Sailing to Philladelphia as a Dire Straits album

[dmg]

What does a DS album sound like anyway?  I think most of them have a different kind of sound. 

Stripped-down four-piece in the first two albums;  rock influenced with first real epic song 3rd;  more theatrical, experimental 4th;  bland, pop infested 5th;  mixed bag of mostly country rock influenced with some standout tracks 6th. 

None of the albums, except the first 2 seem to sound that similar to me.  Only his latest solo albums have stuttered in their style and not changed direction.

[ds1984]

Good question, a Dire straits album is mainly softened rock sounding with extra lite influence. A good example is "When It Comes to You" the way it sounds on the album is completely different than when previously done with the NHB. "How Long"  and "Ticket To Heavens" are announcing the way Mark will go afterwards such as "Je Suis Désolé" (but Imelda or Darling Pretty without intro could have been on a straits album). Let say that OES starts a transition. We can understand that DS did imply some musical limit to Mark. The other thing is the bass playing, John provided basic but solid bass line, Mark wanted more than that.

[dmg]

Good question, a Dire straits album is mainly softened rock sounding with extra lite influence. A good example is "When It Comes to You" the way it sounds on the album is completely different than when previously done with the NHB. "How Long"  and "Ticket To Heavens" are announcing the way Mark will go afterwards such as "Je Suis Désolé" (but Imelda or Darling Pretty without intro could have been on a straits album). Let say that OES starts a transition. We can understand that DS did imply some musical limit to Mark. The other thing is the bass playing, John provided basic but solid bass line, Mark wanted more than that.

I like JI's bass playing.  Bass is like incidental music in a film;  you shouldn't really notice it.  Most of the time GW sounds like he's playing a song on his own.

The Doors and others didn't even use a bass player (except in studio I think).  Ray's "old leftie" took care of all that!

[foma]

Good question, a Dire straits album is mainly softened rock sounding with extra lite influence. A good example is "When It Comes to You" the way it sounds on the album is completely different than when previously done with the NHB. "How Long"  and "Ticket To Heavens" are announcing the way Mark will go afterwards such as "Je Suis Désolé" (but Imelda or Darling Pretty without intro could have been on a straits album). Let say that OES starts a transition. We can understand that DS did imply some musical limit to Mark. The other thing is the bass playing, John provided basic but solid bass line, Mark wanted more than that.

I like JI's bass playing.  Bass is like incidental music in a film;  you shouldn't really notice it.  Most of the time GW sounds like he's playing a song on his own.

The Doors and others didn't even use a bass player (except in studio I think).  Ray's "old leftie" took care of all that!

Yes, The Doors used to have a bass player on all studio sessions, as Ray himself said, 'to get that low frequencies'. Bass work on their debut is awesome!

[ds1984]

I like JI's bass playing.  Bass is like incidental music in a film;  you shouldn't really notice it.  Most of the time GW sounds like he's playing a song on his own.

I like both style and find GW works on HFB quite amazing. I have no real preference on the subject, they are just two different approach.

[Jules]

I like JI's bass playing.  Bass is like incidental music in a film;  you shouldn't really notice it.  Most of the time GW sounds like he's playing a song on his own.

I like both style and find GW works on HFB quite amazing. I have no real preference on the subject, they are just two different approach.

I recall Tony Levin telling that once, when about to be hired for a very important session, he was told "I need a bassist that you don't notice at all is there playing" and Tony Levin answered "I'm your man".

For me Tony Levin is really the ideal bassist, when he's playing you don't notice, but if he stops playing, the song is clearly empty.

[JF]

Yes, The Doors used to have a bass player on all studio sessions, as Ray himself said, 'to get that low frequencies'. Bass work on their debut is awesome!

yes right, I far prefer their studio versions because of that. And Lonnie Mack is playing bass on roadhouse blues !

[JF]

For me Tony Levin is really the ideal bassist, when he's playing you don't notice, but if he stops playing, the song is clearly empty.

I wouldn't say that you "don't notice" Tony Levin on One world. I find his prat is very proeminent...but I like it !


Another example is Paul McCartney : during the beatles debuts, he played bass while singing, so it was quite simple. Then, with 8 tracks recordings he started to record his bass lines independantly, so he could concentrate on it, and indeed if you listen carrefully to beatles songs from let's say 65-70, they are really pure gems on them regarding bass parts.

As for JI vs GW, I like them both in different styles

[ds1984]

For me Tony Levin is really the ideal bassist, when he's playing you don't notice, but if he stops playing, the song is clearly empty.

I wouldn't say that you "don't notice" Tony Levin on One world. I find his prat is very proeminent...but I like it !

I was thinking exactly the same while reading jbaent.

[JF]

My two cents on this subject, not regarding to Ed or Paul.

I always thought the other way round, that OES was the first Mark Knopfler solo album, with the help from some familiar musicians. This was Vgonis the Greek input, and I think he nails it.

I alwasy thought exactly the same.
To me, DS ended with BIA, or eventually at the Mandela gig.

OES is "just" a comeback, but after other projects showing clearly a more "solo" approach (soundtrcaks, NHBs, neck & neck...) and is closer to GH than BIA imho.
DS was a late 70ies / 80ies band.
the late 80ies and 90ies were the debuts of Mark's solo carreer.
Well in my point of view of course, don't pretend it's the objective reality 

[Jules]

For me Tony Levin is really the ideal bassist, when he's playing you don't notice, but if he stops playing, the song is clearly empty.

I wouldn't say that you "don't notice" Tony Levin on One world. I find his prat is very proeminent...but I like it !

I was thinking exactly the same while reading jbaent.

He's also a master of the slap bass and the stick.

By the way, we don't know if in One Workd is Tony Levin orthebotger bassist credited, Neil Jason?

However it does sound as Levin slap bass, a master of it.

[JF]

Sailing to Philladelphia as a Dire Straits album — I heard only about 'What It Is' being a Dire Straits alike-song.

I find these songs have also a DS flavour :
Sainling to Philadephia
Silvertown blues
speedway at Nazareth
Junkie Doll
Do America
Camerado
Let's see you
Baloney again
who's your baby now
Prairie Wedding

and also the overall sound on the album, the production, the guitar tones, etc...
except for songs like :
El Macho
Wanderlust
One more matinee
Sand of Nevada

[JF]

By the way, we don't know if in One Workd is Tony Levin orthebotger bassist credited, Neil Jason?

However it does sound as Levin slap bass, a master of it.

yes it clearly sounds tony levin

[Tally]

The OES tour was certainly not the first MK solo tour 

And the album was modelled on BIA, as has often been mentioned:
Walk of Life - The Bug
Money for Nothing - Heavy Fuel
Ride Across the River - Planet of NO
Man's Too Strong - Iron Hand

By the way, a very interesting thread, this.  If STP had been released as a DS album, nobody would have complained, that's for sure.

[foma]

Good observations Tally! I have more interesting question by the way.

What if Dire Straits albums was issued as MK's solo albums? This would be awesome. He would be less famous, like Chris Rea.