Album Reviews

[hunter v2.0]

The "Rockenteurs" interview is great. If only Mark (and the rest of the world) would have discovered podcasts earlier! This format is SO much better than anything you'll ever get from radio or TV.

To me it seems we're going backwards.  A podcast is even worse than a radio interview with a proper journalist.  We have TV so I'd rather have visuals and a proper interview too.  The Parkinson show in 2000 was by far the best thing he's ever done.

It was fine, nothing terribly exciting.

The thing with the Swedish racing car driver dude is the best I can think of right now, if we're not including Arena.

Didn't you like the story about how he got the idea to Money for Nothing? 

I was really enjoying the interview, and when Mark (inevitably) moved on to that story, I was like 'no, no, no, no, noooo!' How can he think that people like those interviewers don't know that story? And he just has to tell the whole thing in detail. I think after so many years and interview, he really needs to concentrate to not go on autopilot. Here he slipped. Again 

[Robson]

From stratmad:

A very insightful interview indeed. I've tried to sum up the main points for those who don't read German. I'm not sure if it's legal to actually translate the text, and it would feel strange, too, so I'll just write up the main points.

Farewell to the Fairground

At the beginning, the interviewer remarks that Mark is slower than ever, and that he has visibly aged. They talk about his health, the new songs and his plans for the future.

Mk explains that the new album took six years to make partly because of the pandemic: he got Covid 3 times, so he struggled playing the guitar and can still feel the effects of that [I'm not sure if he means the effects of covid or the effects of not being able to play].

They go on to talk about "Ahead of the game", which is about live music and being in a band: MK says these days a lot of musicians have to play cover music to survive. He says that in DS days, bands could play clubs and small venues to play their own music, but these days people only want to pay money for superstars, and they don't buy records anymore, so it's hard for young bands. He adds that he hopes to make some money through airplay, since he has quit touring.

Then there is a question about "Tunnel 13", a song about a train robbery: apparently, the redwood for MK's new Boswell guitars comes from the sleepers of that railway line. He explains how that made him think about how something positive and wonderful can actually come out of violence and crime.

About the album title: MK says it's up to the listener to say what it means.

Re touring: MK says that he misses the stage, but sees his physical limits and prefers spending time with his wife and make the best of the time that remains. He says that he has no intention of 'copping it' on some autobahn. [I wonder if he used the German word here]
Apparently, he feels too "rusty" to even play some gigs in London, and it would be just as much hassle as a whole tour. He explains that he simply doesn't want to tour because of his marriage and his health.
He compares touring to riding motorcycles, which he couldn't do today because it's painful in the neck and the wrists. He says he prefers sitting upright these days.

They talk about the guitar auction: MK explains that he sold them because he wasn't using them. [Basically what he said at Christie's]

They talk about the TCT charity single, and why he didn't use those 60 musicians for his album, while they were there: MK says it was a bit like a cavalry attack, he could hardly keep up, and so it didn't occur to him to ask them to do more. He is full of praise for Hank, Bruce, Bonamassa, EC and Jeff Beck.

Finally, asked about about his plans for the future, he says he wants to make a few more albums, instead of moving around on the fairground he's been on for so long.

(Source: Eclipsed Rock Magazin Nr. 259, April 2024)

[rmarques821]

From stratmad:

A very insightful interview indeed. I've tried to sum up the main points for those who don't read German. I'm not sure if it's legal to actually translate the text, and it would feel strange, too, so I'll just write up the main points.

Farewell to the Fairground

At the beginning, the interviewer remarks that Mark is slower than ever, and that he has visibly aged. They talk about his health, the new songs and his plans for the future.

Mk explains that the new album took six years to make partly because of the pandemic: he got Covid 3 times, so he struggled playing the guitar and can still feel the effects of that [I'm not sure if he means the effects of covid or the effects of not being able to play].

They go on to talk about "Ahead of the game", which is about live music and being in a band: MK says these days a lot of musicians have to play cover music to survive. He says that in DS days, bands could play clubs and small venues to play their own music, but these days people only want to pay money for superstars, and they don't buy records anymore, so it's hard for young bands. He adds that he hopes to make some money through airplay, since he has quit touring.

Then there is a question about "Tunnel 13", a song about a train robbery: apparently, the redwood for MK's new Boswell guitars comes from the sleepers of that railway line. He explains how that made him think about how something positive and wonderful can actually come out of violence and crime.

About the album title: MK says it's up to the listener to say what it means.

