I've been listening to this album a lot in the last week, and to my surprise, it's really grown on me.

Some things about Sting's singing and interpretation do grate/irritate, and he's clearly far more at ease singing his own compositions (one of which I found stunning, in good part due to Kathryn Tickell's fiddle-playing on it).

But mostly I'm really enjoying the songs, and the variety and thought he's put into it. And that "Newcastle" trad song is indeed lovely, started to learn it myself.