Mark Knopfler
NewMusicforOldFolks says …
The title of the album Mark Knopfler made with the Notting Hillbillies was Missing, Presumed Having a Good Time. Knopfler is not missing, he's been consistently putting out good (although somewhat mellower) music since the last Dire Straits studio album in 1991. Those of us who have been looking know he's still out there and still having a good time. Even with Dire Straits, once the biggest band in the world for the Brothers in Arms album cycle, Knopfler has always been the most understated of guitar heroes, with the exception of the scorching solo from "Sultans of Swing." But ask anybody that plays guitar and they'll tell you Knopfler is one of the best ever. He is one of the few guitarists you can tell it's him in the first few notes. When looking at the solo work, I'd start with Sailing to Philadelphia, although All the Roadrunning album with Emmylou Harris is excellent as well.
Artist's Info
Website: markknopfler.com
See him live: Tour dates
See also: Dire Straits, The Notting Hillbillies
Record company: Verve Records
Genre: Roots, Americana
If you like this, look into: John Hiatt, Bruce Cockburn, Keb' Mo'
Bio (From the artists' website)
The much-travelled craftsman prefers to reside wherever the song takes him, from writing room to rehearsal space, recording studio to concert hall. He is, as tirelessly and inquisitively as ever, on the trail of some musical truth, just as he has been since the 45s of Ricky Nelson and Lonnie Donegan, or the playing of Hank Marvin and Duane Eddy, sent him down a path that led to 125 million record sales. That approach to his life’s work is how the title of his new, eighth solo album (not counting a myriad of collaborations, productions and film soundtracks) came into being. It’s the other half, if you like, of his typically acclaimed double set Privateering, which graced top tens throughout Europe and beyond in 2012. (more)
Spotify sampler
Recordings
Most Recent
TRACKER (2015): Scaled smaller than 2012's double-album Privateering, Tracker also feels suitably subtle, easing its way into being instead of announcing itself with a thunder. Such understatement is typical of Mark Knopfler, particularly in the third act of his career. When he left Dire Straits behind, he also left behind any semblance of playing for the cheap seats in an arena, but Tracker feels quieter than his new millennial norm. Some of this is due to the undercurrent of reflection tugging at the record's momentum. Knopfler isn't pining for the past but he is looking back, sometimes wistfully, sometimes with a resigned smile, and he appropriately draws upon sounds that he's long loved. Usually, this means some variation of pub rock — the languid ballad "River Towns," the lazy shuffle "Skydiver," the two-chord groove of "Broken Bones" — but this is merely the foundation from which Knopfler threads in a fair amount of olde British folk and other roots digressions. This delicate melancholy complements echoes of older Knopfler songs — significant stretches of the record are reminiscent of the moodier aspects of Brothers in Arms, while "Beryl" has just a bit of the "Sultans of Swing" bounce — and this skillful interweaving of Knopfler's personal past helps give Tracker a nicely gentle resonance. — AllMusic.com
Others
Neck and Neck (1990) with Chet Atkins
Golden Heart (1996)
Sailing to Philadelphia (2000)
The Ragpicker's Dream (2002)
Shangri-La (2004)
One Take Radio Sessions (2005)
All the Roadrunning (2006) with Emmylou Harris
Kill to Get Crimson (2007)
Get Lucky (2009)
Privateering (2012)
