of the Police. No one does it the same way as the Police. 5/5

Pretty much every song on here is a clinic in propulsive rhythm. As with the other 4 Police albums, a total masterpiece.

Punchy. I love the Police but early Police most of all, just so raw yet clear. I listened to this album recently because I remember buying it as a kid and ... really not getting into it right away. Often a sign of a deep album for me, and yeah - there's so much I love about it now. They were such a *band* on this album: Stewart Copeland's ridiculous precision especially on the hi hat; Andy Summers' best album - weird/odd yet tasteful chords, shimmering chorus on songs like "Walking On The Moon" and the (I think) underrated bass lines from Sting. Not a ton of hits here but that might be why I ended up liking it more as the years went on. Songwriting noticably tails off a bit near the end but it's still not enough for me to knock it down, I love it... 9/10 5 stars

Nice. Refreshing when the police first emerged. And I reckon it still sounds fresh.

Good energy on the lesser known songs. I like the well known songs too

So a big fan of The Police – and actually saw the “Synchronicity” Tour back in 1983, and had the entire catalog on vinyl back in the day… Don’t think I ever listened to this one all the way through before – usually a side here, or the other side there – so was looking forward to this… What becomes immediately clear on “Regatta de Blanc” – is that the song-writing and musicianship is DEFINITELY evolving from the work on their debut album “Outlandos d’Amour”…. Where the former was much more basic and punk influenced, “Regatta” was much more intricate, considerably more polished, and had way more of a reggae feel to it – which would become a hallmark of their music… In the late 70’s, I kinda of thought of The Clash & The Police as the next iteration of British punk – bands with much more complex songs, which were way more accessible, and performed by talented musicians – all of that being the opposite of original punk in my book… Both eventually became much more radio-friendly – though The Clash would keep their political roots – and BOTH were absolute originals… So many outstanding tracks on the album – and even the lesser quality efforts, were still good… Favs included – “Message On A Bottle” – 7-stars out of 7… “Walking On The Moon” – 6-stars out of 7… “The Bed’s Too Big Without You” – 5-stars out of 7… “On Any Other Day” – 4-stars out of 7… Excellent diversity throughout the album, and the musicianship & audio mix were both exceptional… Would probably give this a 4.25 if I could – as their next 2 albums “Zenyatta Mondatta” & “Ghost In The Machine” would absolutely blow-up… “Ghost” will definitely be a 5 in my book, and we’ll have to see how “Zenyatta” stacks up when it comes up on the 1,001…

These guys are TIGHT. 3 guys who compliment each other really well. Every part is so perfectly precise. I don't normally care much for reggae but I love how they mix it in with rock and pop stuff. Cool subtle use of guitar effects like delay & chorus. Drumming is so good.

White guys appropriating Black Caribbean music. "Message In a Bottle" is great, and "Walking on the Moon" is OK, but the rest of this album is meh.

My cousin John was about two years older than me. In the early 80s he went on a trip to Bali and brought back a bunch of bootleg compilations cassettes, including one by the Police. My distinct memory is that the track listing included 'Massage in a Bottle'. The singles from this album were heavily represented. We played that tape a lot. I did check in with my son, Hal, before writing this review. He is a drummer and big Stewart Copeland fan. "What do you think of Reggatta de Blanc?" I enquired. His view was that it was the beginning of the end. His opinion is that Sting, ever mindful of commercial success, starting reigning in Copeland's playing, in a way he described as "tasteful". He did not mean that in a good way. He enjoys the punk energy of Outlandos D'Amour and Copeland's less restrained playing. I went back to have a listen and see what he meant. Outlandos is a more punk-tinged (although were they ever really punk?), while Regatta is a bit more reggae influenced (but were they ever really reggae?). In its better moments (Walking on the Moon, Bed's Too Big), Copeland still indulges himself. There is a bit more filler on Reggatta, although the singles are really strong. That Sting fella can write a tune. It's a good album, recorded quickly and effectively, before the cocaine, egos and infighting started to impact their ability to play together as a unit. Over the years, I have managed to pick up most of the Police's catalogue from bargain bins, and I don't mind their stuff, but I really think of them as a 'radio band'; I enjoy their songs when they come on the radio but would rarely choose to put one of their records on the turntable.

