Sultans Of Swing: The Very Best Of Dire Straits

Performer: Dire Straits
Producer: Guy Fletcher; Jerry Wexler; Jimmy Iovine; Mark Knopfler; Muff Winwood; Neil Dorfsman; Barry Beckett
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Also includes material from Mark Knopfler's side project, The Notting Hillbillies. Dire Straits: Mark Knopfler (vocals, guitar); David Knopfler (guitar, keyboards); Hal Lindes (guitar, background vocals); Guy Fletcher, Phil Palmer (guitar); Paul Franklin (pedal steel guitar); Chris White (saxophone); Alan Clark (keyboards); John Illsley (bass, background vocals); Pick Withers, Terry Williams, Chris Whitten (drums); Danny Cummings (percussion). Additional personnel includes: Sting, Jeff Porcaro, Joop de Korte. Producers include: Barry Becket, Jimmy Iovine, Jerry Wexler, Guy Fletcher, Muff Winwood. All tracks have been digitally mastered using HDCD technology. Liner Note Author: Robert Sandall. Editors: Carlos Grier; Don Cobb. Photographers: Josh Pulman; Brian Aris; Mark Leialoha. Unknown Contributor Roles: Chris Whitten; Tom Mandel; Danny Cummings; David Knopfler; Chris White ; Pick Withers; Guy Fletcher ; Hal Lindes; Joop de Korte; Jeff Porcaro; John Illsley; Alan Clark; Manu Katche; Mel Collins; Mike Mainieri; Omar Hakim; Paul Franklin; Phil Palmer; Roy Bittan; Sting; Terry Williams; Jimmy Maelen. Exactly ten years after Dire Straits' first compilation, Money for Nothing, appeared in the stores, their second, Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits, was released. Though a decade is a significant span of time, Dire Straits had released just two subsequent albums -- 1991's On Every Street and 1993's On the Night, a live album culled from tapes of the record's supporting tour. Not quite enough material for a new greatest-hits album, but it had been years since Dire Straits had released an album of any sort (a compilation of BBC sessions snuck into the stores in 1995) -- hence the birth of Sultans of Swing. Unsurprisingly, it covers much of the same ground as Money for Nothing, containing all the essentials ("Sultans of Swing," "Romeo and Juliet," "Tunnel of Love," "Private Investigations," "Twisting by the Pool," "Money for Nothing," "Brothers in Arms," "Walk of Life"), with the exception of "Telegraph Road," which was left on the earlier compilation. A live "Love Over Gold," "Lady Writer" and "So Far Away" replace "Down to the Waterline," "Where Do You Think You're Going" and a live "Portobello Belle," which is really just a trade-off, since they're all equal in quality. Then there are the three hits from On Every Street ("Calling Elvis," "Heavy Fuel," "On Every Street"), all of which are pleasant recreations of the Brothers in Arms sound; a live version of "Your Latest Trick" from On the Night, and, inexplicably, Mark Knopfler's "Wild Theme (Theme from Local Hero)." Fine tunes all, but none of them are reason enough to replace Money for Nothing with Sultans of Swing. For casual fans or curious listeners looking for an introduction/sampler, it's the better choice, simply because it covers more ground and contains more music while remaining quite listenable and entertaining. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine This solid collection is a compelling career overview of one of rock's most distinctive groups. Led by Mark Knopfler, whose deadpan vocal style and stunning guitar technique characterize the band's sound, Dire Straits burst on the scene in 1978 with "Sultans of Swing." This VERY BEST OF begins there (even amid the ensemble's later hits, the lead-off track's clean shuffle rhythm and minor-key melody still dazzles) and continues all the way to cuts from the group's 1991 release, ON EVERY STREET, and their 1993 live outing, ON THE NIGHT. The Dylan-esque narrative of "Romeo and Juliet," from MAKING MOVIES, is one of the early highlights here. At the collection's heart are the tracks from the 1985 blockbuster BROTHERS IN ARMS, including the lamenting "So Far Away," bopping "Walk of Life," and the irrepressible "Money for Nothing." Beyond showcasing Knopfler's excellent songwriting, this album is graced by his light, technically precise guitar technique (he finger-picks all of his electric leads). More comprehensive than their previous greatest-hits package, MONEY FOR NOTHING, SULTANS OF SWING is an excellent introduction to Dire Straits.

Entertainment Weekly (12/11/98, p.80) - "...Dire Straits' best songs seem as singular today as when they first appeared at the supremely unlikely peak of '70s British punk....on the strongest numbers--the courtly `Romeo & Juliet' or graceful `Tunnel Of Love'--Knopfler helps keep the faded '60s notion of the romantic guitar hero alive." - Rating: B+

The U.K.'s Dire Straits became one of the world's most popular rock bands the old-fashioned way, through songwriting and musicianship. When "Sultans of Swing" broke through on both sides of the Atlantic in 1979, the sound suggested Bob Dylan backed by J.J. Cale. It sure didn't sound like anything else on the radio. Mark Knopfler's gruff singing and exquisite guitar playing were critical to the group's sound. The next two records cemented Dire Straits' reputation and bolstered its popularity. 1985's BROTHERS IN ARMS became one of the biggest sellers of the decade. After the band dissolved, Knopfler (who had already done some well regarded soundtrack work) embarked on a solo career, opting for a more low-key approach.

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