Dire Straits album

Album   Released Publisher Rating
Private Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler (Deluxe Edition) 2005 Universal International
Private Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler (Japan) 2005 Universal Distribution
Private Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler (Canada Single Disc) 2005 Universal Distribution
Brothers in Arms (DualDisc) 1985 Warner Bros.
Back to the topPrivate Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler (Deluxe Edition)
Review by Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
Released:
November 15, 2005
Label:
Universal International
Rating:
Styles:
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
This 22-cut double-disc set finally gets at it. Issuing a single disc of Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler would be a silly thing at best and a hopelessly frustrating one at worst. When the band burst on the scene with "Sultans of Swing," there was a lot happening in rock music, but most of it was under the radar and remains forgotten except in the historic annals of music fanatics. Knopfler and his band were full of rock & roll romance and proved it through their first four recordings time and again. They couldn't help but become superstars and mainstays of MTV. But there is another story told on this best-of, which begins with "Telegraph Road." The story-songs Knopfler wrote were always the best anyway, and this set is full of them, from "Sultans" to "Romeo & Juliet," "Skateaway," "So Far Away," "Walk of Life," and (of course) "Brothers in Arms," which made for the most dramatic marriage of the little screen and rock music when it was featured in the closing sequence of an episode of Miami Vice. But there are many other stops along the way, like "Private Investigations," "Sailing to Philadelphia," "Going Home" (from Local Hero), and "The Long Road" (from Cal). But "On Every Street," "Calling Elvis," and "What It Is" are here, too, making for a wonderfully rounded if argumentative best-of collection that goes the distance and explains sonically what all the fuss was about in the first place. There's the guitar sound that's as much Tony Joe White as it is J.J. Cale and Billy Gibbons, and the elegance of James Burton and Chet Atkins. There is soul, pathos, drama, and a bittersweet memory that Van Morrison first evoked on Astral Weeks and Saint Dominic's Preview. There is a new cut here as well, a duet with Emmylou Harris called "All the Roadrunning," taken from an upcoming collaborative album, and it's nice -- beautiful, in fact -- and keeps the line of continuity and excellence in perspective. This is not only a fine collection for fans because of its wonderful sequencing, but the best introduction to the man and the band that one could ask for.
Track # Track Time Composer
1 Telegraph Road 14:20 Knopfler
2 Sultans of Swing 5:48 Knopfler
3 Love Over Gold 6:18 Knopfler
4 Romeo & Juliet 6:00 Knopfler
5 Tunnel of Love 8:11 Rodgers, Hammerstein, Knopfler
6 Private Investigations 5:59 Knopfler
7 So Far Away 5:07 Knopfler
8 Money for Nothing 8:24 Sting, Knopfler
9 Brothers in Arms 6:59 Knopfler
10 Walk of Life 4:10 Knopfler
11 Your Latest Trick 6:29 Knopfler
12 Calling Elvis 6:24 Knopfler
13 On Every Street 5:03 Knopfler
14 Going Home (Theme from The Local Hero)(Instrumental) 5:02 Knopfler
15 Darling Pretty 4:43 Knopfler
16 The Long Road (Theme from Cal)(Instrumental) 7:19 Knopfler
17 Why Aye Man 4:09 Knopfler
18 Sailing to Philadelphia 5:53 Knopfler
19 What It Is 4:55 Knopfler
20 The Trawlerman's Song 5:02 Knopfler
21 Boom, Like That 5:49 Knopfler
22 All the Roadrunning 4:49 Knopfler
Back to the topPrivate Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler (Japan)
Review by Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
Released:
November 15, 2005
Label:
Universal Distribution
Rating:
Styles:
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
This 22-cut double-disc set finally gets at it. Issuing a single disc of Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler would be a silly thing at best and a hopelessly frustrating one at worst. When the band burst on the scene with "Sultans of Swing," there was a lot happening in rock music, but most of it was under the radar and remains forgotten except in the historic annals of music fanatics. Knopfler and his band were full of rock & roll romance and proved it through their first four recordings time and again. They couldn't help but become superstars and mainstays of MTV. But there is another story told on this best-of, which begins with "Telegraph Road." The story-songs Knopfler wrote were always the best anyway, and this set is full of them, from "Sultans" to "Romeo & Juliet," "Skateaway," "So Far Away," "Walk of Life," and (of course) "Brothers in Arms," which made for the most dramatic marriage of the little screen and rock music when it was featured in the closing sequence of an episode of Miami Vice. But there are many other stops along the way, like "Private Investigations," "Sailing to Philadelphia," "Going Home" (from Local Hero), and "The Long Road" (from Cal). But "On Every Street," "Calling Elvis," and "What It Is" are here, too, making for a wonderfully rounded if argumentative best-of collection that goes the distance and explains sonically what all the fuss was about in the first place. There's the guitar sound that's as much Tony Joe White as it is J.J. Cale and Billy Gibbons, and the elegance of James Burton and Chet Atkins. There is soul, pathos, drama, and a bittersweet memory that Van Morrison first evoked on Astral Weeks and Saint Dominic's Preview. There is a new cut here as well, a duet with Emmylou Harris called "All the Roadrunning," taken from an upcoming collaborative album, and it's nice -- beautiful, in fact -- and keeps the line of continuity and excellence in perspective. This is not only a fine collection for fans because of its wonderful sequencing, but the best introduction to the man and the band that one could ask for. [Universal issued a Japanese edition in 2008.]