Re touring: MK says that he misses the stage, but sees his physical limits and prefers spending time with his wife and make the best of the time that remains. He says that he has no intention of 'copping it' on some autobahn. [I wonder if he used the German word here]
Apparently, he feels too "rusty" to even play some gigs in London, and it would be just as much hassle as a whole tour. He explains that he simply doesn't want to tour because of his marriage and his health.
He compares touring to riding motorcycles, which he couldn't do today because it's painful in the neck and the wrists. He says he prefers sitting upright these days.

They talk about the guitar auction: MK explains that he sold them because he wasn't using them. [Basically what he said at Christie's]

They talk about the TCT charity single, and why he didn't use those 60 musicians for his album, while they were there: MK says it was a bit like a cavalry attack, he could hardly keep up, and so it didn't occur to him to ask them to do more. He is full of praise for Hank, Bruce, Bonamassa, EC and Jeff Beck.

Finally, asked about about his plans for the future, he says he wants to make a few more albums, instead of moving around on the fairground he's been on for so long.

(Source: Eclipsed Rock Magazin Nr. 259, April 2024)

Thanks for sharing! So we will get "a few more albums". Nice that this one isn't the last

[dustyvalentino]

It’s certainly worth reading if you’ve ever wondered if Mark does Pilates (he does), or if he believes in the afterlife (he does not).

Pilates? Our man still rides a motorcycle in the night, in the rain, in March! I'm a generation younger, and a keen rider, but I would never be able to do that. Maybe I should start doing pilates? 

According to the German interview that was kindly translated earlier today he no longer rides sadly.

[stratmad]

Yes, I thought that was strange, too! But he actually said so in the Classic Rock Magazine interview.
Perhaps he was riding his scooter, or maybe he was referring to specific bikes, such as the Vincent or the Ducati. Many of his bikes, at least the ones I saw in pictures, were pretty large and heavy ones, or scramblers/cafe racers, which aren't necessarily comfortable to sit on.
So, I hope he still rides - whatever kind of two-wheels it may be :-)


P.S.: Do we have an MK cars/motorbikes thread?

[dmg]

Thanks Robson.  Interesting things in there. 

[Darling Pretty]

Can someone put the Eclipsed Interview here? Like the Classic rock one from Tommy.
It seems more interesting

[wakeywakey]

Here is the review from Classic Rock May 24 edition.
No pictures but 8/10 is pretty pretty good.
Mark Knopfler
One Deep River
BRITISH GROVE/EMI

Straits mainman delivers one
of his best solo records.

To paraphrase Kenneth Tynan
on Eugene Ionesco, once you’ve
heard all of Mark Knopfler’s solo
albums, you’ve heard one of
them. There’s one or two
reflective world-weary ballads,
a couple of reflective worldweary toe tappers, and some
finely wrought reflective worldweary character studies that
are self-contained short stories.
Because the thing about
Knopfler’s solo albums – of
which this is the tenth, if you
don’t count soundtracks – is
that it doesn’t matter that
they’re all cut from the same
cloth, because it’s a brilliant
cloth, part Dylan, part folk, part
stadium melancholy.
One Deep River is one of
Knopfler’s best. These are
gorgeous songs, sung in a voice
that sounds like it’s lived a life
that’s full, and the character
songs – which Knopfler has
excelled at since Sultans Of
Swing – are as poignant as ever.
Roll on album number 11.
■■■■■■■■
David Quantick

[Love Expresso]

I just saw that the German Rolling Stone Magazine announces MK on the cover, so there is apparently a review in it. I had no chance to buy it but will try tomorrow. Maybe somebody else is able to have a look?

LE

[dustyvalentino]

Here is the review from Classic Rock May 24 edition.
No pictures but 8/10 is pretty pretty good.
Mark Knopfler
One Deep River
BRITISH GROVE/EMI

Straits mainman delivers one
of his best solo records.

To paraphrase Kenneth Tynan
on Eugene Ionesco, once you’ve
heard all of Mark Knopfler’s solo
albums, you’ve heard one of
them. There’s one or two
reflective world-weary ballads,
a couple of reflective worldweary toe tappers, and some
finely wrought reflective worldweary character studies that
are self-contained short stories.
Because the thing about
Knopfler’s solo albums – of
which this is the tenth, if you
don’t count soundtracks – is
that it doesn’t matter that
they’re all cut from the same
cloth, because it’s a brilliant
cloth, part Dylan, part folk, part
stadium melancholy.
One Deep River is one of
Knopfler’s best. These are
gorgeous songs, sung in a voice
that sounds like it’s lived a life
that’s full, and the character
songs – which Knopfler has
excelled at since Sultans Of
Swing – are as poignant as ever.
Roll on album number 11.
■■■■■■■■
David Quantick

Thank you. David Quantik is a great guy (his twitter is hilarious) but I had no idea he was an MK fan. He’s spot on regarding MK’s albums here.

