Sting’s latest 57th & 9th is out today and it finds the Englishman returning to his rock roots at a studio in New York. Between two recent interviews with the New York Times and with AOL (video) the former Police frontman crafted this album in a matter of a few months, walking from his home on Manhattan’s Upper West Side to his recording studio near Hell’s Kitchen. He’d occasionally force himself to pen lyrics by shutting himself out of his home during the winter and only venturing indoors once he had the song. The music itself was grounded in round robin collaboration with his band (including long time collaborators guitarist Dominic Miller and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta).
Ahead of the album release, Sting performed two shows at the rather small Irving Plaza, one early show for iHeartRadio (that was taped and will be broadcast on the 18th) and a later set for members of his fan club. The shows were scheduled for the night after [avoid rant here] election results were in… and so Sting began with an attempt to heal. He asked the crowd to repeat the British colloquialism “Keep Calm and Carry On” as a mantra before shouting “Let’s rock and roll!” and offering “Message in a Bottle” as a salve for the hurt and defeat many in audience likely felt. (Sting will be the first artist to play the Bataclan in Paris since the attack there last year — he intends to open with “Fragile”.)
Afterwards, Sting kicked into the real reason everyone came out, an early live treat of the new material. He introduced nearly all of the new tracks by sharing some of the though process behind the lyrics. “One Fine Day” is a tune informed by climate change. “I Can’t Stop Thinking About You”, the catchy lead single from 57th & 9th, likely came about on one of those frigid balcony sessions. “50,000” is a ballad about the mortality of a larger than life rockstar. “Pretty Young Soldier”, about a cross-dressing woman intent to join the army in the 19th century.
He continued with a four other new album tracks including the pensive and evocative “Inshallah” which shows Sting continues to draw inspiration from Middle Eastern cultures (as he had done with “Desert Rose” many years back). It is also politically inspired — Sting wants people to have empathy for migrants trekking across the Mediterranean in boats.
It didn’t quite lead into “Desert Rose” but that song was included in Sting’s last four — all classics that had the audience singing along (a full setlist is below). More importantly though the event allowed the audience to appreciate 57th & 9th even further. The album promises to be a fine release from a talented (if not legendary) artist who continues to grow and challenge himself.