Album Reviews

[Love Expresso]

I thought about it but no time at the moment, sorry. It is very much.

I have always doubts if he really has given all those answers. Everytime I read a German Interview, MK appears totally strange and completely different as in all the hundreds of videos I have watched with him over the years. Don't know why, maybe they translate it not correct enough. But that's just me.

LE

[jbaent]

I thought about it but no time at the moment, sorry. It us very much.

I have always doubts if he really has given all those answers. Everytime I read a German Interview, MK appears totally strange and completely different as in all the hundreds of videos I have watched with him over the years. Don't know why, maybe they translate it not correct enough. But that's just me.

LE

Yes, same happens to me when I read interviews in Spanish. Usually when I see the tv interviews and there are subtitles in Spanish I'm always thinking "errr, that's not what he said really", I guess MK always gices answers with a context in his mind that usually are common places for fans, but the interviewer doesn't know and goes for something literally or just out of context.

[kaleo74]

I don’t speak German, but I was able to get hold of the article from Classic Rock magazine, so here it is. You can click on the images to download or see the pages in a higher resolution.

I look forward to a proper translation—I read an auto-translate version and thought it was one of the best, most interesting interviews Mark has given in a long time. Really good stuff.

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).

Thanks for sharing the magazine article!
With a little effort and using my iPhone (I don't know if it works on Android), I can select text on images and run them through the mill in DeepL, it's better than nothing.
The topics covered are very interesting, a must read!

[jbaent]

I used google lens to translate it pointing with my phone to the screen and well, it does the job, but the translation is quite weird.

[Rolo]

One of the best interviews.
His mind is sharper than ever.
Here and there he talks about politician in very soft way, on this interview, he gone a bit deeper.
A must read, that's for sure.

Intersting how he always escapes from the questions like 'You are one of the best guitar players ever' saying things like: - absolutely not!

Well, as discussed on this forum, he is right about the 'Life as a instrumentist' and all the things that the pro players have (multi style/genres proeficiency, technique, jazz...)
Guys like Scott Henderson, John Coltrane, Pat Metheny and many others devoted their lifes playing the instrument and their possibilities.

Mark always said tha he doesn't know about guitar knobs, pedals, amps... Everithing on 10, he says. LOL
But this is nonsense.
MK knows absolutely everething about gear and guitar behavior (pickups, pots, capacitors, cables...)
He owns a studio with gear selected by him. So...

In my opinion, from years ago, he has no interest in going deep about gear talk on an interview as he has MUCH more to say about life as a songwriter.

Music is a language.
MK holds a guitar like a plumber.
Well, a very ground breaking and comunicative plumber.

[dustyvalentino]

MK holds a guitar like a plumber.
Well, a very ground breaking and comunicative plumber.

[jbaent]

According to MK social media there is nee content in the bridge locks, but I can't find anything.

[Dutchessy]

According to MK social media there is nee content in the bridge locks, but I can't find anything.

can't see it either

[Dutchessy]

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FCdSFDeeDLA

Head back to the lock bridge to reveal a sneak preview of another track... Do they mean Watch me Gone?

[quizzaciously]

Google Translate worked well for me. "If there's a way to waste time, I'll find it." — Mark Knopfler, LOL.

Mark always said tha he doesn't know about guitar knobs, pedals, amps... Everithing on 10, he says. LOL
But this is nonsense.
MK knows absolutely everething about gear and guitar behavior (pickups, pots, capacitors, cables...)
He owns a studio with gear selected by him. So...

In my opinion, from years ago, he has no interest in going deep about gear talk on an interview as he has MUCH more to say about life as a songwriter.

Not sure about that. The studio was built and is operated by several people who "know their stuff", not sure why Mark needs to know how it all works. In a podcast with two guys, he said he knows how one button on a console works. He showed a lot of interest towards the history of this equipment, but as far as I can tell, not its technical aspects.

When legendary jazz guitar player Joe Pass was asked technical questions about guitar electronics and all, I think he said something like I'm playing the guitar, not trying to disassemble it. Mark is a great entrepreneur, and instead of doing stuff himself, he can hire people who do it much better, like he hired Guy to work with all the shiny 80s toys.

