Reviews (page 5 of 13)
Whimsical and pretty
Pretty freaking nice
Played this to death back in the day still have vinyl Stand out tracks are Message in a Bottle Bring on the Night Beds to Big Without You Sting definitely the better songwriter
This is exactly what I imagine the 80s sounded like
I really enjoyed this album. Of course, I am familiar the hits/singles, but they bring much of the same character throughout the whole record along with a vibe that is distinctly theirs. I still don't quite know what to make of them. Clearly, they are all very talented, and Sting's vocal range and playfulness kept me interested throughout.
Have this on vinyl but was happy to listen again.
Exemplary musicianship. I had a great time listening to Stewart Copeland's drumming. I enjoy how tight and yet rough around the edges this album is. It feels real. Created by some seriously good musicians who clearly love pushing the boundaries of what they want to do.
Track opening and closing the album are really great. Some of my favourites for a long time. The rest of the album had a great vibe but not as re listenable as the singles.
Message in a Bottle is one of my all-time favourite songs (just to get that out of the way). I didn't know the album as a whole. I've decided it's a bit like early U2: loads of energy, fast songs and interesting guitars, but you can tell that there's a serious, ponderous brain at work somewhere in the background. The result is good, although I prefer early U2, who seemed to have a clearer direction, and hit me more in the feels, as they say nowadays. This is fresh and fun, though, with its interesting mix of pop, punk and African influences. There are one or two overly-experimental moments which probably are best forgotten (plonky piano on Does Everyone Stare being a case in point) and the last track is a bit of a mess, but overall I liked it. (MIAB is still the best thing on it by miles, though, imo)
Very good album
Nice album! Not as cliché as expected.
More reggie then expected
Ännu ett riktigt bra album! Stewart Copeland är så jävla bra. Ibland tycker jag mixen känns lite "tunn" och jag är faktiskt inte något stort fan av sting som sångare. Det till trots så är låtarna tillräckligt bra för att bära helhetsupplevelsen. Landar på någonstans mellan 3-4, får bli en 4a.
Älskar detta rakt igenom. Kreativt, hits, deep cuts, knäppt, catchigt
Feels slightly odd to suggest that this kind of reggae influenced post punk and new wave (made by white guys) is what I prefer to straight reggae (most likely made by black guys), but the variety on this album is what sets it apart from the admittedly very small amount of traditional reggae that I've listened to. A major gripe that I've had with the genre was the sameness of the songs, but this album does not have that problem at all. And Stewart Copeland is one hell of a drummer. To be honest this album would be getting a positive review just on the strength of Message in a Bottle alone, but there's still more here to enjoy. 4 stars. Pretty iconic album cover as well.
Message in a bottle is one of the greatest opening tracks of any album. The rest of the album is also good, but none of the songs come close to Message in a bottle.
Message In A Bottle, the ska influence in the vocals are strong, borderline problematic in 2025 lol. They can really write a pre chorus! “I hope that someone gets my” building up like that really gets you riled up. When the title is sung it’s almost underwhelming, but it works because then all the energy comes back in for the verses. All the instrumentation is so tight, especially in the repetition at the end. The solo guitar licks are tasteful and nicely placed in the production. Reggatta De Blanc, title track, immediately the drums are incredible, soooo tight so fast. The “lyrics” all the way through are just vocalisations, well interesting. Not what i was expecting at all. The harmony used on them is great. This is a celebration song. It’s Alright For You, this is a rock-pop tune. Everyone in the band are locked in from the get go. It explodes into the song. Lyricism is nothing ground breaking but its chorus is fucking catchy. It’s like spoken poetry for majority. Bring On The Night, the tension with the guitar is so fun. The lyrics make it quite sad, but then the ska rhythm contradicts that. So from what he’s saying, “couldn’t stand another hour of daylight” makes you worry for him but the groove makes it sound like he’s ready to party so “bring on the night”. There’s some more tension made by the guitar about half way through. I like it. Deathwish, this is about being a reckless driver. They’re a male band in there 20s gotta write what you know i guess lol. Again as always with The police, the bass is beautiful, drums are tight and guitar adds to it all but doesn’t run the show. I appreciate their talent for sure. Walking On The Moon, i’m seeing this as a song about wanted life to work out for you even if your taking risks. You got to have a lot of courage to follow the arts, “some may say i’m wishing my days away”. I think they did the right thing, if that’s even what this is about, could be missing it by miles. Love the outro, they do them very well too, make them memorable. On Any Other Day, what an opening. “you want something corny you got it” looool they delivered. I’m assuming this is a response to people saying they steal from genres that aren’t theirs??! i’m truly guessing and not looking it up. So they wrote lyrically, a cookie cutter pop tune. The only difference you can tell is that the instruments are played at an extremely high technical level. I like it. The Beds To Big, the jamaican twang of his singing in this one is getting to me a little. slightly cringe. You can use the rhythm and instrumentation of a genre of course, inspired by is fine but copying the inflections of an accent is a bit far for my pc ass in 2025. These boys can really play ska tho, clearly came natural/they worked v hard. Concept is regretful love song and it’s good. Contact, this is quite fun, short and sweet. Love the melody rhythm, it’s interesting. Quite talky this one. We are back to some punk rock genre. Sting can play the damn bass for real , shock lol. Does Everyone Stare, this is a musical jazz number??? This feels like a swing to the right but there’s still the syncopation they love present. Key changes happening makes this demand your attention, and the harmony, and the drum fills. I enjoy this one I love that they just tried something different ish. No Time This Time. Oh it’s time to mosh. It’s so fucking fast. Great way to end the album. “I’d slow the whole word down….i’d stop it spinning round”. Everyone still feels there’s no time for anything 45 years later. A timeless statement of a song, vocals are great, big harmonies in a decent and fast pace chatter. Brilliant guitar solo, very impressive bass work, drums are phenomenal, that fill at 2:50mins damn! The police did a big one with this. Look I know The Police cos of my dad first and foremost, so i have always had a soft spot for them cos he loves em. Now I know sting hasn’t been the most loved celeb over the years but him, Stewart Copeland and Andy summers could write and play the fuck out of their ska/punk/pop songs. And i’m happy for them and I like this album.
One of my favorite bands. Not my favorite of theirs, but still great IMO
I'll send an SOS to the world! I can confidently say this is an album that truly belongs here.
Some great singles and performances, but there's a lot of halfway house tracks that just facilitate a cool riff to be turned into a full track without anything more to them.
Funny British man (Sting) singing reggae Amazing drumming from Stewart Copeland Very full sound from a trio Andy Summers' great guitar tone Sting's beautiful voice
Pretty solid. Gotta love the sound, even if it is a bit one-note. More classics for a good reason.
good, cool, was interesting
8/10. This seems like a great album to listen to while trimming your toenails. No, I didn't trim my toenails while listening to this album, it's just a thought. It doesn't have to do with the music...actually, never mind, just listen to the music. If you don't like it, then just go out looking for Sting's SOS to the world, and listen to your Beatles. I'll be here, vibing to the Police. :)
Despite the presence of a couple songs that are among the best in their catalogue, this has a fascinating unevenness to it where you can almost hear the band struggling with, but ultimately, finding their way through, their sophomore slump. It was really the only time in their career, brief though it was, that they came in not sure what to record, but they became a better band for it.
i like how the drum rhyme with that extraordinary guitar riff
Rock, 1979 -> 4
The Police have a sound that is unmistakeably, authentically them. Sting's voice & rhythmic splashes of bass, Andy Summer's slinky reverberated guitar, all brought together by some really clever drumming patterns thanks to Stewart Copeland. Really enjoyed this album, even though only 3 songs truly stood out. It started off as though an album built for stadium/ live show, with the way Sting's vocals sit almost at the back of your ears like they would in a large room full of people. But it constantly changes, as did tempo, and occasionally the tone with some lyrics being a lot harsher and in your face. I like that a lot, because although the album was taking you on this journey, evolving as the songs went on, at no point did I not know who the band was. They were always, without a doubt in my mind, The Police. You can't mistake it. I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would.
