Songs from the Labyrinth Review
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Sting was born October 2, 1951. His real name is Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner and the name of Sting came from some friends of his. Before his solo career he was part of the group called The Police. He was the lead singer and bass player. With many hits from The Police, he started his solo career September 1981 after the band’s break up. Since then he has become a worldwide star. In October of 2006 Sting released the album title “Songs from the Labyrinth”. A far stretch from his normal work, it received mixed reviews and reintroduced the lute to many people.
The very first song in this album is title Walsingham. It is a very slow acoustic sounding song. It starts very mellow and crescendo nearing the end. It is an interesting and soothing way to begin the album.
The next song is called Can She Excuse My Wrongs. It’s the very first song in which u hear how sting blends with the melody nicely. There is a moment where the music completely rests and u just hear a hymn of voices. It sounds very organized and reminds listeners of the earlier chanting the early times of music. Also sounds like it is polyphonic piece of music.
The next song is called Ryght Honorable. I personally would not classify this as a song, but more as a transition to the next song. You hear Sting talk about the queen, god, his country, etc. It sounds more like a reading a quote from some like a priest would do with the bible. It has a sound that could make one anxious and bring out the importance of his words.
“Have You seen the Bright Lily Grow” is a slow soothing song. There is a point in which his voice goes to a high octave which reminds me of the middle ages. This was when the voice was mended to be the instrument. The voice was more important than the music itself. Voices were able to reach incredible octaves. It reminds me of the boys castrated before puberty to obtain the ability to sing higher octaves.
“Then in Time Passing On” is another “Ryght Honorable” and is just as short. Seems to be used more of a transition piece to another, although this one is not as eerie as the other. It seems like he is telling a story. The music is very soft and monotone.
The next song is called “The Battle Galliard”. It is interesting that the music doesn’t seem to match its title. It’s got a quick little upbeat melody to it. It’s something that you would hear in a happy time rather than a battle. It reminds me of Renaissance music. It has quite a few tempo changes but lacks variety.
“The Lowest Trees Have Tops” is a great song. It has a great message and music the match. It sounds like the music has a melody and bass just playing scales. There are numerous rests in the music to give the words an accented affect. My favorite phrase is “and love, is love, in beggars and in kings”.
Like “Then in Time Passing On”, “And Accordinge As I Desired Ther Cam A Letter” is telling a story. He reads a letter that was sent to him from Germany. Again this song uses an acoustic style of music. The music starts clear and then seems to nearly disappear in the words. The music seems to match to one that you would expect to hear reading a letter in a movie.
The tenth song of this record is called “Fine Knacks For Ladies”. The human voice is the main instrument in this piece of music. Sting is the main singer and I accompanied but a repeating chorus. It is a chorale with minimum music.
“From Thenc I Went To The Landgrave Of Hessen” just strictly continues the storyline within the album. The music is played in pianissimo and seems unnecessary. The story within this song is in response to the letter and is very short and feels incomplete.
“Fantasy” is a song that brings out a higher level of the skill of the musicians. It contains intense melodies and solo sections. The song is soft on the ears in the beginning and then picks up intensity in the middle and the end. It has the ABA style starting in the middle. It is intense and then becomes slow and soft. Then is ends with a strong and intense melody.
The next song is called “Come, Heavy Sheep”. Like the rest of the cd, this song has the aucotics sound. Some points in the song the music seems to accompainy the singer. Like the notes are played on his words. Those few sections make the words and music flow with a complete kind of feelings. The end you hear chants with the singer. Like the ones you would hear in church or like the Gregorian Chant style.
“Forlon Hope Fancy” is the next song and the one to portray emotion the best so far. The music is played with lower octaves and can portray many emotions. The emotions that could be associated were pain, spiraling despair, boredom, a stop in time, and being alone. The songs ending has