Brothers In Arms

The best cheesy dad rock album I can recommend to most anyone. Very 80’s, very catchy, great playing and production

хуйня

This album coincided with the early days of MTV, and Money for Nothing was heavy in the video rotation, so Dire Straits was unavoidable. It's OK but a little tiresome.

Errug leuk

7/10

not for me

Hab ich Strait durchgehört. Aber keine Erinnerung dran. Stabil?

On the question of homophobia in Money for Nothing, I know the band is imagining a character being a bully and calling them a slur. Yet, the same point could have been made using "gay" firstly, but that still would have been offensive. The point is that being gay is a bad thing in the view of the guy, and they go at of their way to say that they are not gay, so that the audience doesn't have to worry. They are implying that they are safe from that criticism, and that narrator is real dumb, cause they are not the least bit gay, implying that there is something wrong with it by distancing themselves. First you need to listen to the Hilarry Duff campaign, and I get it that some straight dudes loves this and this doesn't align with their pretend values. But if people tell you that it is offensive and you are not the offended party you should probably shut it. So the slur doesn't get a pass, and you lost a star buddy. And then there is the fact that while the start is strong, it does get limp at the end. It's good, but my mind ain't melted.

Knopfler is a beast, the album is great, "I have spoken!".

Some tunes on this one! A lotta fun to listen to.

A few popular bangers, and an all round beautiful guitar album

sooooooo 80s. even tho i love sultans of swing this was just sort of …. ok? i liked your latest trick the most

A must listen and no wonder it’s on the list

That’s a goodie The first 3 tracks are legendary, I really softens up after that

Hell yeah. I didn’t know some of their most iconic songs were on this album, so it was exciting to hear them. There was a lot more instrumental music than I was expecting, which was fun… but wasn’t as exciting to me.

I was initially excited, because I thought it was finally time for classic rock, but then Why Worry happened. And then I skipped Why Worry!! First time not listening to a full song for this project. Really enjoyed Money For Nothing. Listened to the album twice :)

Immediate impressions upon seeing the album: wow, I know a lot of these songs! Some bangers in here, but some stinkers as well.

So many bangers! Really enjoyed listening to this one.

Eh, was expecting more since the wiki hyped it up so much

I haven't heard this for ages. It's a beautifully-produced album, but unfortunately, most of the songs are so middle of the road as to have me screaming at them to hurry up and end. They're either fast and boringly simple (Walk of Life) or slow but lacking intrigue (Why Worry). Money for Nothing was fun for five minutes in 1985, but I certainly never need to hear it again. However. There are some good moments (Mark Knopfler will never not play well), and Brothers in Arms is a lovely song which reminds me of some sad times. But really, let's just revere the first three albums (four, if you insist) when they were so much more interesting, and then call it a day.

I only knew the singles from my teen years and settled in for the warm nostalgia of that first three-track run. And my adult ears noticed the exceptional musicianship, especially, of course, Knopfler’s guitar work. I was unprepared for an even better and deeper journey to come beyond the hits. A great record, high 4.

Obviously a five star album whether you like it or not.

It doesnt have sultans of swing but it still swings hard.

This album was fun with good guitar work. Would listen to again.

Very nice. I knew the hits, never heard the full album.

Not my favorite Dire Straits album but was a good listen through. More 80s than I normally like but doesn’t have that algorithmic sound in the same way. Much more melancholy lyrically than the instrumental leads to be

3.5

Meh - Good songs were great. Bad songs were okay but dragged on a bit too long. Maybe revisit later down the line.

Yes, it's boring at times, but Mark Knopfler really stands alone in his singing and guitar stylings. Your mileage may vary, but mine is pretty good.

It's dad rock, and has dated pretty badly, but it's about as good as dad rock gets. One thing that's struck me recently about some of these super-popular albums is the production; this one is clear as a bell.

“Money For Nothing” has a truly scorching riff at the center of it - I don’t know if it needed to be over eight minutes long, but I guess it was plenty of time for ear candy. I didn’t love the vocal performances across the album and the hooks weren’t sticky enough to support the album’s length. You can also really hear the year. I had no idea “Walk of Life” was a Dire Straits song. I got a full-on jumpscare from that. I guess I thought I’d like it more. I found it mushy and meandering.

