Dire Straits 'Dire Straits' CD

• • 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 Straits’ self-titled debut arrived in the midst of punk’s reign but couldn’t have been further removed from the era’s slash-and-burn style. Recorded in West London in February 1978, the band’s jazzinflected set embraces folk, blues, and pub rock while also tracing a direct line back to the beat-oriented sound of early rock n’ roll. Country and roots accents further distinguish the British quartet’s stripped-down music from any 1970s peers, as does the transparent production, revered by audiophiles the world over. Just as singer/guitarist Mark Knopfler’s narratives pour forth with poetic and surrealist texts, the musical settings—an intoxicating combination of easygoing shuffles, back-hall boogies, and pop-honed ballads— mirror the soulfulness inherent in the classic recordings of the late 50s and early 60s. Through it all, Dire Straits perform with a subtle cool and clever poise no band ever matched…