Mark Knopfler Solo Album Elimination Poll - Round 7

[NicoMK]

I agree.  4 good songs on it out of 11 for me, Piper being a MK classic.  The bonus tracks are dreadful except for the forgettable Early Bird.

If by classic you mean "X times played live" then "Bonaparte" is a mega-classic 

More seriously, Border Reiver, Before gas and TV, Cleaning my gun, Get lucky, Remembrance Day (with the kids choir), So far from the Clyde (maybe the best track of the album, SHAME it has never been played live  ) and Piper to the end are all great songs if not classics. And I haven't mentioned the bonuses, Early bird for instance. The only "weak" song of the album would be "Monteleone" for me. It's a nice tribute to the man in question though.

But again, it all depends of our own tastes.

Get lucky being out, I'm off for the final poll  -- and contrary to the DS poll, I have to admit that the winner is known already this time.

[MagicElliott]

I really like Good as Gold and Pulling Down the Ride, but I don’t think we should be basing our choices on bonus tracks.

Absolutely agree. They both should have been on MK album.

[dmg]

I really like Good as Gold and Pulling Down the Ride, but I don’t think we should be basing our choices on bonus tracks.

No, quite agree and I haven't included them in any of my choices.

[dmg]

I agree.  4 good songs on it out of 11 for me, Piper being a MK classic.  The bonus tracks are dreadful except for the forgettable Early Bird.

If by classic you mean "X times played live" then "Bonaparte" is a mega-classic 

More seriously, Border Reiver, Before gas and TV, Cleaning my gun, Get lucky, Remembrance Day (with the kids choir), So far from the Clyde (maybe the best track of the album, SHAME it has never been played live  ) and Piper to the end are all great songs if not classics. And I haven't mentioned the bonuses, Early bird for instance. The only "weak" song of the album would be "Monteleone" for me. It's a nice tribute to the man in question though.

But again, it all depends of our own tastes.

Get lucky being out, I'm off for the final poll  -- and contrary to the DS poll, I have to admit that the winner is known already this time.

Well let's be clear what is meant by a "classic" and by a "MK classic".  There's a proper classic anyone would recognise like MFN or a MK classic like Piper or StP that only really people from inside the MK fanbase recognise.  I don't really think Mark has a real classic from his solo career - nobody would recognise any of the songs!  We may rate them, but must admit that to the general public and world music that a song like Before Gas is simply not a classic.  Neither is Piper I'm sorry to say.  MFN and BIA are, and so is WoL, despite how few people seem to like it on here.  Yes, the least popular DS record has quite a few classics on it.

So is it popularity, quality, played live most?  Well mostly popularity, but it has to have quality too to stand the test of time.  I don't think being played live the most is a factor, although if the first two are inherent you'd expect it to be played often.

PS Criminal So Far From the Clyde was never played live.  One of my favourites too.

[Stiglar]

I didn't love GL as an album much when it came out, I think there are a couple of filler tracks on there. But there are some tracks that have grown on me like "The Car Was The One" The production is great also and I love the guitar tones . Funnily enough I didn't care much for SL either when it came out. It wasn't until some years later that it really hit me and it became my favourite album. I think MK hit the perfect balance of songwriting/lyrics and interesting music. I remember playing it over and over in the car for about a year. Glad it's made it this far!

[hunter]

I loved Border Reiver when I first heard, because it was such a fresh song compared with the rather low-key Crimson album. I never fell in love with the rest of GL, though. It has some lovely songs, but over all I almost never listen to it.

[Jules]

I always thought that Get Lucky was the most perfect record MK has done, except for the blues, all the songs flow quietly and there is not a single bad song on it, all songs are beautiful, perfectly arranged and sum all what MK wanted to be as a solo artist, and in this record, he manages to show it. It's like all his previous records were the steps that would lead him into that perfection, and the next ones, trying to achieve something else.

[TheTimeWasWrong]

The lyrics on SL are incredible, maybe even the best amongst his solo work, but I don't understand many productional choices. The sound of the record is superb, but the pace is too slow for my taste (5:15, Trawler, Everybody Pays, and definitely BLT should all have been more uptempo). Whoop is a skipper for me, and I can't understand the tracklist, which tends to make the record even more sluggish:  'Everybody Pays' after 'Our Shangri-La' (same key, organ vibe more or less the same), 'All That Matters' followed by 'Stand Up Guy' (same feel and the only two songs without drums). One last complaint: worst artwork of all his records.

Obviously, I voted for SL this round, but I should note that GL has a special place in my heart. STP is my all-time favorite MK record, but GL has that special touch I can't explain, definitely the most emotional for me.

[hunter]

The lyrics on SL are incredible, maybe even the best amongst his solo work, but I don't understand many productional choices. The sound of the record is superb, but the pace is too slow for my taste (5:15, Trawler, Everybody Pays, and definitely BLT should all have been more uptempo). Whoop is a skipper for me, and I can't understand the tracklist, which tends to make the record even more sluggish:  'Everybody Pays' after 'Our Shangri-La' (same key, organ vibe more or less the same), 'All That Matters' followed by 'Stand Up Guy' (same feel and the only two songs without drums). One last complaint: worst artwork of all his records.