GOAT

Yo i am doing a 180 on dire straits i love this album it is so relaxing everything is so loud right now

Fantastic album. Can listen on repeat.

O que ele tem de breguice ele tem de alegria. O epítome do subgênero Rock De Pai, o chefão final da categoria. Não é um disco “cool”, não é o tipo de álbum que você toca no quarto com a mina que você pegou numa festa da USP que usa piercing no septo e tatuagem nos braços. Mas é um disco que vai deixar o dia seguinte (com aquela ressaca) mais brilhante, causando movimentos involuntários e palpitações cardíacas elevadas. Muita alegria mesmo. Fome por vida e por viver. Baby do the walk of life. E frente à tanta vitalidade, quem liga de parecer descolado? O trabalho de guitarra neste disco é um prato cheio. Novamente, não tem o molejo de um Sonic Youth, mas não precisa ter. É como comparar um Mustang com uma Mercedez… e é possível amar ambos! E eu os amo ambos, na analogia e fora dela. O saxofone de Your Latest Trick… lindinho, simplesmente. Produção tão imaculada, lisa como a pele de um bebê. Sensibilidades oitentistas em cada uma dessas faixas, produto de sua época. Agora uma opinião quase unânime: Este é o disco mais desbalanceado da história. Tudo que escrevi acima diz respeito apenas a seu primeiro lado, composto de quatro canções angelicais. Seu segundo lado é, no português bom e claro, chato. Há passagens interessantes, mas o álbum se perde por total. Fica sem direção, com canções sinuosas que vão a lugar algum e com durações infladas com sons masturbadores desnecessários. Duras críticas acima, mas quem ama precisa ser firme nas horas certas. Não é um álbum perfeito, e isso me dói. Mas suas quatro primeiras faixas fazem compensar. Vale a pena comprar esse LP e esquecer que ele tem outro lado. Simples assim. 4/5

Really enjoyed!!! Every song I liked more than the last - very surprising to me. Favorite: Money for Nothing

Music for people who like guitars more than they like music. There's some turgid stuff on here, and Your Latest Trick sounds like daytime tv background music. And that is where I bailed...

I won't have anything bad said against Brothers in Arms. It's uncool as fuck, and that is the very reason why I love it so much. Back in '85 I was hopping back and forth between The Meteors and Brothers in Arms. I saw no conflict then, and I still continue to enjoy my genre bed hopping these days. It's just an uplifting, feel good rock 'n' roll album. Walk of Life in particular always has been bopping around the kitchen. The main subject matter gets a little grim, but it's never a BUMMER of an album. Outstanding. Now eat shit and die if you disagree. So there.

This album and the video for "Money For Nothing" came out at the peak of my MTV viewing years, so I heard the song non-stop on MTV when it came out. My husband is also a big Mark Knopfler fan and we've seen him live, so I've heard a lot of his stuff. The first three songs on this album are classics that everyone knows. After that, I felt that the album dropped off a bit. It slowed way down and got a little boring to me. Solid album and I'll listen to those first three songs every time, but not sure I would listen to the rest of the album again.

Yeaaaa this is just phenomenal fucking music right here… not too much really to say about it. Sounded good, felt good to listen to and it was concise enough not to bore you.

Ha, have this one on vinyl. Money for Nothing and Walk of Life is a great back-to-back. Love the bass line in One World.

Not very interesting to me, recognized one song at least

I love Dire Straits

Love money for Nothing, Walk of Life is a made for radio banger, the rest I could take or leave

An absolute classic and brought them into the extreme mainstream. Can’t remember if I had the LP or cassette, but I bought it when it was released.

I was a child in Britain in the 1980s, so it goes without saying that my parents had this album. I know the first four tracks really well, but couldn't really remember the rest of it. Turns out there's a reason for that as this is incredibly front-loaded, but I can see why it was the 80s dad rock album of choice.

Another classic. Interesting song forms and tones.

