My first impressions on the album

[Robson]

"Une intro qui surprend car ça ne ressemble en rien à ce qu’à fait Mark Knopfler auparavant"

It's very interesting. JF what do you mean? You can write something more?

[quizzaciously]

My question for JF: Are ALL songs on the album about playing in a band/touring?

[dustyvalentino]

My question for JF: Are ALL songs on the album about playing in a band/touring?

Ridiculous question.

We know there’s one about a train robbery, and there has to be one about Bob Dylan and another about a boxer as well.

[JF]

JF, how long can you keep the album? Is it "yours" now or is it only availavle a couple of days? I don't know how these things work..

LE

it's a professionnal link just to stream the album, no files

it says the link will be dead on the release date

I didn't find te time to listen to a second time yet. I was at a jam yesterday night, and now I'm going to work 

[JF]

"Une intro qui surprend car ça ne ressemble en rien à ce qu’à fait Mark Knopfler auparavant"

It's very interesting. JF what do you mean? You can write something more?

it's ambient vocals. very "new age" "atmospheric" I'd say. Don't sound like MK used to do imho

[JF]

My question for JF: Are ALL songs on the album about playing in a band/touring?

 

my english is not good, and I didn't find the time to analyse the lyrics yet

[jbaent]

To make it easier to everyone, I used DEEPL to translate JF post to English:

Two Pairs Of Hands
The album kicks off with a JJ Cale vibe, Broken Bones-style with dubbed vocals and muffled guitar in minor key mode. The single has been unveiled today.

Ahead Of The Game
This song was the first to be released as a single in January, so you already know it.

Smart Money
A ballad that reminded me of something between I'm the fool and Nobody's the gun. The chorus is a piano ritornello, but there's also a clean guitar and a pedal steel. A stratocaster solo with such a recognisable sound, followed by the Pedal Steel.

Scavengers Yard
Lots of guitars on this track, a haunting riff that sounds like We Can Get Wild, leitmotif syncopations, a saturated lead guitar that sounds almost like the Pensa Suhr MK1 (which he no longer owns), and typical Richard Bennett tremolo interventions. Mark's voice is dubbed again on the chorus. A surprising bridge with the doctored voice and laughter in the distance...

Black Tie Jobs
Beautiful waltz, with a guitar that seems to be the Pensa MK80, because it sounds like My Bacon Roll. Supporting strings for a rather short track, less than three minutes long.

Tunnel 13
A surprising intro, unlike anything Mark Knopfler has done before. Then Mark's guitar reminds us that it's really him. An airy solo in minor key.

Janine
A mid-tempo ballad in the spirit of True Love Will Never Fade, but with broader arrangements: layers of keyboards and pedal steel. Once again, Mark's voice is doubled on the chorus. Solo on what could just as easily be a Pensa as a Gibson.

Watch Me Gone
This is the second single from the album, which was released in February, so you already know it too.

Sweeter Than The Rain
A disconcerting intro with atmospheric sounds by Guy Fletcher and Mark's voice almost a capella, like at the start of Fare Thee Well Northumberland, but in this case not as deep. This is followed by a slow, sad ballad with an atmosphere reminiscent of Sands of Nevada and Rollin' On. The lead guitar, however, is restrained.

Before My Train Comes
A mid-tempo ballad with a hint of Long Cool Girl, only faster.

This One's Not Going To End Well
Slow ternary ballad. Acoustic guitar and organ. The first and last foray into Celtic instruments on this album. Very melancholy atmosphere.

One Deep River
The title track sounds soothing and serene. An ode to the River Tyne, which Mark Knopfler spent his childhood and teenage years on. Beautiful female backing vocals and an omnipresent guitar, no doubt a Les Paul, answered by pedal steel. A magnificent ballad that brings the album to a masterly close.

An album that sounds as calm overall as the River Tyne. Inevitably, it will take several listens, but I wanted to share my first impressions with you on the spot. Review due on franceinfo for release on 12 April.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

[JF]

thanks Jbaent 

I missed time to do it properly

[hunter v2.0]

Scavengers Yard
Lots of guitars on this track, a haunting riff that sounds like We Can Get Wild, leitmotif syncopations, a saturated lead guitar that sounds almost like the Pensa Suhr MK1 (which he no longer owns), and typical Richard Bennett tremolo interventions. Mark's voice is dubbed again on the chorus. A surprising bridge with the doctored voice and laughter in the distance...

Could be the black Pensa-Suhr, which Guy has said features on the album.

[jbaent]

thanks Jbaent 

I missed time to do it properly

If you listen to it again to expand the explanations, please use that translation

Thanks in adavance.

[Robson]

"Une intro qui surprend car ça ne ressemble en rien à ce qu’à fait Mark Knopfler auparavant"

It's very interesting. JF what do you mean? You can write something more?

it's ambient vocals. very "new age" "atmospheric" I'd say. Don't sound like MK used to do imho

Thank you Last question:

But it sounds unnatural?

[JF]

"Une intro qui surprend car ça ne ressemble en rien à ce qu’à fait Mark Knopfler auparavant"

It's very interesting. JF what do you mean? You can write something more?

it's ambient vocals. very "new age" "atmospheric" I'd say. Don't sound like MK used to do imho

Thank you Last question:

But it sounds unnatural?

it sounds great 

yes the vocals seems to have been proceeded very much in mixing/effects, etc... it sounds etheral,aerian, difficult to explain

[jbaent]

"Une intro qui surprend car ça ne ressemble en rien à ce qu’à fait Mark Knopfler auparavant"

It's very interesting. JF what do you mean? You can write something more?

it's ambient vocals. very "new age" "atmospheric" I'd say. Don't sound like MK used to do imho

Thank you Last question:

But it sounds unnatural?

it sounds great 

yes the vocals seems to have been proceeded very much in mixing/effects, etc... it sounds etheral,aerian, difficult to explain

Listening to "Two pairs of hands" is easy to understand that kind of vocals and what you mean.

[Robson]

"Une intro qui surprend car ça ne ressemble en rien à ce qu’à fait Mark Knopfler auparavant"

It's very interesting. JF what do you mean? You can write something more?

it's ambient vocals. very "new age" "atmospheric" I'd say. Don't sound like MK used to do imho

Thank you Last question:

But it sounds unnatural?

it sounds great 

yes the vocals seems to have been proceeded very much in mixing/effects, etc... it sounds etheral,aerian, difficult to explain

Thank you:) . I would like the voice to sound natural:)

[Robson]

"Une intro qui surprend car ça ne ressemble en rien à ce qu’à fait Mark Knopfler auparavant"

It's very interesting. JF what do you mean? You can write something more?

it's ambient vocals. very "new age" "atmospheric" I'd say. Don't sound like MK used to do imho

Thank you Last question:

But it sounds unnatural?

it sounds great 

yes the vocals seems to have been proceeded very much in mixing/effects, etc... it sounds etheral,aerian, difficult to explain

Listening to "Two pairs of hands" is easy to understand that kind of vocals and what you mean.

Yes, but I think it was on purpose. There's a similar sound in Broken Bones.