Track Listing

1. 5:15 am
2. Boom, Like That
3. Sucker Row
4. The Trawlerman's Song
5. Back To Tupelo
6. Our Shangri-La
7. Everybody Pays
8. Song For Sonny Liston
9. Whoop De Doo
10. Postcards From Paraguay
11. All That Matters
12. Stand Up Guy
13. Donegan's Gone
14. Don't Crash The Ambulance

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18631 in Music
• Released on: 2004-09-27
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 66 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Shangri-La sees the sweatband-loving Knopfler team up once again with producer Chuck Ainlay for a sturdy celebration of Americana through country and the blues with a dash of easy listening thrown in. The overall sound is laid back with only the electric blues of "Song for Sonny Listen" providing a bit of a crunch. For the most part Knopfler sounds heavily influenced by troubadour JJ Cale and none more so than on "Boom, Like That", a groove driven country honk with soft, lazy vocals. Renowned for not taking things too seriously, many of the lyrics are comical in their narrative such as "I stuck a couple of air-craft carriers up his ass" on the mariachi backed "Don't Crash the Ambulance", a tongue in cheek song set around the Mexican border.

His style may have softened since the Dire Straits days but this can only be a good thing whe none recalls the bloated synths of their latter years. Shangri-La is Knopfler living his cowboy dream which seems to be what keeps his spirit for good music as fresh as it ever was.--Steve Beefmark

Album Description
Signed copies or the album and packs of Shangri-La playing cards will be randomly assigned to 10 pre-orders for this title. One lucky customer will also receive a signed Mark Knopfler guitar.
The fourth solo excursion from acclaimed singer-songwriter-guitarist Mark Knopfler, Shangri-La is perhaps his most accomplished album since his halcyon days in Dire Straits. A four-time Grammy winner who has sold some 110 million albums worldwide with that group and solo — and whose signature guitar sound, instantly recognisable vocals and smart lyrics have made him one of rock's most admired artists — Knopfler offers an idyllic earthly refuge for the sophisticated rock fan with Shangri-La.
Guitar Information:Mark's Strat guitar features a '57 Strat guitar ash body and a vintage tinted '62 "C"-shape maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard. His unmistakable tone comes from three Texas Special single-coil pickups and a five-way switch. Fender/Gotoh vintage tuners and an American vintage tremolo system round out this sultan of swing.

CD Description
Knopfler's eleventh solo album (including his soundtrack and classical work) follows on from 2002's 'The Ragpicker's Dream' and as on previous works is self-produced. Keeping a similar American travelling theme to 'The Ragpickers..', 'Shangri-La' sees Knopfler exploring U.S history ideas through his laid back guitar rock style with touches of modern country. The album includes the lead single 'Boom Like That' which dissects the effects of the fast food spread across developing America.

Customer Reviews

Entrancing...but maybe not for everyone
I used to be a huge Dire Straits fan, right up until the end, although the synth-fuelled casino-extravaganza of "On The Night" left me wishing for a more stripped down sound. When Mark Knopfler put out his first solo album, I was the first in line at the store, but I didn't like it that much. Sounded a bit "in between things", like he was trying to get Dire Straits out of his system and find a real solo voice. "Sailing to Philadelphia" was a bit irritating, but I started liking "The Ragpickers' Deam" more.
On "Shangri-La", I think Mark has really found the voice that he needed. The storytelling and lyrics are as subtle and quiet as usual, making you actually listen to what is being played. None of the melodies feel forced, and Mark and the band clearly play so well together by now. It's definitely a quiet and mellow album, but I think that's a welcome change from some of Mark's recent more country-rock tracks. Every song is meditative in its own way...perhaps it's just me, but it makes me feel all relaxed and cozy to listen to this stuff. His guitar work is increasingly minimalist, and his voice is smoother than ever. Happy music, but not bouncy. Perfect for a contemplative evening with a cup of coffee.

Awesome Knopfler
Like another reviewer on here, I only bought this album because of stumbling on the classic Knopfler guitar signature on "Boom, Like That" when radio channel surfing. The album in its entirity does not dissapoint. On first listen, the sound and feel of the album did not become immediately clear, but, on second listen I suddenly realised that it is unlikely I will hear a better album in 2005.

First of all, the album is majestically produced. Every chord and note played is perfect, they emphasise the lyrics and dance around the subject with a penache that only Knopfler can produce.

Of more note are the brilliantly satirical and often witty storytelling achieved by Knopfler's lyrics. "Boom, Like That" is a song which I cannot stop going back to over and over again. The subject of Ray Kroc's somewhat unscrupulous success with the early McDonalds restaurants is brilliantly depicted by the track. Other tracks of note include the oft-graphic but very entertaining "Don't Crash the Ambulance" which finishes off the album with aplomb.

This is not a Dire Straits stlye collection of music. Despite being relatively young, my Dad introduced me to the wonderful World of Dire Straits. This is equally brilliant, but totally different.

I cannot reccommend this album highly enough - if at first you don't like it, just put it on again and listen carefully. You cannot fail to be rewarded for just listening.

"a perfect day"
Fans of Mark Knopfler are probably wondering what they've done to deserve this...trained to expect an album every 5 years or so they wait patiently for years and then three albums come (virtually) at once...

and Mark Knopfler's recent productivity hasn't been at the expense of quality... Shangri-La is his best solo work to date and some of the tracks (notably 5:15am) eclipse anything he has produced before either alone or with Dire Straits.

Where "Shangri-La" succeeds is the mellow, tuneful songs that have been crafted together on this release. It's difficult to list stand out tracks - there are too many...

This is not the "rock on" of Dire Straits a la Brothers in Arms, but an album to reward anyone prepared to give it a few plays.