[Rolo]

Not sure about that. The studio was built and is operated by several people who "know their stuff", not sure why Mark needs to know how it all works. In a podcast with two guys, he said he knows how one button on a console works. He showed a lot of interest towards the history of this equipment, but as far as I can tell, not its technical aspects.

When legendary jazz guitar player Joe Pass was asked technical questions about guitar electronics and all, I think he said something like I'm playing the guitar, not trying to disassemble it. Mark is a great entrepreneur, and instead of doing stuff himself, he can hire people who do it much better, like he hired Guy to work with all the shiny 80s toys.

Well, surely he doesn't know about the minimum details about the studio gear. He is not an engineer, but he knows a lot.
He has a well equiped home-studio and he knows more than how to turn the knobs.

Steve Phillips is one of his best friends, and he is also a master luthier.
We wouldn't ever see Mark polishing wood or operating CNC machines. However, he knows everething about the component's 'philosofy'.
He doesn't need to be 'hands-on' anymore. He have enought people with much more skills than he has.

Like he once said that, there are much more schooled/trained musicians doing hi-quality film scores. And they make it faster than ever. However, doesn't mean that he knows nothing about film scores. It's the opposite of that.

When he said that his guitar tone is a mess, that he sits in front of the amp and turns the knobs... it's true.
Guitar tone is personal, analogic and intuitive.

In my opinion, when Mark says that he is a plumber on everything less songwriting, based on the technical knowledge required by all professions, he is right.
However, he knows that he knows about stuff, he just choose to not invade others territory.

[Love Expresso]

So I bought the before mentioned German "Eclipsed" Magazine, it has an interview and an album review, which, from my point of view, is pretty bad. It gets 6 1/2 from 10 stars, but if you read it, you wouldn't expect more than maybe four. I try to sum up all important lines from it here for you:

-Last time back in 2018, the guitarist had shown how thrilling and versatile he can be (with DTRW), this time with his new album (apart form the perfect production) he failed to do so. He was not able to reach the same "caliber" with ODR.
-the opener, sounds cool, is called a "desert ride" (wtf?) which has its roots deep into J.J. Cales music, sounding laid-back and "rustic".
-a couple of times there are songs who are very country-like, swaying. "Smart Money" is called too laid-back and too easy-listening,
-The "quirky" Scanvengers Yard at least has some crying guitars. A harmless ballad, made into a nostalgic Waltz.
-Watch Me Gone at least has the little something.
-Only the gangster-epos Tunnel 13 gives an idea of the cinematic Dire Straits sound, that the storyteller used to be capable of in such a brilliant way in earlier times.
-Completely slowed down, but highly atmospheric, after some time finally the track "Sweeter Than The Rain" , an "outlaw-western" creates some goosebumps.
-the beautiful final title track cannot save the album.

A typical Knopfler record, which risks nothing, rests in itself and which is not enough for a Musician of his class.
Top-Track:   Two Pairs Of Hands.


Well, ouch!

The importance (or unimportance)  of reviews was discussed earlier, and I wonder how often these guys do listen to the records before they write it. How often do we  all need to hear new MK albums to find all the gems and the beauty in it? Me, i know for sure that it takes several spins often to really be able to judge a new album.

But then again, this sounds exactly the way that I was expecting the new album to be some weeks ago: If I will get lucky, there will be two or three decent (or even good!) tracks that I find ok. I have long ago given up the idea to expect another real masterpiece of MK. 

LE

[Robson]

Thanks for the reviews. I like to read reviews before the release of the album, but at the same time I have distance. The confrontation will take place on April 12 

[kaleo74]

Just when we thought there'd be no more extracts from the new album... Voilà!

https://youtube.com/shorts/5JWJHKvSch0?si=9oQrqbXA_h9FY8-S

[Dutchessy]

Just when we thought there'd be no more extracts from the new album... Voilà!

https://youtube.com/shorts/5JWJHKvSch0?si=9oQrqbXA_h9FY8-S

See other thread, there will be new music tomorrow