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Subject: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: Grab Date: 06 Oct 04 - 01:24 PM I know there's a few Knopfler fans out there. Just got the new album, and I thought I'd post a few thoughts. MK is very much getting into the "story song" thing, telling a story about a character. He's always done it (right back to "In the gallery" on Dire Straits' first album), but this album is almost exclusively story-based. It's also *very* laidback - whilst his previous three solo albums have had a lot of very chilled tracks on them, this is definitely the most laidback to date. A bit too much for me, actually. It's very slick and all (MK couldn't play a bad guitar lick if he wanted to, and he has some very good musicians :-) but it's a bit too easy listening and a bit samey for my liking. For my money, the best songs on the album aren't going to make it to the radio. "Song for Sonny Liston" is very much in the style of classic blues, and "Don't crash the ambulance" is a wonderful take on Bushes Junior and Senior. The rest aren't as good. The single "Boom, like that" has a bit of life, but it's about as lively as it gets, and the words don't do much for me. The others are OK (several including "Boom, like that" on the MK standard theme of the sideshow/fairground) but nothing special. Bottom line, if you want something inoffensive to put on in the background, this is it. It doesn't have the edge of some of the songs in his previous albums though, so if you want something to fire you up (and especially if you want something worth learning yourself), or if you're not a Mark Knopfler completist, then this probably isn't for you. Graham. PS. Your mileage may vary... :-) |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: s6k Date: 06 Oct 04 - 01:36 PM i bought it the day it came out.. straits are my favourite band, and love knopflers solo stuff. i havent had the chance to listen to this album properly yet, just twice up to now. the impressions i got from it in these two listenings were that it was nice and laid back, with some good guitar work going on (well, what else would you expect) i need to listen more to it before i can comment further, as it stands, i will say that it is a good album, but his "Sailing To Philadelphia" was always going to be a hard one to beat! his best two in my opinion are the ragpickers dream and philadelphia, with STP topping it, that album is just something else. but, i will always buy a knopfler album (or hopefully a new straits one!!!!!!, and i am biased really because the man can do no wrong in my opinion. well, apart from 'Les Boys' on 'Making Movies' !!!! |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: GUEST Date: 06 Oct 04 - 07:19 PM Much appreciated review, Grab. I agree; although he simply cannot play a wrong note, he can sometimes get "too laid-back" in the overall song composition. He was on "A Prairie Home Companion" this past weekend, and was absolutely superb- the audience went wild, and Garrison had quite a few moments of nice conversation with him. He played six or seven songs, and used acoustic guitar, electric, and the National resonator. He did one song about Elvis called something like "Back to Tupelo" that I've never heard- it was tasty. When I come back in the next life I wanna play just like him! |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: katlaughing Date: 06 Oct 04 - 11:23 PM Thanks for the review. I'll have to check this one out. I LOVE Ragpicker's Dream...it's got a great mix of laid back and foot-stomping, imo, so not sure what I'll think of total laid back except that guitar pickin' of his...as you said, he can do no wrong.:-) |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: s6k Date: 07 Oct 04 - 04:09 AM Back to tupelo isnt really about elvis, its about how singers and actors in the end decide its not enough and want more money, etc |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: Paco Rabanne Date: 07 Oct 04 - 04:23 AM The word you are looking for chaps is 'bland' |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: GUEST Date: 07 Oct 04 - 04:31 AM |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: GUEST Date: 07 Oct 04 - 04:42 AM This is actually a great album. Having taken time to listen to it a couple of times, there are some great songs and some great playing. While Knopfler is never less than tastful in his playing, it is the whole dynamic of a band actually playing together, rather than alot of overdubs, which really comes across. As for it being "bland", sorry nut either you have not actually heard it, or it just isn't your thing. |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: GUEST,Crystal Date: 07 Oct 04 - 05:28 AM New album??? That would be good, except that I am totally broke. hmmm maybe I'll get it for xmas. let me see, who can I sucker into getting it for me..... |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: Grab Date: 07 Oct 04 - 06:00 AM "Bland" might be a bit too strong, but to be honest it's not far off. And I'm speaking as a serious MK/DS fan here! :-) All four solo albums have been "curate's eggs", really. There have been some classics on all of them (my favourites would be Done with Bonaparte, Imelda Baby and Rudiger off Golden Heart, Silvertown and Prairie Wedding off Sailing to Philadelphia, and most of Ragpicker's Dream except the title track), but equally there have