THE POLICE - "Synchcronicity"
THE POLICE
“Synchronicity”
A&M Records - June 17, 1983
On a personal note, I was a wee lad when after enduring sets by Flock of Seagulls and the Fixx on an extremely warm day in Foxborough, MA, USA, the lovely Martha Quinn of MTV (who people booed, I never understood that, her preppy/flirty fashion sense defined my life of what I find attractive in a woman’s fashion, but I digress) presented us a live opening blast of, “Synchronicity I,” and to this day that song continually establishes that Stewart Copeland’s drums drove that band. A literal world of people packed big rooms to hear what turned out to be the final studio release by the British trio and while they may have done better (“Outlandos D’Amour” a particular favorite) this album has estimably few flaws. Sure, “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” is a sad coming attraction of the weak easy listening dreck Sting had at the ready for a solo career and the eternal, “Prom Theme/Wedding Song/Stalker Bedtime Recitation” track, “Every Breath You Take” (listen to the words, it actually ups the creepy ante of, “Don’t Stand So Close To Me,” in the Sting canon) actually works in the framework of a proper album. It’s the less celebrated tracks that make this record work. “King Of Pain,” is simply a fantastic song, both lyrically and melodically, and, “Murder By Numbers,” is a wonderfully sinister musical meditation. “Tea In The Sahara,” is a harmless throwaway but, “Syncronicity II” delivers and has among the finest workingman’s lyrics ever with, “Every single meeting with his so-called superiors is a humiliating kick in the crotch.” Few go out on top but the Police came awful close with this one. Postscript: I saw the reunion tour and it sucked, should have been titled, “Sting, featuring the Police.” Copeland and the far too underappreciated guitarist, Andy Summers (whose autobiography, “One Train Later,” is fantastic) deserved better than Sting’s preening posturing. The Police catalog still crushes, though, “Synchronicity” included, though it is not their best album by a long shot. It’s still pretty good and Sting will (hopefully) try hard for his entire life to write better songs than, “Next To You” and “So Lonely.”
Standouts: "Synchronicity 1," "Synchronicity 2," "Murder By Numbers"
