An elegant and mature work that also turned out to be the group's last recording,
Synchronicity is the Police's finest moment. Ambitious and sophisticated, the album blended unusual ingredients for an arena rock band: odd time signatures, spare arrangements, reggae grooves, and strange vocal inflections by lead singer Sting. The subtlety and passion of his performance on "Every Breath You Take" remains unforgettable, while "Tea in the Sahara" is equally haunting and "Wrapped Around Your Finger" and "King of Pain" carried the venerable theme of tortured romance to further heights on the airwaves. The trio, which had been as powerful live as in the studio, never made another album together, but
Synchronicity was a brilliant closing statement. It also helped launch
Sting as a successful solo artist whose best work -- heard in such songs as "Fields of Gold" -- reflects the sleek, simple approach of this album.