Track # Track Time Composer
1 Sultans of Swing 5:48 Knopfler
2 Love Over Gold 6:18 Knopfler
3 Romeo & Juliet 6:00 Knopfler
4 Tunnel of Love 8:10 Rodgers, Hammerstein, Knopfler
5 Private Investigations 5:59 Knopfler
6 Money for Nothing 4:07 Sting, Knopfler
7 Brothers in Arms 6:59 Knopfler
8 Walk of Life 4:08 Knopfler
9 On Every Street 5:04 Knopfler
10 Going Home (Theme from the Local Hero) (Instrumental) 5:02 Knopfler
11 Why Aye Man 4:09 Knopfler
12 Boom, Like That 5:49 Knopfler
13 What It Is 4:56 Knopfler
14 All the Roadrunning 4:49 Knopfler
Back to the topPrivate Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler (Canada Single Disc)
Review by Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
Released:
November 15, 2005
Label:
Universal Distribution
Rating:
Styles:
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
This 22-cut double-disc set finally gets at it. Issuing a single disc of Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler would be a silly thing at best and a hopelessly frustrating one at worst. When the band burst on the scene with "Sultans of Swing," there was a lot happening in rock music, but most of it was under the radar and remains forgotten except in the historic annals of music fanatics. Knopfler and his band were full of rock & roll romance and proved it through their first four recordings time and again. They couldn't help but become superstars and mainstays of MTV. But there is another story told on this best-of, which begins with "Telegraph Road." The story-songs Knopfler wrote were always the best anyway, and this set is full of them, from "Sultans" to "Romeo & Juliet," "Skateaway," "So Far Away," "Walk of Life," and (of course) "Brothers in Arms," which made for the most dramatic marriage of the little screen and rock music when it was featured in the closing sequence of an episode of Miami Vice. But there are many other stops along the way, like "Private Investigations," "Sailing to Philadelphia," "Going Home" (from Local Hero), and "The Long Road" (from Cal). But "On Every Street," "Calling Elvis," and "What It Is" are here, too, making for a wonderfully rounded if argumentative best-of collection that goes the distance and explains sonically what all the fuss was about in the first place. There's the guitar sound that's as much Tony Joe White as it is J.J. Cale and Billy Gibbons, and the elegance of James Burton and Chet Atkins. There is soul, pathos, drama, and a bittersweet memory that Van Morrison first evoked on Astral Weeks and Saint Dominic's Preview. There is a new cut here as well, a duet with Emmylou Harris called "All the Roadrunning," taken from an upcoming collaborative album, and it's nice -- beautiful, in fact -- and keeps the line of continuity and excellence in perspective. This is not only a fine collection for fans because of its wonderful sequencing, but the best introduction to the man and the band that one could ask for. [The 2005 Canadian, single-disc version condenses the track list down to 14 essential tracks.]
Track # Track Time Composer
1 Sultans of Swing 5:48 Knopfler
2 Love Over Gold 6:18 Knopfler
3 Romeo & Juliet 6:00 Knopfler
4 Tunnel of Love 8:10 Rodgers, Hammerstein, Knopfler
5 Private Investigations 5:59 Knopfler
6 Money for Nothing 4:07 Sting, Knopfler
7 Brothers in Arms 6:59 Knopfler
8 Walk of Life 4:08 Knopfler
9 On Every Street 5:04 Knopfler
10 Going Home (Instrumental) 5:02 Knopfler
11 Why Aye Man 4:09 Knopfler
12 Boom, Like That 5:49 Knopfler
13 What It Is 4:56 Knopfler
14 All the Roadrunning 4:49 Knopfler
Price: $24.98     1 Review
Standard one-disc edition. Universal. 2005.
Back to the topBrothers in Arms (DualDisc)
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
January 1985
Label:
Warner Bros.
Rating:
Styles:
Rock & Roll
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
Brothers in Arms brought the atmospheric, jazz-rock inclinations of Love Over Gold into a pop setting, resulting in a surprise international best-seller. Of course, the success of Brothers in Arms was helped considerably by the clever computer-animated video for "Money for Nothing," a sardonic attack on MTV. But what kept the record selling was Mark Knopfler's increased sense of pop songcraft -- "Money for Nothing" had an indelible guitar riff, "Walk of Life" is a catchy up-tempo boogie variation on "Sultans of Swing," and the melodies of the bluesy "So Far Away" and the down-tempo, Everly Brothers-style "Why Worry" were wistful and lovely. Dire Straits had never been so concise or pop-oriented, and it wore well on them. Though they couldn't maintain that consistency through the rest of the album -- only the jazzy "Your Latest Trick" and the flinty "Ride Across the River" make an impact -- Brothers in Arms remains one of their most focused and accomplished albums, and in its succinct pop sense, it's distinctive within their catalog. [In 2005 Mercury released a 20th anniversary limited edition version of Brothers in Arms in the Hybrid/SACD format.]
Track # Track Time Composer
1 So Far Away 5:12 Knopfler
2 Money for Nothing 8:26 Sting [1], Knopfler
3 Walk of Life 4:12 Knopfler
4 Your Latest Trick 6:33 Knopfler
5 Why Worry 8:31 Knopfler
6 Ride Across the River 6:57 Knopfler
7 The Man's Too Strong 4:40 Knopfler
8 One World 3:40 Knopfler
9 Brothers in Arms 6:59 Knopfler
10 So Far Away (5.1 DVD Audio) N/A Knopfler
11 Money for Nothing (5.1 DVD Audio) N/A Sting [1], Knopfler
12 Walk of Life (5.1 DVD Audio) N/A Knopfler
13 Your Latest Trick (5.1 DVD Audio) N/A Knopfler
14 Why Worry (5.1 DVD Audio) N/A Knopfler
15 Ride Across the River (5.1 DVD Audio) N/A Knopfler
16 The Man's Too Strong (5.1 DVD Audio) N/A Knopfler
17 One World (5.1 DVD Audio) N/A Knopfler
18 Brother's in Arms (5.1 DVD Audio) N/A Knopfler
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