Review Summary: Synthesizers come to the forefront on The Police's fourth album as the band completes their transition from late 70’s post-punk into 80’s new wave in an imperfect but solid effort.
The Police complete their transition from late 70’s post-punk into 80’s new wave in an imperfect but solid effort with 1981’s
Ghost in the Machine. Synthesizers come to the forefront on The Police’s fourth album while the band retains some of the reggae rock grooves that they are known for. However, this comes at the cost of Andy Summers’ guitar, which is much less prominent on
Ghost in the Machine than it is on earlier Police albums. Horns are also used for the first time throughout the album, which adds a heavy ska influence to the sound but also makes it feel like the band is straying too far from their unique roots. The album also represents a shift in Sting’s lyrics towards a much more political message, as there are multiple songs about issues like economic inequality and excessive consumerism. With Sting taking the lead on nearly all of the songwriting and production, tensions were flaring up among the band, and
Ghost in the Machine showed the first signs of the breakup that was to come.
The opening song “Spirits in the Material World” is a perfect example of this musical and lyrical shift. Sting wrote the song with keyboards in mind and wanted to record it without guitar at all, but after considerable argument from Andy Summers, he consented to recording the song with both synth and guitar. With a jumpy ska beat in which Summers’ guitar is nearly inaudible over the synthesizer, Sting sings about his distrust in modern institutions and that we are all just living in a vacuous material world. The Police show a clear desire to move their music towards the popular new wave sound by adding in electronic elements and downplaying the guitar.
Guitar is once again nowhere to be heard from in the next song, “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.” Instead The Police base the melody around the piano and synth played by session musician Jean Roussel in this upbeat love song, much to the chagrin of Andy Summers. Despite Summers’ complaints, “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” was a huge hit for the Police, receiving tons of radio play by being one of the band’s catchiest songs yet. It’s fun and light-hearted, and the listener can’t help but sing along during the extended vocal loop at the end.
Andy Summers isn’t entirely absent from
Ghost in the Machine; his one song on the album, “Omegaman,” features prominent overdriven guitar and no synths or horns. It is perhaps the best song Summers ever contributed to The Police. He also has funky rhythm guitar on “Too Much Information” but the only single off
Ghost in the Machine that prominently features guitar is the third song “Invisible Sun.” Summers is still vying for melody with the synth, as he is playing a very simple yet catchy guitar line alongside an even simpler eighth note staccato part from the synthesizer. Sting sings about the bleak realities of living in war-torn countries and how people must find heat from an invisible sun to continue on.
The Police alternate dark and light songs on
Ghost in the Machine, with almost every other song being about love or politics. The lyrics on
Ghost in the Machine are more interesting than any of the previous Police albums, because they deal with more intense issues and provoke the listener to ask real questions. However, Sting can come off as preachy at times, and the message of political upheaval and a rich man’s guilt can get a bit overbearing as it is pounded into the listener’s head on multiple occasions during the album.
The Police bring a heavy ska influence to
Ghost in the Machine. The use of horns, especially saxophones, adds upper register melodies to the reggae grooves that the band lays down. This is prevalent on the middle five songs of the album, from “Hungry For You” down through “One World (Not Three).” This makes a few of these songs sound like they blend into each other on the second half of the album, because there isn’t much variety in the sound of the horns. There are a few standout tracks like “Omegaman,” and “Secret Journey” but a majority of the later songs are forgettable. The last song “Darkness” is the only track written by drummer Stewart Copeland, and comes off as a lame attempt at a sappy synth driven new wave song.
Seeing as
Ghost in the Machine represents The Police’s first real foray into synthesizers and the new wave era, these forgettable tracks can be forgiven among some of the great songs on the album. But almost all of the great songs are on the first side of the record, leaving the second half with something to be desired. The Police show progression and maturation on their fourth album, but the lyrics are a bit preachy at times and the band is shifting away from the instrumental trio roots that gained them international popularity.
Ghost in the Machine shows the beginning of the end of The Police with less collaboration and more direction from Sting. Overall,
Ghost in the Machine is still a great album, with catchy and well produced songs on the first half and a few diamonds in the rough on the second half, making The Police’s transition to the new sound of the 1980’s complete.
3.5/5
