• Record Label: A&M
  • Release Date: Sep 30, 2003
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 20 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 20
  2. Negative: 3 out of 20

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  1. NseE
    Oct 20, 2003
    10
    Fantastic, as usual. Sting can do no wrong. Heavy techno/hip hop beats, meander through lush instrumentation and Shakespearean lyrics to give something heard nowhere else. Standouts (besides everything) include ?The book of my life? with wonderful sitar, ?Sacred love? especially the dance mix (look out Donna Summer, ha!),? Inside?, ?Never coming home?, and my favorite ?Stolen car (take me Fantastic, as usual. Sting can do no wrong. Heavy techno/hip hop beats, meander through lush instrumentation and Shakespearean lyrics to give something heard nowhere else. Standouts (besides everything) include ?The book of my life? with wonderful sitar, ?Sacred love? especially the dance mix (look out Donna Summer, ha!),? Inside?, ?Never coming home?, and my favorite ?Stolen car (take me dancing)?. Expand
  2. neeciem
    Oct 6, 2003
    10
    I Love this CD. Some of the songs (Dead Man's Rope, Whenever I say your name) Could probably easily cross over form the pop to christian charts, even ! WOW As usual he never fails to leave me in AWE of his musical genious!
  3. mattheww
    Oct 4, 2003
    8
    i'm a big sting fan and not ashamed to admit it. i'm 33 years old and more or less grew up listening to his music. i understand how some people find him pretentious and unbareable, but you simply cannot disregard his great talent (not as a musician or singer) but as a songwriter. he is a craftsman, albeit a pop one. but sting does not have any pretense about the fact that he i'm a big sting fan and not ashamed to admit it. i'm 33 years old and more or less grew up listening to his music. i understand how some people find him pretentious and unbareable, but you simply cannot disregard his great talent (not as a musician or singer) but as a songwriter. he is a craftsman, albeit a pop one. but sting does not have any pretense about the fact that he surrounds himself with musicians and producers more talented than he is. i think that makes him shrewd, not a fraud as some have miscast him. if you saw any of the A&E special on this record, he was plain as day about that fact. this new record is, i think, a very good one. it is, like all of his solo recordings, with the exception of dream of the blue turtles, slickly and overly produced. but the songs stripped down to their bare bones (again see the A&E program) are ultimately good ones. this is a much more uptempo record than i am accustomed to from him, and i can't say that displeases me. no doubt, sting was a more POWERFUL lyricist when he was tortured egoist. his commentaries (see"this war") aren't as cutting or poignant as they have been in the past, but he's happy and content in middle age despite the troubles in the world that exist well outside the shell of his well-insulated bubble. i guess that yoga works because he looks as good as ever. frankly, i think the music keeps him young, and this is a very fresh, youthful sounding record. no doubt, if nothing else, it solidifies him as an enduring craftsman. say what you will about his vanity, but sometimes vanity can be a good thing if leads you to look and sound your best. best track: the duet "whenever i say your name" w/mary j. blige. the only 50 year old englishman who could actually pull off a sexy duet w/an R&B diva is sting. Expand
  4. steveb
    Oct 19, 2003
    10
    I have always loved his music, but this time he has even out done himself. I appreciate the sincerety with which he writes about his life's journey and the spiritual awakening that has transformed that journey. His life reflects true transformation with the divine and that is a story many people long to hear, especially since many people cannot put words around such a magnificant I have always loved his music, but this time he has even out done himself. I appreciate the sincerety with which he writes about his life's journey and the spiritual awakening that has transformed that journey. His life reflects true transformation with the divine and that is a story many people long to hear, especially since many people cannot put words around such a magnificant journey. He can and I am grateful. Expand
  5. RichieC
    Oct 21, 2003
    10
    There are 3 songs I am not very impressed with, but there are 7 perfect songs, too! I would rate those at 11/10!
  6. ChrisR
    Dec 2, 2003
    9
    Loved the Police and sometimes been a bit disappointed with Stings solo albums, often finding a few great tracks but several that I feel are filler or experimental. This is an album that feels complete and less jazzy than some of his previous solo stuff - which as I'm not a great Jazz fan is fine by me!
  7. VadimA
    Aug 23, 2006
    10
    This album is definitely one of Sting's best. Not as powerfull as Bran New Day, nor as touching as The Soul Cages, it shows the work of a musician who reached artistic maturity.
  8. DinoM
    Dec 4, 2007
    8
    The evolution of Sting as an artist continues. As a Sting fan, definitely a must have. The lyrics on this album stand out the most for me and Sting really beings some situations to life perfectly. "The Book of my Life" is the song that stands out the most as it isn't beat driven, like most of the allbum is, but works well in "Never Coming Home" and with the guitars in "This War". The evolution of Sting as an artist continues. As a Sting fan, definitely a must have. The lyrics on this album stand out the most for me and Sting really beings some situations to life perfectly. "The Book of my Life" is the song that stands out the most as it isn't beat driven, like most of the allbum is, but works well in "Never Coming Home" and with the guitars in "This War". Overall, a very "pop" album, but definitely worth the purchase for Sting fans. Expand
Metascore
66

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 9
  2. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. Sting's most adventurous disc as a solo artist.
  2. Not his strongest album, but another relatively strong effort.
  3. Q Magazine
    70
    Easier to admire than actually like. [Oct 2003, p.114]