I wanted to like this more but the slower stuff didn’t really speak to me. Beautiful guitar playing, as expected, but not sure I’ll be revisiting any of the songs I didn’t know already.

I love the music on this album

This is #day568 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… how about the first album in history to sell over one million copies in CD format? Brothers in Arms is an aural pleasure, especially if you listen to it on vintage gear, like I did this Friday night. I wasn't really familiar with the second half, though. Either way, it's a masterclass in mid-'80s pop-rock. I love the story behind the lyrics of "Money for Nothing." And then there's that sax in "Your Latest Trick" (I forgot how I like that melody), and, of course, the title track. They don't do it like that anymore. This is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day569.

Exquisite instrumentals and a strong sense of musical craft help make this one of the best albums to create a specific mood of somber melancholy.

Maybe 3.5

Really really good.

Second album proposé après 'Dire Straits' que j'avais moyennement apprécié (noté 3/5 - qualité des morceaux inégale). Le constat est un peu similaire ici, les morceaux sont souvent inutilement longs, et manquent parfois de parties instrumentales. Quelques parties de guitare ou sax restent intéressantes, mais comme dit précédemment je lui préfère nettement l'album 'Love Over Gold' qui pour moi est bien plus passionnant. =>3/5

One of my favorite albums, and certainly Dire Straits' best. Just banger after banger on this one. So Far Away, Money for Nothing and Walk of Life is a wonderful trio to start the album with, and then the rest of the album slaps too. Closes off with Brothers In Arms, one of the most beautiful songs ever created. I have reviewed this album before, and then I rated it a 8 / 10, but it has grown on me since then, so I'll give it a 9 / 10.

Very 80s. Good album listening experience. Brothers in Arms and Money for Nothing hit in an album context

Not so much for me. Occasionally interesting guitar but melodies and singing doesn't hit.

Money for Nothing

#50/1001 🇬🇧 Famously, the first CD to sell 1 million copies. I didn't buy one, but had a taped copy and i can't say that i remember many of the tracks here. Money For Nothing is obviously the big hit here and whilst its a song of epic proportions, it doesn't speak to me on any level. Walk of Life has always grated on me too. The songs that i enjoyed most were the more low key numbers like The Mans Too Strong and Brothers In Arms. I can see why it was the spearhead for CD quality sound whilst i've been playing it through my speakers, but i think that there is just a bit too much in the production to distract me from what is good in there, for example: Ride Across The River and the Bass wankery in One World. Best Tracks: Brothers in Arms, The Mans Too Strong.

This is my second foray into Dire Straits, and I was feeling this one much more. I like the 80s-ness on Money for Nothing, musically. Lyrically I think I missed the slurs, but I get that's the point, it's apart of the narrative and character he's singing as.

Day 83 - 1985 - Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms This was the first album in history to sell over a million copies on CD. This is their fifth studio album. Brothers in Arms was one of the first albums recorded on a Sony 24-track digital tape machine. The tour for this album started in Yugoslavia, which doesn't exist anymore. I mean, the place exists, just not the name. Now it's Croatia. The British critics HATED this album and were super dismissive of it. American critics loved it. The amount of musicians that quit and joined the band during the recording of this album is 4, including drums, bass, and recording technicians. Dire Straits is also British, which kind of confused my brain because I spent my whole life thinking they were some sort of Southern rockish outfit. Almost every GD song on this album is a hit. Standout: Always, always, Your Latest Trick. There's some opening saxophone which is a little too 80's late night talk show host, but

I mean, you've probably heard at least two tracks off this one, but you really should hear the whole thing. The singles are key, so I'll offset my album rating because not even its context can further perfect those. The title track really makes the album though. Firm 4/5.

Long album so it’s great for working.

So 80s but so varied also

Definitely 80s coded. Good album, had some good songs.

