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View Full Version : Album Club: 13.09.2011: Dire Straits - Dire Straits (1978)



MartinT
13-09-2011, 20:02
http://www.amarkintime.org/disco/albums-covers/dire_straits.jpg

I gave this some thought and decided on a band that everyone used to love to hate, or so it seemed. I never quite understood that, but then I came to them through this, their first album - not the later mega-selling Love Over Gold or Brothers in Arms. To me, Dire Straits is an outstanding first album, a fully fledged work that already showcases the skills of Mark Knopfler and the overall tightness of a highly skilled band.

Please listen anew and cast aside any preconceptions you may have about their later music.


Spotify
http://open.spotify.com/album/3QEcBcqPmefFWd5ZrLNuDX

Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dire_Straits

Amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dire-Straits/dp/B00000INM1/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1315603033&sr=8-3

No YouTube clips are offered as their later renditions of these classic songs are not what I would like you to listen to.

Further Listening
Communiqué is in the same mould as the first album and, together, they define early Dire Straits, as distinct from their later period and huge success.

Tim
13-09-2011, 20:15
Ooo, nice pick Martin - I could vote now, but I will listen anew to see if my opinion has changed since my last spin a few weeks ago ;)

Welder
13-09-2011, 21:04
Couldn’t put that garbage on my hard drive.
Sorry chaps but there is a limit.
Anyway, I can’t vote because I certainly won’t listen to it again let alone buy a copy. Fortunately I know there's no point in asking any of my friends if they could lend me a copy because thankfully my friends have better taste.

I mean seriously, bad taste is forgivable. Owning a Dire Straights album isn’t.
Taste is something you have by breeding, or you don’t.
Men who wear trainers with suits, say pardon instead of what, use odd bits of the French language in an otherwise English conversation or text, and own Dire Straights albums must obviously exist but do we really have to put up with them in civilised company?
I mean for Gods sake, we’ll be standing outside public houses after closing time, drunk and singing Danny Boy next.

MartinT
13-09-2011, 21:48
You have every right to dislike the music and give it one star, John.

However...


I mean seriously, bad taste is forgivable. Owning a Dire Straights album isn’t.

...are you serious? :steam:

Audioman
13-09-2011, 22:20
Couldn’t put that garbage on my hard drive.
Sorry chaps but there is a limit.
Anyway, I can’t vote because I certainly won’t listen to it again let alone buy a copy. Fortunately I know there's no point in asking any of my friends if they could lend me a copy because thankfully my friends have better taste.

I mean seriously, bad taste is forgivable. Owning a Dire Straights album isn’t.
Taste is something you have by breeding, or you don’t.
Men who wear trainers with suits, say pardon instead of what, use odd bits of the French language in an otherwise English conversation or text, and own Dire Straights albums must obviously exist but do we really have to put up with them in civilised company?
I mean for Gods sake, we’ll be standing outside public houses after closing time, drunk and singing Danny Boy next.

You are entitled to dislike Dire Straits but honestly it only reflects your inability to appreciate serious musical talent and great production. You are obviously someone who is more concerned with what is currently trendy. I fail to understand the number of DS and MK knockers on forums who have probably never sat down and seriously listened to anything by MK other than perhaps 'Brothers In Arms' . The album in question here is far superior and was a revelation in 1978 being a success in the face of the Punk/New Wave trend. Dire Straits got me through the 80's when most popular music was a steady diet of synth pop.

Dire Straits self titled - Every track is excellent my favourite being Switch Blade Knife. Great arrangements and guitar playing which is superbly recorded. The best sounding DS/MK album. Must be heard on vinyl via original UK Vertigo Spaceship label or the recent Warner US pressing. Love this album.
A classic. 5/5

:ner:

Batty
13-09-2011, 22:37
I have a German pressing of this album, the labels are pressed onto the wrong sides. This however does not detract from the pleasure of listening at all.

Alex_UK
13-09-2011, 22:43
I'm really surprised you would feel (and express) that, John - given that you like and play a lot of stuff (as I do) that most people on here would class as "garbage." :( Surely music is highly subjective, and whilst you may not like Dire Straits, (clearly! ;)) why aren't others entitled to, without being ridiculed?

MartinT
13-09-2011, 22:52
Must be heard on vinyl via original UK Vertigo Spaceship label or the recent Warner US pressing.

Mine's the WEA Germany 180g pressing (A stamper both sides). I also have the original Vertigo 'spaceship' (06/03 stampers) but the WEA sounds very good indeed.

Welder
14-09-2011, 00:09
Hmm,
Firstly, did anyone forget to very slightly open their mouths and slide their tongue against their cheek when reading my post?

Even if the, owning a Dire Straights album isn’t forgivable comment didn’t ring any alarm bells, the singing Danny Boy, drunk outside your local public house should have at least twitched the corner of even the most censorial mouth. If you’ve done some of the rougher London Kilburn pubs for example then you’ll know exactly where I’m coming from.

Next as Alex at least seems aware of there’s my own absolutely appalling lack of musical taste more than adequately demonstrated on these forums. I don’t think there is a genre of music that I haven’t been prepared to listen to, and much to the horror of many, enjoyed.

Then consider Martins obvious awareness that Dire Straights is a (I wont say band) name that gives rise to some considerable strength of opinion. Can’t quite work out the point of playing the indignant and offended card having acknowledged throwing the skunk in the room in the first place.

I personally couldn’t give a toss what others think of the music I choose to play. It would seem from the above that perhaps some of you might benefit from a similar outlook.

Oh yes, finally, it is absolutely true, I wouldn’t pollute my hard drive with this or any other album from Dire Straights but as I wrote, I don’t wear trainers with suits either.

keiths
14-09-2011, 00:29
Nice choice Martin.

Don't mind saying that I like Dire Straits (and have long since stopped caring about what anybody thinks of my taste in music :ner:) and am of the opinion that Mark Knopfler is not only a great guitarist, but also welcome the fact that he always insisted on the highest standards of recording, production and mastering for their releases.

I have a nice "spaceship" Vertigo vinyl copy and the original CD and the SBM remastered CD (that doesn't cut 'Sultans' off quite so abruptly) and look forward to listening to all of these in the next few days.

Thing Fish
14-09-2011, 00:46
Have you ever thought of running for parliament John...:lol:

Thing Fish
14-09-2011, 01:14
I had this album on cassette when I was a kid, played it to death on my Phillips cassette player and loved it so much I learned all the words.

Now I have a so called hifi system and hate it. What the hell has happened...?

sometimes I wish I could turn back time.

Since joining this forum I have become more and more disillusioned with hifi in general.

