The UrbanWire

“I see songs not as a commodity used up when the album goes off the charts, which is often the case with pop songs. I see them as a body of work. Life should be breathed into them” – Sting

The quote bears some truth in regards to the music industry today. Auto-tuned vocals, electronic beats and repetitive lyrics are commonplace in mainstream music. Sting however, relies on his vocal prowess to bring out the best in his music compositions.

Symphonicities is a reinterpretation of Sting’s most popular songs such as “Englishman In New York”, “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” and “Roxanne” flanked by an orchestra. The album doesn’t feature the standard drum, bass and guitar line-up that teenagers are accustomed to. Instead, youths will be exposed to other beautiful musical instruments commonly associated with orchestras such as violins, cellos and oboes. Metallica fused metal together with San Francisco Symphony Orchestra for a live show in 1999. The collaboration proved to be successful as Rolling Stone Magazine as described it as “the performance succeeds….the monster numbers benefit from supersizing. The effect is…one of timelessness.”

Sting however, didn’t write his name in folklore, as the tracks in the album are mediocre.

The standout track of the album is unquestionably “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”. The kids from the 90s era will be receptive to the song as it’s in the same mould of Disney soundtracks: Upbeat, melodic and happy. The earnest vocals of Sting will pull the listener into a heartwarming feeling of falling in love.

Sting then removes the punk-influenced “Next To You” by tastefully substituting these with violins, cellos and clarinets; while retaining its upbeat melody. The song featured the talents of the New York Chamber Consort,  who included tuneful improvisation during parts of the verse and chorus.

Unfortunately, Sting’s adventure or rather lack of adventure in his 10^th studio album can be attributed to the constant transposition of guitar tunes into cellos playing power chords.

This, however, was pretty much the extent of the rather mundane attempt to freshen the structure of the songs, and some of them didn’t stray much from the original compositions.

In fact, the arrangement for “Englishman In New York” is almost identical. The use of symphonic instruments suggests that this album might only be used to add more moolah into Sting’s already overflowing pocket, not that the critically acclaimed singer, who’s in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriter Hall of Fame, needs it anyway.

Vocally, Sting may be one of the best musicians of our generation but don’t count on this album to add any more gold to his already glistering career. Teenagers will now learn of Sting’s legacy with the release of this album despite the use of symphonic instruments which teenagers are not really accustomed to.

That said, Symphonicities is a decent release from an 11^th time Grammy Award winner. Sting might have not ventured far away with the release, but the listeners will still adore the suave frontman for his quintessential vocals.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Album: Symphonicities

Artiste: Sting

Language: English

Record Label: UMG Recordings, Inc.

Release Date: 13 July 2010

Genre: Pop

1) Next To You

2) Englishman In New York

3) Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

4) I Hung My Head

5) You Will Be My Ain True Love

6) Roxanne

7) When We Dance

8) The End Of The Game

9) I Burn For You

10) We Work The Black Seam

11) She’s Too Good For Me

12) The Pirate’s Bride

The 20 tracks featured in the album were specially selected to cater to the mass. Anyone can find a track to listen in this album, whether or not you’ve experienced love as it features the full spectrum of love like first love, loss of love, unrequited love and twisted love.

UrbanWire picks its top 5 tracks of the album.

“Fixing a Broken Heart” is one of the 20 duets featured in this love compilation of the century. This song dates back to 1993 from Relativity, an album by Indecent Obsession. There are 2 versions of this song, one featuring Japanese singer Mari Hamada, and another by the band that was produced in the same year. Maybe because of Hamada’s Japanese accent, the song sounds weird when her voice first appears. However, it was made up for by their 2 voices, that complemented each other so euphoniously and made this one of the must-listen in the album.

Another gem of the album, “Don’t Know Much” featured the versatile Linda Ronstadt and the soulful Aaron Neville. Even though it was first released in 1980 in Barry Mann’s Casablanca, he co-wrote the song with Cynthia Weil and Tom Snow, it successfully gained recognition in 1989, when Ronstadt and Neville performed it. The song won the 1990 Grammy’s for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

“Tonight I Celebrate My Love” brought recognition to its 2 singers Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack. The melodious melody, together with Bryson’s and Flack’s harmonious voices that synced so perfectly with each other makes this one of the greatest love songs of the century. It was released back in 1983 and was used as the theme song for popular soap opera, Days of our Lives.

A love ballad will definitely be heartfelt when an ex-couple decides to sing together. Patty Smyth and Don Henley’s “Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough” referred to the relationship between them and how they coped after the break-up and getting on with their lives. The ex-lovers broke up on amicable terms, as Smyth wrote this song to make sense of the splitting up. The sincerity of the number was well received by the public as the song spent 6 weeks in 2^nd place on the Billboard Hot 100.

Another song that was composed by a real-life couple is “You’re All I Need to Get By” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell in 1968. This song was recorded separately and combined during the production process, because Terrell had to spend a lot of time in the hospital due to her brain tumor that claimed her life eventually in 1970. The chemistry between the 2 could be felt throughout the song, with their intense and strong vocals and could be the reason why it stayed on the British singles chart for 19 weeks.

All in all, this is a great album if you’re looking for timeless classics. UrbanWire gives Duets: World’s Greatest Love Ballads 3/5 stars.