Bored. Couldn't get through it

Another band swept up in 80s softness, not that it’s a bad thing in same cases… Songs are far too long. Feels like it’s made for a few pop tracks but all up, doesn’t flow very well and the slower tracks come across just dull a lot of the time. Give me the self titled any day. Fave tracks: Money for Nothing, Ride Across The River

We eating GOOD today. Fave track: Money for Nothing

Pretty amusing to come across not 1, but 2 all time classic tracks and realise you never actually knew who the artist was of said tracks. And then the rest of the album is great as well. 4/5

I don’t remember a time in my life when Money For Nothin’ wasn’t playing on the radio. It’s interesting knowing it took me this long to realize the continued use homophobic F-slurs in the second verse, and that he’s talking about color TVs. Apparently, I have never been a strong lyrical interpreter. Walk to Life is another good song that has been around for as long as I remember. The rest of the album was relatively new to me and felt like it declined into mellowness as they went. One World pick it up with the Clapton style guitar work and funk bass lines. I’ve never been a huge fan of Mark Knopfler’s baritone five-note range, but I have to admit his guitar tone is ephemeral as shown on Why Worry and Right Across the River. Brother in Arms reminded me of David Gilmore’s guitar work. The album is pretty good though. It does feel like a product of the time rather than a masterwork across generations.

Random thoughts: * I always thought Walk of Life was just a song I liked because it featured sports bloopers. Shout out to Bill Hanzlik. But that song is awesome. It really got into my brain. * Dire Straits was into long songs. I swear most songs were 6 minutes or more. For the good songs, that was fine. For the meh songs, it was too much. * Money For Nothing is a classic for a child of MTV like myself. I either forgot about the troublesome lyrics or upon further research, it was probably edited out. Weird to be alive so long to see society become so much more socially conscious. * Anyway, I dug the hits and the rest was just fine.

4.4

Awful

Very 80's classic rock. Got the twangy guitar, under the breath singing, bluesy flow to the notes. I wouldn't put anything on the rotation, but I can definitely see the appeal. It isn't as flat as many of these albums can be, but it definitely feels like one long, single song. Sometimes these kinds of albums are hard to tell if they are a classic, or just derivative. Like, did they influence everyone else, or just sound like everyone else?

Not as bad as I initially thought. The less vocals the better it felt

I actually didnt know Dire Straits made music like this. I thought it all sounded like Sultans of Swing. Not bad but not my style

Hard to not give this album four stars. Great tracks! Thoroughly enjoyable! And it took me right back to my childhood, with the album being played on repeat in the car.

I know this is a good band, but there is something that just feels boring.

Love this Album. Mark is one of my favorite guitar players.

Mehh

Comencem malament

This may have been the first compact disc my parents owned. I know it cast a long shadow over the new format in the mid ‘80s. The first half of this album is chock full of bops. The second half is more of a meandering collection of Knopfler auditioning for work on film scores.

I've seen the cover of this album everywhere and I've also heard these songs many times, but somehow I never connected the two together nor did I associate them with Dire Straits. I am not particularly fond of long songs, unless it's classical music, but I found the album to be enjoyable. I really liked your Latest Trick, which has a rather unorthodox trumpet stim. I also checked out their other stuff and was glad to find some other gems like Sultans of Swing and Calling Elvis.

Dope

Dire Straits' fifth studio album. I was recently assigned their first album – found it better than I had expected. This one is what I had been expecting (or even worse). A 'polished' sound (not one but two keyboard players), but astoundingly bland arrangements, apparently aiming for middle of the road inoffensive put you to sleep. Money for Nothing does have a crunchy guitar line, but bass and drums are boring as batshit, and the chorus and video still offend me (lyricist won the music industry lottery, but outraged at idea he doesn't have to work for his money – digs at blue collar workers who happen to be distributing microwaves and TVs – what, lyricist doesn't use those products?). I kept hoping for something I could like. Your Latest Trick is more engaging – until vocals start. Why Worry, I would like if the plodding drums were just left out. One World has a bit of slap bass, which does lift the vibe, but not enough to get this album above Really Poor, 2/10.

