Reviews (page 5 of 12)
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.
The Police are a showcase of wonderful talent.
Great new wave or post punk album. It flows and has some great songs on it.
Sending out an SOS! - 7/10
Wasn’t very awake when I listened but a few of the songs were super good rest were fine 8/10
7/10 - Pretty good overall. Message in a bottle is a great song that I have heard plenty of times. I think that I am a little biased towards this album since my dad really likes the Police.
Message in a bottle goes crazy, the rest was pretty mid 7/10
Didn’t expect the reggae vibe, but it actually worked pretty well and this was an overall enjoyable album. 7/10
Strong Impression. An album like this surely is one for the list. 3.6
An interesting mix between rock and raggae. It doens't help that their strongest song is at the beginning lf the album with message in a bottle. Its not inventing the wheel new but it is still enjoyable. Stewart Copeland on the drums does an amazing job
You can really hear the reggae influences throughout the album which is cool. It's well written and recorded, in all pretty solid. Definitely had more than a listen or two.
Iconic songsss :)
151223 20:03 3.5
Buen cancionero de melodías pop con alguna guitarra añadida de más, con algún tema ya mítico y que se puede escuchar fácilmente. Buena voz y algo optimista el álbum.
3.5 but rounding up. If it was the 70s, I was at a live show, and on a ton of drugs this would be my favorite band but moving in 90 degree weather on a Tuesday when I have work to finish up when done, I'm on the struggle bus
High 4.
Rock. Reggae.
Some of their best songs!
Strong 4
Wicked sound and energy on this album. The bassist is one skilled son of a bitch
3.75/5: Enjoyable album, some really big hits on here and the album tracks can't keep up but still really solid.
Tímalaust fyrir mér. Alltaf gott.
There's a lot of hate here for this band, primarily because they have been accused of appropriating reggae. If anyone should be offended by this it would be me since I'm Jamaican, but I think they actually helped the genre by introducing it in a more palatable format for the masses. That being said, by their second outing this band is lean and tight, with Copeland on drums, Summers on guitar and Sting on vocals and bass, there's not much wastage here. As usual my favourite songs are not the big hit singles, so The Bed's too big without you and Bring on the night are my favourites on the album. But I think this list is remiss by excluding their debut album, Outlandos D'amour which features crackers like Next to you, So Lonely, Can't stand losing you, Masoka Tanga and of course the iconic Roxanne. So this album gets a bit of a bump to 4 stars.
I’m honestly shocked at the variety of the music this album has. I don’t listen to much of The Police but it’s a good first impression.
That was a bop with hits
What a journey.
I quite like The Police! Don't hate me!
Classics: Message in a Bottle, Walking on the Moon, Greats: It's Alright for You, On Any Other Day, Contact Others: Reggatta de Blanc, Bring on the Night (Top 10 in France), No Time This Time, The Bed's Too Big Without You, Does Everyone Stare. 4.5
3.5
Remind me of papa
I really like every Police album, mainly the later ones. I went into this thinking it was one of my least favorites but I think I mainly get stuck on the second song, that one is my least favorite. Really enjoy the energy that is in It's Alright For You. On Any Other Day is just really fun in a not so fun way, a good break from Sting (I'm sorry). Message in a Bottle doesn't need an explanation, it's popular already, good song. Favorites: Message in a Bottle It's Alright For You On Any Other Day
I have a love-hate relationship with The Police. A more clever writer would insert a joke here playing off of the name of the band The Police and the institution of the police. Today I am not that writer, instead I can only offer that while I enjoy the blend of punk, reggae and pop music I always felt like The Police never quite fully delivered on the potential of their best material on the one hand while simultaneously being one of the greatest pop bands of their time on the other. Reggatta De Blanc is indicative of that tension. Message In A Bottle, Walking on the Moon, Bring on the Night, and The Bed's Too Big Without You are all memorable songs that merge different styles into something wholly their own. Meanwhile, Does Everyone Stare, On Any Other Day, No Time This Time, Deathwish, Contact, and the titular track Reggatta De Blanc are largely unforgettable filler. For me, The Police are far superior to The Eagles but they suffer similarly in that both bands are frankly better when only viewed through the "best of" lens and yet that is not what we are here to do. The best songs from this record absolutely carry the others.