I'm shocked that this album is so... unpleasant? I expected something different. Sometimes Sting sings out of tune, ugh. The rest of the music is good. Only 2 songs were good, the rest were so-so.

Awful.

A regrettable experience. Torture to my young ears. A real abortion of melody and lyrics that should have never seen the light of day. A festering wound in the back of your eye.

The instrumentation is perfect in every single song. Especially the high tempo songs are great. And when I looked at when this was made I was blown away. I can’t believe this is 70’s Rock. The members of The Police shaped like 90% the Rock we know today. Way ahead of their time.

1st 3 albums by the Police are some of my all-time favourites. Of the 3 I return to Regatta de Blanc again and again. It has some immensely great pop singles, some subtler moments and even some daftness. I don't think at their height the Police sound like anybody else. Happy to accept they (or perhaps Sting may) have disappeared up their/his own backside(s) but I still love this album, every track. I even like some of Stings recent ouput, for the record.

The Police are one of my all time favorite bands. I would not like to have the task of picking a favorite song or favorite album and simply find most of their catalog to be ... fantastic and interesting. I have not considered them in a while, being so stuck on other genres and busy with life. Super glad to get the recommendation!

One of my favorites. They are blending more pop into the mix and it really shows their direction.

Love this album even though it is not quite as vital as GHOSTS IN THE MACHINE or SYNCHRONICITY. The tales of despair, isolation, and hope in songs like "Message In a Bottle", "Bring on the Night", and "Walking on the Moon" are palpable. The intellectual cheekiness is on display in the album title which is a pseudo intellectual way of saying white reggae. Ironically, for me, this album marked a turning point in their songwriting, going from the more simple white reggae of their previous albums to becoming something much more iconic and sophisticated. This maturation we be more clear on GITM and SYNCHRONICITY. And, though bands tried, no one else in the 80s managed to capture this iconic sound. An album and a band that never gets stale with me. All 5 of their albums were lean, filled with solid bangers. One of those bands that broke up while at the top of their game. What they did was not appropriation, because all art forms belong to all humans. No art form belongs solely to a particular ethnic group or region of the world, and nor should that ever come to pass. If that were ever to come to pass, the world would become a very boring place. Being influenced by one another is one of the beautiful things that makes us human. Favorites: "Message In A Bottle", "Regatta de Blanc", "It's Alright For You", "Bring On The Night", and "Walking On The Moon". When I dig at least half of your album and it is clear that you influenced an entire generation of bands, you earn 5 stars from me.

I love The Police. This album rocks.

I didn’t have to listen to this to know it’s a 5. Every song is crafted amazingly. Even the songs I don’t know incredibly well are still so good sounding. Iconic album.

Looking at some of these reviews, I didn't realize there were so many Police haters lol. The Police put out some incredible music in a very short period of time. This is a great album, and I actually think it comes in as the fourth best of their five tbh. There's no questioning their energy or their musicianship or their ability to write incredibly well composed songs. And you have to appreciate the fun they have - there are always weird songs, and friends that's a GOOD thing.

Kinda sparks the debate of where the line of cultural appropriation and 'inspiration' is (the album title literally translates to 'White Reage') but man I had fun one with this one. Besides making a great soundtrack for Spyro, Stewart Copeland rips on drums, always doing something cool there. Lots of good fun energy here

Pretty great players in this band. The rhythm section rips.

Terrific album from The Police. Some of the best drumming you'll hear and possibly Sting's best vocal work.

I just automatically associate the Police sound with the 80’s. I forget they helped usher in the decade with a brighter sound than the thicker 70’s stuff. This is between a 3 and a 4 but I’ll round up due to the musicianship, impact, timeless hits, and influence. Also, I enjoyed death wish, forgot about that one. 3.5/5

This was always one of my favorite Police records. And I always dug the instrumental title track. Even played Its Alright For You in one of my high school bands. Hell…it could even be argued that Copeland’s hi-hat work alone makes it an automatic 5. But there are a few tracks thrown in for filler that overall notch it down for me. Still an amazing sophomore album for an uncompromising band.

