bob_tomato's Full Review: Sting - Inside: The Songs of Sacred Love
A Sting concert is truly a musical education. Surrounding himself with some of the world's finest musicians and singers, Sting reshapes his songs into new entities, drawing on the talents of his band to expand on radio-familiar musical and lyric themes. With the exception of his first solo effort, The Dream Of The Blue Turtles, I have seen Sting in concert for each of his solo album tours since 1987, and every show has been incredible in its own right. The rule that applies to a Sting concert is this: don't go in with expectations based on his albums.
All of Sting's music is very personal to him, and each song is very much a part of his psyche - it is only natural that over time, these songs change along with changes in Sting. Never one to content himself with riding on the coat-tails of his hits (and he has many of these, to be sure), Sting constantly weaves his songs into new arrangements, always seeking the best expression of his soul as an artist and a man. I recall the first time I had my expectations shredded at a Sting concert - it was with the very first song played for the Nothing Like The Sun tour, The Lazarus Heart. The band came out and, without any preamble or acknowledgment of the crowd, launched straight into a fourteen minute tour-de-force that only somewhat resembled the original song, cycling through jazz, gospel, rock and fusions of all three to create a dazzling showcase of the talents of the various band members.
If I were a rich man (daidle deedle daidle daidle daidle deedle daidle dum), I would find a way to convince Sting to perform in concert for all of you, my faithful readers, just so you could each experience Sting's music live, and also learn that there is a difference between Sting's albums and Sting's concerts.
Unfortunately, at this time, I don't have the means to fly all of you to some exotic location for an exclusive Sting concert, but there is a temporary solution until that day arrives... Sting has recently released Inside the Songs of Sacred Love, a DVD concert/documentary in support of his most recent album, Sacred Love. The documentary chronicles rehearsals at Sting's Malibu home for a live concert held at Los Angeles' Mayan Theater, and provides a wonderful glimpse into the evolution of the songs from mere album tracks into contemplative meditations on each of the songs performed in the concert.
One of the common criticisms I have heard from my readers, and have seen in comments to other Sting reviews, is that Sting is getting too slick in his album's production, that he has lost that spontaneous quality that sparked the popularity of his first two releases. Over the course of Sting's career, his albums have moved away from jazz rock fusion sounds, that early blending of an earthier, more Police-like sound, smooth woodwinds, and spare arrangements; his more recent albums lean farther toward pop styles, though they still retain some jazz elements such as odd meters, intriguing chord structures, and the occasional extended solo. Some readers long for the sounds of Dream of the Blue Turtles and Nothing Like the Sun, while others are more content with Ten Summoner's Tales and Brand New Day - I am not one to discourage people from their personal Sting biases, but I would like to encourage everyone to consider Sting's evolution as a reflection of the changes in the man over the past twenty years.
We're a long way into this review, so I may as well get to the point:
Sting's albums reflect changes in his songwriting and musical tastes over the years; Sting's concerts reflect changes in his psyche, his passions, his very soul. Sting has never claimed to be anything other than a pop artist when it comes to selling records and getting radio airtime - he knows how to write a great pop song (Every Breath You Take, All This Time, Fields of Gold, If You Love Somebody... - all stellar pop material). But Sting's pop persona is exactly that - a facade, the business side of the artist. Sting's true self comes to light in the live experience - his music has changed over the years because his attitude and feelings for the songs have changed as he changed personally.
This is why I think that the live recordings are the key to understanding the music and the man - Sting's soul is on display when he and his band perform. Old songs get a new treatment, a new mood, a new outlook when played in new musical styles or with radical instrumentation changes. Sting keeps his songs fresh by playing them as he feels they need to be played NOW - the performance of his music is a very personal experience, and we are privileged to be able to share in this experience in the live setting.
SO, you ask, what do you think of Inside the Songs of Sacred Love, the DVD you claim to be reviewing here? Thanks for keeping me on task -
1. The DVD is not cluttered with unnecessary features. You get the documentary looks at the rehearsals at Sting's home, the concert versions of these songs, and an optional audio commentary by Sting. Sting's commentary shows that even his newest songs have changed for him since recording the studio versions; he is altering even these songs to bring them in line with new insights.
2. The production value of the DVD is very, very good. The photography is wonderful, capturing both the vibrant colors of Sting's Malibu home, and the more muted earthy tones of the Mayan Theater. The sound quality, both in the home and in the theater is extremely good - I would love to hear how the Dolby Digital 5.1 surround material is presented - the band is arranged in a near-circle for the concert, and I would imagine that the performers are placed similarly in the surround presentation.
3. Most of the songs contain new sections of solo work, and some spontaneous invention. There are elements of the original production in the new songs (Kipper provides some of the same effects from his computer workstation), but the songs have changed in the past six months since being recorded in studio. One good example is the title track Inside - at the end of the song on the album, Sting sings a long list of phrases, a litany of concepts of desire and hurt, the voice of a person trapped inside himself, wanting desperately to have any sort of loving contact. In the new version, Sting shares the singing of these phrases with his wonderfully talented backup singer, Joy Rose, and the phrases become weapons of words between lovers, or perhaps cries for attention between two persons separated by a gap of personality they cannot bridge - the difference is striking.
Where does all of this leave you the reader? Perhaps you are wondering where the track by track explanation is - that's not the point of this review (I recommend foxy_shy's excellent track by track review) My hope is that those who enjoy listening to Sting's albums will discover an entirely new side of the artist when they experience the concertversions of familiar songs. Inside the Songs of Sacred Love is an excellent documentary/concert that shows Sting's songs in a new light, provides his personal observations on the material, and gives the viewer a glimpse into the development of the performances in the rehearsals themselves. No matter which Sting you prefer - Police Sting, jazz Sting, pop Sting or somber Sting (The Soul Cages - yay!), this DVD and his other live recordings provide a brand new glimpse into one of the most intriguing artists of our time.
DVD Features
Dolby Digital 5.1
An exclusive duet performance with Mary J. Blige
Bonus Track: Every Breath You Take
Includes all new interviews, rehearsal footage as well as special performances
Special Commentary by Sting throughout the DVD
Subtitles in English, Brazilian, Portuguese and Spanish Tracks:
Tracks
1. Send Your Love
2. Inside
3. Dead Man's Rope
4. Shape of my Heart/Never Coming Home
5. Like a Beautiful Smile
6. Forget About The Future/That Sinking Feeling
7. This War
8. Stolen Car/All Would Envy
9. Sacred Love
10. The Book of My Life
11. Walking on the Moon
12. Roxanne
13. Whenever I Say Your Name
UPDATE:
Review of the Sacred Love tour, September 19th, 2004 in Dallas
Product DetailsOriginal Title:Sting: Inside - The Songs of Sacred LoveActors: StingCondition: NEWFormat: DVDDirector: Jim GableRuntime: 77 mi...More at iNetVideo.com
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