I love The Police and Message in a Bottle is a banger, but the rest of the album is a little weak
bello 3 stelle e mezzo dai
I love the Police so much man
Summary: A really great album. Spiky, punky, semi-reggae emblazoned with Sting's signature (and sometimes unhinged) vocal. There are a couple of hits in here, mixed in with high-energy instrumentally-focused tracks and a few oddities thrown in for good luck (On Any Other Day). Shoutout to the snazzy album cover! Message In A Bottle: a fast-paced thumper. Sting's vocals are the centre of entertainment, but the guitar, bass, and drums are all given chances to shine. The guitar riff is excellent and the chorus is laden with memorable vocal hooks. The outro could be cut down significantly, or have a guitar solo replace the repetitive four-word vocal. Reggatta De Blanc: Has an almost reggae-ish feel, but much more energetic. The texture is high-frequency-heavy (hope you have good headphones), giving a "windy", outdoorsy atmosphere. Incomprehensible lyrics. A fun jam session. It's Alright For You: The standout of this track was the short guitar solo at around 1:45. Strange "alien" inflections that bring life to an otherwise pretty generic pop-rock song. Also, the outro is fire. Bring On The Night: Whew. What a freaking amazing intro, and some killer guitar arpeggios to follow. I usually condemn octave harmonies, and this is one of those circumstances. These kinds of harmonies require much lower-energy instrumental accompaniment to not sound overblown. That being said, the vocal in the higher register is great. Whatever's going on in the instrumental before 3:00 is cool, and the outro is similarly very strong. Deathwish: A wacky track with an adventurous bassline, but only sometimes. The rest of the time, it plays one repeated note in a syncopated rhythm. The lyrics are enunciated weirdly and a little difficult to make out. Walking On The Moon: Possibly the most "stylish" instrumental so far, on par with Roxanne from their previous album. The melody is really funny and unpredictable. The bridge is odd, and the drumming in the following mini-instrumental is stellar. Lunar, even. On Any Other Day: Mostly entertaining lyrics (though the line "my fine young son has turned out gay" is a bit sus). The singers have American accents - does this mean something? Commentary on the gun-blazin bacon nation? Nah, probably not. The Bed's Too Big Without You: I'm noticing a bit of fuzziness over some of the louder notes and beats here - production quality drop? Sting's singing is top-notch. Interestingly, the production quality suddenly improves at the 3-minute mark. Fun percussion and bass; actually, hang on, that bass lick is fire. Contact: I could see this being a Bowie song from the same time period. A great, cosmic track that surely deserves more Spotify streams than it has (2.6 million). Some very high-level playing on all instruments. Does Everyone Stare: The first track to heavily feature piano instead of guitar, and the band pulls it off. The repeating, deceptively simple instrumental is insanely catchy, and the vocals are on point. The gradual addition of harmonies seem to represent an increasing paranoia (also demonstrated through the lyrics themselves). One of my favourite tracks on the album. No Time This Time: Okay, now here's some serious instrumental prowess. The vocal filter makes Sting sound a little unhinged.
One of the The Police’s classic. Raggatta De Blanc (white people reggae, if not mistaken) is a peculiar album. It has the typical the police sound, but it’s like underdone, to my criteria. This is specially noticed on the side B. I know some people love this album, but if I were the producer, which I am far, really far from being, I would have made some minor changes. But, overall, it is a good work.
Some good enough tracks from before they became properly creepy.
Nice and good.
First half was a 5, second was a 2.5, so I guess its a 3.5
didn't expect so much reggae influence! Sting was such a babey making this album! I liked it sm and will be returning 4.2*
8/10
Some absolute bangers. Some forgettable songs. I think their singles are a much better way to listen to The Police than any album.
4.0 a great one from the police (although it's not my fave fave). Fave songs: on any other day, message in a bottle, walking on the moon, Reggatta de blanc
Like the singles
7/10
Good album with room to grow Gonna say just on the cusp of a 4.
Simon, you warned me: The Police were pretty good. Sting cringe more than offset by really rather interesting instrumental work around a solid set of songs, lots of offbeat syncopation, strange echo and entwining riffs. Deathwish was the song that overcame my prejudice.
Raggae, punk rock. Vibrante, frenetico, scattante. Basi veloci e ritmate, grazie all'importantissimo ruolo dei piatti, chitarre avvolgenti e voci scatenate. Apprezzato molto, alcune canzoni aggiunte nella playlist.
Couple classics. Poppy and sunny. Except for one song - I guess Sting was in the bathroom when they recorded that one - terrible.
When I was a teenager, listening to The Police could not be escaped. They dominated commercial radio, MTV, high school dances, house parties, and mix-tapes. As such, I have had a long moratorium on their music due to the ability to appreciate the band had been burnt out of me. Forty years later I enjoyed listening to this album again very much.
Great album. Super varied.
Message in bottle straight 🔥 some strange songs 4.5/5
Els cinc discos d’estudi de The Police són imprescindibles tots ells. Cada un té les seves particularitats i tots comparteixen una mateixa solvència sonora i artística. ‘Regatta de Blanc’ és la casa de dos dels seus millors singles, que destaquen una mica massa sobre la resta. Però tot el disc es torna interessant amb les escoltes i al final s’acaba agraïnt que els altres temes no siguin tan instantanis, per poder assaborir-los millor amb les repeticions i les escoltes al llarg dels anys
It was a real treat getting to see the police growing up. Obviously Message in a Bottle and Walking on the Moon are great, but there's a wide breadth of influences combining the three musicians origins and the music scene at the time: most notably punk, ska, and rock. The album has a lot of character and personality to it because of all of these influences and it works well.