It seems unless you have a 1980's DJ deck with a plutonium tipped Unicorn penis as a stylus floating on a bed of blessed Buddha sperm, powered by pure silver spun bulls pubis and driven by a bank of genuine 1920s candles then you are deemed a disillusioned arse.!

Based on previous and current listening I give this offering a 4.

One of these days I swear I will sell all my hifi and buy a 1970s radiogram and return to the good old days...:)

Rare Bird
14-09-2011, 01:30
One of these days I swear I will sell all my hifi and buy a 1970s radiogram and return to the good old days...:)

:eyebrows:

MartinT
14-09-2011, 05:24
Firstly, did anyone forget to very slightly open their mouths and slide their tongue against their cheek when reading my post?

Mighty relieved to hear that, John. Sometimes body language just doesn't carry through. As you were...

MartinT
14-09-2011, 05:25
driven by a bank of genuine 1920s candles

Thanks, Dave, that's where I was going wrong. I've been using 1930s Edison bulbs :eyebrows:

prestonchipfryer
14-09-2011, 06:17
Dire Straits - Dire Straits. What a truly iconic album. Played by every* hi-fi dealer/show demo over the years. I love it and always find it a good listen. Why it is considered garbage by some is uncalled for, everyone has different tastes in what music they listen to.

John

*almost all

John
14-09-2011, 06:50
I have never really listened to this album before
Mark guitar playing is a quite country inspired and he demostrates some tasty phrasing
On the whole I find the album very hit and miss I have trouble enoying all the songs on this album and because of this I can only really give it a 3 for myself

Audioman
14-09-2011, 09:20
Mine's the WEA Germany 180g pressing (A stamper both sides). I also have the original Vertigo 'spaceship' (06/03 stampers) but the WEA sounds very good indeed.

Martin it is German press. Warner USA release though which they have pressed by Pallas.

I may be over the top for my enthusiasm for Dire Straits but MK is one of the guitar greats who generaly writes very strong material. The musical style may follow conventional styles (proper musical composition) but I still can't understand the hatred from those who prefer more experimental music which turns out to be a unlistenable mishmash that is of it's time and doesn't date well. MK/DS is timeless.

John, I did get the fact you were trying to inject humour into your post but it does come across as rather mocking music lovers like myself especialy as you will never see me in track suit and trainers and don't recal singing Danny Boy when drunk. If you don't like DS it is your perogative (loss) but as you admit you listen to all sorts of crap that myself and others would see no point in. It just seems so fashionable now (and since the 80's to be honest) to mock Dire Straits, The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac amoung others. All bands that I unappologeticaly like and am not embarassed to declare so.

griffo104
14-09-2011, 09:29
I know when we came up with the idea of the Album Club was to listen and be critical of the album in question but if there's a band I hate more than these then I've yet to find one.

I'm not going to be voting as I just can't sit through anything by the band - and it would just muddy the results. Probably due to Brothers in Arms being so big when I was just getting in to music, I seemed to be about the only person who DIDN'T have the album.

The amount of bake offs I've been to and Telegraph Road gets played and I just get in to a rag, I can't help it.

also I think my cdp and turntable both refuse to play anything by this band (I can't even say their name with out adding an 'F' word in to the middle).

Actually thinking about it, I hate U2 much more than this lot.

WAD62
14-09-2011, 09:39
I think the only way for me to review Dire Straits/Dire Straits objectively is to cast my mind back to '78...I'm not a great lover of the band and what they became, but then again this is 'Album Club' and not 'Band Club' ;)

This is the best thing Dire Straits did by some way, and although their countryfied AOR was not my particular cup of tea I still had a copy of this album on cassette.

At the time I found Mr Knopflers finger picking style to still be something of a novelty, and I'd not yet generated a hatred of the endless replays of the 'sultans of swing' on the 6th form record player.

I think this album reflects the band at their best and as they were at the time, a good tight pub/club band, with a particular country guitar feel (a bit contrived for a bunch of geordies but never mind). It also contains their most worthwhile tracks IMHO, 'Down to the Waterline' probably being my favourite (or least disliked :) ) Dire Straits track.

I'll not be listening to it again, as I know it too well, had it been any of their other stuff I'd have been straight in there with a 1, but for this album I'll go for a 3...there have been plenty worse debut albums than this, if only they'd stopped there ;)

Audioman
14-09-2011, 09:55
I know when we came up with the idea of the Album Club was to listen and be critical of the album in question but if there's a band I hate more than these then I've yet to find one.

I'm not going to be voting as I just can't sit through anything by the band - and it would just muddy the results. Probably due to Brothers in Arms being so big when I was just getting in to music, I seemed to be about the only person who DIDN'T have the album.

The amount of bake offs I've been to and Telegraph Road gets played and I just get in to a rag, I can't help it.

also I think my cdp and turntable both refuse to play anything by this band (I can't even say their name with out adding an 'F' word in to the middle).

Actually thinking about it, I hate U2 much more than this lot.

I think a lot of people hate bands simply because they became very popular and/or became standard hi-fi demo fodder. I agree a number of DS tracks have become overexposed and a couple of them now grate on my ear. However I love Telegraph Road and lets face it you rarely hear the whole track played on radio. My pet hate would probably be The Smiths but I merely dislike and ignore their music rather than post festering criticisms on Internet Forums. I will probably regret this comment when someone puts forward 'Meat Is Murder' as a Classic album pick.

griffo104
14-09-2011, 10:08
I think a lot of people hate bands simply because they became very popular and/or became standard hi-fi demo fodder. I agree a number of DS tracks have become overexposed and a couple of them now grate on my ear. However I love Telegraph Road and lets face it you rarely hear the whole track played on radio. My pet hate would probably be The Smiths but I merely dislike and ignore their music rather than post festering criticisms on Internet Forums. I will probably regret this comment when someone puts forward 'Meat Is Murder' as a Classic album pick.

I would tend to agree with you, in general. It's very difficult to comment when something got so overplayed in my teens - and Brothers in Arms really was played to death by everyone it seemed at the time - that you end up disliking the band immensely.

Whereas I'll give a lot of music I don't like a try - the recent Tangerine Dream thread being an example - I just cannot get my head around this band or their popularity on hifi forums :)

Having said that I was 7 when this was released so had no concept of any impact the album had at the time. I will admit that is is the sort of music I rebelled against and I still struggle to understand the band's popularity now. None of their music appeals to me now and I've walked out of so many hifi demos at shows when I hear a track by the band come on.

