release date: Nov. 20, 2001
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Sting, Kipper [Mark Eldridge]
label: A&M Records - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 1. "Fragile" - 4. "All This Time" - 8. "When We Dance" - 10. "Roxanne" - 15. "Shape of My Heart" - 16. "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You"
Live album recorded at [Sting's] "Villa Il Palagio", Tuscany, Italy, Sep. 11, 2001. The concert was planned for a small audience from Sting's fan club and for live broadcast (which was cancelled), and it was carried out in spite of the tragic events that took place during the day of 9/11 2001.
Like his first live album it's a collection of songs from the heydays of The Police blended with his best known solo compositions, but here in a much less orchestrated and electric version, which really suits the songs nicely. The album was also released as a concert film.
I like the fact that the all songs have been rearranged to an intimate live performance, but other than that, I don't think the music by Sting is extremely well-suited as live recordings in general, and the long time span from compositions with The Police, though his jazz-era to more pop / rock-founded compositions makes the whole thing a bit of a mixed bag, really.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]