Phenomenal drum mix, guitar tone was very clean and made for a fun album!
Very good album- Message in a bottle classic
Nice one, somewhat melancholic, enough pep to not be too background
Way more Ska and reggae influence then I expected. On any other day is v modern and I really liked it tbh. Didn't expect to only know one song off it. 3.75?
Holy shit the Police were talented musicians. Stewart Copeland is just an astonishing drummer to me, so subtle, so articulate. They had a great sensibility but for me the drumming makes this album. Truly. Like a lot of bands on this list, I’m only familiar with the greatest hits. Listening to the album cuts, I was surprised by the “talk singing” style Sting used on a few of the tracks. Good for variation but not good in and of itself. It was like they were channeling Talking Heads. The new wave and punk elements are also more prominent on the album cuts. This is the first album presented to me so far that I would voluntarily revisit and a welcome respite from the cocaine-infused bloat of ELO I got yesterday. My daughter loved it too, rocking out in her high chair while she munched on cheerios. The best thing about the Police is that they can appear straightforward but the wonderful pop hooks belie a sophistication and artistry that rewards further listening. Great album.
Great album that not only delivered on the classics but also unveiled some lesser-known songs that I enjoyed. I loved the fusion of punk, alternative rock and subtle reggae influences. While it may not rank as my top choice among The Police albums, its slightly cold vibe seems fitting for a rainy day like today.
Sweet
The first full-length Police album that I've listened to. Not as poppy as I would like because I really like their hits. That being said, it is clear why these guys are the legends they are.
A band about to take over the world that doesn't quite reach it's full potential here tho the singles and some album tracks slap, the back half drags a bit.
Outstanding!
I'll send an SOS to the world: this album is criminally underrated. At least underrated by music nerds. Maybe because it has the band’s first two no 1 singles? I don’t know. It seems to be getting more love these days, but that might be because as the years pass and more time is put between this album and us, we’re able to appreciate it apart from the hype. It’s not a perfect album by any means, but it’s got its own charm, especially considering the band had complete artistic control, anemic as it may be in spots. There was no meddling by the label.
Here for the dynamic rather than the clunking lyrics.
Album #40 Post-punk white reggae that knows exactly what it is. Good stuff here. 4*
Fun classic rock, with the Police twist
Couple of really great ones on here but it was difficult to decide whether to go to 3 or 4
One of dad's faves. I know most of the songs.
reminds me of riding in the car with my uncle brian listening to 106.9 the lake.
Really good early Police. 4/5
Great example of a band transitioning from early days to it’s later days.
Unpretentious fun.
I'd heard of the Police and I'd heard Message in a Bottle before. Message in a Bottle is my favorite off the album and besides a few others, the rest were just kinda alright to me. I do get why people love the Police now though.
Solid album. Really like Walking on the Moon. Good 3.5 at least.
Never listened to The Police beyond a few of the big hits. This is surprisingly good - very catchy New Wave pop-rock. I find Sting's vocal delivery a little bit annoying, but it's not a deal breaker. i cannot for the life of me work out why the album is called "white reggae". It has the very lightest of Jamaican influence in the rhythmic use of guitar. The songs are fairly consistently good, but the album doesn't seem to hang together. It takes a couple of weird turns in tone and genre which make it feel miscellaneous. I'm not rushing out to recommend this but it is pretty decent, so 3.5*
It's a measure of how great the Police were that this album isn't even in their top three albums, as far as my own personal preferences. Zenyatta Mondatta, Ghost in the Machine and Synchronicity are all better records... which is kind of wild, it's got to be one of the most consistent outputs of any band ever -- in that sense, the relatively early breakup kind of preserved their legacy (cough, cough, looking at you, U2).
Decent album to play in the background. The forced Jamaican accent in some of the songs is strange considering they are three white boys from the UK.
a classic
You can’t ignore the brilliance of Message in a Bottle, or Walking on the Moon. They were immense singles and drove this album to be huge. Andy Summers guitar is brilliant, for me he brings the colour to the songs. An excellent rock album, not quite a fiver but a strong four.
8/10 pretty fun! I’m not a huge fan of The Police (ACAB, lmao) but I still thought this was a pretty neat album, even with its kitschy quirks
Bangers and mush.
