glauber
May-10-2006, 11:12am
I just got this one. My brother has been complaining that Mark Knopfler has been turning Country in his post-Dire-straits material. This CD is basically a collection of gentle ballads in Country style.
Mark and Emmylou's voices mix so well you think they must be singing together for years. I read somewhere that the album was recorded in multiple sessions over a span of years, whenever they could find the time.
I think this is the weakest Mark Knopfler album in the post Straits period. Don't misunderstand me, it's a very nice album, but it just doesn't reach the same level as, say, Golden Heart, or Shangri La. As all Knopfler albums, it will probably stay in my player for a few weeks at least, but so far no song here makes me reach for the CD player's repeat button. I'm not sure why, but probably because they don't seem to take any risks; it's all easy and nice material that these 2 can surely do in their sleep with arms tied. Mark's guitar peeks out from time to time and grabs you, but only for a few precious seconds at a time. It even twangs a little in some tracks.
The usual backing musicians are in there, some of the old Dire Straits crew. Glen Duncan adds a little bit of tasteful mandolin to the first couple of tracks.
Mark and Emmylou's voices mix so well you think they must be singing together for years. I read somewhere that the album was recorded in multiple sessions over a span of years, whenever they could find the time.
I think this is the weakest Mark Knopfler album in the post Straits period. Don't misunderstand me, it's a very nice album, but it just doesn't reach the same level as, say, Golden Heart, or Shangri La. As all Knopfler albums, it will probably stay in my player for a few weeks at least, but so far no song here makes me reach for the CD player's repeat button. I'm not sure why, but probably because they don't seem to take any risks; it's all easy and nice material that these 2 can surely do in their sleep with arms tied. Mark's guitar peeks out from time to time and grabs you, but only for a few precious seconds at a time. It even twangs a little in some tracks.
The usual backing musicians are in there, some of the old Dire Straits crew. Glen Duncan adds a little bit of tasteful mandolin to the first couple of tracks.