A Gold Decade4 Out Of 5 Stars
This Sting Compilation, "Fields Of Gold 1984-1994," is the best of the Sting anthologies out there. Even more recent releases are less powerful than this one, because Sting was at a peak for the most of this period. The albums range from "Dreams of The Blue Turtles" to "Ten Summoner's Tales," which skips the less than stellar "Mercury Falling" but does miss out on his "Brand New Day" comeback and "Sacred Love."
You get the poetic Sting of "Fortress Around Your Heart," the thoughtful man who wrote "Fields of Gold" and the activist who wrote the still stunning "Fragile." Two of his other political songs, "Russians" and "They Dance Alone" are here, as well. Then there's that voice. Keening and pure, the sound that made The Police stand head and shoulders above so many of the New Wave groups of the day. Granted, the trio rose beyond that label quickly, and it was Sting's determination to stretch out more that led to a solo career in the first place. It's hard to imagine his original trio jazzing it up like Sting did on "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" or the more solemn and personal "When They Dance."
"Fields of Gold" marks the strongest period of Sting's solo years. You may be tempted to go for one of the other sets, but don't. Along woth a Police best of, this is a chronology of a brilliant career.
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