Sometimes you just have to put your hands up and apologise for your prejudices and in my case this is one of them.

and for that I apologise :lolsign:

I mean come on The Clash's debut came out in 77 how can you compare the two ? Ironically not a week goes by that I don't p[lay a Clash album so it maybe shows where I'm coming from - even though I was just a nipper at the time and hadn't heard of either band until my teens.

funnily enough I'm no big fan of the Smiths either but there's something about Marr's guitar playing and the impact that had that forgives me Morrisey's girly wailings.

aquapiranha
14-09-2011, 10:21
I do not mind Dire Straights, at least I think some of the early stuff is OK. On the other hand I personally think the clash are shite, as is the vast majority of punk 'noise' so I imagine it depends for the most part what you grew up with. Of course all this is personal opinion. :)

MartinT
14-09-2011, 11:23
Having said that I was 7 when this was released

...


I mean come on The Clash's debut came out in 77 how can you compare the two ? Ironically not a week goes by that I don't play a Clash album so it maybe shows where I'm coming from - even though I was just a nipper at the time and hadn't heard of either band until my teens.

This is interesting and it shows how much of our time we are. In 1978 I was 20, at university and the punk movement was in its swing. I loved prog rock and hated punk big time while nearly all of my friends went for it. I find most of it unlistenable even now that I've mellowed. For me, Dire Straits are far more listenable than The Clash. My opinion, my prejudices etc.

lurcher
14-09-2011, 11:59
I have to admit, I don't understand the level of dislike for the band that is being shown here, I suspect much of the history behind that has passed me by. I remember it when it came out, and it was good then, and IMHO is still good now. I also remember London Calling coming out, and that was equally a great recording then as now. MK is (IMHO) a great guitarest, maybe not "one of the greats" but very close, and certainly up there with the best the UK have produced. And he is also very humble it seems, everytime I have read or heard a interview with him, he is always talks in the "ok, I can play, but you need to listen to that guy, he is the real deal" way. He also has a huge collection of vintage recording equipment he saved from destruction.

Maybe if they had only recorded the one LP and had not gone on to fame and fortune, the record would be considered by more as the classic it is.

WAD62
14-09-2011, 12:05
This is interesting and it shows how much of our time we are. In 1978 I was 20, at university and the punk movement was in its swing. I loved prog rock and hated punk big time while nearly all of my friends went for it. I find most of it unlistenable even now that I've mellowed. For me, Dire Straits are far more listenable than The Clash. My opinion, my prejudices etc.

I would have been around 17 at the time, and that period of music did tend to polarise people. I'd been into prog and rock beforehand, but going to see the Stranglers in '77 opened my eyes to some new possibilities too. I found it strange that people chose to be one or the other, just because I'd discovered something new it didn't de-value what I already had in my collection.

By '78 the original 'punk' ethos was to all intents and purposes was dead, killed by it's own restrictive limitations! Apart from the increasingly right wing, and laughable Oi! movement, it evolved into 'post punk', or 'new wave', a much broader church of new and varied ideas, and if you closed your ears off to that then it was your loss ;)

As for the clash...IMHO The Clash didn't hit their straps until 'London Calling', not a punk album at all, prior to that I found their work patchy, some interesting stuff mixed in with simplistic Ramone style copies.

Rare Bird
14-09-2011, 12:08
...

WAD62
14-09-2011, 12:13
Diarrhea more like.. :eyebrows:

...get off that fence Andre :lolsign:

keiths
14-09-2011, 12:32
I don't think the album had that much impact at the time.

I vaguely remember seeing it reviewed in NME/Sounds/Melody Maker and also in the Hi-Fi magazines. It wouldn't have interested me or any of my mates at the time who were all into either Floyd/Zep/Deep Purple/Yes/Genesis etc or were punks (including my mate Nidge Miller who was in a band - XS Rhythm - that later became Blitz - Lloyd Cole was also briefly in the same band...), so Dire Straits really fell into some musical no man's land for us.

griffo104
14-09-2011, 13:31
This is interesting and it shows how much of our time we are. In 1978 I was 20, at university and the punk movement was in its swing. I loved prog rock and hated punk big time while nearly all of my friends went for it. I find most of it unlistenable even now that I've mellowed. For me, Dire Straits are far more listenable than The Clash. My opinion, my prejudices etc.

Your selection raises a few problems with me. Do I get a lend of the album to listen to it ? (pleanty of mates have it)
Will I just end up mocking it anf giving it a 1 on the poll or will I be totally neutral and listen to afresh ?

Or shall I just select London Calling next time it my turn and let you get your own back :lolsign:

It is funny how certain bands can produce such a negative (or positive) reaction in people.

I got in to the Clash around 85 or so (when I was 14) but ended up as complete metal head up until I was 20. I see London Calling as possibly the best British album - maybe another thread to argue over that - but as you can see the band were long gone by the time I picked up on them, at the same time you couldn't listen to the radio (or watch TV with that damned video) without getting Money For Nothing on it.

Under the rules of album club I should listen to it maybe.

Im no fan of electronic music but gave TD a listen when it was chosen but I never really knew about the band, tbh.

Oh the difficult choices I have to make (ahem)

griffo104
14-09-2011, 13:34
As for the clash...IMHO The Clash didn't hit their straps until 'London Calling', not a punk album at all, prior to that I found their work patchy, some interesting stuff mixed in with simplistic Ramone style copies.

I would agree with that but would argue it is a punk album. It was the album they wanted to make and screw what anyone else thought about it. In that case it sums up the punk ethos even if it took the music past the 3 chords.

But this isn't a Clash thread so I apologise to the OP, and I'll shut up now :sorry:

MartinT
14-09-2011, 13:35
Or shall I just select London Calling next time it my turn and let you get your own back

:lol:
I promise to listen and review it without preconceptions. If you do the same and give the DS a single star then that's fair enough.

griffo104
14-09-2011, 13:38
:lol:
I promise to listen and review it without preconceptions. If you do the same and give the DS a single star then that's fair enough.

Just chatting to mate who owns the album, he's bringing it round tomorrow night for me - just make sure the cd player allows it :eyebrows:

Tim
14-09-2011, 20:38
Well I like this album, loved it when I bought it on release and still do, so could have voted without listening. But I haven't done that for any of the albums so far, as what's the point in joining in if you don't play before commenting? And some of the comments have been (IMO) a little intolerant and disappointing.

Anyway, I'm not going to go there - I gave it 2 listens and I still like it .... 5

The Grand Wazoo
15-09-2011, 00:06
An interesting and obviously divisive choice, this one!

I think some of the nay sayers are maybe letting their judgement be clouded by memories of not being able to go anywhere or do anything between 1982 & about mid-'86 without hearing the singles from 'Love Over Gold' and 'Brothers In Arms'.