Actually pretty fire. Really liked it actually!
Yah.
Message In A Bottle and Walking On The Moon are real hits!
This is one of those albums I know by heart and I know exactly which songs are brilliant without even looking at the playlist. Message in a Bottle Bring on the Night Bed’s Too Big Without You They all play so well on this album. So many great bass lines and guitar riffs and Copeland's drumming...outstanding!
Banger
The Police. Название звучит слегка угрожающе. Всё, что я знал об этой группе ранее, что это панки новой волны из Великобритании. Но вот я включаю их второй альбом «Reggatta de Blanc» и сразу же получаю два сюрприза: во-первых, это вообще не панк. Во-вторых, солистом группы оказывается Стинг. Да-да, тот самый сэр Гордон Самнер, который позже будет петь про розу в пустыне, как будто это дзен-медитация. Начало альбома — три трека, которые звучат так, будто кто-то взял одну длинную песню и просто порезал её на куски. Пришлось даже пару раз свериться с плейлистом, чтобы понять, это другая уже композиция началась или всё ещё та же самая. И только ближе к середине начинаешь понимать, что The Police — это не про хаос, это про контроль. Их музыка — это танец на грани между жёстким роком и расслабленным… рэгги. Да-да, рэгги. Этот альбом настолько пропитан ямайскими ритмами, что в какой-то момент я почти услышал голос Боба Марли. Представьте себе: панки в отпуске, в гавайской рубашке, с коктейлями в руках. Вот и весь Reggatta de Blanc. Главные жемчужины альбома — «Walking on the Moon» и «The Bed’s Too Big Without You». В них чувствуется, что The Police нашли свою формулу: гипнотический бас, синкопированные ритмы и голос Стинга, который звучит, как ангел, застрявший в телефонной будке. В итоге Reggatta de Blanc — это настоящий коктейль из контрастов: рок и рэгги, серьёзность и лёгкость, революция и релаксация. Возможно, он не станет вашим любимым альбомом, но точно заставит задуматься, как далеко можно зайти, если смешать несмешиваемое.
A great Police album. It starts off great with Message In A Bottle, and ends it with No Time This Time, both solid songs. The album's title track is so, so good, even for being an instrumental. In between are a great example of what The Police were doing, bringing radio-friendly reggae to the world. Even the album's title, translates loosely to White Reggae, or maybe that IS the translation. That's what their early sound was, white boy reggae. Not that it's cultural appropriation or whatever people call it these days, it's more of a tribute to a great genre of music and bringing it to the masses in an approachable way. I don't blame them for playing music they like, and made it radio-friendly. This was happening a lot in late 70's Britain. The Specials, Madness, etc.. were all making similar music. The Police just softened up the ska and reggae sound and sold a lot of records. This album was followed up by Zenyatta Mondatta which is nowhere as good as this one. Their pièce de résistance would come a few years later with Synchronicity, which is on this list too and it truly is an album you must hear before you die. Is this album worthy of a must listen before you die title? Yeah....kinda. Must hear tracks: Message In A Bottle Reggatta De Blanc Deathwish Walking On The Moon 4/5
+5 stars for Message In A Bottle. What a great fucking song. -1 star for On Any Other Day. What a stupid fucking song.
норм
[7/10] Did not know that the police were a white boy reggae band but there it is in the album title
Great album, not only based on Message, but also with such admirable compositions as Regatta, The bed's, Deathwish and of course Bring On The Night. Almost a five. For saying the truth a 4.2
Good album, surprising favorite it’s alright for you
This is #day141 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... somebody, call The Police! Now, Sting is a musician I get to associate with my childhood and early teenage years, like, his work on Brand New Day ("Desert Rose" still gives me goosebumps) and Sacred Love (I remember watching "Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing)" on TV and hearing "Send Your Love" on the radio). There was also, of course, Leon and "Shape of My Heart." I even remember a mash-up of Every Breath You Take by P. Diddy (just checked, it was called "I'll Be Missing You"), which wasn't exactly the ideal introduction to The Police, but I think I also recall Message in a Bottle from somewhere. I only hope it was the original version! Why do I remember so much? Or, rather, why do I link so many memories to music? I’ve come to appreciate The Police relatively late, probably in my '20s, but I do love them. Not sure if Sting's presence influences that, but when I listen to their music, it just feels like home. Songs like Walking on the Moon with its atmospheric groove, and "Bed's Too Big Without You" with its mix of reggae and post-punk influence have a timeless quality. That said, I guess I'll always prefer Synchronicity, the band's swansong and peak in terms of musical exploration and lyrical depth, or its more experimental predecessor "Ghost in the Machine." The Police had a knack for mixing pop, rock, and reggae in a way that feels fresh decades later. As for this album, it still holds its own with classic hits and some lesser-known gems, which is why it earns a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day142.
It's like the music of this older Police album has a thinner sound, but the songs are still good.
Another tour de force for a power house of the 80s
That's jaunty!
Closer to a 5 than a 3.
Nice. I quite enjoyed this one! I only knew 2 songs - Message In A Bottle (banging tune) and Walking On The Moon. But the rest of the album was catchy and upbeat 4 ⭐️
This album was really good. I might start exploring The Police now to be honest. I vibed with most of the songs they were great. I really loved Bring On The Night, Walking On The Moon, and On Any Other Day to name a few. No Time This Time was a great way to end the album. Overall I really enjoyed nearly every track on the album and it has no skips for the most part.
Message in a bottle still bangs after all these years. What a way to start an album! the 2 big hits stand this album up on their own. the Jamaican influence is evident. Probably a 3.5, but I have given it a 4 because of the 2 standout tracks
Until now I really only knew their big hits and I was neutral at best with those. Overall, I enjoyed this album though. More than I thought I was going to. This is a high 3 for me, but I’m giving it a 4 for exceeding my expectations.
This album is an easy 5/5 thinking of it on its time. But of course sound wise maybe it loses half star compared to Synchronicity which is an easy 5/5 from all perspectives. Music wise, this is just genius. All instruments sound so much fun to listen or to play! The voice and armonies on point, and the music very touching. Also impressive the amount of influences from different styles. 4,5/5
Well Sting is always welcome to my ears. I first saw him in Monty Python’s Secret Policeman’s Other Ball and I was stunned by his voice and ethereal beauty. Message in A Bottle is iconic. 4/5 (saving 5/5 for Barbra or Neil or Sarah or Glenn)
Definitely a really good album. Will be adding a few songs to the playlist.
The Police and Sting's songs are my guilty pleasure. I don't know why but something is always very interesting about those. Also, as a guitarist myself, the guitar work in this band was always extremely fun and intricate. I almost broke a joint (or at least that's how it felt) while trying to play Message In A Bottle. Anyway, great record!
Hab mich sehr gefreut, weil ich großer Fan von Message in a Bottle bin. Der Rest des Albums konnte leider nicht mit dem restlichen Album mithalten. Songs der Playlist hinzugefügt: Message in a Bottle
Good album.
Always happy to see The Police pop up. I only knew “Message in a Bottle” but I enjoyed the rest as well.
