DIRE STRAITS Dire Straits
NUMBERED SPECIAL EDITIONS · Dire Straits’ Self-Titled Debut Distinguished by Jazz- Inflected Mix of Folk, Blues, Country, and Rock: Guitarist Mark Knopfler Displays Uncanny Precision · Mastered from the Original Master Tapes for Optimal Sound: Numbered Mobile Fidelity 180g 45RPM 2LP Set and Hybrid SACD Reissues Engage with Natural Tones, Pinpoint Imaging, and Sterling Clarity · Breakout 1978 Album Includes “Sultans of Swing” and “Down to the Waterline”: Band’s Shuffles, Boogies, and Ballads Spark With Crispness, Soulfulness, and Coolness DIRE STRAITS Dire Straits Dire Straits’ self-titled debut arrived in the midst of punk’s reign but Track List couldn’t have been further removed from the era’s slash-and-burn 1. Down to the Waterline 6. Sultans of Swing style. Recorded in West London in February 1978, the band’s jazz- 2. Water of Love 7. In the Gallery inflected set embraces folk, blues, and pub rock while also tracing 3. Setting Me Up 8. Wild West End a direct line back to the beat-oriented sound of early rock n’ roll. 4. Six Blade Knife 9. Lions Country and roots accents further distinguish the British quartet’s 5. Southbound Again stripped-down music from any 1970s peers, as does the transparent production, revered by audiophiles the world over. Just as singer/ guitarist Mark Knopfler’s narratives pour forth with poetic and surrealist texts, the musical settings—an intoxicating combination of easygoing shuffles, back-hall boogies, and pop-honed ballads— mirror the soulfulness inherent in the classic recordings of the late 50s and early 60s. Through it all, Dire Straits perform with a subtle Dire Straits cool and clever poise no band ever matched.
[Show full text]