“The author is eloquent in detailing London's musical landscape, noting both the pervasive influences of reggae's exotic appeal and the DIY immediacy of punk rock. While cynics may argue Sting disregarded his jazz background and embraced punk and new wave for purely commercial and financial gains, Carr highlights the cultural and musical implications of rock and rebellion in London during the late '70s / early '80s. The simplicity of punk stood as a reaction to the elaborate (and, occasionally, pretentious) ambitions of stadium rock. Rejecting the overproduced and over-polished grandiosity of bands such as YES and Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, punk embraced a raw, accessible aesthetic more in line with its own working class' sensibilities.

Sting welcomed punk's energy by forming The Police, yet he never neglected his wider musical ambitions. Solidifying the trio with Stuart Copeland on drums and Andy Summers on guitar, the fusion of reggae verses and punk choruses heightened tunes like "Roxanne" and "So Lonely", giving the Police a distinctive edge against their contemporaries. Taking direct cues from quotes and interview clips, Carr considerers the scenario of Sting and his compatriots essentially acting as outsiders within their own scene of punk rock outsiders. The band may have brandished the requisite leather and beer cans in promo photos to own the aesthetic, but their sonic scope reached past the pub towards other countries and cultures.” 

Andy Jurik – Popmatters  (JC BookGrocer)