On the day that the second live album of
Sting's illustrious solo career (and third if you count
the Police's 1995
Live! set) was to be recorded in Tuscany, Italy, the widely respected singer/songwriter/bassist was beset with one of the world's worst horrors of all time. The show was to be recorded and broadcast live on the Web on September 11, 2001, the day of the World Trade Center tragedy. Instead of canceling it altogether,
Sting went on with the recording (although the Web broadcast was scrapped except for a single song), resulting in the release of the 15-song
All This Time, just two short months later. Featured are a trio of
Police-era classics inventively rearranged ("Roxanne," "Don't Stand So Close to Me," and "Every Breath You Take") and renditions of many solo selections: an expansive "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free," "Brand New Day," "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," and the poignant folk-like ballad "Fields of Gold."