Super vibey album and some great musicianship from a pretty one of a kind group. Two of their more famous tunes being included puts this one at a 4 for me

Tough one. For any other name this is probably a 4 star highlight. For the Police, it's mid to my ears. Still has some great stuff. Fuck it. 4.

I bought a cheap vinyl of this a few years ago. But I'm not sure I've honestly listened to it. In fact, I wanted to hate this album. The Police (or as theyre now known; Sting! Ha! Ha!) always seemed like lame-os. And 'Walking on the Moon' cements the fact (with average lyrics). But, actually, there is some great depth to this album! Cool punky-ish vibes alongside some catchy melodies. There was that whacky song about burning the scrambled eggs too -did that inspire The Presidents of the United States of America?! Maybe... 4 Stars.

Against all odds, I'm giving this album a 4. I don't like new wave and I don't like reggae, and this is a Police album literally called "white reggae." Maybe I'm growing up. Frankly, this was a lot of fun and super easy to listen to. I drastically prefer this over Synchronicity. Fave tracks: - Message In A Bottle - Regatta De Blanc - It's Alright For You - Deathwish - Walking On The Moon - On Any Other Day - Contact - No Time This Time

Ending the 70s in style and setting the tone for the early 80s. If you were in the uk you could not avoid the singles! Funky post-punk pop.

Really enjoyed it from start to finish. Part of it was the nostalgia it brings from the countless replays my dad put on during road trips, another part is how sonically cohesive the album sounds. Also I really liked how packed the album is, it’s the perfect length for me. It’s been in my rotation for years.

Aside from the great "Message in a Bottle," I don't think I knew any of these songs or have ever listened to this album. It's solid. The Police were coming into their own here, and there's quite a bit to like. My dark-horse pick is "It's Alright for You," which sits on the fence between punk and post-punk and should have way more plays.

Fuck the police but these three are great. Drumming in particular does it for me.

Did not expect too much of it but ended up liking it! The bass is funky and stanky and the drums sharp and clear. Favourites are It's "Regatta De Blanc", "alright for you" & "does everyone stare". The latter has a bit of a buildup, but sounds like a joy near the end. I don't particularly like the slower songs like "The Bed's Too Big Without You" & "Walking on the moon". Overall I'd give it a weak 4. It definitely has soms song I will he revisiting, but also some I will probably never give another thought again.

Regatta de Blanc This and Synchronicity are the two Police albums in this list and I think they might be the wrong two. Synchronicity goes too far into the jazzy dullness and this one, although really good and a bit of a grower, doesn’t quite match the angular punky reggae energy of their first or the overall consistency of Zenyatta Mondatta. Message in a Bottle is obviously a great song and one of their best. No matter how many times you hear it it stills sounds fresh and the guitar and drums really are excellent. Sting’s bass is often great, and it’s hardly a hot take but Summer and Copeland really are what make them great. When they are pushed into the background on Synchronicity their sound really suffers. Regatta de Blanc feels like an idea of a song rather than a song, there’s some great playing but it’s no surprise it developed out of a jam. Bring on the Night, surely Radiohead lifted the guitar progression for Reckoner from In Rainbows? I can see why though, it’s excellent, although the song itself doesn’t quite match the guitar’s quality. I like Deathwish a lot, it feels like it might be another instrumental, but the guitar is great and the switch between the Bo Diddley rhythms and more standard beat is great. I never liked Walking on the Moon that much when I had the best of Sting and the Police on CD, but now I dig it. The little elements of jazziness don’t overwhelm, the bass motif is simple but excellent and the almost dub-like tempo gives it a slightly unusual atmosphere. Very catchy vocal melody too, which isn’t always the case for Sting. On Any Other Day, including its dated lyrics about a gay son, isn’t great. Copeland can’t really sing that well and although it might have worked as a quirky oddity like Be My Girl from their first album, it just doesn’t work and sounds particularly poor after the stateliness of Walking on the Moon. The Bed’s Too Big Without You is more like it, nailing the rolling new wave dubby reggae vibe without sounding anodyne. Great track. Contact is good as well, slightly off kilter and I love the jangly 60s-ish guitar riff. Not a fan of Does Everyone Stare, it sounds a bit like a song off the Ghostbusters soundtrack, and the piano led sound to me doesn’t suit them. No Time This Time harks back to their debut, but with a more refined and cleaner sound, making a very good closing rocker, if not quite at the level of some of the songs on here. I gave Synchronicity a 3, and although this is definitely better than that, it’s also not top tier, so I think it sits fairly at 4. A couple of great songs, a couple of very good songs and some ok songs, but all tied together with some excellent playing and overall a good album. 🍾🍾🍾🍾 Playlist submission: Could be a couple, but I won’t overthink, Message in a Bottle it is