An absolute classic

pretty nice

It's okey, I liked the ones I already new

-I like the guitar in the cover and I like the guitar in the album -he kind of has a creep voice but I still enjoyed it -would listen again -good background noise at work

Every song felt like the bog standard vanilla 80s in a different way. "Money for Nothing" is Foreigner, "Why Worry" is Kenny Rogers, "One World" is Stevie Wonder. All imperfect comparisons but close enough to get across how bland most of the album was. Highlights: "Walk of Life"

Standouts Money for Nothing Walk of Life The Man's Too Strong One World Brothers in Arms

*1985. *Starts off strong with 3 bangers (So Far Away, Walk of Life, and Money for Nothing). *The rest of the album is pretty good, but a completely different vibe. It feels like they got their radio hits out of the way, and then were able to jam and experiment a bit. I like both styles. *Good stuff, would revisit. RATING - 8/10

Good enough to make me want to check them out more seriously.

5 but a more begrudging 5 than I thought. Real CD bloat and self indulgence in the third quarter of this one which almost brought down the whole thing.

This album is heavily carried by Knopfler’s guitar playing. He is a phenomeal guitarist, but this album is way too long. It’s not awful, but the songwriting isn’t amazing. There are some bangers, and some songs that could be a good 3-4 minutes shorter.

Some classics but the rest were 80s sound, cringey rock songs.. Used to love it but didn't age well (me or this album I'm not sure yet)

Really good, with amazing guitar by Knopfler. Also the slower numbers in the back half of the album are good as well. The first half meanwhile is stellar, as is the closing track! high 4/5

Really good! Narrative, melodic, satisfying lyricism, and great guitar riffs. Will definitely revisit this one.

A solid classic which should be in any record collection

The album starts strongly and then ambles slightly before finishing with a belter. Three of my favourite Dire Straits songs but the meandering, almost dub in the middle detracts slightly. Favourite : Brothers in Arms

This was good, I've heard of this band but barely know them. I also listened to some of their other albums/songs, and it was good. They're country-ish at times but also rock and a bit of alt but also a bit of like nostalgic and blues rock. Deeeefinitely dad rock, fo sho. Brothers in Arms was moving, emotionally provocative, and still rings true today. Brothers in Arms has similarities in themes with Army Dreamers by Kate Bush, but explored the idea that even the "opposition" were family. This album was a wonderful demonstration of how humanity turns against itself to eat its own kin, raw and real and true. It also demonstrates how soldiers never really can go back home, as they'll always take their lowland with them. Music really is an art; in which Brothers in Arms (the song!) really brings to the table. Just talking about that one song though. Not the biggest fan of others, it's generally okay and some of the music can be a bit too slow and sluggish in some bits and places. Was absolutely a fan of the song itself as you can tell. Please note that this review is in separation from the artist. I have little to no knowledge of this band, so I am going purely off of the music on this one. A solid 3. -Byxtwiy Records

Pretty good. Hella production.

Bastante bueno, no me imaginaba lo mucho que iba a disfrutarlo.

Felt like it wanted to be Bruce Springsteen but less successful. Some big gits but lots of just okay

Great musicians, well produced, dull

This album in a yo-yo. Some songs are fire and others garbage. It averages out to a passing grade though.

To me, Dire Straits are usually just kind of boring. They have a pop rock sound and, on Brothers In Arms, some vaguely 80's production. And on some level, it's too bad, because I *do* think that Mark Knopfler is a cool guitarist. Although, a lot of his high skill and cool phrasing techniques just seem to end up in the middle of decent rock songs that don't grab me. I will say that the riff on Money For Nothing is cool, but I don't love the melodies of that song, and I don't think it needs to be like 9 minutes long. The Man's Too Strong is also decent, But honestly, my favorite song is the title track at the very end. It feels like after nearly 50 minutes of dad rock, the veil is lifted a little bit and it feels like a moment of real beauty and vulnerability. The 80's sound works well, the guitar is super dynamic, and the vocals feel pretty genuinely vulnerable. That being said, aside from these, I don't really get much from this album. There are neat moments throughout, but a lot of these songs are overlong, I don't think the sound has aged well, and I don't really like the songs as they are written. There's enough to save Dire Straits from the 1/5, but I didn't really get much out of this.

