Synchronicity

My first concert was The Police at Jones Beach Theater. It was the penultimate show of their reunion tour which was vehemently described as “The last tour. Period.” by Sting. True to form, they stuck to their words and have not performed together since. It was a special concert, and even at twelve I could tell the old guys on stage were taking in their last moments together before disbanding for good.

I don’t give my parents enough credit for how cool they actually are. Who brings a twelve year old to a punk rock concert? Apparently just my parents, as I was the youngest in the crowd by a solid twenty years. They opened with “Message in a Bottle" and finished with “Every Breath You Take”. That’s all I remember besides Stewart Copeland smashing a gong and rattling my soul.

Fittingly, the first Police album I own is their last. Synchronicity is the band’s fifth and final album in a legendary run of six years. Their previous albums consisted of punk and reggae tunes, driven by their pulsating grooves and staccato beats. Synchronicity feels like a natural conclusion to their blond punk arc. The Police (read: Sting) ditch their old ways and turn to sounds and inspiration from worldly influences. Even the album title is indulgent of Sting’s self-taught intellectual curiosities in philosophy. 

“Synchronicity” the word, not the album, comes from the Jungian principle of simultaneous occurrence of events which appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection. 

I can tell I’ve already lost you. 

The album’s namesake sets the tone for the A-side. Synchronicity I  feels like the Police are dusting away cobwebs from Message in a Bottle and added some jazzy fusion synths to indicate a new direction. Following is Walking in Your Footsteps, which I simply can’t stop thinking is the love child of the Tarzan soundtrack and “Go Cubs Go”. The middle tracks are largely forgettable, omitting Mother, which requires one listen just for sheer curiosity and should never be heard again. I recommend turning the volume down for this track, go use the bathroom and the sound of the toilet flush will be better than struggling through it. 

Synchronicity II finishes side A and indicates the turn to one of the best B sides I’ve come across. The song has a signature aggressive drive to it, meandering between major ascending verses and dark, anxiety-inducing pre-choruses. As far as I can tell, Synchronicity II has nothing to do with the first of the same name, though Sting doesn’t do anything just for the hell of it. I’m sure listening to this a few dozen more times may lead to clarity. But then again, maybe not. 

Turn the record over to a greatest hits EP and we are greeted with Every Breath You Take, a song of so many superlatives that it is best summed up as the most played song in radio history. Okay, one more accolade: the song accounts for about a third of all royalties income for Sting. Not bad for a song that was destined for the bin before Andy Summers introduced the now iconic guitar riff that has been copied by so many after him. In fact, Summers claims he should have songwriting credentials due to his part quite literally saving the song and making it the hit that it is. 

Continuing the greatest hits is King of Pain; the song is easily a top five entry in the band’s catalogue. Sting takes inspiration from his recent divorce, which feels naturally placed after Every Breath You Take. The dichotomy of King of Pain is most striking in the dark, depressing lyrics, backed by an almost peppy guitar and percussion. The Police have a knack for making a depressing song feel fun. 

Wrapped Around Your Finger maintains the album’s energy with relatively slow foreboding verses that modulate into triumphant choruses. The lyrics are spiteful and describe a change in power dynamics in a couple. Personally, I could listen to this song endlessly. 

Finishing a great run of songs, Tea in the Sahara provides a pleasant palette cleanser after an eclectic 40 minutes of listening. The song feels like a departure from the band and the beginning of Sting’s solo career. 

Synchronicity encapsulates the complexities of The Police. Three legendary talents butting heads constantly can produce chaos and gems, which is exactly what this album is. The infighting while creating Synchronicity lead to their breakup, getting to the point where all three recording their parts in separate rooms. The band’s discord was well known, making their reunion tour a surprise to everyone. After a year of touring together the three men remembered why they broke up in the first place, but we have Synchronicity (ironically) from the three agreeing to be out of sync for good.