[hunter v2.0]

He's spot on in the sense that Mark is a quality-oriented artist and cares about his craft and has done so since the early days. No-one can say any of his solo albums are bad, because they simply aren't, objectively speaking. But looking back at his solo career, I do wonder why he wasn't more daring and willing to challenge himself. Step outside the box. It's been a variation on a theme, all the way. He's financially independent and has total artistic freedom, and yet it's almost the same album again and again, with minor twists and tweaks. I'm really curious about what it is that makes him stick so close to the well-known.

[quizzaciously]

He's spot on in the sense that Mark is a quality-oriented artist and cares about his craft and has done so since the early days. No-one can say any of his solo albums are bad, because they simply aren't, objectively speaking. But looking back at his solo career, I do wonder why he wasn't more daring and willing to challenge himself. Step outside the box. It's been a variation on a theme, all the way. He's financially independent and has total artistic freedom, and yet it's almost the same album again and again, with minor twists and tweaks. I'm really curious about what it is that makes him stick so close to the well-known.

The same reason why he's choosing 'comfortable' interviewers who ask him about which relative inspired him to become a musician, or which colour was his first guitar, I guess. Comfort zone? Yes, absolutely. But maybe it's not a comfort zone at all, but rather an "If it works, don't touch it" paradigm. We don't know the truly experimental side of MK, and who knows — maybe it's bad, and we're happy NOT to know it.

Just like Mark answers the question of writing an autobiography without any confusion — if he does it, it will be bad. Because it's not the way he feels to express himself, and not something he's good at. So in this case, he has achieved a perfect equilibrium with himself, or how I like to put it, has reached peak Knopfler a long time ago, and will not ever change. And it's one hell of an accomplishment, I must say.

[Robson]

He's spot on in the sense that Mark is a quality-oriented artist and cares about his craft and has done so since the early days. No-one can say any of his solo albums are bad, because they simply aren't, objectively speaking. But looking back at his solo career, I do wonder why he wasn't more daring and willing to challenge himself. Step outside the box. It's been a variation on a theme, all the way. He's financially independent and has total artistic freedom, and yet it's almost the same album again and again, with minor twists and tweaks. I'm really curious about what it is that makes him stick so close to the well-known.

The same reason why he's choosing 'comfortable' interviewers who ask him about which relative inspired him to become a musician, or which colour was his first guitar, I guess. Comfort zone? Yes, absolutely. But maybe it's not a comfort zone at all, but rather an "If it works, don't touch it" paradigm. We don't know the truly experimental side of MK, and who knows — maybe it's bad, and we're happy NOT to know it.

Just like Mark answers the question of writing an autobiography without any confusion — if he does it, it will be bad. Because it's not the way he feels to express himself, and not something he's good at. So in this case, he has achieved a perfect equilibrium with himself, or how I like to put it, has reached peak Knopfler a long time ago, and will not ever change. And it's one hell of an accomplishment, I must say.

  I know you don't like it 

I agree. But I still remember that Danny Cummings said that Mark was brave on this album. What did he mean 

[dmg]

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't recall his albums ever being so highly received before, even as DS.  Usually 3/5 was the norm.

Of course it doesn't really mean a jot unless it comes from a fan such as ourselves.

[Rail King]

He's spot on in the sense that Mark is a quality-oriented artist and cares about his craft and has done so since the early days. No-one can say any of his solo albums are bad, because they simply aren't, objectively speaking. But looking back at his solo career, I do wonder why he wasn't more daring and willing to challenge himself. Step outside the box. It's been a variation on a theme, all the way. He's financially independent and has total artistic freedom, and yet it's almost the same album again and again, with minor twists and tweaks. I'm really curious about what it is that makes him stick so close to the well-known.

I'm not sure I agree with "his albums are all the same". Yes, they do follow a similar formula - some shoe-tappers, some ballads, celtic stuff, bluesy stuff, a bit of country, the occasional rocker - but it's exactly that variety that I find astonishing. I don't know many artists that have such a broad palette. Compare that to, say, J.J. Cale (as much as I like him), and you'll know what I mean.

Now, because there's so much variety within each album, the songs from various album vary just as much. Put Don't You Get It (from Golden Heart) next to One More Matinée (from Sailing to Philadelphia) next to Quality Shoe (from the Ragpicker's Dream) next to 5.15 AM (from Shangri-La) next to The Fish and the Bird (from Kill to Get Crimson) next to Monteleone (from Get Lucky) next to Gator Blood (from Privateering) next to Silver Eagle (from Tracker) next to Heavy Up (from Down the Road Wherever) next to Watch Me Gone (from One Deep River), and you'll have 10 totally different songs.