One Deep River - My Thoughts

[qjamesfloyd]

I start this by saying that I have only read one thread on here in over 3 weeks, that was about Mark's guitar playing on the album, so, I don't know what most of you think about this album. As many of you will know, I have been a huge fan of Mark for a long time, since 1988 in fact, and I am well versed in his music, and I always big him up to anyone I talk to. I didn't get to listen to this album until 10 days after it's release for personal reasons, this is a first for me, usually, I do that on release day. I listened to this all the way through in my car, and apart from Janine and Scavengers Yard I couldn't believe it was an album from Mark!! that is not easy to say, I am a person who never skips a song of his, I like everything, even My Parties!! He says he is a songwriter more than a player now, and that's fine with me, he has plenty of great guitar playing to look back on, but, Golden Heart this album is not, that being my favourite solo album. I gave it a couple of days and listened to the album again, this time I found it a bit better as I knew the songs a bit, but, still I cannot hear the Mark I know!! I then got the EP and that is much better to my ears, in fact, I think it is better than the whole album. Normally I would be listening to the new album every day for weeks on end, but with this, I have not had that yearning, maybe, as usual I am in the minority with what I am saying, but I find it sad, hopefully in a few more listens my view will change, but for a new new MK album, this has not happened to me before. I have not yet heard the Vinyl tracks either so, I can't comment on them.

[Love Expresso]

I hoped for an explanation why that is or what exactly it was that made you disbelieve it is Mark?
 
How did you like Down The Road Whatever?
I ask because I had the exact same feeling with that album as you have now.

This complete ODR campaign with its over all 25 new songs made a huge  comeback of MK in my life complete which had started with the release of the Live Box.

LE

[Knopflerfan]

I'm really not understanding the 'I couldn't believe it was an album from Mark!' quote either??

There is no doubt that 'One Deep River' & 'The Boy' are obviously by MK , what with the wordsmith lyrics, mystical melodies and the beautiful guitar snippets. I say snippets because as we know the guitar has become slightly less as time has gone on but nonetheless where the guitar is played its still the MK sound that gets the hairs on the back of your neck to stand on end!

I think we have all been very fortunate to have been given not just an album, but in fact 25 very enjoyable tracks which are all very different and have very similarly to LE changed aspects of my life like MK music does! Not a lot of artist's could do that these days without doing remixes or similar°

Playing wise, I have arranged a playlist of all 25 tracks and CANNOT stop listening to all of them each day. Having the ATMOS version blows ones mind too!!

[superval99]

As with most of Mark's albums this needs lots of listens before it really sinks in, but once there it is there to stay.  Both this and also the Boy are unmistakeably MK to my ears.  I am enjoying both very much. 

[qjamesfloyd]

I totally understand people are loving this album, and like I said, my view might change, I am making the point that for the one and only time, Mark's album has not grabbed me, which is very unusual, I hope it's not me and my feelings that have changed   The album almost feels like a solo career review as I can hear echo's of many songs from previous albums, that is not a bad thing though.
Down The Road Wherever is fine, it still has that Mark magic, although I am not liking the brass moments, thankfully that is gone on the new album.

[Beryl]

That's the diversity of tastes in music and art right there: while you dislike ODR, I happen to love it. Beautiful record, full of emotional ideas, both lyrical and musical, with some fresh new twists in terms of chord changes and good singing. And while you like DTRW, I find it utterly terrible, a gumbo of autoplagiarism and disorientation, terribly lacking of inspiration. But that"s what different tastes are about.

[stratmad]

Beryl, I think I now where you are coming from - I had the same feeling when I listened to the first few songs, but that was the same with Get Lucky, Tracker and DTRW, and I took a while to get used to them.
Some songs of each album are clearly MK style(s), while others are very different. Maybe it's just because he's always been evolving as a songwriter and composer, so he'll always come up with completely new things (e.g. the waltz on KTGC, or jazz songs like "When you leave", and of course the brass sections, which I personally love!).
So for me it probably had to do with the fact that I had to evolve in order to enjoy the new music ;-) For example, I had never actively listened to a Chet Baker song before, so "When you leave" didn't mean a lot to me at the beginning.
With ODR, this is even more the case, because it's all very "finely tuned", very subtle, but the more I listen, the more it's growing on me. :-)

[stratmad]

... unless, of course, the whole album was written and recorded by the ESP guy in Australia, who is still waiting for his BIA royalties   

[Knopflerfan]

As with most of Mark's albums this needs lots of listens before it really sinks in, but once there it is there to stay.  Both this and also the Boy are unmistakeably MK to my ears.  I am enjoying both very much. 

Quite right superval, some tracks took a few listens and then boom they sunk in! Brilliant album!

[qjamesfloyd]

I guess that is what I am finding that's different, for me!! I have never had to do that with previous albums, they all got me with the 1st listen, I will still keep listening to this album though, I will NEVER give up on Mark, and I will never skip a song from him.

[shortfin]

How did you like Down The Road Whatever?
I ask because I had the exact same feeling with that album as you have now.

This complete ODR campaign with its over all 25 new songs made a huge  comeback of MK in my life complete which had started with the release of the Live Box.

Exactly the same for me.
And let me tell you, that's not something that changes over time, that album remains very disappointing to me.

[wakeywakey]

This is a quite brilliant album and I hope those that are a little disappointed now get to realise that at some point.
The songs are better,the vocals are superb(how does that happen at 72/73/74?)and there is more than enough MK guitar to satisfy.
The consistency across the whole album is perhaps unmatched on his solo albums,while the decades:) spent getting everything just right was time very well spent.
Sure there is some filler with the bonus tracks(the album would not have been improved by the inclusion of any of those songs)but this only highlights how good the 12 songs are.
No wonder he is so relaxed nowadays.This will be deemed a classic sooner or later.

[Robson]

This is a quite brilliant album and I hope those that are a little disappointed now get to realise that at some point.
The songs are better,the vocals are superb(how does that happen at 72/73/74?)and there is more than enough MK guitar to satisfy.
The consistency across the whole album is perhaps unmatched on his solo albums,while the decades:) spent getting everything just right was time very well spent.
Sure there is some filler with the bonus tracks(the album would not have been improved by the inclusion of any of those songs)but this only highlights how good the 12 songs are.
No wonder he is so relaxed nowadays.This will be deemed a classic sooner or later.

Very good comment.

[rmarques821]

This is a quite brilliant album and I hope those that are a little disappointed now get to realise that at some point.
The songs are better,the vocals are superb(how does that happen at 72/73/74?)and there is more than enough MK guitar to satisfy.
The consistency across the whole album is perhaps unmatched on his solo albums,while the decades:) spent getting everything just right was time very well spent.
Sure there is some filler with the bonus tracks(the album would not have been improved by the inclusion of any of those songs)but this only highlights how good the 12 songs are.
No wonder he is so relaxed nowadays.This will be deemed a classic sooner or later.

I agree. Initially I thought I wouldn't change any of the bonus tracks, but I now think that adding The Living End to the standard version would have given it a bit more energy and power.