AMIT first impressions

[privinvest]

Am I allowed to revise my opinion? After listening all the songs at least ten times, some considerably more, I can say this is  a good album. There are no bad songs. I can listen them all the time. But there are no classics either, no songs that can be among his top 10 or top 20 songs. Some part of me says, "top this top that are silly labels, it depends on the mood, like every woman is beautiful every MK song is beautiful in its own way, if you know how to look. still i like STTR, BMTC, ODR, T13, TONGEW more thn others. The rest is also listenable.

He is old, getting older. He probably has one more good album, at most, anything more would be a surprise. He must have around 300 (?) compositions (including film stuff). This is a huge number, (and remember, he started relatively late) almost all his work was written from the heart. And he not only composed them but also played and sang them. Is there anyone else with a similar quality/quantity of output? And he's still producing. We are all fans probably starting from when we first heard him (?), so we cannot perhaps be the most perfect judges, we may tend to hyperbole, less willing to see his deficiencies,limitations etc but I still want to ask: which other contemporary artist can be compared to him? bob dylan, maybe. not many others i guess.

[stratmad]

I'm with you all the way!
And you're quite right: there are not many artists with such a back catalogue who are still active today.
Dylan, Springsteen, McCartney, Clapton, Van Morrison, Elton John - the very best!

[privinvest]

great minds think alike

[stratmad]

:-)

James Taylor is another name that comes to mind. He's touring again right now, but only in the U.S.   

[privinvest]

James Taylor & Mark Knopfler - Raised up family LIVE

[Robson]

I have always appreciated MK for having about 20 NEW songs prepared for each album. There are no covers, repeats or new versions of old songs. This definitely sets him apart.

[mschaap]

After more then a week on heavy rotation the album still remains so tremendously enjoyable, just can’t get tired of it. And I like it you can listen to it in full from start to finish, there are no clear weak spots, I don’t feel an urge to skip certain tracks or something like that. It really is a top line album imho, a future classic/favourite, and that’s measured relative to MK standards:)
The bonus songs are also nice, however think they did a fine job selecting the album tracks, they’ve got a certain timeless quality and seem in a perfect balance between enough variety and connecting/holding them together.
To me Along a Foreign Coast, Chess and Fat Chance Dupree are on par quality wise but would just not fit as good with the rest. The other bonus songs feel a bit less either in terms of songwriting (musically/lyrically) and/or performance/production.

[kaleo74]

Another thing, it's true that there are fewer keyboards and Celtic sounds but there's one musician who's conspicuous by his absence, and that's Glenn Worf, I'm surprised that he's so "effaced" on the songs, he got us used to some great bass lines on the other albums, so I'm a bit disappointed, but even Richard Bennett is absent too, let's just say that this is Mark's album, for Mark... and Greg lol.

Quoting myself lol
Allow me, dear friends, to correct my comment above. So we had to wait for the bonus tracks and The Boy EP to hear the brilliant musicians who have been accompanying Mark since 1996, the superb bass lines, the keyboards and the drums, I'm really enjoying it!

[naif]

the album and the ep have been adding beauty to my life for almost 2 weeks now. reading your precious reviews is the same. even waiting for the album...

I'm between the feeling of not being able to share this excitement together when the end comes and the rhythm of this clear, honest pure music. 

the man releases 25 new songs at the age of 75 and not only quantity but all of the songs are of incredible quality in my opinion. especially janine, smart money, nothing but rain, fat chance dupree, black tie jobs, tunnel 13, one deep river and all comers have been my favorites. i don't know if there is any other musician in the history of music who has released 25 new songs of mark's age and caliber. honestly i don't have a single negative criticism.

[garibaldi]

He must have around 300 (?) compositions (including film stuff). This is a huge number, (and remember, he started relatively late) almost all his work was written from the heart. And he not only composed them but also played and sang them. Is there anyone else with a similar quality/quantity of output?

I think it's also important to remember that not only has he written this many songs (both music and lyrics), but the depth and layers to the lyrics of many of them is a whole additional level. Many songs are deeply philosophical (e.g. Quality Shoe or Old Pigweed) and could be read as poetry in addition to being music.

[jf9081]

The album is a masterpiece
it sounds magnificent, only in some songs I hear the low-mid range much more present, I have to keep the volume lower than usual, has anyone had the same feeling as me?

[localhero1986]

Had listened a “few” times now and I’m really impressed, both ODR and the EP, some slight vibes from JJ Cale, Leonard Cohen, Paolo Conte and Twin Peaks soundtrack. Absolutely two masterpieces. Even my girlfriend likes a few songs.