I started listened to this album driving in the early morning before the Sun was up, and I finished it sitting at my desk watching the sky turn blue. I tried to watch the Sun come up, but I couldn't see it from where I was. Well this was not the vibe I was expecting from this album; I suppose it makes sense in hindsight if I really stop and think about Message In A Bottle, but the heavy Caribbean and reggae influences were not even remotely on my radar this morning. The Police's version of "white reggae" hits my ears in a way that just doesn't click or feel comfortable most of the time, and on average, the further away the vocals get from their imitation of Caribbean accents, the more I like the songs. With that said, when the songs hit for me, they really hit: On Any Other Day has the sarcastic energy I love in bands like Viagra Boys, and Does Everyone Stare is is some overly vulnerable anxious sadboy music a la Geordie Greep (these are both compliments). I would have loved more of that on this album, and if The Police show up again on the list, I hope it leans more into some different sounds like these songs or their other major singles. Highlights: Message In A Bottle, It's Alright For You, On Any Other Day, Does Everyone Stare

On the first listen I really couldn't get into it apart from maybe the first song but I tried again and can say I did enjoy it more but just don't think it's really for me. None of the other songs particularly stood out and I feel slightly thrown by the reggae which feels kind of misplaced verging on appropriation? But it's okay if you don't agree with me!

SMH at the term "white reggae" but generally liked this album, maybe a bit more than Synchronicity. Toes the line between 3* and 4* but I am rating in line with the aforementioned album resulting in a downgrade. 3.5/5

I’ve always been appreciative of the Police, as they definitely have undeniable talent within their musicianship, as well as their hits being some of the finest songs of their generation. Yet at the same time, I’ve never been wholly grasped by them. Message in a Bottle is a perfect example, probably the best song on the album, sometimes when I hear it, I love it; other times, complete indifference or annoyance. Every Breath You Take is immune to that phenomenon, but every other Police song for me is very mood-dependent. I’m also not too big a fan of the whole reggae thing, or Sting’s lyricism at times, and though I do respect the other members of the band, their songs are often low points of their albums. I really feel like I should like The Police more than I do since I love New Wave and 70s and 80s music, especially bands that have solid albums mixed in with the hits. Yet I’ve never been fully convinced by an entire Police album. I will say, though, that they truly did carve out their own niche and managed to do it extremely well. Best Songs: Message in a Bottle, Walking on the Moon, Bring on the Night Worst Song: Does Everyone Stare Score out of 10:6

Once again I’m pretty impressed by the range The Police shows across a whole album. There are reggae songs, rock songs, new wave kinda songs. Unfortunately the range also applies to the quality of the songs. Some of them are just silly or shallow sounding. I generally enjoyed this, but I liked Synchronicity much better.

Message in a Bottle is a great start to any album. Regatta De Blanc showcases how great a rhythm section Sting and Stuart Copeland were. It’s alright is far more punky than I’d associated with the Police and is quite reminiscent of Pump it up by Elvis Costello. Unfortunately Bring on the night legt me feeling kind of bored and then i realised i was only half way through. Deathwish offers something slightly different with the sharp guitar of Andy Summer staring, sounding very much like a toned down version of The aedge’s trademark guitar sound. On any other day serves just to highlight how great a vocalist Sting is, with what is a decent song being held back by Copeland’s (?) more limited vocals. Whilst there sre obvious issues with Does everyone stare i quite enjoyed the leap in style and central piano. no time this tome rattles along at ferocious pace and again shows what a geeat drummer Stuart Copeland is, however like much of this album it just cant get close to the two stand out classic singles and left me feeling slightly flat as a result

