Fretplay.com Dire Straits CD reviews Dire Straits guitar tabs Dire Straits CD reviews Dire Straits tabs Dire Straits


Dire Straits - Dire Straits Audio CD

A fair review of the Dire Straits "Dire Straits" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Dire Straits reviews here, or go back to the Dire Straits tabs.

Dire Straits Band: Dire Straits
Title: Dire Straits
Rating:
Release Date: 2000-09-19
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Down to the Waterline 2: Water of Love 3: Setting Me Up 4: Six Blade Knife 5: Southbound Again 6: Sultans of Swing 7: In the Gallery 8: Wild West End 9: Lions

Dire Sound Quality
I never owned this on CD until now but must say that there is something very wrong in the sound of this remastered version. I usually look forward to and love buying re-mastered CDs as the technology of today is so much better than when CDs were first released in the 80s. The mid-range is skewed, burying the vocals, almost like you are listening to it through glass. Very surprising for a such a great Dire Straits recording. .


Nothing dire about this album.
This album, their first, displays that kinda sound more than any of their other albums. The british rock group Dire Straits started out as a laid back blues band with a modern sheen. This is long before the synth pop of "Brothers In Arms": Mark Knopfler's guitar is actually the dominate instrument here. He plays with a clean tone throughout and pulls off blues licks and solos effortlessly, all within a format that is half-way between pop and gritty blues. The production is fresh and has a cool, almost sensual feeling to it.

The album's center-piece, "Sultans Of Swing", is the best example of what this album is about. A lament for a long forgotten bar-band that is being overwhelmed by the punk and disco movements, "Sultans" has become a staple on rock radio at a time when punk was taking over everything. Infact, Dire Straits may very well be one of the last bands with a classic rock sound to spend considerable time in the mainstream and "Sultans Of Swing" shows just how badly the band was struggling with that realization. It just comes to show you that traditionalists can triumph along with innovators.

Though the rest of the songs are not as big as "Sultans" they still hold up the album quite well. Knopfler's poetic lyrics suite the sound textures perfectly and the backing band (while not exactly flashy) holds everything together nicely. But ultimately, Knopfler's guitar work takes center stage here. After listening for even a short while, it becomes evident that he can play better than most other guitarists can with distortion and effects.

The more than capable instrumental abilities of the band was definitely a contributing factor to their success. But perhaps it was just that classic rock still had many loyal fans even as many rock fans turned to punk and new wave. This is a must have, especially if you like blues-based AOR rock or just rock in general.


Excellent album classic Dire Straits
Great to listen to & dance to. If you're a die-hard Dire Straits fan you'll love this album. A real pleasure.


Dire Straits
I loved it then and I love it now. I was first exposed the this Dire Straits album in college (when is was actually out in vinyl). The lyrics, along with the entire production of each song is just genius. .


I keep coming back to this one
Mark Knopfler plays beautiful guitar and although his voice is not very lyrical, the songs suit him. It's been a long while since anyone reviewed this CD and I have to say that it's still holding strong in my mass listening library. He has since moved on to other projects since this gem came out in 1978. Some are well worth listening to including his latest, "Kill to get Crimson" and something completely different in "Neck to Neck" with Chet Atkins.

Not all of his projects have been successful in my opinion. In fact, much of it seems experimental. But this Cd has great guitar playing and good lyrics. The band was fresh and tight. Of course, it was studio produced but the sound is not over mixed like in so many recordings these days. If you appreciate good R&B and guitar playing, check out this band in its first release. And "Sultans of Swing" (the song which got the most air time) is my least favorite on the list.


You can see a complete list of all Dire Straits discography, or go back to the Dire Straits tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

Search guitar tabs

#ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
[ Search tabs | Guitar tabs | Bass tabs |
Easy guitar tabs | Guitar solo tabs |
Acoustic guitar tabs | Guitar chords |
How to read guitar tabs ]
Forum topics
Music forums
- Bands and artists - Songwriting and lyrics - Tablature talk - Promote your band
Instrument forums
- Guitar basics - Gear & accessories - Bass guitar
Community
- The pit - Site Feedback - Reviews
[ User survey | About us | Privacy statement ]