well, there's no accounting for taste. i mean, look what site i'm on.

but i do find our different views interesting. the thing about Synch is...i can't stand Every Breath and King of Pain. God save me from Sting's self-pity. it worked when i was heartbroken at 18, but...now, yeesh. but Walking In Your Footsteps, Oh My God (Stu does one of his famous tempo rushes at the end), Ms Gradenko, and Tea in the Sahara are still pretty enjoyable.

Ghost had the dark production & vibe. Stu was at the absolute top of his game. Omegaman, One World, Every Little Thing, Rehumanize Yourself...oh yeah.

Regatta had Outlando's rough early sound with better songs & production, plus the reggae thump of Bed's Too Big (the reverb on the kick, with that bass line!), the brilliant team effort of carrying the rhythm on Walking on the Moon, the energetic title track, and It's Alright For You...rockin'.

Zenyatta was rushed, a bunch of blow-addled filler. i do love Voices and Bombs Away.

Outlando's was basically a $10K demo. hard to argue with So Lonely and maybe even Mosoko Tanga.

(and yet, Sting makes me puke. nonetheless, he did correctly note that we are spirits in the material world, 'there is a deeper world than this. tugging at your hand', and that 'men go crazy in congregations, they only get better one by one'. blind squirrel/acorn thing, i guess.)

Read Andy's One Train Later a couple months ago - excellent. the years before the Police were every bit as interesting. recommended!