Track Listing

1. Calling Elvis
2. On Every Street
3. When It Comes To You
4. Fade To Black
5. The Bug
6. You And Your Friend
7. Heavy Fuel - Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler, Bob Clearmountain, Avril Mackintosh
8. Iron Hand
9. Ticket To Heaven
10. My Parties
11. Planet Of New Orleans
12. How Long

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9994 in Music
• Released on: 1996-06-03
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 60 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
A strain of deep ennui pervades this, the sixth (and, to date, final) studio album from one of the most wildly successful bands of the 1980s. This time, though, it's the sound of an older, rather less inspired songwriter: from the amiable R&B of "Calling Elvis", to the modest countrified picking of "How Long", Mark Knopfler seems to have left his rock inclinations far behind--allowing himself only a token indulgence, on the lumbering, "Heavy Fuel". It's not a complete waste of time: his guitar work, while untethered to anything especially interesting, remains evocative; and the best track here--the sexually-belligerent, richly atmospheric "You And Your Friend"--recalls the dark view of human relations (and the splendid dobro lead work) he featured on "Private Investigations". But for the most part, this is the sound of a man losing interest in his own life. --Andrew McGuire

CD Description
In the six-year hiatus between BROTHERS IN ARMS and ON EVERY STREET, Mark Knopfler immersed himself in soundtrack work and occasional collaborations with other artists. Knopfler was always hugely influenced by country music, and his passion for this genre was predictably inflamed by winning a pair of 1990 Grammys for his work with Chet Atkins on NECK & NECK. This led to the Scottish guitarist reuniting Dire Straits for what would be the group's final studio album.
With his trademark twangy guitar in tow, Knopfler indulges his loveof the American South with odes to Memphis (the chugging "Calling Elvis") and Louisiana (a moody "Planet Of New Orleans"). Throughout STREET, Dire Straits does an impressive job trying on various styles, including infectious rockabilly ("The Bug"), lush countrypolitan ("Ticket To Heaven"), and Appalachian-flavoured folk ("Iron Hand"). Elsewhere, Knopfler does his best Dylan vocal on the film-noir blues of "Fade To Black" and has fun playing a boor obsessed with material possessions (the lite-jazz-flavoured "My Parties").

Customer Reviews

Love Dire Straits in their twilight
On Every Street" itself is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard, bittersweet and filled with unrequited longing, and illustrates Mark Knopfler's desire to convey "the essential loneliness of a lot of life experience".

"You and Your Friend" is truly erotic! You can feel a slow and sensual buildup that becomes almost unbearable with the bass turned high. Crank this one up with a special lady friend on a chill winter evening with the fireplace roaring, all you gentlemen out there, and let the fun begin!

While the more recognizable hits on this album are "Heavy Fuel" and "Calling Elvis", which are quite good, these other songs would be my faves, along with the ironic "My Parties", the hilariously satirical "Ticket to Heaven", and the mini-jazz riff "Fade to Black".

To listen to this album is to love Dire Straits in their twilight, the end of a beautiful era...

A thoughtful album of remembrance.
Dire Straits' last album is neither of Brothers in Arms nor Love Over Gold proportions. It is nevertheless, a good, reflective album by a band that were becoming a bit wearied of rock 'n' roll but were still determined to make the most out of their consummate musicianship for one final album. There isn't a bad song on this album: Calling Elvis is clever lyrically and My Parties is Mark Knopfler's jazzy, smooth assault on high society. The best tracks are the titletrack, Fade to Black, Planet of New Orleans, You and Your Friend and Iron Hand; the latter two wouldn't have seemed out of place on Brothers in Arms, and Iron Hand is my personal favourite on the album, reminiscent of The Man's Too Strong.

Solid album
The same tried & trusted recipe; Knopfler's Dylan-inflected vocals, very mature songs about mature matters, their trademark guitar style. Memorable compositions include Calling Elvis, The Bug (a philosophical reflection-"sometimes you win, sometimes you lose"), Ticket To Heaven-a country-flavoured observation on cheapo religion, and How Long, also country, but very hummable. Lyrically, the title track and My Parties are the best but somewhat lacking in the melody department. All in all a solid album and should be in every Dire Straits fan's collection.