As I've done with all of the Club albums so far, for my own interest, I've taken a quick look at it in the context of the time in which it was released and the year of 1978 was, overall, a pretty dreadful year for music, as far as I'm concerned!
The five biggest singles were offerings from The Bee Gees (x2), John Travolta & Olivia Newton John (from whom there were several other huge selling singles), Boney M & Village People. The album releases were generally pretty ropey too, with very little that most people would now consider to be landmark albums - maybe at a stretch, you could list the first Van Halen album, 'The Kick Inside', 'Darkness on the Edge of Town', 'Live and Dangerous', 'The War of the Worlds', 'Don't Look Back' and 'Parallel Lines'.
So, in amongst most of the other stuff released that year, this was a bit of a gem really, I'd suggest! It was also pretty much different from anything else on offer that year

It was one of the few (then current) albums that I knew well in that year & after about 12 years, my copy & I somehow became separated (don't quite know how). I've apparently never been suitably motivated to replace my lost copy, but there have been times that I've felt like playing it, so it's been good to hear it again. I've also been reminded that it's the only Dire Straits album that I really like enough to want to own.

I've now played it 3 times and the one over-riding impression I've been struck with is how much the whole thing sounds like J.J. Cale - not just the guitar playing, because the rhythm section of almost any of the tracks could have been lifted straight out of 'Troubadour'. Overall, this is a pretty good thing, because I think JJ's a bit of a star really. The subtlety of the slide guitar playing in 'Water of Love' is one of the outstanding points of the album for me, but I like the way that the whole album is slightly understated, which is maybe something that Dire Straits lost in later albums.

I don't think this album has really dated at all, unlike some of it's competition of the time. I've enjoyed listening to it again, even though it's impossible to really listen to Sultans of Swing with truly 'fresh ears'!

Thing Fish
15-09-2011, 00:14
Although the album fairs well I have only walked out of one concert before the end and it was Dire straits brothers in arms. I got free tickets 2 rows from the front but alas it was not enough to keep me awake during a 30 minute version of Private investigations.

I have to add that I once won a ticket to see Marillion in London and burned the thing (really!!) rather than listen to the total and utter pap that that band of twats produced.

Rare Bird
15-09-2011, 00:24
the year of 1978 was, overall, a pretty dreadful year for music, as far as I'm concerned!



More like the last 38 years :lolsign:

Marco
15-09-2011, 01:55
Lol!


As I've done with all of the Club albums so far, for my own interest, I've taken a quick look at it in the context of the time in which it was released and the year of 1978 was, overall, a pretty dreadful year for music, as far as I'm concerned!

Obviously you're not a fan of punk then, Chris? ;)

Devo's 'Are We Not Men? We Are Devo!', was a bit of classic.

Or what about Elvis Costello's 'This Year's Model', which was released in 1978? An excellent album, in many people's opinion.... Or there was The Who's 'Who Are you?', which I don't think was too shabby, neither which was Kraftwerk's 'Man Machine', or The Rolling Stones' 'Some Girls' - all released in '78, dude :)

A stand-out album, for me, released in 1978, was 'I'm Ready' by Muddy Waters, featuring the amazing track 'I'm your Hoochie Coochie Man':

fQ4NFsw4bOU&feature=related

And with you being a Zappa fan, what about this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zappa_in_New_York or this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_Tan ;)

Marco.

MartinT
15-09-2011, 06:06
LOL, but what about the Dire Straits, Marco?

John
15-09-2011, 06:22
A while back I was at Vic and he played me a Dire Straits track the production was awesome you know the band in the room, I remember saying or my god perhaps I have to buy a Dire Straits album and I guess that one of the issues for the band they have a style of aor/country that I generally avoid but really care about good production
I am not anti Dire Straits but reconise they have a certain not cool factor to them, perhaps because they have been over played or perhaps when I was getting into music in the late 70s my taste was very much metal Van Halen Ted Nugent BOC and this just was far to commercial

The Grand Wazoo
15-09-2011, 06:36
Obviously you're not a fan of punk then, Chris? ;)


Au contraire!
Actually, there were several albums that year that I count among my personal favourites but I'd they're not exactly mainstream & was trying to list landmark albums. But you've got to admit that it wasn't exactly a vintage year!

My favourites from that year:
Patti Smith - 'Easter'
The Only Ones - 'The Only Ones '
Bob Dylan - 'Street Legal'
Wire - 'Chairs Missing'
Black Sabbath - 'Never Say Die'
Funkadelic - 'One Nation Under a Groove'
Rush - 'Hemispheres'
Rory Gallagher - 'Photo Finish'

Now go back to Andre's cut off year of '73, for example, & my list would probably have 30 or 40 titles in it.

The Grand Wazoo
15-09-2011, 06:38
I am not anti Dire Straits but reconise they have a certain not cool factor to them, perhaps because they have been over played

That's it John, I think.

Marco
15-09-2011, 09:15
Au contraire!
Actually, there were several albums that year that I count among my personal favourites but I'd they're not exactly mainstream & was trying to list landmark albums. But you've got to admit that it wasn't exactly a vintage year!

My favourites from that year:
Patti Smith - 'Easter'
The Only Ones - 'The Only Ones '
Bob Dylan - 'Street Legal'
Wire - 'Chairs Missing'
Black Sabbath - 'Never Say Die'
Funkadelic - 'One Nation Under a Groove'
Rush - 'Hemispheres'
Rory Gallagher - 'Photo Finish'

Now go back to Andre's cut off year of '73, for example, & my list would probably have 30 or 40 titles in it.

There are quite a few there that I also like.

Coolio - I gets ya.... I guess that what one considers as "landmark albums" is somewhat subjective! ;)

Martin, the Dire Straits album is ok for Dire Straits. I don't think it warrants much more comment than that. I prefer the early Eagles stuff :)

Marco.

griffo104
15-09-2011, 10:27
Well I like this album, loved it when I bought it on release and still do, so could have voted without listening. But I haven't done that for any of the albums so far, as what's the point in joining in if you don't play before commenting? And some of the comments have been (IMO) a little intolerant and disappointing.

Anyway, I'm not going to go there - I gave it 2 listens and I still like it .... 5

I think for someone my age with my tastes in music then Intolerance and Dire Straits go hand in hand. Someone mentione '82 to '86 when I was 11 to 15 so in my formative years and all you heard on the radio Was Dire Straits, so yes my view of them is taken from this era.

It's also taken from pretty much every bake off I've been to having to listen to Love Over Gold (or whatever it is). Well produced, granted but totally mediocre and bland.

there are several bands I have an intolerance to and these do fall in to that category.

But I'm older and (hopefully) wiser and maybe a little more open minded now so I've a friend bringing this particular album over tonight, and he promised me it's a lot better than these later albums, so I am prepared to have a listen and judge.

I'll be sat there, fire extinguisher at the ready in case the CDP decides to commit suicide ;)

Audioman
15-09-2011, 10:56
An interesting and obviously divisive choice, this one!

