10 Perfect Post Punk Albums With No Bad Songs

A white guy singing in a West Indian accent, probably wouldn't be all that well received today, but what can I say, people did strange things in the '80s... It was Sting's homage to the ska and calypso music he enjoyed as a child, and it seemed to jive with the whole post punk/new wave mentality, of doing things that were unexpected.

Less motivated by the urge to look and sound rebellious or countercultural, The Police instead strove to write accessible pop hits. Incorporating the most recognised and celebrated elements of several genres they were able to craft a sound that appealed to a wide ranging audience. Their debut record is a prime example.

The opening track, Next To You, is heavily influenced by the punk approach to guitar, with choppy, fast paced chords keeping the rhythm. But, pretty soon you realise there's a lot more going on. There are hints of the West Indies influence, there's a slide guitar, that's more akin to American Southern rock, and the lyrics are about lost love, rather than kicking against the establishment.

Fairly soon into the album the reggae and ska influences become more apparent. With tracks like Roxanne, Be My Girl and So Lonely, Sting's propensity for singing about love was there from the get go, but that's what he did best.