The shepherds heard the story proclaimed by angels bright,
If you must know, my absolute favorite Sting record is his 1986 double live release, “Bring on the Night.” But considering the time of year, the season, yadda, yadda, yadda, I went with his, for lack of a better description, holiday album, “If On a Winter’s Night.” I should be clear, this is a pretty decent disc; a varied sampling of old, old school carols. When I say old school, I’m talking old. My highlights are: There is No Rose of Such Virtue, Balulalow The Snow It Melts the Soonest, The Burning Babe, Soul Cake, The Cherry Tree Carol, Gabriel’s Message and Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming. These are perfect for a long, long night. I also want to mention that what I like the most about Sting’s solo career, and by the way, The Police are one of my all time favorites, is how he has always ventured to do something different. Whether he is doing symphony Sting, playing the lute, cooking with jazz like on “Bring on the Night,” creating solid pop albums, or providing seasonal selections like on this AOTD, Sting is always right by me. Always. Hey Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I think you may have missed someone a few weeks ago.
Happy Solstice.
365, Album of the Day 2014 