Title: Duets: World’s Greatest Love Ballads
Artist: Various Artists
Language: English
Record Label: Universal Music Pte Ltd

Track list:

1. Cheek To Cheek – Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald
2. Mirame Bailar – Kenny G featuring Sumi Jo
3. Aguas De Marco – Antonio Carlos Jobim & Elis Regina
4. Better Than Anything – Natalie Cole & Diana Krall
5. River – Madeleine Peyroux featuring K.D Lang.
6. Anytime – Diane Schuur with Barry Manilow
7. On & On – Claressa Monteiro with Stephen Bishop
8. Your Song – Elton John & Alessandro Safina
9. Where Do We Go From Here – Blake & Hayley Westenra
10. The Alchemist – Russell Watson & Lara Fabian
11. Best For Me – Tyler James ft. Amy Winehouse
12. When You say Nothing At All – Ronan Keating featuring Paulina Rubio
13. I Got You Babe – Sonny & Cher
14. You’re All I need To Get By – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
15. Two Sides To Every Story – Chris De Burgh & Shelly Nelson
16. Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough – Patty Smyth & Don Henley
17. We’ve Got Tonight – Kenny Rogers & Sheena Easton
18. Tonight, I Celebrate My Love For You – Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack
19. Don’t Know Much – Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville
20. Fixing A Broken Heart – Indecent Obsession & Mari Hamada

It’s been 2 years since Sleep Through the Static, and Jack Johnson is finally back with his 5^th studio album, To The Sea.

The songs in this album are relatively more upbeat and light compared to his previous record which featured somber and melancholy tracks like “All At Once”. The singer was dealing with family loss and life has been particularly trying for the Hawaiian-born singer-songwriter. In 2 years, he struggled with the young death of his cousin, Danny and watched his dad’s health deteriorate over time. A champion surfer, his dad, Jeff Johnson, was a huge influence in his growing years but passed away last August after a long battle with cancer.

To The Sea is a tribute to him, whom Jack Johnson attributes as a huge source of inspiration for the new album’s more energetic and lighter sound. “Whenever my dad wanted to make sense of his life, he looked to the sea. Now I do the same,” he said, explaining the title in an interview with Daily Mail.

Rather than writing dark lyrically-themed songs about loss and grief, the singer chose to celebrate life.

He starts off To The Sea with the radio single, “You and Your Heart” and the rhythmic guitar riffs really pull you in and make you want to tap your feet with the beat. According to Billboard.com, the song peaked at #20 on the Billboard Top 100 and has sold more than 148,000 digital downloads after its release in early April. Singing about the disparity between the brain and the heart, this catchy number is definitely the most memorable in an album that tends to take on a more laid-back and mellow tone.

The family man in Jack Johnson also comes through in the album for all to see with tracks like “My Little Girl” which he says is an ode to his infant daughter, in his interview with Billboard.com. The song is stirring and Johnson sings it tenderly with soulful emotion.

You don’t ever have to feel lonely / You will never lose any tears / You don’t have to feel any sadness / When you look back on the years”

It is the scrupulously simple lyrics such as these that makes Johnson’s songs so relatable and gives To The Sea the endearing quality that keeps listeners coming back for more.

“No Good with Faces” has more of such frank and charming lyrics while songs like “From the Clouds” and “Red Wine, Mistakes, Mythology” are also highly recommended for their cheery and quirky melodies.

While critics may argue that To The Sea is predictable and a repetition of his previous works, the album is just impossible to hate and it grows on you with every listen.

And as the BBC points out, Jack Johnson doesn’t really need the money. The man is a philanthropist – donates all his money from tours to charity organisations like the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation (set up by him and his wife) to support environmental, art and music education,records his songs with 100% solar energy while the album is a pretty package made with recycled materials. He doesn’t hanker after commercial fame and stays true to his craft, gifting us with his songs and ruminations on life, love and family.

The album is well put together and quite literally brings you “To The Sea” as the songs’ tempo rise and fall like a wave, sometimes gaining momentum with songs like “At Or with Me” then slowing down to a more sedate beat only to catch you back in with faster tracks like “Pictures of People Taking Pictures.”

The lilting guitar riffs and soft percussion are rather therapeutic and the world will probably be a little more sane and calm if they’ve had a bit of John Jackson.

We suggest that when you first hear To The Sea, to appreciate the album as a whole and give it a good listen from start to finish, the way it’s meant to be heard.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Album: To The Sea

Artiste: Jack Johnson

Language: English

Record Label: Brushfire Records

Release Date: 1 June 2010

Genre: Acoustic

Length: 41:31

Tracklist:

1. “You and Your Heart” – 3:13
2. “To the Sea” – 3:30
3. “No Good with Faces” – 3:31
4. “At Or with Me” – 3:58
5. “When I Look Up” – 0:58
6. “From the Clouds” – 3:06
7. “My Little Girl” – 2:21
8. “Turn Your Love” – 3:13
9. “The Upsetter” – 3:50

10.  “Red Wine, Mistakes, Mythology” – 4:03

11.  “Pictures of People Taking Pictures” – 3:20

12.  “Anything but the Truth” – 2:54

13.  “Only the Ocean” – 3:40