I sort of expected to really like this because I love Message In A Bottle and I love reggae/ska influences... but then it was just fine for the most part. I was really surprised by how lyrically sparse some of these tracks are - I think of the Police as having interesting lyrics, so I wasn't expecting Sting to repeatedly sing rio rio rioyo. I also started getting a bit fed up of the "repeat a phrase a billion times as the song fades out" schtick. On Any Other Day doesn't seem to fit on this album at all, but I kinda liked it. I also liked Bed's Too Big Without You. Ultimately this feels very middle of the road with a few exceptions, so it's getting a middle of the road score. 3/5

I liked this a lot more than I liked Synchronicity. Message in a Bottle is a great song. My favorite song was On Any Other Day, which they introduced by hedging that it was knowingly corny... kind of a cop out for writing a fun song but being embarrassed about it. The second half of the album was great.

I’ve never been a huge fan of Sting’s voice but I enjoyed most of this album more than I expected. “Walking on the Moon” was a forgotten hit that I rather like. Stewart Copeland’s drumming is impressively tight.

3/10 Best songs: Bring on the Night, The Bed's Too Big Without You, Contact What's with the Jamaican accent in several of the tracks? Why does On Any Other Day have homophobic lyrics (don't give me that "it's representative of contemporary suburbia BS")? Why is this album so boring? I feel like this album could be really good, but instead it's really one-dimensional.

I knew The Police's hits, but this album blew me away with how great it is, genuinely fantastic from start to finish.

14/01/2026 *1. message in a bottle - immediately liking the guitar and bass.... kinda jangly... like the vocals, but not sure about the accent??? is this appropriation? loving the prechorus. and also the chorus! *2. reggatta de blanc - loving the drumming!! guitar is really great.... kinda dreamy. very dreamy now. like the synth? electronic noise in the back. love how it's building up... bass and guitar and drums together are phenomenal! *3. it's alright for you - liking the punky vibe at the start!!! kinda jazzy bass.. instruments are great again!!! cannot tell if he is trying to put on a rasta accent again or american one.... suits the song though! guitar solo bangs!!!!!!! 4. bring on the night - liking the vibe of this one.... bass is great again :) liking the lyrics of all these songs as well. liking the screechy guitar.... bassline with it is real nice. 5. deathwish - love the drums at the start. loving the tempo change! bass <3 like the descending, droning synth(?) in the back of some parts.... 6. walking on the moon - liking the drums and bass at the start.... very noir-ish.... who told sting to make an album where he put on a jamaican accent..... not as enjoyable as the other songs, but still reaallly enjoyed listening to it. *7. on any other day - like the spoken intro immediately into that music!! really loving the vocals!! reaaallly great lyrics! just fun!!! bassline in the chorus is killlllleeerr <3 drums are fantastic! 8. the bed's too big without you - bassline is sooo good again!!! liking the maracas... drums are great!! *9. contact - ooooh loving it immediately.... bloody love that bass with the synth.... reminds me of the stranglers.... drumming is superb as ever.... very jangly! *10. does everyone stare - liking the piano and the bass together... liking the opera recording in the back... drums are great as well.. liking the voyeuristic lyrics... very peeping tom. 11. no time this time - drumming in intro is great! love the energy!!! chorus is great!!! drumming is great!!! guitar and bass are great!!! love the ending! really loved this one, definitely not sure if the accent ages well (not sure if it was ok when it was released either), but the music is phenomenal! not sure if it deserves five stars, but i loved every song on the album and feel that four is too low :)

:)

mesečina bato... meni je ovo sasvim neloš album, premda ne njihov najbolji. u dvojbi da li da dam četiri ili pet. najbolje stvari: "bring on the night", "the bed's too big without you" (!), "does everyone stare". s druge strane pjesma "on any other day" uopće na paše. budući da nema drugih njihovih albuma, dat ću za njih ovomu pet, ko ga jebe

I love the police so much

Love the Police

A really great album built on some fantastic drumming.