Message in a bottle starts off the album amazingly but then nothing reaches it’s quality, walking on the moon comes close but not quite. But side one is genuinely great (just realised walking on the moon is side two but it should’ve closed side one), then it’s quite bad honestly it feels like reverse synchronicity 4/5 cuz of strong side 1 though
I enjoyed it more than I thought I would... Nice
The hits are all great. The reagge tone to a lot of the album is very enjoyable. I dig it!
Long time ago.... Still nice to hear.
I like later Police better but this is good
starts off pretty strong, ends off pretty strong, weird reggae in the middle
Timeless
Uno de los icónicos álbumes de esta gran banda que Sting encarna tan acertadamente. Su música es innegable mente adictiva y de allí su gran exito. El bajo y la percusión dominantes hacen que el cuerpo se mueva solo. De cinco estrellas los premio con cuatro, bien puestos.
The Police did sold great stuff and this album is the best showcase for that. It also showed what Sting was able to pull off years later.
A big player. My wife has all the lyrics down pat, and when I fired this up on the hi-fi, hips were in full sway. That alone gets them 4 stars.
Leaving aside the question of cultural appropriation (at least they were honest in the album titling), this was a high-performing band, perhaps even overachieving. They seemed to have a plan and executed with very few missteps. "Message" and "Walking on the Moon" and "Bed's Too Big" are all excellent and the rest is solid-plus. In retrospect, it seems utterly unsurprising that they would seen be the best band in the world for a brief shining moment in time.
Some great singles and some ok other songs
Great playing by all the musicians, though.
The Police’s second studio album marks a pretty significant leap forward from their debut, showcasing the band refining their distinctive blend of reggae, punk, and new wave into something truly flavourful. From the opening moments of “Message in a Bottle,” there’s a sense that the band has tapped into something deeper, both musically and emotionally. What stands out most across the album is the unique “flavour” of the sound — a spicy, sun-soaked fusion that feels equal parts Caribbean and British post-punk. It’s this unmistakable sonic identity that makes the record so appealing, even when its edges are a bit rough. The title track, “Reggatta de Blanc,” is a highlight not just for its hypnotic instrumental repetition but for how it distills the band’s chemistry into pure vibe. Sting’s melodic basslines and distinctive vocal phrasing dance around Andy Summers’ sharp, delay-drenched guitar, all while Stewart Copeland’s drumming anchors the rhythm with an agile looseness. The interplay here isn’t just tight, it’s flavourful in a way that invites the listener to sink into the sound, like swaying in humid air with nothing to do but move. There’s also a deeper emotional pull to some of the songwriting that wasn’t as pronounced on “Outlandos d’Amour”. “Bring on the Night” and “Walking on the Moon” both stretch out into moodier territory, and their more spacious arrangements make room for atmosphere to bloom. It’s not just about catchy hooks - although there are plenty - it’s about the texture, the feel. You can practically taste the reverb and delay, and the way Sting leans into his vocals gives the whole thing an edge that’s sultry rather than aggressive. That said, the album isn’t perfect. There are moments when the songwriting feels secondary to the sonic experimentation, and a couple of tracks blur together without leaving a strong impression. Still, even at its less memorable points, “Reggatta de Blanc” retains that essential “flavour”; that sense of something new, exciting, and slightly exotic. In the end, this album earns a 4 star rating from me. Not just for its hits but for its sense of place and identity. It’s an album that sounds like no one else - even The Police themselves would evolve into something slicker and more polished in later years. But here, in this sweet spot of experimentation and raw talent, they crafted something genuinely special. The flavour lingers long after the music stops. 4/5
Great sound, with some really catchy songs. One of the "new wave" bands that really transcended the sounds of the day.
81% Best: Message In A Bottle; Walking On The Moon; The Bed's Too Big Without You; Does Everybody Stare Must-Hear? Sure, I guess?
4.5 stars. White reggae, a great album. I enjoy the instrumental aspects of this a lot but Sting is a bit more mood-dependent for me. At times he's great and I can appreciate his singing and other times he's grating, but that's more due to my personal taste. Overall this is a fun listen. "Walking On The Moon" is the standout, with the musical/instrumental aspects of "Deathwish" making it a hidden gem.
Love it
I think I prefer older Police than Synchronicity, though I gave that a 4. Coming back to the Police after a long time, I'm enjoying it so far, I think this is another 4 album for me.
This is not a perfect album. They're not quite at their final-form, but they're still writing interesting songs, and they're playing tight as hell. It's a mostly a 3-star album, with two ridiculously strong songs in Message In A Bottle and Walking on the Moon. Bumps it up to 3.5, and I'll go ahead and round up to 4.
So much better than synchronicity
отличный альбом для весёлого настроения 8/10
always has and always will be a banger of an album truely iconic
This is the very first album that I remember getting. Guess it must have been Christmas 1979 which made me 8 years old and I loved it mainly cause of message in a bottle and walking on the moon. Listening today it still sounds great but at least I now don’t have to deal with the cassette getting stuck in the player and using a biro to wind it back up 😂
Fine album.
good rock high energy
Visit all right album with a couple of total classic hits. It's interesting to hear the title track, which I don't believe I've ever heard before, and then there's also a couple of things where it sounds like they're emulating other hits of the day. Like Billy Joel, we didn't start the fire. Overall it's not as full and Rich and deep a sound as I prefer these days. But I do very much remember playing this on repeat when I was in high school.
LP
Very fun album but only one real banger. High 4
3/5
When you get a Police album, you know exactly what to expect, yet it doesn't bore. They just have such a distinctive sound, which is displayed in a variety of ways on this record.
Really really liked this album - reggae overtones hit well, beds too big without you was a lot of fun. Need to listen to more of the police! 4
Calling this white reggae is pretty much accurate. It’s pretty good though. Sting’s voice is instantly recognizable. My biggest complaint is they don’t really know how to end songs. Every single song ends in a fade-out without much of any outro at all. This wouldn’t be that much of an issue if it wasn’t the case for every single song on the album. Favorites were Message In A Bottle, It’s Alright For You, Deathwish, and No Time This Time.
Je pensais que Synchronicity allait être mon album préféré de The Police, mais Reggata De Blanc est vraiment supérieur. Globalement c'est tellement un album qui a une meilleure consistance, les compositions sont plus intéressantes, moins de trucs expérimentaux décevants, plus de focus en général. 8/10
Buenisimo
Pretty good album. Classic vibes
Classic oldie. 3.75/5
I liked the drums, also didn’t realize message in a bottle was one of their songs
I grew up in a pretty conservative household in which I wasn’t allowed to listen to anything but Christian music. One of the first secular rock songs I remember hearing and being obsessed with was Message In A Bottle. It’s just so infectious, perfect guitar part with perfect drumming and bass playing with perfect singing with perfectly interesting lyrics. I love that song so much, and I think it’s the Police’s best. I also think this album as a whole is their best. I’m not sure that The Police had a bonafide masterpiece, but this was their closest. Its first half is amazing but tapers off a bit in my opinion. Still great.
Da staune ich - steht bei mir nicht im Regal zwischen den anderen Police-Scheiben. Da muss ich aber Abhilfe schaffen.
норм мне понравки , расщедрюсь ради стинга
Just great music from Sting and the boys. It's going into my collection. Five stars.
