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Songs From The Labyrinth
by: Sting

List Price: £16.99

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Used Price: £4.92
Collectible Price: £24.99
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Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0602517031395
Label: Universal Classics
Manufacturer: Universal Classics
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Universal Classics
Release Date: October 09, 2006
Running Time: 48 minutes
Studio: Universal Classics
Sales Rank: 8939

Disc 1:

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Editorial Review:

Amazon.co.uk Review:
In choosing to cover the music of John Dowland (1563-1626), who is known as the "melancholy madrigalist" for his output of cheerful ditties like "Flow My Tears," Police bandleader Sting has entered into a whole new realm of austere eeriness. Originally inspired by the gift of a lute, the rock superstar and activist sings the songs - deliciously sweet and tender or spirited by turn - accompanying himself with Edin Karamazov on lute and archlute. For listeners accustomed to hearing material of this period interpreted by rigorously trained early music stylists, especially countertenors and the like, Sting's sometimes tight-jawed, chest-heavy vocals may seem amateurish. It's undeniable that in four-part harmonies, the singer, tightly overdubbed, comes across like a combination of the Swingle Singers and Queen (as in Freddie Mercury's crew, NOT Elizabeth Windsor). But it's important to remember that music of this period was routinely heard as a casual diversion in private homes, even more often than at Court. It was considered a crucial social skill to be able to join in with an adequate degree of skill, but not everyone was able to negotiate the perilous melodic twists and turns typical of the era's music. With this in mind, the overall effect is of a candle-lit, postprandial entertainment in the home of an English gentleman. Muttered readings from Dowland's letters and brief snippets of sampled birdsong aside, this is a courageous effort, displaying heartfelt admiration for the composer and a considerable degree of earnest charm. --Christina Roden

Customer Reviews

Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating:

- Argh...he's doing my ears in!!!!
Sting simply can't sing this stuff well..he sounds awful! This lute ego fest is a really annoying crock of self-indulgent ****! I guess Sting was too big a 'star' for the record company to tell go take a walk

Rating:

- The Presumptions of Celebrity
If you're a card-carrying member of pop fandom's great club, who has never even heard of John Dowland, you will probably either be bored by this CD (wondering what on earth Sting thinks he's up to), or be so delighted to discover such beautiful songs that you'll accept Sting's performance of them uncritically. If, however, you are a long-time admirer of Dowland, one of England's most-notable musicians, you may well find listening to Sting a sometimes-painful experience.

Perhaps his problem is identified by his description of one of songs as "a raucous street-song" - presumably purely because real, or mock, street cries are incorporated into the lyric. Unfortunately for the percipience of this remark,as anyone having any real familiarity ... Read More:

Rating:

- Please stick to "Roxanne"
Sting should really stick to what he does best. This is all out of tune and full of musical "hiccups". He JUST CAN'T SING this kind of Music. This shouldn't have been ever recorded. Just because he is rich and famous we should not be subjected to such an agony. (Yes maybe my fault , bought it because I like Sting and Police) but this is completley a different kettle of fish. This is not your cup of tea Mr. Sting. I love most of sting's albums but he should not murder this genre. Please go croak somewhere else!!

Rating:

- love it or hate it
Dowland is one of my favourite composers and Sting is a musician I respect. I reckon this is ok. Period. I found it disappointing overall - I'm big enough to get over the fact it's just different to the usual interpretations, but on the whole I would cherry pick from from it. The performance of flow my tears/Lacrimae is very good indeed - there are aspects of that which also I would criticise, but essentially it's one of the best performances I've heard of the piece. Likewise the performance of come again is extremely good, albeit different.

To me it's just Sting. If he could get over singing using all the trademarks of his singing style and stop slipping and sliding around the melodies with quite so much relish to sound unmistakably ... Read More:

Rating:

- One of those 'stop you in your tracks' moments
There are very few pieces of music that, on first hearing, stopped me in my tracks and compelled me to listen more closely. Sting's performance of 'Come again' on this CD was one of them. As much as anything, it's the weird juxtaposition of the lute, most mannered and refined of instruments, with the very definitely unrefined, but nonetheless standout, voice of Sting. The other song tracks, while enjoyable, don't quite have the same raw edge. Overall, recommended, though the readings from Dowland's letters, interspersed with the songs, ramble a bit on occasion.

Music : Songs From The Labyrinth