The album features music by John Dowland (1563–1626), a lutenist and songwriter. It entered the UK Official Albums Chart at #24 and reached #25 on the Billboard 200, strong charting peaks for a classical record on the pop album charts.
The release was a slow seller for a Sting album, his first since 1986's Bring on the Night to fail to break the UK top 10.
In 2006, Sting took a shot at performing the songs of Elizabethan composer John Dowland. It was a bit of a gamble and, if Sting does not win the pot, he at least broke even. Edin Karamazov does a commendable job on the lute though Sting's vocals seem a little off since his voice remains grounded in our time and not Dowland's. Fans of Dowland will probably find this effort jarring. But it does serve as an excellent--and accessible--intro to Dowland and that shouldn't be discounted.
Sting is shrewd enough to include a wide range of Dowland's songs, from the uplifting "Come Again" to the melancholy "In Darkness Let Me Dwell" and, of course, "Flow My Tears." Karamazov also has a few solo tracks which are excellent.
Sting's recitation of a letter from Dowland seems out of place and, at times, grates. Still this is a solid effort and not a bad choice for people coming to Dowland for the first time. At the very least, people who come across Dowland's name in odd places (the novels of Philip K. Dick for example) can pick up the CD and get an introduction to a musical genius from 400 years ago.
For the original CD program, the music was that of the 16th century British composer John Dowland, except for "Have You Seen the Bright Lily Grow", a song by Dowland's contemporary Robert Johnson.
1. Flow My Tears (Lachrimae) - 4:42
2. The Lowest Trees Have Tops - 2:25
3. Fantasy - 2:45
4. Come Again - 2:52
5. Have You Seen The Bright Lily Grow - 2:38
6. In Darkness Let Me Dwell - 4:05
7. Hellhound On My Trail - 3:15
8. Message In A Bottle - 5:59
Notes
Released: 2006
Genre: Classical, Renaissance music
Length: 28:44
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
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