Vet. Vooral de drumpartijën maakten dit voor mij een hele cool project. Super creatief. Op een of andere manier dit album altijd vermeden maar ik vond t erg goed. Skuuuuu
A fun and sweet album with a unique cool atmosphere and style. Always very enjoyable feels like sailing a ship
"Reggatta de Blanc" is the second studio album by British rock band the Police. The Wiki-listed genres are new wave, reggae rock and post punk; I was curious as to the exact grouping of the Police. The album was produced by Nigel Gray and the Police and it was recorded in four weeks over a few months at Surrey Sound in Surrey, UK, which was low budget and allowed them more freedom. It shows on some of these songs. Commercially, it was their first album to top the UK charts and reached #25 in the US. The album received mostly positive reviews. The guitar and drums and then the bass and Stings 'Ohhhh' open "Message in the Bottle." A great mix of all the instruments. A tremendous vocal chorus and guitarist Andy Summmers at his best. It's the story of a castaway who sends a bottle seeking love and one year later wakes up to find a hundred billion washed-up bottles and realizes there are more lonely people than him. One of the Police's best and my favorite from them. "Reggatta de Blac" is mostly an instrumental song and was developed from stage jams of "Can't Stand Losing You." A song that best-features the band on their instruments. A nervous-sounding bass, slow drums and jazzy, echoing guitar create a foreboding atmosphere and begin "Bring on the Night." Layered vocals and the guitar switches to more reggae. Back to the echoing guitar. A song written three years earlier and based on Gary Gilmore, the US murderer who demanded his execution. "Walking on the Moon" was inspired by Sting's girlfriend and developed after getting drunk and walking around "the room." Well, moon sounds better than room and, now, this song makes sense. Thumping bass, reggae guitar slashes, various percussion sounds. "The Bed's Too Big Without You" has a repetitive drum and bass reggae beat and more of the jazzy, reggae guitar. It's a song that was inspired (wrong choice of words maybe) by Sting's first girlfriend who committed suicide after their break-up. There's some deeper meanings than I had originally thought in a few of these songs. The first side of this album is nearly flawless; the band is tight. There's a great mix of all the instruments, no overcrowding with the vocals and Andy Summer's guitar, in particular, shines. Mostly, the band just rocks. And then, we come to the second side.... poor Stuart Copeland. Yeah, two of the three songs he wrote just don't work. "Contact" is OK. Overall, the first side makes this album worth it and half the second side is decent.
Really cemented their classic sound with this album with Andy summer's unique guitar sound and style as well as Copeland's awesome drumming and some of Sting's best songs Not as consistent all the way through but most is still very good and enjoyable
4.5
4.5
Good stuff. New but familiar when first listened years ago.
Great album. Best tracks are Message In A Bottle and Walking On The Moon 4/5
3,7
Better than the other police album on this list by a country mile
The title track is exceptional. The rest of it, with the reggae schtick and Caribbean vocal affectation, gets old really quick.
Good one
This is an awesome album. The rift is large between the good tracks and the shit ones (it’s alright for you - im looking at you!!) It’s a solid 3.5 but I’ll round it up to 4 because I love Stuart Copeland!
The only white boys who have any business playing reggae. Sorry, UB40.
Much better than I expected! I always thought of this band as random 80s radio songs. But even Message in a Bottle sounded better at higher quality. Great rhythm on many tracks.
Tanto este como su posterior Zenyattà Mondatta, en realidad cualquier disco de The police, son discos esenciales. Se trata de uno de los mejores tríos que ha dado la música, junto a Cream y The Jimi Hendrix Experience. De sobra conocidos por cualquier generación, publicaron singles extraordinarios (aquí Message in a Bottle y Walking on the Moon, dos de sus mejores canciones y las tienen muy buenas) y discos fabulosos. Este está considerado el mejor de todos, con razón pues el talento y maestría de los tres está perfectamente integrada en el resultado final. Al margen de los temas más conocidos, contiene buenas muestras de la introducción al Reggae de finales de los 70 (de la que fueron pioneros) como es The bed´s too big without you. death wish también es un gran tema. Otros discos de 1979, el año del "Disco sucks" y también de maravillas como: JOY DIVISION - Unknown Pleasures, THE CLASH - London calling, VAN MORRISON - Into the music, NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE - Rust never sleeps y Live Rust, AC/DC - Highway to hell, PAUL COLLINS BEAT - The Beat, THE CURE - Three imaginary boys, The Undertones- The Undertones, THE B-52'S - The B-52's, GRAHAM PARKER - Squeezing out sparks, THE KNACK - Get the knack, The wall de Pink Floyd, Armed Forces de Elvis Costello & The Attractions, We Are Family de Sister Sledge, Look Sharp! de Joe Jackson, Spirits Having Flown de Bee Gees, Breakfast in America de Supertramp, Y de The Pop Group, Voulez-Vous de ABBA , Bad Girls de Donna Summer, Lodger de David Bowie, Discovery Electric Light Orchestra, Exposed y Platinum de Mike Oldfield, Fear of Music Talking Heads, Off the Wall de Michael Jackson, Quadrophenia deThe Who, Reggatta de Blanc de The Police, Prince de Prince, Damn the Torpedoes de Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers , One Step Beyond... de Madness, The Specials de The Specials, Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants\" de Stevie Wonder, Metal Box de Public Image Ltd., Risque de Chic, Real to Real Cacophony y Life in a day de Simple Minds
Lots going on, lots to listen to, all of it good.
I like it, pretty chilled and funky. Would listen again.
Excelente
Fun, easy listening with songs most everyone knows
message in a bottle to kick off the series! this is a fun record
Somebody get this man some scrambled eggs 🙏🙏
This was different and I really enjoyed it!
Una mejora significativa desde su primer álbum que, de por sí, ya es bastante bueno. Una profundización en la fusión de new wave, reggae y punk que construye un LP sumamente interesante. Las mejores pistas en mi opinión son (por supuesto) Message in a Bottle, The Bed's to big without you, Walking on the Moon, Bring on the Night y No Time This Time. Atrapante e increíblemente influyente, sobretodo para el desarrollo del sonido del rock latinoamericano de los años '80s.
A really strong album, probably not their best, but, not like they had bad ones.
Good boomer groover
I’ve known about The Police my entire life, and of course, their big hits are always on the radio. Beyond that, I just saw them as a classic rock band with some new wave elements and didn’t think much more of it. But after listening to Reggatta de Blanc, the first thing that stood out to me was the strong reggae influences throughout the album. I never picked up on that in the songs you hear on the radio. After doing some research and giving the album a few more listens, I have to admit I now see them in a whole new light and enjoy their music more than before. I also noticed some subtle punk influences in a few sections, but overall, this album is a very polished pop record that mixes 70s classic rock with reggae influences.
I didn't remember The Police having such a reggae-inspired sound, but I liked it! Of course, there were a few songs on here I knew, and they stood out, but I thought that all of the songs were pretty well-written and well-performed.
I have 'no time at all' to write notes recently but great album!
The Police are incredible musicians but I just don't like their type of music that much. This is one of their better albums though.
