The Last Ship (2013)
The Last Ship is an ambitious concept album telling the story of the shipbuilding industry in Sting’s hometown of Newcastle, England. It’s earned critical praise for its storytelling and emotional depth, but it’s far from his most accessible or enjoyable record.
The record’s sound is rooted in folk and shanty-inspired Broadway musical styles, with Sting’s vocals backed by a full cast of singers and musicians. The instrumentation and arrangements are skillfully done, and they hold together into one cohesive piece from start to finish. The catch is that the folk-and-shanty sound isn’t going to be to everyone’s taste, and plenty of listeners will find it a slog to get through the album’s 12 tracks, let alone the Deluxe Edition’s 17. I found it particularly tough myself.
The Last Ship rewards patient, attentive listening, and the people it’s actually aimed at will find it an exceptional entry in the Sting catalog. But between the folk-shanty sound and the very specific subject matter, this one isn’t for everyone. Fans of Sting and fans of concept albums in general may find a lot to appreciate here. Everyone else is going to find it a challenging listen.
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Highlight Songs:
And Yet
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Own it, Stream it, Forget about it?
This album was not made for me so I will not say it’s worth owning or streaming. If you like folk music, old timey shanty, or even broadway music that lacks the energy of stereotype show tunes, then this concept album is made for you. Enjoy it. Someone should.
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Overall Rating:
1.5 Stars
