Favourite songs?

[a visitor]

True, Tally. Def a step in the right direction!

[Marikablue]

Hi,

Here after some days of listening, I must say that this record is the best made by Mark for many years. It's just getting better for evey new listening. I love all of the solo albums, but at some of them there are a little to many skippers. Sometimes also too many sleepy songs. Some lack of energy too.

It's different on the new album. Can whitout any problems hear it from the start to the end. I'm in love with nearly all the songs this time. Mark's has a very strong vocal, much better since the DS days. The record has a solid dose of awesome guitar sound. Not so many long solos, but it's easy to hear who the player is. For me it's clearly the best material since the STP album. No doubt here. 

The song " Dream Of The Drowned Submariner " brings me very nearly to tears because of it's unbelieveble beauty. The top song for me on both discs and now one of my faves of Mark's solo work. Another highlight for me is " Go, Love ". Very much Dire Straits and my god I love it. The opening song " Redbud Tree " is another song who smells lovely of early Dire Straits.

The tittle track is special, but I like it. Maybe to many blues songs, but many of them are great. Songs like " Bluebird " and  " Blood And Water " to mention a few. It's great to have some rockin'roll too, and i'm glad that " Corned Beef City " made it for the record. The song " Haul Away " is a masterpiece too. Few can write songs at this quality.

Only two skippers for me this time. Both on disc 2. It's " Radio City Seranade " and " After The Beanstalk "

Love, Love, Love............Loooooove Mark Knopfler 

[Mark Heritage]

Privateering is a great album; sounds like Mark had some fun with it too.

My favourites are:

Redbud Tree
Haul Away
Don't Forget Your Hat
Miss You Blues
Corned Beef City
Go, Love
Hot Or What
Yon Two Crows
Seattle
Radio City Serenade
I Used To Could
Gator Blood
Dream Of The Drowned Submariner
Today Is Okay

Would make a strong 14 track album..

Yes, the Blues tracks are kinda similar, and just like 'You Can't Beat The House' (which I love too) but it's good that Mark has produced a mixture of styles for this album. Just a shame there isn't many big guitar tracks.

Not too keen on 'Privateering' though.

Spending time with Bob Dylan certainly is evident with 'Bluebird'; it would fit on Bob's 'Together Through Life' perfectly.

4/5

[Simon]

I have heard it 3 times now and it is not what I expected.

Lots of reconsituted arrangements, melodies and lead licks from the past.

Not sure why the long blank intros on some songs or why the blues. I agree it looks and sounds like an album that has been thrown together rather than each song meticulously placed in some semblance of order.

It is like he has tried to put in something for everyone.

Songs that spring to mind when i listen to it are;

My Parties
Rocks and the Thunder
Slow lead lick from the live SOS
The Car Was the One
True Love will never fade
Madame Genevas
heart Full Of Holes
Donegans Gone
Cant Beat The House
So Far From The Clyde
Solid Rock

It may grow on me more and more and I hope it does. These are just initial thoughts.
 

[Simon]

... a different co-producer ...

As much as I appreciate Guy Fletcher's input, I have a feeling he's very much a yeasayer AND I also question his gustatory proclivities. Some of the synth sounds he's come up with are hideous, and the fact that he's been able to convince Mark to use them is just beyond me.

Couldn't agree more. And that's been true for all MK albums except maybe Shangri-La. Back then, I was seriously hoping that the Fletcher influence was about to fade ...

I remember a MK interview where he said he wished he had never had the acccordion for the intro to Brothers In Arms and that he doesn't know what he was thinking of when he arranged it that way. But he still plays the song and with an accordion.

[Jules]

i dont think there is a Guy influence as such, just a proffesional and talented multi-instrumental player that also produces and enginees... A dream for any musician to have someone like him. 

[dmg]

Since I received my free CD a couple of days ago I've had a chance to listen to it on speakers instead of just headphones on my laptop.  I am astonished at the difference this has made to the enjoyment of this album.  Usually it doesn't matter quite as much, but this is one album that - for those who don't have it yet - really benefits from being played through the speakers.

[vanman]

I have to say, I am completely delighted with the new album. If I have one small niggle, it is only that the blues tracks sound just a little too similar in instrumentation/arrangement and therefore make each other seem redundant to some extent. I really enjoy the more up-beat rockers, played straight from the hip, and I also really like the Celtic/folk tunes; it's a style that MK seems so comfortable with and accomplished at.