Walking into Reggatta De Blanc, I was fully prepared to call The Police a singles band. And like, in a way, I don’t think that’s a bad take – that old Greatest Hits compilation is certainly a stronger record than this by a mile – but I’m sincerely shocked by how much I enjoyed this overall. It’s not the record I expected, that’s for sure. There’s a much stronger punk energy here than I anticipated, and I really enjoy that a lot. A song like “It’s Alright For You” and “No Time This Time” scratch an itch in my brain. Also, I’m a big fan of Copeland as a songwriter; “On Any Other Day” and “Does Everyone Stare” are strong highlights I know I’ll be revisiting. And then there’s just the general magic of hearing an S-tier power trio be amazing: Sting’s bass tone is like a warm sweater; Summers’ guitar is engulfing; and Copeland sounds like Jesus Christ himself sitting behind a drum kit. All this said, I think The Police’s worst enemy is The Police. Ironically not due to their egos, but due to their love for moodier, looser, more traditional-leaning reggae. “Bring On the Night” may have some intriguing fills, but it’s static motion kills the momentum of the opening three tracks. Both “Deathwish” and “The Bed’s Too Big Without You” have these same issues. I don’t think they’re bad tracks, but they feel a bit too pastiche-esque, and while these guys can *play*, these moments feel stale from a songwriting perspective. These songs just…✨exist✨, yet never feel like they develop or go much of anywhere. And the fact that two of these were singles kind of proves that The Police were clearly *not* a singles band. Thankfully, the majority of this album has enough of a unique blend of sounds and aesthetics to help The Police create their own sound, and the majority of this album is strong. In fact, if anything saves Reggatta De Blanc from its weak points, it’s its Side openers, which are both amazing songs. The level of songwriting on both “Message In A Bottle” and “Walking On The Moon” is the stuff of legends, and may be why The Police overall have a bigger reputation as a compilation album band. It’s these mind-blowing singles plus the other mostly great deep cuts that validate Reggatta De Blanc. I’m not saying it’s the best record I’ve ever heard, but it does have a lot more value than I thought it would. If anything, I’m going to be replaying “On Any Other Day” for weeks now, and I think that alone is worth praise.
Outstanding. At the time it really blew me away.
I really like this album however I am not a fan of the constantly repeated lyrics in the choruses and near the ends of songs.
I love hearing the origins of my favorite songs by going back and listening to albums. So that was cool hearing bring on the night and then immediately cutting on Adaptation by The Weeknd. Overall, I enjoyed this album & will be going back to it!
Fun songs, quite varied, but not one I’d actively find to listen to again
I’m a sucker for any 70s/80s bass-forward three pieces. I think I walked around for years with Message in a Bottle rattling around in the back of my skull. But there’s so many good songs on this album that didn’t get airplay or videos on MTV. Regatta de Blanc, Bring On the Night, and No Time This Time are favorites. By the same token, there are some head scratchers - On Any Day and Does Everyone Stare sound like a totally different decade and band.
Trash hour at the cottage!
Solid album. The Police are really talented. They can structure songs so well and create hits!
Solid police album.
while i definitely enjoyed this album, it's no synchronicity. the white reggae focus here is fine but the songs vary WILDLY in quality. you've got your absolute S-tier banger message in a bottle, the solid B+/A- tier walking on the moon (which itself feels a little sparse), then some of the weirder B/C songs and the rest as D/F duds. I'm particularly shocked by the seemingly unfinished/unpolished music and lyrics for some of these. like, stewart copeland kept the placeholder lyrics from his first draft of contact after thinking of a mediocre dad joke pun, and then sting just straight up forgot to write the rest of the words for it's alright for you????? absolutely baffling. at least stewart is bringing his crazy drums back for this one, though I'm not particularly impressed with andy summers' meandering jangly guitar on the filler tracks. favorites: message in a bottle, reggatta de blanc, bring on the night, walking on the moon, the bed's too big without you, no time this time
Overall, I really enjoyed this album. I think it fell much more naturally, like water slipping through your fingers, than the other police album I have listened to. I think message in a bottle was just dying for some harmonies on the chorus. I thought it’s alright for you sounded very RHCP. A bit dull in some places.
Love the sound of the Police and this is distinctly Sting and the Police! Enjoyed the listen. Although there are two great songs on the album - Message in a Bottle and Walking on the Moon there isn’t enough to carry it as a great album. Good listen- enjoyable - just not great.
Escuchar más the Police y sus letras. Poner algunas en clase. Every Breath You Take para clases. Bryan Adams, Summer of 69. Bueno para clase
С первых нот понравился.
Meine Musik - immer wieder
3.5
Solid.
Sting's patois on "Walking on the Moon" = never not funny. Great record though!
Really enjoyed this one. Simple and catchy bass lines. Some punk, ska, reggae, and jazzy elements. I really liked it, but don't absolutely love the Police, so 4/5!
solid 4
La verdad me gusta este album, no es de ninguna manera mi disco favorito de police o su cuspide creativa a mi parecer y sin embargo, tiene varios tracks muy memorables, obviando los hits esta "bring on the night" que quizas estoy en la minoria al preferir la version original a la de cerati. Esta "Deathwish" al hilo y un poco mas separado esta "the bed's too big without you" que literal suena como un precursor de lo que seria "cuando pase el temblor" de Soda. Incluso en esta etapa aun no tan eclectica de police en la que seguian manteniendo sus roces punk por conveniencia eran ya una banda cuyo material probaria influyente en el otro hemisferio. Deberia darle 3 estrellas pero me gusta demasiado "Deathwish" y me da lo mismo dar 4 estrellas en todas las reviews.
Good album.. It's just not as good as Zenyatta Mondatta or Outlandos d'Amour.
A top 3 Police record with some classics. Only weak tune is On Any Other Day.
This was a good listen. Seemed to move better then Synchronicity.
This album was pretty good. Some really good songs, and nothing really dragged. A good listen and I'll listen again. Liked it better than Synchronicity
This one is a classic in pop music!
9/10
Message in a bottle Bring on the night Deathwish Does everyone stare
Some really good songs on this but not quite best album ever.
Another Major Release in 1979! After hearing their infamous "Roxanne" in 1978, we get this gem of a record. This record is filled with some classics. My favorite of which, "Walking on the Moon". "Message in a Bottle", "Bring on the Night", The Bed's too Big... " Great record!
Tgis is an album that shows off alot of what the Police have to offer. Some hits, pop songs, reggae, jazz. Sometimes all in the same song. It might not be my favorite Police album, but I understand why it's on this list. Rounded up for Bring on the Night and The Bed's Too Big Without You
Love it! Outlandos D'Amour is the appetizer and this is the entree! What's always been most interesting to me about this album is that the instrumentation and production is very similar to Outlandos, but the tunes and tones are fairly different. To me, it feels like the band hadn't been around very long when Outlandos was made, and Regatta shows a band that has been playing together quite a bit.
Great music
Nice but the not the best by The Police.
Yup, I enjoy this album. I'm frustrated by the sound engineering because many tracks feel flat and lacking depth to me, but I think that may be specific design choice by the band—or maybe it was really a limitation of the original recording equipment—because it's been this way in several releases I've heard. The music can be quirky, but is interesting. The instruments are played well. And come on, who's going to complain about Sting singing, well anything? My understanding is that this record, this band—short lived as they were—triggered a massive shift in the industry, and it certainly deserves to be on this list.
Message in a Bottle Walking on the Moon The Bed's Too Big Without You
Solid stuff. The title track is a banger and I wish the Police would have done more instrumentals. Bring On The Night and Bed's Too Big Without You are standouts as well. Always enjoyed the Police even though Sting can be a bit of a wank.
Terrible disco de The Police, para mi, el mejor de ellos.
surprising amount of sorrowful reggae in the album contrasted with moments of high energy drums with sorrowful and emotional guitar leads.
Good album
When ot came out, this album had a superfresh sound. Listening to it, the sound remains innovative and fun. Really good album.
Classic album for a classic group. Classic vote 4/5
love it, didn't know they had reggae vibes
I owned this one on vinyl and CD back in the day. Good stuff!
This is this listener's second album by the Police and coincidentally their second album in their discography. This album contains two of the band's greatest hits including "Message in a Bottle" and "Walking on the Moon." The title, "Reggatta De Blanc," loosely translates to "White Reggae" which fits the fun vibe of the album.
super plaatje...
