Every Breath You Take: The Classics (CD - 1995)

The Police: Sting (vocals, bass); Andy Summers (guitar); Stewart Copeland (drums).

Additional personnel: Jean Roussel (keyboards).

Producers: The Police, Nigel Gray, Hugh Padgham, Laurie Latham.

The Police: Sting (vocals, double bass, bass guitar); Andy Summers (guitar); Stewart Copeland (drums, percussion).

EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE: THE CLASSICS is an updated version of the 1986 collection EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE: THE SINGLES. The only differences in this collection are the addition of the "New Classic Rock Mix" of "Message In A Bottle," different artwork and a slightly reworded title. Cosmetic changes aside, this remains a solid representation of a unique pop trio whose studio output was a too-short five albums.

Although frontman/bassist Sting wrote practically all the material, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland's contributions leave no doubt that this was a three-man effort. "Walking On The Moon" features Summers' reggae shadings and Copeland's precise percussive nuances, and their instrumental prowess turns a nonsensical title such as "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" into a quirky pop nugget. As for Sting's songwriting, most of it revolved around relationships and the different turns they take. Phases such as rapture ("Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic"), manipulation ("Wrapped Around Your Finger," "Every Breath You Take") and desperation ("Can't Stand Losing You") are all deftly touched on by Gordon Sumner. minimize