I really love the title track . . can't stop hearing it over and over in my head . . and I've been having lots of fun trying to get it down on the acoustic (..almost, but not quite there!) As always, I am bowled over by the subtlety and deftness of touch that MK can bring to even the most seemingly simple of tunes or rhythms. There is so much to really get into on this new album, it is going to have great longevity. I rate it a full 5 stars; for me, it's definitely a keeper!

[JF]

After 1 week listening to the album, I have to say, that there's no really "fav" songs for me. I like them all "equally"
No highlights, but no skippers.

I just like to listen to different songs depending on context.

Yesterday I tried the "driving" tunes for going to work : the blues tunes, Privateering, CBC, etc.. fit very well on car, with the beginning of the day, the sun...
and when returning to home at the end of the day, by night, with rain : Rebud tree, Go Love, Seattle, Submariner, Kingdom of gold, Radio city serenade : wonderful ! 

[Love Expresso]

You made me thinking!
It is good to have a Frenchman here to make this clear!! 

So my next try - after thinking about the lyrics:

Hungary. Mark's dad is from Hungary, and was in prison ("he never hurt anybody"), Hungary was occupied of course... and over all, I think the key is in the intro:  It is not only a nice little intro, but it obviously reflects some of the country where the song is set, I could imagine.

Well, it is not exactly the same, but you might get the picture by this, the clip is called "Hungarian tune", note the instrumentation and the sound of the violin that some posts before was already mentioned:
Also listen from 1:55 on:

 

 

LE

[Rail King]

Hm. Hungary. Yes, you might be right!

[JF]

You made me thinking!
It is good to have a Frenchman here to make this clear!! 

So my next try - after thinking about the lyrics:

Hungary. Mark's dad is from Hungary, and was in prison ("he never hurt anybody"), Hungary was occupied of course... and over all, I think the key is in the intro:  It is not only a nice little intro, but it obviously reflects some of the country where the song is set, I could imagine.

Well, it is not exactly the same, but you might get the picture by this, the clip is called "Hungarian tune", note the instrumentation and the sound of the violin that some posts before was already mentioned:
Also listen from 1:55 on:

 

 

LE

I guess you refer to the other topic/thread ? 

Indeed Hungary could be a clue
When I said "eastern Europe music", I was thinking "Gypsy" ("tzigane" in french), yiddish music, you know violin, accordion, waltz/polkas, with that "semi-tango" touch
Iggy pop's "in the death car" has this feeling, and Occupation blues made me thinking immediatley at this one

Of course "tzigane" music is linked with France because of Django, so your intial idea was pertinent 

But when we say "french" music, we think at "valse-musette"  (which is not very a compliment for Mark's music... )

[jennja]

Can't progress to a lot of the tunes because I'm still stuck on a few. I listen to them over and over and over again!

But, maybe my favorite is Follow the Ribbon.

Go Love might be second or twentieth. Or, Miss You Blues.

TODAY though...Yon Two Crows!!!!

I think a Broadway Musical should be made with that rousing, amazing song at center! Whaddya think?

[superval99]

Kingdom of Gold definitely sounds like film music to me!    I love the choir effect, etc at the end, especially. 

"Yon Two Crows" is probably my favourite at the moment, but it changes from day to day!   

[vanman]

I am of the opinion that there isn't a bad song on the whole album; they are all really great in their own ways! That said, I do think there is an argument to be made regarding the order the tracks are arranged in. When I listen to the album in sequence, I am immediately struck that Don't Forget Your Hat comes too early in the playing order. At first I wasn't very keen on the song, but now I realise I actually like it a lot but that it just sounds 'wrong' to me because it comes where it does, as the third track. It seems to interupt the establishing flow of the first disk. But as to where it should come in the playing order, well, that's actually quite difficult to say. Maybe between Miss You Blues and Corned Beef City, or perhaps because of it's initial similarities with Hot or What it should have been somewhere on the second disk. Oh, I dunno!

As for picking a favourite; Yon Two Crows gets my vote, it is the standout track of the whole collection for me. Musically interesting, with the most incredibly vivid and poetic lyrics, the words stand in their own right as a beautiful poem (not often the case with song lyrics!) . . and with the fade-in intro it has that almost cinematic quality once again . . it really speaks to me (and I'm just a van man, not a sheep farmer!) Second favourite, particualrly good when driving, Corned Beef City . . just ace in the van!

But hey!, like I said, I love 'em all!