AMIT reviews of Tracker

[Knopflerfan]

Absolutely love the blues on privateering too....

[the visitor]

Just got my copy on vinyl. Lovingly mastered and put together that's for sure.

Broken bones so far is the highlight. Would like a few more gems like that but I'm happy...this is the first album I've bought since Golden Heart. Looking forward to getting deeper into this one

[Hoops McCann]

I've listened to the album a few times this weekend and was shocked at what I heard. Tracker clicked with me from the first listen and very few albums do that for me. It's a phenomenal listen from beginning to end and there are 0 skippers.  IMO, it's his best album since Shangri-La! MK's folk and roots rock induced song writing has evolved into something truly unique here.

[Mark Heritage]

Tracker has gone up in my estimation. This is now three top albums in a row in Get Lucky, Privateering and Tracker.

I had Mighty Man playing in my head today, such I nice melody..

[Fletch]

Australia must have the last release for Tracker
It's out on the 20th, and I went to our local shop today just in case only to be sent sadly away. It is out in New Zealand though, which is all quite strange. Thank goodness for such a leaky internet

[Marikablue]

Hi, here is a little review about my feelings for the new album 

It's really a fantastic album, hard to find any weak songs that I dislike.
When the single " Beryl " came out, I was very happy because it could be a
great sign for an album with huge DS influence. That didn't happend.

I love the first track " Laughs ". This song is a perfect opener, a song that makes my happy.
The next one " Basil " is lovely too. Like Marks guitar sound here.
The song " River Towns " is nice too, but maybe a little to long.
" Skydiver " is the only song at the standard album that I don't like.
The next is " Mighty Man ", it took me some time, but now I'm enjoy the song very much.

I'm a big JJ.Cale fan, so it's not a surprise that i like " Broken Bones " 
I think " Long Cool Girl " is a nice song.
The track " Lights Of Taormina " is a masterpiece, so much beauty 
The next song " Silver Eagle " is pretty nice too.

Then we have " Beryl ", among the best on the album, like the speed and the lovely smell of Dire Straits. 
The closer " Wherever I Go " is my favorite track on the album. So much beauty and so much to love  '

Highlights for me is Laughs, Broken, Lights, Beryl and Wherever I Go 

Bonus Tracks :
The song " 38.Special " is nice, like the banjo. Has not potential for the album.
The next one is " My Heart Has Never Changed " is great, like the guitar on this one. Could be at the main album.
I love " Terminal Of Tribute To ". Fantastic song indeed, should have made it for the album. 
I like also " Heart Of Oak ", but I don't miss it at the album.

The little rocker " Hotdog " is pretty nice too. No complains from me if the song was on the main album.
It's nearly a crime that " Oklahoma Ponies " was left outside the album. Such a great tune 
The song " Time Will End All Sorrow " is not a song that i like.

Now we have 18 new songs from our beloved Mark Knopfler.
So much beauty and so much joy.

Thanks for reading my little review about the new Tracker Album. 

Marikablue

[H97]

Review I wrote for a music site I work for: http://classicrockmag.nl/reviews/knopfler-tracker/
It's in Dutch, sorry 

[herlock]

The album has grown on me !! some songs with did nothing to me at first listen now are gems to me ! The only one I really liked at first listen was the (in)famous TOTT; then Long Cool Girl started to dance in my head. Then I started to appreciate a lot the Lights of Taormina and Silver Eagle ! Also start to appreciate Laughs,... and the funny Skydiver.

Still have troubles to consider Basil a masterpiece (sorry dmg, our tastes are different, I remember you liking a lot "Bluebird" which did not nothing to me).

Also I don't understand the big deal about Oklahoma Ponies... will keep listening, maybe it will do like Lights of Taormina, disappointed at first, then grown a lot...

[ingridswing]

I have a huge problem with this album ......
It's almost 2am and I can't go to sleep, want to listen it over and over again. Not only tonight, already for days 

[Knopflerfan]

Haha, I agree wholeheartedly with you Ingrid, this beautiful album refuses to go away!
I mean take last night we had played the album completely through again (all 18 tracks) and then whilst in midst of going to bed the Tracker tv advert came on!!! Spooky or what!!
I have now just arrived at work after listening to Laughs.....

[ingridswing]

I woke up with laughs in my head  This album is an addition 

[dmg]

I have a huge problem with this album ......
It's almost 2am and I can't go to sleep, want to listen it over and over again. Not only tonight, already for days 

Never mind,  Dr dmg is here!  Antidote:  turn on the Privateering album and one will soon find oneself in a complete comatose state. 

[Nick14]

Still forumlating all my thoughts on this album as a whole, but if you take the full 18 songs then you have a very strong group of songs with lots of different styles, moods and influences. Stronger, I would say, than Privateering. That double album, for me, became bogged down by the many blues and slightly non-discript numbers amongst the highlights. Initially, I was concerned about the middle of Tracker. The start is so good - the opener, into Basil, into River Towns into SKydiver - I love that opening foursome. Then things got bogged down with Mighty Man, Broken Bones, and Long Cool Girl - none of which were doing much for me. However, Mighty Man has opened up to me - you really need to give that one time and attention but it is a beautiuful dirge - which leaves me with a two song dip - Broken Bones, which doesn't do much for me - in that brand of Mark songs that don't appeal to me - like Coyote and stuff like that. Long Cool Girl is ok - but a bit dull and lifeless. Things then pick up again with the superb Lights and Silver Eagle - Beryl is decent to listen to despite only having about two lines of lyrics! The closer does not scale the heights of the albums masterpieces for me, but is very nice. The bonus track elevate things further - so much quality there, Heart of Oak is wonderful, as is Heart - two great songs there - Terminal of Tribute is ok too - very interesting - Pnies is a barnstormer and even Hot Dog and .38 Special are decent too. All in all a very satisfying collection with literally something for every MK fan out there - so well written, played and produced. We are very very lucky indeed.

[Knopflerfan]

Good review Nick14....

[TJ]

I've listened to the album a few times this weekend and was shocked at what I heard. Tracker clicked with me from the first listen and very few albums do that for me. It's a phenomenal listen from beginning to end and there are 0 skippers.  IMO, it's his best album since Shangri-La! MK's folk and roots rock induced song writing has evolved into something truly unique here.

I agree.  The first listen to a new MK album is always a little event for me, since probably BIA.  The last time I listened to an album and was really excited on first listen was Shangri-La.  The last three albums (four if you count the Emmylou album), I've been very discouraged after listening, and frankly they haven't grown on me.  Not to say there's no good songs on KTGC, Get Lucky, or Privateering, but overall they are weak albums, IMHO.  This one sounded fantastic from the first listen.  I listened to it on the road while driving, and both Basil and Silver Eagle had me holding back the tears, both because of the emotional content of the songs and because I was so happy to hear Mark make great music again.  I honestly thought he didn't have it in him anymore.

While I like the Celtic and folk sounds, I am really glad Mark moved away from that back to a more pop/jazzy type of sound.  And I am also glad to see the songs are getting longer.  Lastly, I've been hard on Guy in the past, but he did a crack job, playing and engineering.