ANDY SUMMERS - XYZ (1987) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

It's nearly impossible to listen to this very fine album and not hear what might have been a glimpse into what The Police's next album following 1983's Synchronicity had the band not imploded. It also blows the lid off of just how important Summers contributions were to the aforementioned albums strange and ethereal textures. To appreciate XYZ one should keep in mind that back in 1983, "Every Breath You Take" was ruthlessly rammed through radio and MTV by the music industry's promotion machine until it became a hit, but at the time of its release, Synchronicity left many people scratching their heads about The Police's oddball new creative direction. All that said, on XYZ "How Many Days", "Nowhere" and "Love Is The Strangest Way" wouldn't sound out of place on a Police album, but in truth they rightly belong to Summer's peculiar, dreamy, and surreal musical language. A sense of spaciousness and breeziness adds counter to Summer's sometimes steely exactitude but a world of beauty opens up on the closing track, "Hold Me". It features his gorgeous jazz ambient guitar playing that made his 1984 album Bewitched so beautiful and masterful. by G. S.
Tracklist:
1     Love Is the Strangest Way 4:20
Andy Summers
2     How Many Days? 5:21
David Hentschel / Andy Summers
3     Almost There 4:30
Andy Summers
4     Eyes of a Stranger 4:47
Andy Summers
5     The Change 2:53
Andy Summers
6     Scary Voices 4:37
Andy Summers
7     Nowhere 4:35
David Hentschel / Andy Summers
8     XYZ 2:46
Charlotte Caffey / David Hentschel / Andy Summers
9     The Only Road 3:40
Andy Summers
10     Hold Me 4:48
David Hentschel / Andy Summers
Credits:
Guitar, Bass, Vocals – Andy Summers
Keyboards, Drum Programming – David Hentschel