Obviously, I voted for SL this round, but I should note that GL has a special place in my heart. STP is my all-time favorite MK record, but GL has that special touch I can't explain, definitely the most emotional for me.

I know many, if not most, here, disagree with me, but I think all Mark's solo albums are too long. You feel it particulary on albums like SL which only has slow and medium tempo songs. As soon as you cross the 50-minute mark, the album has to be very strong for me to digest in one sitting.

[rmarques821]

The lyrics on SL are incredible, maybe even the best amongst his solo work, but I don't understand many productional choices. The sound of the record is superb, but the pace is too slow for my taste (5:15, Trawler, Everybody Pays, and definitely BLT should all have been more uptempo). Whoop is a skipper for me, and I can't understand the tracklist, which tends to make the record even more sluggish:  'Everybody Pays' after 'Our Shangri-La' (same key, organ vibe more or less the same), 'All That Matters' followed by 'Stand Up Guy' (same feel and the only two songs without drums). One last complaint: worst artwork of all his records.

Obviously, I voted for SL this round, but I should note that GL has a special place in my heart. STP is my all-time favorite MK record, but GL has that special touch I can't explain, definitely the most emotional for me.

I agree with this opinion. The pacing is very slow and it just feels uninspired for some reason. Although, I have to say Boom, Like That is an absolute masterpiece and would be worth the price of the album alone. I also like Postcards From Paraguay, but when I listen to the album as a one piece it doesn't feel cohesive and I can't resist but skip many of the tracks.

[Knopflerfan]

The lyrics on SL are incredible, maybe even the best amongst his solo work, but I don't understand many productional choices. The sound of the record is superb, but the pace is too slow for my taste (5:15, Trawler, Everybody Pays, and definitely BLT should all have been more uptempo). Whoop is a skipper for me, and I can't understand the tracklist, which tends to make the record even more sluggish:  'Everybody Pays' after 'Our Shangri-La' (same key, organ vibe more or less the same), 'All That Matters' followed by 'Stand Up Guy' (same feel and the only two songs without drums). One last complaint: worst artwork of all his records.

Obviously, I voted for SL this round, but I should note that GL has a special place in my heart. STP is my all-time favorite MK record, but GL has that special touch I can't explain, definitely the most emotional for me.

I agree there is an emotional element to GL which is why it's my ultimate MK album. I also agree with you partly with regards SL but I really cannot find fault with any of the tracks on it....

[Knopflerfan]

The lyrics on SL are incredible, maybe even the best amongst his solo work, but I don't understand many productional choices. The sound of the record is superb, but the pace is too slow for my taste (5:15, Trawler, Everybody Pays, and definitely BLT should all have been more uptempo). Whoop is a skipper for me, and I can't understand the tracklist, which tends to make the record even more sluggish:  'Everybody Pays' after 'Our Shangri-La' (same key, organ vibe more or less the same), 'All That Matters' followed by 'Stand Up Guy' (same feel and the only two songs without drums). One last complaint: worst artwork of all his records.

Obviously, I voted for SL this round, but I should note that GL has a special place in my heart. STP is my all-time favorite MK record, but GL has that special touch I can't explain, definitely the most emotional for me.

I know many, if not most, here, disagree with me, but I think all Mark's solo albums are too long. You feel it particulary on albums like SL which only has slow and medium tempo songs. As soon as you cross the 50-minute mark, the album has to be very strong for me to digest in one sitting.

Ooooh for me the longer the better! I personally wouldn't want a 'snippet' of an album from MK......

My philosophy with regards listening to MK -  one should not be in a rush for the ending in fact one must savour each and every minute of listening to the Master.....

[Knopflerfan]

I always thought that Get Lucky was the most perfect record MK has done, except for the blues, all the songs flow quietly and there is not a single bad song on it, all songs are beautiful, perfectly arranged and sum all what MK wanted to be as a solo artist, and in this record, he manages to show it. It's like all his previous records were the steps that would lead him into that perfection, and the next ones, trying to achieve something else.

I even warm to the Blues tracks these days.....But like you say GL is in every way - perfect.....

[NicoMK]

I always thought that Get Lucky was the most perfect record MK has done, except for the blues, all the songs flow quietly and there is not a single bad song on it, all songs are beautiful, perfectly arranged and sum all what MK wanted to be as a solo artist, and in this record, he manages to show it. It's like all his previous records were the steps that would lead him into that perfection, and the next ones, trying to achieve something else.

I even warm to the Blues tracks these days.....But like you say GL is in every way - perfect.....

Yep. But it's virtually out by now…

About Shangri-La, I agree with what was said above : it's a tad slow for me, even if I like it overall.

[MagicElliott]

I always thought that Get Lucky was the most perfect record MK has done, except for the blues, all the songs flow quietly and there is not a single bad song on it, all songs are beautiful, perfectly arranged and sum all what MK wanted to be as a solo artist, and in this record, he manages to show it. It's like all his previous records were the steps that would lead him into that perfection, and the next ones, trying to achieve something else.

Great post! I remember Guy saying he thought YCBTH didn’t quite fit in with the rest of the album but obviously not his decision. The lyrics and the guitar are so rich.
BR is a lovely Celtic opener, SFFTC and CMG have great guitar, PTTE/Monteleone/BGAT all have lovely well crafted lyrics.
It’s a super album.