SACRED LOVE 2LP REI

Personnel: Sting (vocals, guitar, clarinet, keyboards, bass); Mary J. Blige, Babija Rhapl, Joy Rose (vocals); Dominic Miller, Vicente Amigo (guitar); Anoushka Shankar (sitar); Chris Botti (trumpet); Clark Gayton (trombone); Jason Rebello (piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Dave Hartley (piano); Jeff Young (Hammond B-3 organ); Kipper (keyboards, programming, background vocals); Christian McBride, Danny Dunlap (bass); Manu Katche, Vinne Colaiuta (drums); Aref Durvesh (tabla); Valerie Denys (castanets); Lance Ellington, Ada Dyer, Donna Gardier, Katreese Barnes (background vocals). Producers: Kipper, Sting, Victor Calderone, Dave Aude. "Whenever I Say Your Name" won the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals. "Send Your Love" was nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. Sting scored a moderate comeback success greater than most had imagined possible with 1999's Brand New Day, reestablishing himself as a viable commercial artist instead of merely settling for "living legend" status. Part of this success was due to "Desert Rose," featuring vocalist Farhat Bouallagui's careening cadences that garnered attention, particularly when they were showcased in a car commercial that kicked the album into high commercial gear. Sting picks up on this, adding three guest vocalists to the ten-track Sacred Love album (the 11th track is a remix of the lead single, "Send Your Love" -- which happens to be better, since it eliminates the rather annoying Indian-styled hook) -- Vicente Amigo and Anoushka Shankar are paired with Mary J. Blige, who in this context is presented as a world music artist. Although Sacred Love is too meticulous, predictable, and focused on its own artistic maturity, it manifests professionalism, precision, and impeccable craft as an album of well-tailored, expensive mood music. ~ Steven Thomas Erlewine