Sting 57TH & 9TH (BLK/180G

Sting 57TH & 9TH (BLK/180GSting seemed to tire of pop songs sometime early in the 21st century, wandering away from the format after 2003's well mannered Sacred Love. Over the next 13 years, he entertained his esoteric interests he collaborated on a classical album, he rearranged his old tunes for an orchestra, he reunited the Police, he wrote a musical before he returned to pop rock with 2016's 57th & 9th. The fact that he named this comeback album after the intersection he

their first explicitly conceptual effort since Tumbleweed Connection

Paul McCartney (vocals

and icy OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder gave the group a steely sleekness to suit contemporary charts

nor does he emphasize the sharply sculpted songs

"Obviouslywas produced byGrammy Award-winningproducer

" a regretful reflection on struggling as a child and young man to cope with the toll heartbreak and alcohol took on his mother

" "Where Do Broken Hearts Go

even as it turns the established form on its head and gives it a spin

and a handful more continue the group's odd but welcome fascination with '80s pop/rock

Somewhat sneakily

LOVE GUN continued the trend of the band's albums going platinum upon release

Long Shot 3