I have really invested some quality time for some deep listening to this album. It is a masterful composition!
As an album, front to back, it verges on the spectacular: the subtle and contrasting instrumentation; the poignant, verging on timeless, vocals; the reflective lyrics of a man with a lifetime of experience; and the flow to the album, well, I love the journey it takes me on.
It's not an album of singles, and I think it does the album a disservice approaching it that way. Mark Knopfler is one of the greats, and he has taken a good while to craft this album in a specific way. The thought put behind the arrangement is evident in the tempo, content, tone and the stylistic variations as we roll down the road from songs one to nineteen.
I enjoy this album very, very much. And I feel blessed to have this quality of work still being put out by my favourite and most the influential artist.
After the gorgeous Tracker album, I am thrilled he's outdone himself. For me, this album is a masterpiece.