been several on each that definitely quality as "bland", or sometimes just "not worth listening to". But the presence of some better songs prevents the whole album falling into that category. Trouble with Shangri-La is that I don't think there's a good enough quality:blandness ratio. Like I said, if you like that kind of stuff or you're a fan, you'll buy this. If you're curious, save your money. I don't know, maybe he's getting old. But once in a while, I'd like to hear him really break loose. He's one of the great all-time guitarists, and it'd be nice occasionally to hear him really put his heart into it, instead of being all tasteful. The only two songs off his solo albums that he seemed to really get into were Rudiger (GH) and Marbletown (R'sD), and that includes some like Speedway at Nazareth (StP) which were crying out for someone to really break loose but just wound up inconclusively instead. Or if he doesn't want to do it, let one of his other musicians loose instead, but *someone* put some soul into it! Once per album isn't too much to ask, surely? Graham. |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: s6k Date: 07 Oct 04 - 07:32 AM Grab - you missed out What It Is (StP) - superb!!! and theres 'Cannibals' from Golden Heart too - both are very dire strait-sy, especially what it is, that sounds like it should have been on the debut album or summat! "and it'd be nice occasionally to hear him really put his heart into it, instead of being all tasteful" i think you got this wrong, I think what he is doing now is putting his heart into it, and above everything else. He has stated in several interviews that he is playing stuff that HE wants to play, and writing lyrics that mean things to him, rather than trying to appeal to the mainstream. Can you honestly say that 'Money For Nothing' was from the heart, but 'Sailing to Philadelphia' wasnt? id just like to add also, that i refuse to believe there isnt a folk fan out there who wouldnt like 'A Night In Summer Long Ago' from Golden Heart - this is a folk song! and even sounds like it! great stuff! peace out all! |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: Grab Date: 07 Oct 04 - 10:16 AM Oops, forgot about Cannibals - yes, that's a good one. What It Is suffered from the same "not really going anywhere" syndrome as Speedway At Nazareth though, winding up inconclusively. Boom Like That off the new album goes the same way. Yes, his lyrics are as good as ever, but I think his song construction isn't as hot. Certainly he's playing stuff that he wants to play, but I think on this CD he's settled firmly into his comfort zone and isn't actually saying anything new. Graham. PS. I thought Les Boys was brilliant. |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: s6k Date: 07 Oct 04 - 10:29 AM i, probably among many, would be unable to contain my excitement at a new dire straits album, being that they havent officially split up, and Guy Fletcher has even played on Knopflers solo albums, including this one! I love his solo stuff, and will continue to buy it, however, i just wish for good old times sake, we could have one more Dire Straits album, filled with such gems as 'Sultans', 'News', 'Romeo&Juliet', 'Brothers in arms' etc i would run around hull naked at the prospect of that!! |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: Steve-o Date: 07 Oct 04 - 07:06 PM Grab, the solo on "Are We In Trouble Now" is about as good as electric guitar can get. If that ain't "heart", I don't know what is! |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: GUEST,milk monitor Date: 07 Oct 04 - 07:10 PM He has released three live UK dates.... next May. |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: Once Famous Date: 07 Oct 04 - 09:15 PM Mark Knopfler's guitar has it's own voice. Some special guitarists are lucky to have that. BB King has it. So does Carlos Santana. So did Jerry Garcia. You can recognize who they are just by hearing a guitar solo, even if you never heard it before. I have always been into Dire Straits and MS. I still love the "On Every Street Album." The album had some great country music (Yes, country music). Paul Franklin on pedal steel guitar. Yum. |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: GUEST,chinmusic Date: 07 Oct 04 - 11:01 PM I agree with Martin and Gibson about On Every Street. I think this is Mark Knopfler's masterpiece album, at least up to now. It is the one recording that constantly seems to find its way back into my cd player. |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: GUEST,chinmusic Date: 07 Oct 04 - 11:03 PM Pardon me, I meant to say Martin Gibson, not Martin and Gibson. |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: Once Famous Date: 07 Oct 04 - 11:11 PM No problem, guest chinmusic (a fastball high and tight!) The On Every Street album is my favorite, also. The last song, How Long is just such a perfect piece of country rock. |
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Subject: RE: Review: Mark Knopfler: Shangri-La From: GUEST,chinmusic Date: 08 Oct 04 - 12:40 AM Speaking of a high and tight fast ball, it reminds of what Early Wynn said, when asked if he'd deliberately hit his mother, in the event she hit a tater off him. Being the fierce competitor that he was, Early responded that "no he wouldn't hit her, but he'd certainly knock her down." Gotta love that! |
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