Any Italians around?
http://www.buscadero.com/mark-knopfler-tracker/
The Google stuff is quite accurate but Guy is accordingly playing the (computer) keyboard
Any fuller and better translation of it all is most welcome!:)
Google Translate:
Tracker is the eighth solo album by Mark Knopfler. Eighth, but in a fairly extensive discography that includes, in addition to the disks of Dire Straits, at least nine soundtracks (and is working on the tenth, for the film Altamira), collaborations with Emmylou Harris, Chet Atkins, Notting Hillbillies and various productions. Quiet Man Mark, speaks little, but acts. A disc every few years ago, when he songs, never gets upset and his music has the trademark of his quiet voice and his guitar: in fact he is one of the few musicians recognizable, both by way of singing that to play. Tracker is partly inspired by the trips that did, the places where he went to play, with songs like Lights of Taormina or Silver Eagle, or even writers like Beryl Bainbridge or Basil Bunting, with two songs that take the title from the names of the two writers. A disk read, intense, lyrical, profound, that slowly grows within us, making us enter, listening after listening, in every song.
Recorded in London, in British Grove studios, the album sees Mark joined by trust Guy Fletcher on keyboards, then by John McCusker (fiddle), Mike McGoldrick (flute), Glenn Worf (bass) and Ian Thomas (drums). Among the musicians are added the voice of Ruth Moody (the Wailin 'Jennys) in Wherever I Go, then Nigel Hitchcock on sax and Phil Cunningham on accordion. Recorded tracks for the album are eleven regular, but then Tracker is also published in De Luxe version (with four more songs) and in a limited edition box set (which will have six more tracks, four of De Luxe + other two) . Privateering, the previous album, it was the most beautiful album of Mark, for several years now. Less boring, less repetitive, even with various hints blues, and has also been one of its best sellers. Tracker becomes a priority in the US (as opposed to Privateering), and is still a Mr. disk. There is always a strong Irish influence, with the lyricism that permeates some folk songs, while our favors acoustic sounds or electro-acoustic, leaving aside the more rock.
Laughs and Jokes and Drinks Smokes and opens the disc in the best way. It 'a relaxed ballad in pure Irish style, sung and played with great intensity at your fingertips. A song that Knopfler has already given us, that we have already heard, but it's nice, warm, deep: the melody is impressive and draws distant islands, almost fairy-tale landscapes, with the Irish melody that wraps all the time, when the leader leaves the space instruments. Basil, dedicated to the poet Basil Bunting, is a story from the epic tone, engaging, always on a fairly slow but with a melody that is enhanced listening after listening. River Towns is no exception: slow intro, song soft that develops in the classical way, opening slowly, after the entry of the leader. There are Irish influences, but the track holds both from the point of view that the melodic lyrical part, thanks to the intervention of the sax, played by Nigel Hitchcock. Skydiver is more rock, although it is not particularly original. Better Mighty Man where you can still breathe the air of Ireland. Our guitar opens the song with an arpeggio very nice and immediately closes the song in a riverbed melodic hardly forgettable, which makes it even more impressive. Broken Bones is more rock, comes off decisively from the other and is partially influenced by the sound of 'Friend JJ Cale: a song that does not shine well built but for originality, but that still leaves listen. Long Cool Girl is rather slow, thoughtful. Very classical instrumental to dall'intro sung by Mark.
Lights of Taormina is however, in my opinion, the best of the disc. The long instrumental intro, led by the guitar wizardry of Mark, the opening speech, between folk and rock, the continuation engaging, make this turgid composition the most successful results. Still wants to make music Mark, and to high levels, given what proposes in this record: a song of this thick enough to make a disc Tracker unmissable. But then is not the only and the album, moreover, grows after listening listening. At first I was lukewarm, but then I heard it at the bottom and I was hooked. The instrumental part that concludes Lights of Taormina is the seal right to a song almost perfect.
Silver Eagle, always slow, is evocative, intense and profound, and as much of the disc, can be best appreciated in the long run. The use of the plane, discrete but continuous throughout the disc, is a strong ally in terms of sound. We are now at the end. Beryl, dedicated to writer Beryl Bianbridge, has the classic train to Dire Straits, electric and soft at the same time. It 'a normal song, but very well built, with a melodic base adequate and well-built development. Closes the album Wherever I Go, where our duet with one of the Wailin 'Jennys, Ruth Moody (author for more than a few discs to his name, among which I like to remember These Wilder Things, they appear Mark Knopfler, Jerry Douglas, Aoife O'Donovan of Crooked Still, The Wailin 'Jennys, Mike McGoldrick and John McCusker two well-known musicians Celts, who also play in Tracker). Wherever I Go is a beautiful ballad, Night, evocative, very well built, with two voices that duet in perfect harmony. Fitting end to a Mr. disk.
Tracker, as I said, it grows slowly, but grows. Give it a proper listen, let it grow and become a part of you.