One of my favorites back when it was released. Still like it!
Great album, although not my favourite by them as it's a bit too reggae-heavy for my taste. There are a couple of fillers in there but nothing that I'd go out of my way to skip. A strong 3.5 from me; rounding it up to 4 because I can see why so many people love this album. What can I say—I'm just not too crazy about reggae.
Man this is a solid album. Sometimes I forget the original sound that the Police had, and blend them in with other 80s stuff that was meh. So I'm happy to have gotten reacquainted with this one.
Good record. Great sound at times. I can see where vampire weekend got the idea of white African music lol
Quite cool
The Police so swag. The hits are mega classic and the deep cuts are underrated. Really a one of a kind group of musicians
Having only really heard the Police's greatest hits, this was a surprise. The hits are an easy 5. The low points (Steward Copeland singing on On Any Other Day; very ordinary and dated It's Alright For You) are forgettable. But there are hidden surprises: the title track is a fun instrumental that is the Police's sound distilled into one track. The highs (Sting's singles; songs with chiming guitars and a reggae bounce) and lows (Copeland's contributions) are extreme but average out to a 4.
4-
Parte benissimo: 'Message in a bottle'. C'è anche 'Walking on the moon', ma gli manca comunque qualcosa.
The whole album is good and very much in the wheelhouse of the Police sound—reggae-infused rock with a New Wave/Punk influence. Of course, “Message in a Bottle” is the standout track and one of the best songs in their catalog. And this record has a lot more polish and a greater sense of adventure than their debut, though with less of an edge. Personally, I’m not a big fan of the foreign phrase album title theme that continues here and into their next record. Glad they eventually dropped that.
4/26/24. Was able to do a couple listens over the weekend, excellent musicianship and songs on this one! The Police are definitely a powerhouse, each song engages you. The drumming is also phenomenal.
Good album with some classics on there. Message in a bottle is a great song. Can feel some reggae influences in here. 7/10
This was a bopper.
Not my favorite Police album (that's Synchronicity) but still great in its own right. This one's got a couple memorable hits, but also contains some great deeper cuts that never got the attention they deserve. The big surprise, and it's a pleasant one, 3 Copeland writing credits here (plus another shared with Sting)! I feel like later albums reduce Stu and Andy's writing credits to just a single song each, toward the end of the b-side. Sure, Sting seems to write those pieces that got the most pop attention, but there's just something about the Copeland written tracks that I respond to, so it's great to have multiple here. The only downside is no totally unhinged addition from Andy Summers on this album. Minor cringe-factor for Sting's white-boy Caribbean patois on The Bed's Too Big Without You, but the '80s were a different time I suppose.
The police always a w
One of my parents' favorite bands. "Message in a Bottle" is a classic. "It's Alright For You" is also a banger. These guys really rock well together, I enjoyed the instrumental moments on this album as well as the sung ones. I was not entirely enthralled by all of the more low-key tracks, but I still think it's a great album.
01) Message in a Bottle - 10,0 02) Reggatta de Blanc - 8,5 03) It's Alright for You - 8,0 04) Bring On the Night - 8,5 05) Deathwish - 8,5 06) Walking on the Moon - 10,0 07) On Any Other Day - 8,5 08) The Bed's Too Big Without You - 8,0 09) Contact - 8,0 10) Does Everyone Stare - 8,0 11) No Time This Time - 8,0 TOTAL: 8,54 (85/100) Sending out an S.O.S
It appears many are shitting on this just because these 3 fellas are white. And blonde. And one is named Sting. Mainly because of Sting. Because of the whole Sting of it all. This is what happens when you have no problem letting the world know how you've mastered tantric sex, or that you were once a school teacher. And your drummer and guitar player freely admit what a pompous asshole you truly are. OK, maybe "difficult" is a more fair description. Whatever. Take away your personal vendetta against Sting, and then appreciate the output while he was lead singer of The Police. That's enough for me, mainly because his solo efforts pale in comparison, when he became Phil Collins with a better head of hair. His only solo track that did anything for me was a divorce song, and that's only because I first heard it while going through a divorce. I listened to it again a few years and was almost embarrassed that I once appreciated it. Divorce will do that to a fella. You suddenly find salvation in Gordon Summer's lyrics. But I've always sworn by The Police. They gave us five albums, two of which are great (this one and Synchronicity, which is the classic, so classic that it finally gave Sting the courage to up and leave Summers and Copeland in the dust). This one doesn't have any of the monster hits, although "Message In A Bottle" comes close and "Walking On The Moon" is one of my favorites. I'm Gen X, and like the members of this band, I'm a white fella - although proudly never blonde. So I can't help it. This shit is right in my wheelhouse.
New wave, reggae rock. Dos megahits. Un 4.
Solid, tight, high energy, and a lot less overplayed than some of their other albums.
There is a pervasive energy emanating from this album. While the title translates to White Raggae, I am glad the raggae elements were muted.
The Police have some great tracks, we all know this, but how many of us have taken it upon themselves to explore a whole album from the band? Well, obviously quite a few of us, but the point still stands, I was going in completely blind here despite my knowledge of the first track on here, and while at first I was worried because the A-Side seemed to feature similar, arguably repetitive tracks that were technically good, but boring otherwise, but the B-side was filled with that weird shit that I quite like. The drummer singing? Sure! More odd backing tracks rather than the stereotypical bloopy reggae stuff? Go for it! I just appreciated the change up, it made the album feel a lot more memorable, and while the A-side was far more in line with what I imagine Police fans would want, I was digging the B-side's zainy nature a lot more. Nothing here beats the song Synchronicity II, and in turn I'm excited to get around to that album more than this one, but I was pretty happy with this one. Here's hoping that I enjoy the Police as a hits band and a deep cuts band.
Tight, taut new-wave rock. Kinda sounds like very early REM. The real star here is Stewart Copeland, the drummer. He’s just so much better at his instrument than the others. That said, I will always love the riff on “Message in a Bottle.”
Think i'm between 3 and 4 on this. The big hits are great, especially Message in a Bottle, so let's go 4 based on that. Some of the rest is filler but I like Sting's voice, and it has some nice parts from each of the main instruments including his bass lines, and some decent guitar parts. Also like the fact that they evolved their sound with each album, being heavily influences by ska/reggae music here, even if it doesn't all land.
The Police's second album still holds up after almost 50 years.
Pretty good, easy to listen to.
The Police fall wierdly between being a cool post-punk/new wave and and a massive classic rock arena jugernaut. They're too dorky (smooth, bright, poppy, and jazzy/prog sounding) to be cool, but draw on the same reggae and punk influences as the other British late 70s acts. They fit in better with the synth pop and new wave stuff, even though they have the very classic power-trio instrumentation. The musicianship is through the roof from all three, the light-touch drumming, the melodic Jamaican inflected bass, the gorgeous chorus effect-maxing shimmering guitar hitting those crystalline chords, and the unmimstakable voice and delivery. I guess like U2, they're the post-punk outliers who've become ensconsed in the classic rock radio cannon - though they had the decency to break up on a high note. Walking on the Moon is possibly their best song and Message in a Bottle is great, the rest has some good moments (the radiohead-sounding arpegios on Bring on the Night, the dub bass on Bed too Big), but is less inspired overall. I'd have chosen Outlandos or Zenyatta over this one and Synchornicity, personally. I guess that indicates that they're probably a greatest hits band in the end. Distilling those 5 albums down into 80 minutes of their highest highs would give you a compilation that can stand up next to anyone's with massive hits, a totally distinctive sound, genius songwriting, and pristine recordings of top performances.
