Dire Straits

This 1978 debut sailed to No. 2 in the U.S. charts, thanks in part to the major FM hits "Sultans of Swing" and "Water of Love," making Dire Straits the only back to basics English pub rock act to score really big in the States. In part, this was because of Mark Knopfler's "J.J. Cale-meets-Dylan" song craft and stinging guitar lines show so much love for his American heroes and myths.

Dire Straits, an English quartet led by singer songwriter Mark Knopfler, plays tight, spare
mixtures of rock, folk and country music with a serene spirit and witty irony. It's almost as
if they were aware that their forte has nothing to do with what's currently happening in
the industry, but couldn't care less. As a writer, Knopfler pens terse little narratives about
the mundane problems of his brethren: women trouble, money trouble, one's-pl... More >

Despite initial misgivings, I've found this thoughtful and sexy. The decisive touch is how Mark Knopfler counterpoints his own vocals on guitar--only a musician with a real structural knack could sound like two people that way. But there's a streak of philistine ideology here that speaks for too many white r&b players these days--most of them can't be bothered articulating it, that's all. In "In the Gallery," an honest sculptor has his bareback rider, coal miner, and skating ballerina rejected by the "trendy boys," "phonies," and "fakes" who (literally) conspire together and "decide who gets the breaks." Those who find this rather simplistic should now ask themselves whether Knopfler's beloved Sultans of Swing--not to mention Dire Straits--have more in common with that sculptor than he suspects. (Grade - B)