Sting - Sacred Love (Remastered) (2021) [Hi-Res]

Sacred Love is the seventh studio album by Sting. Sacred Love arrives over four years on from Brand New Day and demonstrates that Sting--an artist often criticised for serving up slick yet soulless coffee-table precision--is now positively galvanised by soul. Symptomatic of an uncharacteristically intimate co-production job (courtesy of the man himself and Kipper), there's a degree of inclusive warmth here that's occasionally been lacking in his post-Police work. From the busy, insistent verbosity of spiralling opener "Inside", through "Whenever I Say Your Name"--a gospel-tinged, call-and-response collaboration with class-drenched Mary J Blige--and on to the sweeping Iberian soundscapes of "Send Your Love", Sacred Love compounds Sting's reputation as an authoritative singer-songwriter of incredibly broad stylistic scope.

"Sting scored a moderate comeback success greater than most had imagined possible with 1999's Brand New Day, reestablishing himself as a viable commercial artist instead of merely settling for "living legend" status. Part of this success was due to "Desert Rose," featuring vocalist Farhat Bouallagui's careening cadences that garnered attention, particularly when they were showcased in a car commercial that kicked the album into high commercial gear. Sting picks up on this, adding three guest vocalists to the ten-track Sacred Love album (the 11th track is a remix of the lead single, "Send Your Love" -- which happens to be better, since it eliminates the rather annoying Indian-styled hook) -- Vicente Amigo and Anoushka Shankar are paired with Mary J. Blige, who in this context is presented as a world music artist. None of the guests makes much of an impression here, but neither does Sting, since this is an album that puts sound over song or performance. Sacred Love is to Brand New Day what Mercury Falling was to Ten Summoner's Tales -- a fussy, overworked stab at maturity, one that has impeccable craft but is obscured by its own meticulousness. It is professional to a fault, using its maturity and preciseness to obscure the fact that the songs don't really work. Sting isn't always hemmed-in, even ending "Inside" with a hysterical rant that makes him seem like a madman, but it has the effect of making the rest of the album seeming too deliberate and far from adventurous. It's far from a bad listen, nor is it embarrassing, but it's entirely too predictable, coming across as nothing more than well-tailored, expensive mood music, which is certainly far less than what Sacred Love could have been." (Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AMG)

Sting, vocals, bass guitar, keyboards
Kipper, keyboards, programming
Dominic Miller, guitars
Jason Rebello, piano, Fender Rhodes piano
Manu Katché, drums
Vinnie Colaiuta, drums
Mary J. Blige, lead vocals on "Whenever I Say Your Name"
Vicente Amigo, flamenco guitar on "Send Your Love"
Anoushka Shankar, sitar on "The Book of My Life"
Rhani Krija, percussion
Jeff Young, Hammond organ
Chris Botti, trumpet
Clark Gayton, trombone
Christian McBride, double bass
David Hartley, piano and choir arrangements
Joy Rose, featured and backing vocals
Donna Gardier, backing vocals
Katreese Barnes, backing vocals
Ada Dyer, backing vocals
Aref Durvesh, tabla
Jacqueline Thomas, cello
Levon Minassian, duduk
Valerie Denys, castanets
Bahija Rhapl, ethnic vocals
Choeur de Radio France
Philip White, chorus master

Digitally remastered