I think some of the nay sayers are maybe letting their judgement be clouded by memories of not being able to go anywhere or do anything between 1982 & about mid-'86 without hearing the singles from 'Love Over Gold' and 'Brothers In Arms'.

As I've done with all of the Club albums so far, for my own interest, I've taken a quick look at it in the context of the time in which it was released and the year of 1978 was, overall, a pretty dreadful year for music, as far as I'm concerned!
The five biggest singles were offerings from The Bee Gees (x2), John Travolta & Olivia Newton John (from whom there were several other huge selling singles), Boney M & Village People. The album releases were generally pretty ropey too, with very little that most people would now consider to be landmark albums - maybe at a stretch, you could list the first Van Halen album, 'The Kick Inside', 'Darkness on the Edge of Town', 'Live and Dangerous', 'The War of the Worlds', 'Don't Look Back' and 'Parallel Lines'.
So, in amongst most of the other stuff released that year, this was a bit of a gem really, I'd suggest! It was also pretty much different from anything else on offer that year



That list of exceptions pretty much contradicts your theory about 78 being a dreadfull year. There was a lot of bad stuff but still a lot of good. Marco suggests a few other titles of quality as well. Compare that to today or the last decade and overall music quality was high. Just not nearly as good as 1967 to 1973. As for people complaining about Dire Straits dominating 82-86 their memories are seriously flawed. This was dominated by Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Thompson Twins, Culture club etc etc. Hardly quality stuff compared to DS output.

griffo104
15-09-2011, 14:21
That list of exceptions pretty much contradicts your theory about 78 being a dreadfull year. There was a lot of bad stuff but still a lot of good. Marco suggests a few other titles of quality as well. Compare that to today or the last decade and overall music quality was high. Just not nearly as good as 1967 to 1973. As for people complaining about Dire Straits dominating 82-86 their memories are seriously flawed. This was dominated by Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Thompson Twins, Culture club etc etc. Hardly quality stuff compared to DS output.

Yes but nobody tries for force Duran Duran on to you at hifi shows and bake offs :ner:

they were dreadful but then I was listening The The and The Cult around that time - both of whom made pretty great albums around that time.

Sad fact - I went to same high school as a couple of the Duran Duran boys - as our Latin teacher kept telling us in a feeble attempt to be cool.

I just love the fact, going back to Dire Straits, that back then you always had a cocky one trying explain what an MTV was. Oh how naive were we back then ?

WAD62
15-09-2011, 15:19
As for people complaining about Dire Straits dominating 82-86 their memories are seriously flawed. This was dominated by Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Thompson Twins, Culture club etc etc.

You might as well say that the 'glitter band', 'mud', and 'showadywaddy' dominated the 70's, you can't just use commercial singles chart popularity to define a decade...The Cure, Southern death Cult, The Cult, The Clash, Talking Heads, The Cocteau Twins, Everything But the Girl, New Order, Echo and The Bunnymen, U2, Mudhoney, The Pogues, Cabaret Voltaire, The Pop Group, 23 Skidoo, The Pixies, Ride, Husker Do, Jesus and Mary Chain, A Certain Ratio, Wire, PIL, The Smiths, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, The Wedding Present, Bill Nelson, Sister of Mercy, Killing Joke, Ministry, The Fall...etc.etc.

Were far more representative of the decade from an artistic point of view, unless of course you were listening to dire straits, and shopping at Millets ;)

Concerto Audio
15-09-2011, 15:35
You are entitled to dislike Dire Straits but honestly it only reflects your inability to appreciate serious musical talent and great production. You are obviously someone who is more concerned with what is currently trendy. I fail to understand the number of DS and MK knockers on forums who have probably never sat down and seriously listened to anything by MK other than perhaps 'Brothers In Arms' . The album in question here is far superior and was a revelation in 1978 being a success in the face of the Punk/New Wave trend. Dire Straits got me through the 80's when most popular music was a steady diet of synth pop.

Dire Straits self titled - Every track is excellent my favourite being Switch Blade Knife. Great arrangements and guitar playing which is superbly recorded. The best sounding DS/MK album. Must be heard on vinyl via original UK Vertigo Spaceship label or the recent Warner US pressing. Love this album.
A classic. 5/5

:ner:

This is the best Dire Straits album and will give 5 stars to it. This is the first album i bought when i was in my teens and still remember the excitement i had when i bought the album saving my pocket money for few months.
Best track in the album In the Gallery.

Audioman
15-09-2011, 17:33
You might as well say that the 'glitter band', 'mud', and 'showadywaddy' dominated the 70's, you can't just use commercial singles chart popularity to define a decade...The Cure, Southern death Cult, The Cult, The Clash, Talking Heads, The Cocteau Twins, Everything But the Girl, New Order, Echo and The Bunnymen, U2, Mudhoney, The Pogues, Cabaret Voltaire, The Pop Group, 23 Skidoo, The Pixies, Ride, Husker Do, Jesus and Mary Chain, A Certain Ratio, Wire, PIL, The Smiths, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, The Wedding Present, Bill Nelson, Sister of Mercy, Killing Joke, Ministry, The Fall...etc.etc.

Were far more representative of the decade from an artistic point of view, unless of course you were listening to dire straits, and shopping at Millets ;)

I like some of your selections (U2, EBTG, Talking Heads, some Clash) but as for most of the rest I found them uninteresting or fall into that 80's alternative/indie style led by my pet hate The Smiths. You can certainly stick The Beastie boys and Public Enemy were the sun don't shine. ;). Sorry but if one grew up on 60's /70's beat/rock/psych/prog styles Dire Straits were a breath of fresh air in the first half of the 80's. Put this lot together with the pop acts I mentioned, which in fact had serious album sales as well as hit singles, makes the period from 1981 - 1986 pretty dire indeed.

MartinT
15-09-2011, 18:04
Sorry but if one grew up on 60's /70's beat/rock/psych/prog styles Dire Straits were a breath of fresh air in the first half of the 80's.

That's exactly how I remember it.

MartinT
15-09-2011, 18:06
May I ask everyone to please vote - provided you did listen to it? I would like the voting stats to be truly representative of the album (as opposed to the group). If you didn't like it, please vote appropriately.

Thanks!

Tim
15-09-2011, 19:24
I have to add that I once won a ticket to see Marillion in London and burned the thing (really!!) rather than listen to the total and utter pap that that band of twats produced.
In your opinion...... I'm also assuming you know the members of Marillion and therefore qualified to call them twats?

:mental:

What's happened to the members of this forum's tolerance - I'm getting a little tired of such crass comments to be honest.

