BassPlayer 2017-02

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BP RECOMMENDS
Sting
57th & 9th [A&M]
Sting’s first rock album in 13 years, 57th
& 9th (named for the Manhattan intersection
near the recording studio), is a
first-rate, ten-song collection that touches
on all phases of Mr. Sumner’s broad musical career. The first
single, “I Can’t Stop Thinking About You,” has a heavy Police
presence—with its chugging-eighths groove, arpeggio guitar
parts, and shifting key centers—while “Petrol Head” pivots
between the Police and roots rock. “50,000,” dedicated to such
departed greats as Prince, Glenn Frey, and Lemmy, rides a
muted verse (with Sting tuning the E string on his ’53 Fender
Precision down to D) before bursting into a stadium-ready classic
rock hook, a formula present on “Down, Down, Down,” as
well. Sting’s Celtic persona emerges on the 6/8 “Pretty Young
Soldier” and the guitar-and-vocal ballads “Heading South on
the Great North Road” and “The Empty Chair” (for journalist
and ISIS victim James Foley).
Summoning the jazzy, solo Sting side is the Middle Eastern-tinged,
European refugee-focused ballad “Inshallah,” and
the exotic “If You Can’t Love Me,” with descending bass notes
creating harmonic colors against a repeated four-note pattern,
set to Vinnie Colauita’s 7/8 drum figure. Finally, there’s
the somber topic of climate change presented via the upbeat,
super-catchy rock bossa “One Fine Day,” which, with its Latinlike
pushes in the bass line, make it Sting’s best 4-string work
on the album. —Chris Jisi
RUSH: Time Stand Still
[Anthem/Zoe]
It’s no secret that Rush aficionados are
more hardcore than most: Many of us
have bought every Rush album and seen
them live dozens of times, relishing
our membership in a geeky, worldwide
family of fanatics. So the announcement
last year that Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson,
and Neil Peart were getting off the road was more than just
the end of an era—it was a devastating setback, and another
reminder that even for the gods, time does not stand still.
Fortunately, this two-hour documentary tells the story of the
trio’s final shows and momentous decision with grace, humor,
and sensitivity, perfectly capturing the complex emotions of
fans (including sadness, shock, and nostalgia) and the band
(reluctant acceptance from Geddy and relief from Alex and
Neil, whose bodies were more than ready to retire). Along the
way, there’s great live and backstage footage, as well as cool
interviews and a handful of bonus goodies. A truly moving,
bittersweet picture that captures the essence of what Rush
and its fans mean to each other. —E.E. Bradman
Glenn Hughes
Resonate [Frontiers]
Resonate is a bona-fide rock record that
Deep Purple fans will utterly salivate over.
Songs like “Steady,” “God Of Money” and
“How Long” are heavy, well-crafted gems
KEVIN MAZUR
14 bassplayer.com / february2017