Great memories listening to this album. The Police had some great tracks but it's a shame about Sting.
I'd have assumed that every Police album had sold 10 million albums, but despite how big they feel they were always still a kind of a new wave / post punk oddity on the charts. This still sounds like the biggest thing in the world, even today.
At the heart of it The Police and Reggatta De Blanc is a post punk album and band. Side A is fire. Side B, like A opens with an absolute classic, but it does fade a bit. Post punk, combined with raegge, dare I say almost ska. 8.7/10
8/10 solid album just had some noticeable low spots
Perfectly fine album, with a few genuinely good tracks. I really don't like Sting as a singer though.
Good most songs don't stick
Pretty good. Enjoyed the album with some popular songs that carry it.
Ekki fullkomin plata, en mér finnst þessir strákar alltaf frekar skemmtilegir. Alltaf nóg að gerast í hljóðfæraleiknum sem bætir upp fyrir að lagasmíðarnar eru mismerkilegar. Skemmtilegt heilt yfir og lúnkið.
ACAB does NOT include The Police. Fun album with fun songs. Message in a Bottle may overshadow the rest a lot, but songs like Bring On The Night and Walking on the Moon are just as memorable if you ask me.
classic Police
Classic
I’d put this mid-pack in the Police catalog.
Should probably listen The Police more often, good album and several great songs
Very good
I didn't really like Police back then, but over time I've come to appreciate their great songs. Following the evergreens of the first album "Outlandos d'Amour", Police have released the next songs for eternity here.
The Police have a problem were their hits are far far superior to their lesser known songs which can make their albums really hit or miss. That being said this album is more hit than miss. The deeper cuts on this album aren't as cheesy and bad as some of their other albums. A lot of really good songs and some really tight playing. The last 4 or 5 songs are bordering on cheesy but they are okay.
I honestly don’t have a lot of critical thoughts about this one. Like, I enjoyed listening to it. The opener is a great song. There were some silly moments. White reggae? Ok!
I about done with yesterday's album by the Violent Femmes (self titled) and I'm glad to say it IS like the Doors, Bad Company, amd Mt. Joy. I like it a lot. Promise stood out (among others). My lens is slightly disrupted but I'm getting over it quickly. I am interested to see which songs are in the Police album. Most of the way through the album. Just been listening at work while doing other things. I like the police, they have a chill sound with a dash of hop around!
Nice chill album, good background music. Stand-out: Message In A Bottle
Holds up surprisingly well given its origins at the end of the 70s. What helps is the clear production, in turn allowing three very capable musicians to craft some excellent songs. Not all of the tunes have aged well but most have. Enjoyable for sure.
enjoyable listen, some strong songs especially the singles, but honourable mentions too for Its' Alright for You, Bring on the Night and the quirky Does Everyone Stare. The Police tended to be underrated as musicians, when they were all quite accomplished. I particularly like Stewart Copelands propulsive and innovative drumming
I used to be obsessed with The Police. I still quite enjoyed this album.
The police. Kind of the mirror image of the clash. A great bad. And this might be their best. Sting wrote some of his best songs. And he is wonderfully backed up by summers and Copeland. Definite must listen.
In the summer of 79/80 I was already driving around in my girlfriend’s second car (what a girlfriend), a holden station-wagon, thrashing a cassette of the first Police album, when this one landed as well. And by March 1980, I was watching them at the Hordern Pavilion, admittedly in such a stoned state that I wasn’t able to fully appreciate their efforts. Side One is terrific. It’s diverse - Message In A Bottle is a killer single, the title track won a grammy for best instrumental (I never knew that), It’s Alright For You is one of their speedy new-wave efforts, Bring On The Night is part of the band’s “reggae rock”, & Deathwish a totally rhythm-driven effort. Side Two has fewer highlights but Walking On The Moon & The Bed’s Too Big Without You are both terrific trax. Most of this record still works well for me.
Love the atmospheric guitar and really incredible drumming. Sting's voice is pitchy and the fake yo-yo accent shit is cringe in some songs. I think the hits on this album have played so many times in background of my life that it's weird to hear them in the context of the actual album. For white boy pop-reggae or whatever it's fine. I liked this sound better at thirteen than I do in my thirties.
2024-03-02...
Another band I didn't pay much attention to outside of the radio songs. I really enjoyed listening to this album. The Police can be really fun and quirky in their sound and lyrics. This was more of a 4+ for me. Solid run of opening tracks and really liked On Any Other Day.
Excellent album by an excellent band.
Forgettable but fun
It grew on me
Feel good pop rock. Multiple radio hits like the opening track Message In A Bottle.
The phrase "white reggae" really sounds like cultural appropriation by today's standards. Ignoring that, the Windrush generation brought Caribbean influence to the UK and why shouldn't that influence rock music? 'Message in a Bottle' is one hell of a song and carries the album but there are other peaks, including 'Bring on the Night' and 'Walking on the Moon'. There's also some filler here but I'm enjoying it all more with every listen.
Must be pretty cool to record an album and be able to choose between kicking it off with Message In a Bottle of Walking On The Moon.
8/10
Solid Reggae, Very strong opening half Weaker second half, Best songs Message in a bottle, It’s alright for you
Before it really all changed... Surprising how albums on either side of this one get greater recognition. The raw edge here is still appealing more than the slicker elements of the later work. So catchy but with a bit of a middle finger. Unpretentious and also not sappy compared the majority of Sting's solo work. Copeland bangs those drums like a snotty punk while Andy makes crafty, curling, novel guitar runs sound simple. Sting's solo career is such a wet blanket compared to where he began.
I love how this is first because I’m already familiar with the album. Love the rhythm section.
There's so much to like about this album that I can overlook the reggae elements. Reggae sucks. Accept it.
Stuart Copeland - WOW! I'd forgotten how excellent he is! This album is great! Three excellent musicians playing great songs. I didn't have this album when I was a kid, but I loved the Police. Takes me back. I'm remembering that nothing sounded like them at the time. Not being in the UK might be the reason for that.
Che cool bello bello, divertente e tutto
3.5
Gotta love The Police. Some real classics here but not into every song so it'll be 4*
Way punkier in the later half than I expected. Evolutionary.
What an incredible band The Police is! I liked this album really much! And even tho there are some songs that aren't great, with this album they showed that they really knew how to do music, or maybe they didn't, but they were really good and Sting has one of the most iconic voices in the industry.
Great album. Super groovy and great production. Sting is a mastermind with his lyrics and overall performance. 8/10
Ver good
classic, impossible to avoid
These white boys can sure play some reggae. I love Stings voice and driving bass lines. On Any Other Day is a classic punk anthem, love it. Bring On the Night was another banger I had not heard before. Walking on the moon is my favorite The Police song.
It was a good album. Several well known songs.The other songs are alright but not great. It didn't carry on too long. I would listen to it again. I will round up.
Message in a Bottle and Walking on the Moon are classics. The rest had some catchy spots, definitely some filler on here. The quasi reggae ska music gets a bit boring for me. That said Stewart Copeland is a beast on drums and Sting is an underrated bassist - enjoyed listening to them. Solid 4.
Album is a total sonic banger beginning to end dabbling punk, progressive, garage rock, with ultra tight rhythms and progressions. Modern Sting is still amazing, but classic Police has an energy that so unique.
Another one I own. I've been listening to this since high school.
I didn't have a chance to listen to this full album, but I know a few of these songs pretty well. I'll revisit this one, but it's hard for me to give less than a 4 for the beautiful New Wave production on this album.