Batty
15-09-2011, 21:36
I'm a loyal Marillion fan, the band are still going and are producing their 17th studio album to date. They have a totally different sound than they did in the 80s once Fish had left. Some say so different as to warrent a name change.

But I digress, I gave Ds - Ds a 4 after a re-listen on the Rock. It was a breath of fresh air at the time as already mentioned. I was 20 in 1978 and into Deep Purple , Black Sabbath etc, and along comes DS and surprised me. I still listen to the afore mentioned Rock groups but as I've aged I tend to listen to a lot wider range of music, such as Eva Cassidy for instance, that I would never have in the late 70s (if she'd been around).

Barry
15-09-2011, 22:46
I haven't been following the Album Club, largely for the same reason I post infequently on the 'Spinning Today' thread - musical tastes are entirely individual and personal, just as "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". Anyway, I'm not particularly keen on dissecting and analysing music: I know what I like and to a large extent why I like it, but that is of little interest to others.

However, just as titles mentioned on 'Spinning Today' will remind me that I haven't played a particular record for a while and prompt me to do so, so too did Martin's suggestion of the first, eponymous, Dire Straits record.

I bought my copy before it became noticed by the magazines and promoted as a 'test' or 'demonstration' disc. What I liked about it, was the band as a whole managed to create a wonderful 'tight' sound, not heard since the Stax house band. I put this down not to Mark Knopler's guitar playing but to the wonderful controlled partnership of John Illesley on bass and Pick Withers on percussion.

I have the first two LPs as well as 'Love Over Gold'. I rarely play them these days but when I do I enjoy them, as I did this time. Some of the lyrics are very well crafted.

Played at a sensible level, I was tapping my foot and nodding my head - bloody hell, my Thorens deck must have 'PRaT'! :eek:

Thoroughly enjoyable - I'll give it 4/5.

Alex_UK
15-09-2011, 22:57
Confession time: I bloody LOVE Brothers in Arms - one of my favourite albums of all time - and Telegraph Road (on 10" vinyl) is another amazing record, and I don't give a flying fig what anyone else thinks - but you probably know that by now, given some of my musical posts... I also (thought I) have all of Dire Straits albums on vinyl, and some on CD (and BiA on SACD) too - so how the hell is it that I don't own a copy of this, their first album, or have ever even heard it! :eek: Really, I am struggling to understand how that could happen, unless this entire week's Album Club is a conspiracy to make me believe I've gone mad - but you wouldn't do that to me, would you?! :lol:

So, after that rather embarrassing admission, I'm off to listen to this via Spotify... A vinyl copy will have to follow, but I'm still wandering round in a bewildered daze and I'm not even sure if eBay is real any more... ;)

MartinT
15-09-2011, 23:01
Bloody excellent, I feel a great sense of smugness at having caught Alex out :lol:

Barry
15-09-2011, 23:16
Bloody excellent, I feel a great sense of smugness at having caught Alex out :lol:

:lol: And just to 'rub it in' - in my opinion, Dire Straits' first LP is probably their best!

Tim
15-09-2011, 23:26
:lol: And just to 'rub it in' - in my opinion, Dire Straits' first LP is probably their best!
Without doubt Barry and I hate to remind Alex about it, but he only heard 'Crime of the Century' for the first time a few weeks back!

The Grand Wazoo
15-09-2011, 23:27
.........in my opinion, Dire Straits' first LP is probably their best
Quite

Alex_UK
15-09-2011, 23:33
Oh just shut up you lot!

;)

MartinT
15-09-2011, 23:44
he only heard 'Crime of the Century' for the first time a few weeks back!

Oh yes, I remember boggling at that :eek:

Stratmangler
15-09-2011, 23:47
Without doubt Barry and I hate to remind Alex about it, but he only heard 'Crime of the Century' for the first time a few weeks back!

:D

Alex_UK
15-09-2011, 23:52
:ner:

:lol:

;)

Batty
16-09-2011, 01:46
Wow, Crime Of The century is only one of the best albums ever. Have you introduced him to Supertramp's debut album?

John
16-09-2011, 06:12
In the early 80s I had a great time with music I was going to the Marquee two to three nights a week, buying loads of vinyl mostly at Shades every Saturday and totally avoiding all that romantic scene you see there always a counter scene happening and back in those days it was NWOBHM and then the Thrash with some AOR for me, at that time Dire Straits was pleasent but easy listening for me so they were not a band I went out of my way to listen too my taste was far more heavier

MartinT
16-09-2011, 09:01
In the early 80s I had a great time with music I was going to the Marquee two to three nights a week

Yes, did that too but my regular haunt was the Town & Country club, Kentish Town. Saw many great acts there, known and unknown.

keiths
16-09-2011, 09:09
I listened to "Dire Straits" yesterday on both vinyl and CD (SBM remastered) and found it just as enjoyable as I remembered. Nothing really to add that hasn't already been said on this thread - good songs, great playing and fantastic production.

Four stars from me.

griffo104
16-09-2011, 10:00
Well a friend came over last night with the album and I did give it a listen, 2 in fact.

OK it's not as bad as I was assuming it would be and is preferable to most DS I've heard to date but it's still not my pint of beer. It's a little middle of the road for me.

It's certainly not a vote of 1 though. the playing is pretty tight but I never really got to tapping my feet to it but it's tidy playing and some songs went down ok with me.

I certainly wouldn't rush out and buy a copy but then I probably wouldn't feign death at a bake off is someone decided to put it on (which I have contemplated with other DS albums)

I've given it a 2, (maybe the poll should be out of 10 for a wider range expression).

I prefer it to the Tangerine Dream, which I also gave 2, but not as much as to give it a 3 - which would say average - so maybe it's more of a 2.5 :)

Still can't make up my mind about MK as a guitar player though. He's ok but not convincing, doesn't draw me in to the music like a lot of better more unknown players like Sherman Robertson, Jimmy D. Lane, or a shed load of other American guitar players who don't feature on the front pages of guitar world or the rather excellent player on Lucinda Williams live album (which is just about the only reason for buying that album as she sounds like she's struggling to stay awake).

However, even after this not being as abad as I thought it would be I still feel intolerant towards the band, sorry but Brothers In Arms has a lot to answer for.

Tim
16-09-2011, 10:56
I guess a lot may depend on when you first heard this album. On release it was a breath of fresh air compared to a lot of the other dirge out at the time - it was also a very finely produced album so stood out amongst the crowd. Hearing it now for the first time is unlikely to have the same impact as it did in 1978 and if you have any pre-conceived ideas about DS, then that's not likely to help.

griffo104
16-09-2011, 11:14
I guess a lot may depend on when you first heard this album. On release it was a breath of fresh air compared to a lot of the other dirge out at the time - it was also a very finely produced album so stood out amongst the crowd. Hearing it now for the first time is unlikely to have the same impact as it did in 1978 and if you have any pre-conceived ideas about DS, then that's not likely to help.

