Sting – The Dream Of The Blue Turtles

Sting – The Dream Of The Blue Turtles

Released in 1985, The Dream Of The Blue Turtles is the acclaimed debut solo album from Sting, marking a bold new chapter in his musical career following the phenomenal success of The Police. Rather than simply extending the reggae-influenced rock sound of his former band, Sting took the opportunity to explore a more sophisticated musical direction, drawing heavily on jazz, contemporary pop, rock and world music influences.

One of the album's most distinctive features is its exceptional group of musicians. Sting assembled an accomplished jazz-influenced ensemble featuring drummer Omar Hakim, bassist Darryl Jones, keyboardist Kenny Kirkland and saxophonist Branford Marsalis. Their collective musicianship brings an improvisational quality and rhythmic sophistication to the album, creating a rich musical backdrop for Sting's distinctive songwriting and vocal delivery.

Produced by Sting and Pete Smith, the album was recorded primarily at Blue Wave Recording Studios in Barbados. Its sound is characterised by fluid bass lines, intricate drumming, expressive saxophone, atmospheric keyboards and carefully constructed arrangements. The result is a compelling meeting point between accessible pop songwriting and adventurous jazz-rock musicianship.

The album opens with 'If You Love Somebody Set Them Free', an infectious, upbeat pop song featuring an irresistible groove and memorable chorus. 'Love Is The Seventh Wave' follows with its playful rhythmic arrangement and reggae-inspired sensibility, while 'Russians' takes a more serious turn, exploring the anxieties of the Cold War through a haunting melody adapted from Sergei Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kijé suite.

'Children's Crusade' is one of the album's most powerful compositions, drawing parallels between the sacrifice of young soldiers in the First World War and the devastating impact of the heroin epidemic. 'Shadows In The Rain', a reworking of a song originally recorded by The Police, is transformed into a jazz-inflected instrumental showcase, with Branford Marsalis's saxophone adding considerable depth and character.

The second side continues with 'We Work The Black Seam', a politically conscious song addressing the decline of Britain's coal-mining industry and the impact of technological change on working communities. 'Consider Me Gone' combines sophisticated rhythms with a darker, more introspective mood, while the brief instrumental title track provides an atmospheric interlude before 'Moon Over Bourbon Street'. Inspired by Anne Rice's novel Interview with the Vampire, the song is a beautifully atmospheric composition featuring evocative imagery and understated jazz arrangements.

The album closes with 'Fortress Around Your Heart', a superb melodic rock song that brings together the record's strongest qualities: memorable songwriting, layered instrumentation and an expansive arrangement.

A major critical and commercial success, The Dream Of The Blue Turtles reached the upper reaches of both the UK and US album charts and established Sting as a formidable solo artist in his own right. It also demonstrated his willingness to move beyond the musical identity of The Police, embracing a more exploratory approach that would influence his subsequent solo work.

An essential album for fans of Sting, The Police, jazz-rock, sophisticated pop and musicianship-led 1980s music, The Dream Of The Blue Turtles remains one of the standout solo debuts of the decade.

Tracklist

Side A
A1. If You Love Somebody Set Them Free – 4:14
A2. Love Is The Seventh Wave – 3:30
A3. Russians – 3:57
A4. Children's Crusade – 5:00
A5. Shadows In The Rain – 4:56

Side B
B1. We Work The Black Seam – 5:40
B2. Consider Me Gone – 4:21
B3. The Dream Of The Blue Turtles – 1:15
B4. Moon Over Bourbon Street – 3:59
B5. Fortress Around Your Heart – 4:48