The Police Regatta De Blanc Rarlab
By 1979's (translation: White Reggae), nonstop touring had sharpened 's original blend of reggae-rock to perfection, resulting in breakthrough success. Containing a pair of massive hit singles - the inspirational anthem 'Message in a Bottle' and the spacious 'Walking on the Moon' - the album also signaled a change in the band's sound. Whereas their debut got its point across with raw, energetic performances, was much more polished production-wise and fully developed from a songwriting standpoint. While vigorous rockers did crop up from time to time ('It's Alright for You,' 'Deathwish,' 'No Time This Time,' and the Grammy-winning instrumental title track), the material was overall much more sedate than the debut - 'Bring on the Night,' 'The Bed's Too Big Without You,' and 'Does Everyone Stare.' Also included was one of 's two lead vocal appearances on a album, the witty 'On Any Other Day,' as well as one of the band's most eerie tracks, 'Contact.' With, many picked and company to be the superstar band of the '80s, and would prove them correct on the band's next release.
Regatta De Blanc The Police
General CommentAnd the rest? 'Reggatta De Blanc' is a wonderful instrumental that excellently showcases the Police as a band (well, okay, they all excellently showcase the Police as a band, but here, you won't have Sting vocals taking you away from the instrumental prowess of the band members).
It rocks and swings, and while my rough ear actually perceives the number as one of the least reggae-influenced tracks on the record, the drive and atmospherics are undeniable. What the hell is 'white reggae', anyway? We didn't have no friggin' 'white blues', at least, we who don't invent this term as a scarecrow for Eric Clapton fans; why do we need a 'white reggae', then?
Never mind.George Starostin. General CommentIf there's anything that mars Reggatta (the album) and prevents it from getting the highest possible rating, it's a frustrating lack of diversity. Sure, the Police have developed a sound that's totally unique, but there's just too few sides of that sound explored on the album. Every song has its distinct hooks, but after a while they all start kinda floating together; simply put, the band's bag o' tricks here is a wee bit limited.
The Police Reggatta De Blanc
This is not an accusation - like so many other revolutionary albums, Reggatta De Blanc is, basically, so revolutionary that it hurts, in the literal sense. Quality wings - the ultimate 757 collection. That said, it is still a great album, coming from one of rock's greatest bands, and the defect would be corrected on the next record anyway.George Starostin.