If On A Winter's Night

[Kim]

So, has anyone listened yet? I admit, I pre-ordered it but it's still wrapped and sitting on my counter. I'm a little afraid to open it...

In other news, I am officially passing on his two NYC shows in December. Friends are shocked! Have I lost my mind? Actually I would have gone to one of the lute shows had I been able to pay to get in. This one does not sound interesting to me though, except I just read that Chris Botti will be there and he's kinda cute. Dunno what it is about those blonde guys... sigh. Just curious... are any Nutters going? If so, please report back! I'm hoping it will be on PBS or dvd so I can save myself the $300, lol!

[conroy]

I believe it's supposed to air on PBS thanksgiving evening.

[dufmanno]

St. John the Divine Cathedral on December 8th & 9th? That's an interesting venue. As a born and bred New Yorker, I'm tempted to make the trip and get decent pizza while I'm there.

[HalcyonLisa]

mine arrived yesterday, I put it on whilst cooking dinner and my o/h came through and asked what the "slashing my wrists" music was? I turned it off at that point as he hung around to find fault with virtually everything and I didn't want it to taint *my* opinion.

It is cold and wet and windy here today so I will put it on in the car, I think it may fit the mood.

But from what I heard? so far undecided about most tracks but definitely not keen on Gabriels Message.

[ltwoman]

I've listened at least twice. The kind of "out of the room and doing other things" listening. I'm kinda shocked, because I read somewhere here that it got rave reviews (I think it was from Gio?); anyway, it sounds like more "lute music" to me. Not to say I don't like it, and especially at this time of the year, [never mind that I completely missed the "lute music" but I know what nutters say and think about it], but I just expected something different as a follow up to the Police reunion. Definately not rock and roll...

[plutonic]

I believe it's supposed to air on PBS thanksgiving evening.

KA CHING!
Of course.
Remember, though, it's not a Christmas record.
It's a Winter record.

I guess if it is as drippy and Maudlin as some are describing, it will actually suit the mood of most folks I know around the holidays.

Best Christmas song EVER, except maybe for White Christmas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrAwK9juhhY

[HalcyonLisa]

ok I've listened to it again today in the car - properly and there are one or two which will end up on my Ipod, Soul Cakes is one of them.

I know what it is now, its when Sting tries to sing like a Benedictine Monk - it irritates me. When he sings like *Sting* and even (shock horror) allows some Geordie accent to flavour the song then it sounds like a plausible conversion of a classic folk song. But when he is trying to sing them like he is auditioning for Kings College Choir then I dislike the phrasing and the sound and the intonation.

I listen to lots of contemporary English Folk artists and some of these give traditional English songs a modern slant, but they do them with honesty, not trying to emulate something else, which is how half of this album feels to me.

The musicians used on the album are excellent and the sound is beautiful, if I can get over Sting singing like a puritan then I may grow to like it, but I doubt I will and I expect I will just save the songs that sound like the proper Sting bloke - what I love - to my Ipod.

[stevel]

Well I LOVE IT.Seriously.
Yep its different and not what I 'd normally listen to.... but give it a chance.... you may surprise yourself.
I did.
And if its snowing .. you may love it even more ... oh and if you're in Durham Cathedral ...well .. the best.

[smax]

gordo has been all over the BBC the last few days; Monday was The One Show (7pm prime time lightweight magazine show) sandwiched inbetween items about recycling and tv shows; gordo said that he hates the X-factor which he watched for the first time at the weekend. said that the first thing simon scowl would say would be to shave the beard off...played video for soulcake.. the tune's growing on me but i can't help think that it's not as immediate as macca's 'dance tonight'.

today the Robert Elms show on BBCLondon (the same guy who had stewart in a month or so ago) was a very relaxed funny interview; (which is odd 'cos bob elms detests stings music) but they spoke about the "Lygmalion"play which they were both in in the 80's (robert elms is an old face; he presented a talk and screening of Quadrophenia with franc roddam at the national a little while ago, mates with spandau fucking ballet, used to edit a trendy fashion mag) and about stings accent, about jazz and the branfords (bob likes jazz) and a mature reflective interview about dialects, roots (blah blah milkman, my sister runs the airport, etc etc), nicely done interview (much better than the stewart one in which they didn't seem to find each others' rhythm at all) and you can listen again on the BBC london website which i'm too lazy'tired to find....again soulcake was played and it's grown on me, i like it.... oh yeah, and gordo said that he will definitely do another Rock album... although in his present don't-give-a-fuck state of mind he probabbly means igneous!

and then again on jools holland tonight, i dont know what he played but it was fucking terrible! and i dont know where he got his jumper from.

[luddite lady]

I heard a little piece of it coming out of the outdoor speaker of a Starbucks that I was walking past this evening. I sort of did a double take when I heard it. Gabriel's Message, it was. The window was festooned with ads for their candy cane lattes and the such. Meanwhile, I still have bits of carmel from Halloween stuck in my back molars.

[Tamadude]

I'm a little afraid to open it...

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

[Madgrad]

[quote="Tamadude"][quote="Kim"]I'm a little afraid to open it... [/quote]

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

[/quote]



Aw just rip it open-- like a Band-aid, you know? One big rip!

[empty]

well, hard to believe, but I will be going to the NY show(s). I think just the 8th. Looking forward to it, it will be a nice get ready for the holiday thing- with Police friends and my man- and a calmer party than the nutter party the weekend before.



so, let me know if anyone else will be there. I'll be sure to wear Krypton green, as usual, so I am protected.

[dontboxmein]

All I can say is wow...being a musician in my opinion this is by far "The Worst Piece of Tripe" Sting has ever done avoid this at all costs. I will be amazed if this does not become a cd cut out in the bins for 99 cents, it is truly that bad. Everything Sting does is not gold. I thought the lute album was ok, but this is horrible. I have no Idea what Sting is doing anymore...seems like to me he just does not care about being an icon and he has every right to do what he wants. However I do not have to follow him on his journey.

Ahh I remember a time when I looked forward to a new Sting project. Thought to myself this is what true music is all about. Ever since "The Soul Cages Album"...the material has been getting worse and worse. "Sacred Love" which is bar far the worst Sting pop record....looks like gold up against "If On a Winter's Night". The thing that destroyed "Sacred Love" was all the Kipper crap the loops and drum programing. I mean not using real drums on the record whoever made the decision should be shot!!!!

So the days of blind faith are over, I am not buying another Sting Album until I hear it first ...money is too hard to come by just to piss it away. I spent 45.00 dollars on this cd cause I wanted the rare Japanese version what a freaking waste of money that was.

[sockii]

I'll pass on the NY concert...so far there are only 3 tracks on the new album I like (at least sort of like, enough to think I might want to listen to more than once or twice). Disappointing. I could get into the lute album as a very unique experiment and while I hated the spoken-word stuff, I liked most of the music. This, just...no, at least not on the very vocally affected tracks as HalcyonLisa mentioned. The ones I like still sound like Sting being Sting, even if singing on traditional songs (or reworking his own music...I daresay I think I like this version of "Hounds of Winter" better than the original....) The rest is just overly pretentious to me, or just not my thing in the slightest (and wouldn't be my thing, no matter who was recording it.)