I'd agree with this. AsI mentioned I was 7 when it came out and obviously I had no knowledge of something like this at the time, as you say listening this now, for the first time, it's nothing special.

Of course if it stopped people from having to put up with prog rock at the time then that can only be a good thing :lolsign:

SCIDB
17-09-2011, 09:28
Hi,

I remember hearing Sultan of swing in 1978 before it became a hit single. I thought it was ok. When it became a hit, I didn't dislike the band. As the 80s came, I started to hear more Dire Straits and didn't get into it. The tracks varied from "not my cup of tea" to "it's alright".

I have listened to the their debut album and found it ok. Nothing really got me excited about it. It came across as well played stuff that didn't grab me too much. I would pick this album over all their others.

The distinctive sound of the Mark Knopfler's guitar is pleasant sounding on this album. It adds to all the tracks so it grabs the ear into the music. Once your ear is into the music, I can see how some people will like it. I listened and found it didn't move me. It washed over me and didn't think too much about it.

I gave it 2 stars but it is more like a 2.5 as it was not awful, it was listenable and I didn't totally dislike anything on the album.

Macca
17-09-2011, 09:42
Hmm..

If Martin had picked Brothers In Arms from the DS canon I could sort of understand the townsfolk grabbing their torches and pitchforks and marching on the Baron's castle, but all that fuss for this unassuming little debut from 1978? :scratch:

Anyway this is a record that has been in my regular rotation since I obtained a cassette tape copy of it back in about 1982 - I know it pretty well! I listened to the re-mastered CD (twice on 2 different CDPs) - JJ Cale and Ry Cooder are pretty obvious influences. I like the way that MK's lyrics construct a sort of audio film in which we visit the jazz clubs, strip joints, gambling dens and coffee bars of 'seventies London. Very evocative. Favourite track - Lions :)

Audioman
17-09-2011, 10:56
Hmm..

If Martin had picked Brothers In Arms from the DS canon I could sort of understand the townsfolk grabbing their torches and pitchforks and marching on the Baron's castle, but all that fuss for this unassuming little debut from 1978? :scratch:



Unfortunately the hatred for Brothers In Arms is probably largely down to the overplayed singles. Also the mention of 'I want my MTV' brings out the legions of Sting haters as well. I will have to think of something else that offends the Pistols and Smiths loving brigade when it comes to my turn. :lolsign:

Macca
17-09-2011, 11:11
. I will have to think of something else that offends the Pistols and Smiths loving brigade when it comes to my turn. :lolsign:

Shouldn't be too hard :lolsign:

Stratmangler
17-09-2011, 12:11
I will have to think of something else that offends the Pistols and Smiths loving brigade when it comes to my turn. :lolsign:

Going for the One, maybe ? :eyebrows:

WAD62
17-09-2011, 15:45
I will have to think of something else that offends the Pistols and Smiths loving brigade when it comes to my turn. :lolsign:

I'm not quite sure why you're making a connection between a 70's punk band and an 80's indie band, or was Morrissy actually Glenn Matlock in disguise...;)

Macca
17-09-2011, 15:54
I'm not quite sure why you're making a connection between a 70's punk band and an 80's indie band, or was Morrissy actually Glenn Matlock in disguise...;)

I think the idea is that the only thing Smith's fans and Pistols' fans have in common is that they hate Dire Straits...although I do quite like the Pistols and Dire Straits (but not the Smiths). Taste is a funny thing :lol:

MartinT
17-09-2011, 21:18
Going for the One, maybe ? :eyebrows:

Excellent choice :)

Welder
17-09-2011, 22:02
I thought the idea was to pick what could be considered either a classic album or a more modern album that may not otherwise get listened to.
I’m pretty certain the idea wasn’t to try to pick something in the hope that it radically divides opinion.

Stratmangler
17-09-2011, 23:01
Going for the One, maybe ? :eyebrows:

Excellent choice :)

Thing is, I remember the TV adverts for "Going for the One", and the "having attained perfection" bollocks that surrounded it, and they (Yes) were so out of kilter with what was going on here in the UK it was untrue - fish out of water does not begin the describe the chasm.

Now Dire Straits I remember being a breath of fresh air from the sneering attitude of Punk - all of a sudden it was cool again to be capable of playing your instrument.
There were a few members of the Punk scene that could play - Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols - famously sacked for liking The Beatles), and Captain Sensible (The Damned - later had a big hit with Happy Talk :rolleyes:), but proper musicianship was largely frowned upon, and Dire Straits bucked that trend.

Before I get knocked for knocking Yes - I like Going for the One, and always have done :eyebrows:

Barry
18-09-2011, 00:25
Hmm..

If Martin had picked Brothers In Arms from the DS canon I could sort of understand the townsfolk grabbing their torches and pitchforks and marching on the Baron's castle, but all that fuss for this unassuming little debut from 1978? :scratch:

Anyway this is a record that has been in my regular rotation since I obtained a cassette tape copy of it back in about 1982 - I know it pretty well! I listened to the re-mastered CD (twice on 2 different CDPs) - JJ Cale and Ry Cooder are pretty obvious influences. I like the way that MK's lyrics construct a sort of audio film in which we visit the jazz clubs, strip joints, gambling dens and coffee bars of 'seventies London. Very evocative. Favourite track - Lions :)

Good post Martin - I think you've nailed it: the lyrics are indeed, well crafted.

Regards

MartinT
18-09-2011, 11:27
I’m pretty certain the idea wasn’t to try to pick something in the hope that it radically divides opinion.

That was not my intention, if that was directed at me. I had anticipated (as you can see from the O/P) that there would still be some radical opinions, but I had not realised the extent of the emotional division shown in this thread.

Jac Hawk
18-09-2011, 16:04
Well i'm a big DS fan, always have been, and always will be, they have their own sound which is unmistakable and Mark Knopflers "finger picking" style sets him apart from his peers. This album although very good isn't my personal favourite, i prefer "Communique".

Vinyleyes
18-09-2011, 16:50
That was not my intention, if that was directed at me. I had anticipated (as you can see from the O/P) that there would still be some radical opinions, but I had not realised the extent of the emotional division shown in this thread.

