The Last Ship | ||||
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Studio album by Sting | ||||
Released | 20 September 2013 | |||
Genre | Rock, jazz, folk, blues, Celtic, sea shanty | |||
Length | 45:24 | |||
Label | A&M, Cherrytree | |||
Producer | Sting, Rob Mathes | |||
Sting chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Last Ship | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 66/100 |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | |
Consequence of Sound | |
The Daily Express | 2/5 |
The Daily Telegraph | |
The Guardian | |
New York Daily News | |
PopMatters | |
Rolling Stone |
The Last Ship is the eleventh studio album by English musician Sting, released on 20 September 2013 in Germany and on 24 September 2013 in the UK and US. The album features guest artists with roots in the northeast of England, including Brian Johnson from AC/DC, Jimmy Nail, The Unthanks, The Wilson Family, and Kathryn Tickell. The title is an allusion to the closing of the shipyards in the historic shipbuilding town of Wallsend, where Sting grew up.
The Last Ship is the first full-length LP of original material released by Sting since his 2003 album Sacred Love.
The album is inspired by Sting's play of the same name, which premiered in June 2014. The play explores the themes of homecoming and self-discovery, drawing upon Sting's memories of growing up in the shipbuilding town of Wallsend, along with his reflections on the complexity of relationships, the passage of time and the importance of family and community. The play contains a few songs that are not in the album, including "What Say You Meg?", written to replace "Practical Arrangement" in the theatrical production.
The Last Ship debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard 200, and No. 6 on the Top Rock Albums, selling 20,000 copies in the first week. The album has sold 90,000 copies in the United States as of September 2016.
The album is available as both a digital and physical release in two configurations: a standard 12-song version (also available on vinyl) and a 2-disc deluxe version with 5 additional tracks. Moreover, a 2-disc super deluxe edition with 20 tracks and special packaging will be available exclusively on Amazon.com, and AmazonMP3 will be the exclusive retailer for the 20-track, super deluxe digital edition.