Not quite an all timer, but still very strong, but then again, I like most of the Police’s stuff. In any case the record does what it says on the tin (whether it’s cultural appropriation or not is for others to decide or be offended by). ‘Message In A Bottle’ is a snappy, jerky, urgent opener that sets the tone, and the rest of the album follows suit in largely the same manner. ‘Walking On The Moon’ is of course the other big hit, but ‘Deathwish’, ‘This Bed’s Too Big Without You’ and ‘Does Everyone Stare’ are the other standouts. Probably their most consistent album overall.
What a classic. Lots of amazing tracks on here. Not their best album, but very very solid.
Lekkah!
how nostalgic, i used to listen to this album all the time who knows how long ago. "walking on the moon" is just as good as i remember it being, and "no time at all" is way better than i remembered it being. everything else is also quite good!
Eeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaooooooooooo! Love this album to set the tone on a Friday going into a long weekend! I dig the Police, something about their whole sound and vibe is hypnotically listenable. Is this the best they've ever been? Probably not. Is this the most groundbreaking record of their career? Definitely not. But it's fun and I like it. Nice break from the tremendous run of crappy albums I've had lately.
Pretty good, do wonder if the faux accent was necessary, but different times, I guess.
Jams!
Ashley geyser pricing I’ve enjoyed that album wasn’t I was expecting from the police something a bit more like a London New Age W.A. give me 40×5
Good! I enjoyed the instrumentals especially.
The balance of technical prowess and listenability is a fine one.
Not an official police fan here. But two of my favorite hits an this album plus two great singles and interesting, sometimes quirky album tracks
It’s hard to review albums that sound so familiar without being biased to nostalgia
The police are something else. It's incredible how they put out two banger albums as their first two.
The Police is one of my favourite bands and Reggatta de Blanc is such a good album. This was a mid career album where they still play lean new wave reggae music without adding the pop flourishes that you get on later albums. So remarkable that they can be so lean and tight as a power trio. Sting is the charismatic frontman but to me the real star is Stewart Copeland’s tight drumming and groovy fills. But everything fits together perfectly here. Favourites: Message in a Bottle, Walking on the Moon, Reggatta de Blanc.
Not the one filled with chart-toppers, but still love the reggae-infused sound and Sting's vocals.
A pretty solid listen. Guess I'm more of a Sting/Police fan than I thought.
4.0
truly great album!!
There was a lot of weirdness I didn’t expect in these songs
Message In a Bottle is a great choice for an album opener. Immediate energy with that snare kick + guitar riff combo. Great song start to finish with a somewhat unusual structure. Goes back and forth between energy and spacey sections. Jammy by nature with a catchy chorus and meaty bassline to sink into, not to mention the drum fills on the outro. Reggatta De Blanc picks up where Message In a Bottle left off with a long-winded intro to the namesake of the album. What an absolute jam -- did I mention I love slow builds... This thing feels like it was ready-made to open concerts through a sea of fog. Absolutely propelled by Copeland's drum work and Sting's vocal work. It's Alright for You brings us back to a more-standard rock song. Carries the same energy, but adopts a more common structure. Not bad, but not as interesting. Still love the way they play with momentum here. I love Walking on The Moon... top 5 Police songs for me. However, the juxtaposition with On Any Other Day is rough. Weird choice in both lyrics and delivery IMO. Low point in my mind. The Bed's Too Big Without You is another dud to me. Contact makes up for lost ground with a meaty, uncomfortable bass line well balanced by Copeland's drum work and Sting doing Sting things. I'm into this one. Does Everyone Stare almost sounds like a misplaced Beatles song out of the gate. Lyrically, kind of continues to fit in with the creepy stalker Sting vibes conjured on Every Breath You Take. That said, the instrumental opens up into a drum and bass jam by minute 3. Knowing that Copeland plays with Oysterhead definitely sways me, but the man may very well be the most talented member of the band. No Time This Time does nothing to change my last statement. Copeland is playing like his hair is on fire straight out of the gate and never eases up. Surf-punk guitar riff accompaniment is a nice touch. Gotta love the symmetry -- album starts and finishes with equal energy. All things said, I'm into the overall dubby vibe that this album puts forth. The Police own it and put together some awesome jams (see Reggatta De Blank, Message In a Bottle, and Walking On The Moon as examples). On the other hand, I'm not fully bought into The Police hype and find some of the songs to miss (see On Any Other Day and The Bed's Too Big Without You). I am a soft 4 on this album mainly swayed by the fire that it closes on and the strength of the hits. Couples of duds, but man could these guys jam.
Energetic and fun. Not only presenting two big hits but through them the sound that would define them and be felt in all of pop during the 80’s.
Classic
'Message In A Bottle' & 'Walking on the Moon' are classics, they rest of the album is a good listen too.
Great
Some classic Police! This and Outlandes d'amour are my favourites of theirs
sting seems like a goof but you can’t deny these tunes, there’s something airless about it but i like that