By 1979's
Reggatta de Blanc (translation: White Reggae), nonstop touring had sharpened
the Police's original blend of reggae-rock to perfection, resulting in breakthrough success. Containing a pair of massive hit singles -- the inspirational anthem "Message in a Bottle" and the spacious "Walking on the Moon" -- the album also signaled a change in the band's sound. Whereas their debut got its point across with raw, energetic performances,
Reggatta de Blanc was much more polished production-wise and fully developed from a songwriting standpoint. While vigorous rockers did crop up from time to time ("It's Alright for You," "Deathwish," "No Time This Time," and the Grammy-winning instrumental title track), the material was overall much more sedate than the debut -- "Bring on the Night," "The Bed's Too Big Without You," and "Does Everyone Stare." Also included was one of
Stewart Copeland's two lead vocal appearances on a
Police album, the witty "On Any Other Day," as well as one of the band's most eerie tracks, "Contact." With
Reggatta de Blanc, many picked
Sting and company to be the superstar band of the '80s, and
the Police would prove them correct on the band's next release. ~ Greg Prato