JOESEDDIT’S CRATES FULL OF VINYL – DIRE STRAITS

I’ve got a couple of crates full of old vinyl albums that I haven’t listened to in years due to lack of equipment to play them. Over a period of about a year and a half I revisited each album on the internet or bought the CD and ranked the songs. I also recorded some brief thoughts, rated the album, and posted the results on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists comment section. I’m recycling and categorizing/grouping the posts on this website.

Dire Straits

Dire Straits debut album. Good guitar. Good songs but nothing but maybe “Sultan” that’s all that notable. There isn’t that much separation between the songs in this ranking. Could have gone several different ways.

Scale of 1 to 10:  B +

1- Sultans of Swing

2- Southbound Again

3- Setting Me Up

4- Down to the Waterline

5- Six Blade Knife

6- Water of Love

7- Lions

8- Wild West End

9- In the Gallery

Brothers in Arms

I never much cared for the 80s MTV pop sound, and the first three songs on this Dire Straits album were right there in the mix. I never listened to this one much, so I’d forgotten most of it. I was glad to find that the remainder of the album differed in that none of the songs would be considered MTV material. Actually, I do kinda like “Money for Nothing”, mostly ‘cuz of the guitar work/riff. Mark Knopfler’s a great guitar player and that’s evident throughout the album, mostly in the form of fills. The songs themselves are nothing special, though, but then again not bad either. I didn’t, but I almost moved my assessment up a half a grade for the title song alone. Cool song.

Scale of 1 to 10:  C

1- Brothers in Arms

2- Your Latest Trick

3- Ride Across the River

4- Money for Nothing

5- The Man’s Too Strong

6- Walk of Life

7- One World

8- So Far Away

9- Why Worry

Communique

Dire Straits’ second album starts off strong as the first two songs are at the top of my list. Finishes up pretty good too while the rest of the songs are good but not great.

Scale of 1 to 10:  B –

1- Once Upon a Time in the West

2- News

3- Single-Handed Sailor

4- Where Do You Think You’re Going?

5- Follow Me Home

6- Lady Writer

7- Communique

8- Portobello Belle

9- Angel of Mercy