Always liked The Police but never really listened to an album from start to finish with focus. And still haven't. The hits override everything else here, Message In A Bottle and Walking on the Moon taking up all the airspace. The Bed's Too Big Without You is a surprising loveliness amidst all of this.
Great early album from the Police!
On one hand - it’s vintage New Wave, it’s head-bopping reggae, it’s The Police before the abhorred each other, it’s Message in a f@$@“&ing Bottle. On the other hand - a lot of the rest of the album feels like filler (and WAS filler as per The Police), folks other than Sting are singing on some of the tracks, there’s some blatant homophobia (“On Any Other Day”). Is it great? Yes, it’s The Police. Is it a greatest album of all time? Meh.
I always assumed The Police made music that was too smart for the sake of being too smart. I’ve heard the hits and they aren’t really like that. But Sting has always given off that vibe to me; a certain arrogance. But this was great. Uneven, yes. But the highs are great. Lots of moments that really rock hard. I would love to see what they do live. Do they just jam out in the middle of songs? I hope so. Because there’s some awesome grooves that get cut short here which is such a bummer. And that’s one of the knocks on this album - the good stuff is cut short at the expense of some of the tracks that bring the album down. There’s a lot to like here, I just wish there was more of those things. Standout tracks: Message in a Bottle, Regatta de Blanc, It’s Alright For You, Deathwish, No Time This Time
Pretty darn good.
A Creativbe Reggae / Rock Album. I really liked it. Looking forward to listen to Synchronicity and more albums from the police. Reminds me of London Calling and Red Skys over Paradise
This one gets nostalgia points but does stand quite well on it's own. Message In A Bottle, and Walking On The Moon are standout tracks, On Any Other Day is catchy.
Questionable album name, given they're not really trying to make reggae, just borrowing from it some. It is a pretty fun listen, though - the reggae infusion into their post-punk/new wave biz works pretty well, and they've still got some rough edges compared to their later stuff. Fave tracks - "Message in a Bottle" and "Walking on the Moon" are the well known ones, obviously, and they still stand up. "On Any Other Day" had a kinda Talking Heads/They Might Be Giants thing going on that I rather enjoyed!
Actually their best. Hard to dislike, loads of big hits, some great album tracks like Bring on the Night and Contact. Sharp bright production that lets you hear the musicianship clearly. This was an album I was a bit young for but listened to it a lot in my secondary school years. Surprised to discover what a soft spot I have for it.
Cool album. Listen again.
Enjoyed this album, feeling the jazzy Reggae and never really thought about the fact the singles “message in a bottle” and “walking on the moon” are essentially reggae and enjoyed that flow of the complete album…But then they go back to the punk on “any other day” - “the other one are complete bullshit”
First song is a ripper, hopefully the rest are too. Didn't know the police were a 'punk' band. Sick.
Funky New-Wave Reggae While I usually think “fuck the (real) police”, I will most certainly be listening to this again.
Classic police album with lots of reggae influences and some classic rock staples.
Fun album. Message in a bottle is a classic. The rest of the album is mostly hit with a few misses for me.
Good but not my favorite of their album s
- they really leaned into reggae this album - songs always sound introspective - drumming is unreal
Nice album. Music and lyrics are thought out.
Really enjoyed the album. Not knowing much about the police I was surprised at how Raggae this album was. Favorite song: Message in a Bottle
Today, I learned that New Wave music picked up some influences from reggae. That's pretty cool, but I still think the later "Synchronicity" is a better album. There are a couple of hidden gems besides the obvious hits, but most tracks are run-of-the-mill 80s rock.
I like how Spotify describes The Police : "Rooted in reggae and flirting with punk, the Police also dabbled in jazz, worldbeat, and atmospheric instrumentals that nodded toward new age music..." and that is as good a description as any. They are an anomaly. Great album!
Amazing album.
tbh this is a 3/5 for me, however i am awarding it a bonus "*~NOSTALGIA STAR~*!" because message in a bottle was my favourite song to play on guitar hero and i (humble brag incoming) reached a point where i'd played it so much i could do the whole song blindfolded
Day 1. The Police are an excellent band. 3.5/5
Regatta de Blanc features one of the biggest hits of The Police, "Message In A Bottle". However, according to Last.FM I never listened to the album at all. And I can tell, apart from Message In A Bottle all other songs are new to me. You can still hear Punk, Reggae and Ska influences on this album, which never gets boring. The tempo of the songs vary a lot, I tend to like the faster, less Reggae style songs, such as "No Time This Time", better. Overall it's a really strong album.
Had heard it before but definitely didn't remember how complete of an album it was. Feels like when Mr. Garcia used to talk about the impact of albums being meant to listen to as a whole. Nice and upbeat, but also fitting different moods. A reggae feel. Great start.
Forgot how much I like Message In A Bottle 4/5
Very good album. 2 solid top 40 hits with smart progressions and rhythms still relevant today. Whole album has a nice upbeat reggae feel with nice surprising contrapuntal beats by Stewart Copeland. Inventive chording with mixed damped strumming and open chords by Andy Summers. Sting's bass is the solid, simple backbone which is required when you have the lead vocal duties to manage as well. Very consistent throughout developing a strong memorable and unique sound that carried them for a long time. Wish they could have created a few more verses in some songs instead of repeating them but maybe Sting didn't want to have to remember too many live. I can relate. We are not all Bob Dylan.
You know, I've somehow never thought of The Police as new wave, but they really are aren't they? It makes me see them in a bit of a new light. I really ought to listen to them more, I never remember how much I enjoy them until I do. This album is quite fun and has some of their great songs.
Another solid album from front to back. The Police are clearly completely in sync with this recording.
Such a catchy album, so groovy, the guitar work is amazing on most songs, and definitely gives a “white” reggae feel.
Отличный альбом
These guys are seriously good musicians.
I really appreciate this project for letting me fully discover artists' works, because prior to this album, I only knew "Message in a Bottle". For something that has such a reggae-inspired flavor, I'm surprised I liked it that much.
Sonically incredible. Standouts are No Time This Time, On Any Other Day, and obviously Walking on the Moon.
This I like.
This album was absolutely so fun. Some great stand out songs and overall just a nice bit of diversity. On any other day was a hell of an experience of a song and I loved it. The whole thing was just great especially with Sting's rather unique voice.
iconiccccc
Great and cohesive album with some major bangers, along with some obvious filler songs. Some of the tracks were a bit weird but I’m kind of here for it…?
Klassieker die niet verveelt
I can't believe it's taken me 1,042 albums to finally get one by the Police. Is this the only Police album on the list? I could see an argument for at least three of them to be here, including this one. It's a great album, more fun and lighthearted than the later work by the band. 4 stars.
Besser als ich erwartet hab! Rockiges Reggaealbum oder reggeages Rockalbum
Tuttua ja turvallista, tosin en ole koskaan koko levyä kuunnellut. Lähtee liikkeelle Message In A Bottle -biisillä, jatkuu pitkälle samalla kaavalla, mutta On Any Other Day rikkoo kaavaa ja luulin jo lenkillä, että albumi ehti loppua. Muuten yllätyksetöntä rock-n-rollia. Sopii hyvin lenkille, osa jää soimaan korvamatoina.
Some absolute 5-star classic songs and a classic 5-star album in my memory, but not consistent enough. I would say a solid 4-star.
Some really good songs, but also some quirky ones which I wasn't a fan of.
Though occassionally crumbling down, this is a quite consistent and overall very satisfying record.