Product Description

Led by former music journalist/college professor Mark Knopfler, Dire Straits emerged with their melancholy self-titled debut amidst the clatter of punk and gloss of disco. With a laid-back, raspy style of singing and distinctive finger-picking style of guitar playing, Knopfler came across as a fusion of J.J. Cale, Bob Dylan, and Chet Atkins. Coming out of the pub-rock scene, this tight English quartet cracked both sides of the Atlantic with the insanely catchy "Sultans Of Swing". The group further enhanced their reputation with the ominously atmospheric opener "Down to the Waterline". Knopfler's finger-picking style gave his guitar a smooth, distinct tone that was a jazz-country hybrid ("Setting Me Up"), whileutilising fancy country plucking "Southbound Again".
Dire Straits' minimalistic interpretation of pub-rock had already crystallised by the time they released this album. Driven by Knopfler's spare, tasteful guitar lines and husky warbling, the album is a set of bluesy rockers. And while the bar-band mentality of pub-rock is at the core of Dire Straits--even the aforementioned breakthrough single offers a lament for a neglected pub-rock band--their music is already beyondthe simple boogies and shuffles of their forefathers. Knopfler also shows an inclination toward Dylanesque imagery thatenhances the smoky, low-key atmosphere of the album.

Track Listing

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

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1964 in Music
• Released on: 1996-06-03
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Running time: 42 minutes

Customer Reviews

this is good from a non loving Dire straits fan!
Later albums I found boring I was never a great fan, but this album is different, apart from "Sultans of Swing' which has been done to death i like very track especially "Six Blade Knife' I would recommend this album as a classic for your collection.

The original
I first came across Dire Straits via a track on a Hope and Anchor live compilation album. The track was 'Eastbound Train' which sounded quaint, but striking among the new wave and manic r&b across the rest of the album. It ended up as the b-side to 'Sultans Of Swing' when they finally got around to making their own records. It was a bit of a sleeper, not waking until the band made waves in the US, but then they did sound rather out of time in the late 1970s. Though the band went on to stratospheric success and Mark Knopfler's writing continued to develop, this album has the feel of the bar band, complete with rough edges, a tight feel and a few bum notes. Knopfler writes about underdogs, strugglers and injustice, his drawl avoiding monotony because the musical colour is varied. 'Water Of Love' and 'Six Blade Knife' are quiet, but incredibly atmospheric numbers that break up the quicker workouts. This debut may appear to lie in the shadow of later albums, but this was the one that made them. You can't lose.

Before MTV and The Synths - A MUST !!!!!
Hadn't listened to Dire Straits in years. But it was a sudden rush of nostalgia that pushed me to purchase this. I used to have this album on tape, and though at first it didn't appeal to me as instantly as 'Brothers in Arms' did, it is now by far my favourite Dire Straits album.

It's not just because this is their only album without the 80's synthesizer sound, it is also because I think it has their best compositions and lyrics. If originally I fell in love with 'Sultans of Swing' for it's immediatly appealing melody, this time around I re-fell in love with it for its' touching lyrics.

I think Dire Straits were the 'Sultans of Swing' and that Knofler was Harry from 'In the Gallery'. Musically and lyricly they fought the phoniness of fashion in Arts and Entertainment, and they did it with such dignity and honesty that they deserved their success and eventual place "in the gallery".

Blues, Funk, Reggae, Rock and Pop mixed together and delivered in a simple, direct way, which is true to the spirit of all these genres roots. But at the same time, Dire Straits also succeeded here in taking them all a lot further.