Fiction Plane

Following in daddy’s footsteps is never an easy thing to do, especially in the rock’n’roll universe, so it’s probably going to be a long way to the top if Sting’s baby boy Joe Sumner wants to succeed. Sumner’s chosen to go the band route to make things happen and while his sidemen aren’t virtuosos, they give sprightly, energetic performances. Sumner seems to have inherited his daddy’s knack for writing unconventional-yet-catchy pop songs and he even sounds a bit like the Stinger, particularly when he reaches for the high notes. The lyrics are intellectual but accessible, as titles like "Soldier Machismo,” "Everybody Lies” and "I Wish I Would Die” give a good indication of Sumner’s bleak worldview. Despite all this though, Fiction Plane aren’t that different from many of the alternative pop rock bands fighting for a spot in the mainstream. It’ll be interesting to see if Sumner’s name will help or hinder the band in the fight.