Regatta de Blanc is a fun record and Police haters are lame imo. I have this shirt.

Haven't heard this album in a long time. Brought me right back to when I was in college!

Loved the drums and instruments in this

Excellent. One of my favourites

Alway liked this one. Holds up darn well. Although Sting's vocals can tend to irritated after a while.

Great record, listened obsessively in HS

Insane album the continuity and progression of the sobgs is absolutely mindblowing all tied together yet all are very different. As an album this is pure conceptual gold

I have heard about The Police before, especially from the drummer Stewart Copeland. But I never got the chance to listen to any of their albums, until now! And this one is some good stuff!

One of my favourite trios of all time. So many classics here!

Fitting for the 1,0001 list.

Im def revisiting very good

I hadn't listened to this album in many years. Mainly when I hear songs by The Police it's singles from playlists and they are never skipped. I was a bit hesitant when this came up today, as I hoped I'd enjoy the record as much as I recalled from back in the day. Very happily I did really enjoy playing this again after so many years. And the remastered version sounds amazing, with Stewart Copeland's drums really coming through so powerfully. I don't think there is a bad song on the album, and there are great ones like the singles Message In A Bottle, Walking On The Moon, and The Bed's Too Big Without You but also some of the other tracks such as Regatta De Blanc and Deathwish. This was a really fun listen and I'm glad I got the chance to revisit an album that kind of got lost in the shuffle.

Muy bueno

fena keyifli

This is, quite simply, one of the best records released in my lifetime, if not ever. It is undeniable. The performance, the songwriting and the production on this record are top-notch.

Now THIS is music you must listen to before you die. Needs more than 5 stars.

More polished than their debut with the arrangements and songwriting up a notch too, even if a little less energetic. Message and Walking were great singles and album highlights, Regatta (instrumental) even got them a Grammy. Still sounds good today, probably one of their best LPs and well worth a listen.

Love this album, the Police are one of my favorite bands.

The classic 5

Classic 80's rock from The Police. I love this LP.

Enjoyable and nostalgic, will listen again.

Great album Iconic songs Good album cohesion Iconic sound

Top album. 5/5

Very punchy album. Great groovy bass lines and shimmering guitar work. Great listen, really enjoyed the compositions and vocals.

Love it

Jeg har egentlig ikle vært så fan av reggae, men da jeg oppdaga The Police begynte jeg også å dykke mer ned i ekte reggae. Det er egentlig litt rart at jeg skulle bli så fan av bandet, men gateway for meg var den mer punka debutsingelen «Fall Out» og debutplata. The Police har alltid vært for flinke for punk. Mye av det skyldes rytmene til Copeland. Jeg husker han forklarte det i et intervju jeg så med at familien hans flyttet mye som barn og han bodde også utenfor Europa og plukket opp helt andre rytmer der. Jeg oppfatter bandet som et slags melting pot for ulike stilarter, men også stemninger. Sting har en unik evne til å skrive tragiske tekster til lystige melodier. Jeg syns feks «Bring on the night» er et godt eksempel på dette, hvor jeg tolker teksten dit at hovedpersonen tar selvmord. Han synger om å ikke kunne se fremtiden sin og at han ikke lenger klarer lyset. Når jeg-personen innser dette så er musikken nesten euforisk. Det er noe pirrende med å oppleve dissonansen mellom tekstene og musikken. Til og med «The Bed’s Too Big Without You», som jeg uironisk har brukt som breakup-låt, fungerer som et slags mantra av tankekjør som er forløsende å høre på. Eller «Contact» som høres utenomjordisk ut for å beskrive det universet som av og til kan befinne seg mellom to mennesker. Jeg tror som med de fleste referanser så vil man få mer ut av dem om man kjenner dem igjen selv. Eller er det kanskje plata som har blitt referansen når jeg selv føler? Bra jobba uansett

Do 5 anche se è 4,5 stelle, ma il fatto che siano dei fenomeni mi porta a dargli quella mezza stella in oiú. Stewart Copeland top 5 batteristo oat

Masterpiece.