HeHe .... I am getting quite nervous now about my upcoming offering for the wolves ,,, will it be wholesomely devoured with hungry appreciation for perhaps something of a completely different flavour ...... or will it be cruelly dissected and chewed into tiny pieces before being somewhat ungraciously ingested .... and even then pronounced completely unpalatable due possibly to preconceived conceptions ... :eek:

And .. I gave Dire Straits a 4 ... like a lot of others here the massive success of DS bred a negative familiarity to their music .. but it was great to hear some toons in the middle of all that noise at the time .. hehe ,,,,

What was that Richard Thompson lyric ...
" My head was beating like a song from the Clash .. and writing cheques that my body couldn't cash ... :cool: ... superb ... ;)

keiths
18-09-2011, 16:58
HeHe .... I am getting quite nervous now about my upcoming offering for the wolves ,,, will it be wholesomely devoured with hungry appreciation for perhaps something of a completely different flavour ...... or will it be cruelly dissected and chewed into tiny pieces before being somewhat ungraciously ingested .... and even then pronounced completely unpalatable due possibly to preconceived conceptions ... :eek:


Looking forward to it. I must admit to a few nerves about what the reaction might have been when I picked 'Rubycon'.

Anyhow, 'Dire Straits' has has the most votes up to now and, I think, with 3.96 average is the favorite so far :more:

griffo104
19-09-2011, 11:10
This of us that are passionate about music, and I would hope everyone on a hifi forum is, will always have strong feelings, good and bad. DS, for some of us, are in the bad camp but the beauty of the album club is that we still go and listen and judge from that listening session. I can tell you under other circumstances I would never have listened to a DS album at home on my system but due to the album club I did - and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

9 pages of discussion and lots of thought and opinions - pretty much been the perfect album club entry to date if you ask me.

the point is to always listen to the album, sometimes it will split opinion other times it'll be an all in lovefest.

MartinT
20-09-2011, 19:06
http://www.mtc.me.uk/images/albummonth01.jpg

Well, I remain rather dumbfounded at the intensity of feelings over Dire Straits, the group. Opinions seem divided as to whether their 1978 debut was a breath of fresh air or the start of something detestable. This was a time of great musical change with prog rock at a low and punk at pretty much its peak. For me, Dire Straits were refreshingly different - first heard in Corfu when on holiday with my then girlfriend - and memorable, not least because I was at university and surrounded by all kinds of live music. For many, though, they are to be looked back on with contempt - although these seem to be the people with stronger memories of Brothers in Arms.

The voting results, reproduced above, do not seem to entirely mirror opinions and I believe that many members did not cast a vote. That's a shame, but a median centred around 4 stars is not bad at all.

Great debate, though, and I am truly grateful for all the opinions and lively banter.

In the O/P I did suggest that Communiqué was worth further listening. In fact I should now tell you that it remains my favourite Dire Straits album. The first three songs alone wrap it up for me, not to mention the outstanding sound quality on both vinyl and CD. Do give it a listen and be prepared to hear a band somewhat removed from their pub/club roots: this is classy material.

http://open.spotify.com/album/3FBmNpc0y5NcKdRyifH8cO

Alex_UK
20-09-2011, 20:13
Communiqué you say, is that a new one? :eek: :lol:

All joking aside, fantastically curated thank you Martin (I'd have expected nothing less!) and I think 29 votes is a testament to the success so far of Album Club which has been a fantastic addition to AoS in my opinion. Long may it continue, and thanks to everyone who has taken part so far either as a listener or in the hot-seat.

The only thing I would ask moving forward is that no matter how much you may dislike the weekly selection, please can everyone try to remain respectful of other's tastes in music, and also to the musicians themselves? I hope that doesn't come across as too patronising - no problem with anyone not liking anything - but we're all different, and the world (especially music!) would be a very dull place if everyone liked the same thing.

DanJennings
21-09-2011, 18:24
Late to the party, I've decided to make a proper go of this album club malarky.

I'm a big Dire Straits fan, and I was rather annoyed to find that I don't own this album on vinyl as it seems to be the only one I'm missing, and it's one of the best.

So I dug out the CD instead, and there really isn't a bad track on this album, from the subdued start of Down To The Waterline that I remember vividly that I used to love on long car journeys as a kid.

As many have pointed out, it's almost pointless to listen to Sultans Of Swing these days, in the same way that overexposure to Bohemian Rhapsody, Sweet Child Of Mine, and Smoke On The Water have rendered them unlistenable.

This album contains probably my favourite Dire Straits song 'Wild West End' which is slightly out of character for them, but never fails to raise a smile.

slate
04-01-2013, 01:46
The first is still the best DS album... well for me the best as there is also a lot of memories connected to this album. My father also plays guitar and so DS and MK are a corner of music that we can share.
About the memories: it has been a defacto to be played in the car when driving on vacation: since crosscountry skiing in Norway in 1981+82 (tape), going to the lakes in Italy (tape late 80's), .... and lately driving to my Brother in Copenhagen for Christmas the other day (now CD).

Best track: "Six Blade Knife"

synsei
04-01-2013, 05:09
It seems unless you have a 1980's DJ deck with a plutonium tipped Unicorn penis as a stylus floating on a bed of blessed Buddha sperm, powered by pure silver spun bulls pubis and driven by a bank of genuine 1920s candles then you are deemed a disillusioned arse.!

:rfl: Probably one of the funniest posts I have ever read on AoS :cool:

I own one of the "DJ" decks you mention Dave however mine is not a member of the Carlton Club set. It sports some modest but comfy slippers (VA feet), a Chav bearing and platter (standard and slightly battle scarred) and according to some, an arm that would make Noel Coward appear uncouth (an SME Series III). Despite these apparent handicaps it still makes beautiful music :D

As for Dire Straights/Dire Straights, it is superb as is the rest of their catalogue. I enjoy listening to DS and MK and I don't care who knows it, so there... :ner: 5 stars

MartinT
04-01-2013, 06:17
Thanks, both. Nice to see that some members are still trawling all previous albums in Album Club. Keep it up!

morris_minor
04-01-2013, 11:56
Bit of a thread resurrection, but though late to the party I have to say I love DS (even BIA).

I bought their first album at the time of release, as Sultans was the first pop track that had appealed to me since Sgt Pepper - I'd been going through a snobby obscure-classical only period :doh:

It was surprising to read the wildly differing opinions from folk here, and I think it would have been interesting to know how old people were in 1978. I was 25, so well over the hill, and the normal pop rubbish held no attraction (still doesn't). But if Dire Straits were competing for your listening with other "popular music combos" I can see how less than complimentary views could get formed. For me, it was a combination of MKs guitar style, the lyrics and the good production that got me hooked. I was playing my original vinyls of DS and Communique only the other day - they sounded great!

MartinT
04-01-2013, 15:05
I was a mere 20 when Sultans came out and I thought it was a breath of fresh air after all that punk stuff I was going through at university (not all of it was bad, of course).

martinjohn308
08-12-2015, 14:11
i bought it when it came out by far their best work to date in my opinion. Tight 4 piece band.

Regards,

Martin