Never listened to this entire thing before but familiar with half of it. Hard to say anything bad about this one. Money for Nothing is a potent commentary on the woes of riches. It also has an important video for the development of CGI use. Walk of Life is a great song to follow MFN by talking about an average man's experiences day to day. Your latest trick is a new one to me but I loved the guitar here. The Man's Too Strong has such killer sounds its been a semi-recent find for me before this. Brother in arms is also a new one for me but is a great sonic conclusion to what came before while not wasting its inclusion just to end the album. Ive ended up talking myself from a 4 to a 5 with this review. Banger album.

Has some nostalgic hits, but overall it’s a terribly mid album. Why are the songs so long while being so boring?

1: Walk of Life 2: So Far Away 3: Why Worry

Really annoying how the best track has a verse full of homophobic slurs :-/

2/5 - As much as I love their debut album, this really didn't do it for me. Really enjoyed Money for Nothing and Your Latest Trick but apart from that really not for me, I was getting pretty bored during the second half.

Classic "Rock". Sometimes songs are too long (pretty normal for that era). "Money for Nothing" felt familiar, riffs are nice.

LOOOVEEE money is for nothing, is the best one

Ha! Brothers in Arms! If you were an early adopter to CD players you probably have this album because it was often given for free with the purchase, to show off the sound quality. And does it sound good. I love Dire Straits but funnily, not their biggest hits. I really dislike Sultans of Swing! This album has some great music on it - 1 point off because I am just totally addicted to Love Over Gold (the first tow songs) and this album isn't quite as good to me. Brothers in Arms is a fantastic song. Knopfler's guitar dynamics (and vocal too) are unique. I don't really care for some of the other songs, including Money For Nothing. By the way, its lyrics are "in character" - how do people not see this - and don't make Knopfler homophobic, unless you'd say that playing Hitler in a movie makes you a Nazi. For me, the real problem nobody talks about is that working-class people are being stereotyped as being homophobic. So, not the right choice of words but (for me) for different reasons than supposed homophobia. All in all, a superbly made album but with some "meh" songs. Telegraph Road and Private Investigations for me, any time (but that's another album though).

3.5/5. Haven't listened to much Dire Straits outside of the usual suspects, and I found the songs closest to this preconception my favourite. The first few songs and the last couple are the stand outs. The middle certainly dragged on somewhat, but wasn't too egregious. Favourite Track - Money For Nothing

yessssss

First listen for over 30 years. Really wanted to give a five but after that amazing opening, there's just too much filler in the middle. Still love those opening 3 tracks though.

Some bangers and killer deep cuts. Side two is the weaker but the title track that closes the album is perfect.

спокойный альбом. Мне очень хорошо было читать под него. Очень зашла песня One World

3.5 - Good

The double hit of Money for Nothing and Walk of Life is so crazy. And then the rest of the album is just so boring it’s shocking. It’s like another band

Probably my least favourite DS album, other than the very lack lustre last.

Didn't realize how many 80s mainstay hits were dire straits.

Solid 3.5 but b/c I like DS in general, bumper up to 4.

Yeah, rough to get through. Not a fan

top 3 - Your Latest Trick, Why Worry, Brothers In Arms. Don't know how to really feel, was a little bored. Might relisten.

Sublime production, a true classic.

7/10 Favourite: Money for Nothing Least Favourite: One World

It's an almost perfect album. Lyricism. Artistry. Stories. Riffs. I've heard it probably too much as a demo album in stereo shops and stuff and I almost downgraded it due to overfamiliarity but trying to take it at its own merit it's just a really, really good album.

Solidt album

Walk of Life

Very stylish

Som really solid tracks on here, plus a few I wasn’t familiar with that I enjoyed, like The Man’s Too Strong. Brothers in Arms is also a terrific closer. Album lost me a little bit in the middle though.

Great album, loved the tunes, great talent, thx

Не мой стиль песни но была прикольно послушать

The album that led the CD revolution. Every track is wonderful.

Music that sounds this 80's is always going to have a bit of an uphill climb as far as my enjoyment of it, but I found most of these songs to be pretty boring even outside of how extremely 80's they sounded. I recognized 'Walk of Life' - that song is pretty good; I had no idea what that song was called or who it was by before I listened to this. Also: I was surprised to find out that these guys are British

dajksldksaldjas

Dude! the start of "money for nothing"! The rest of the album has bangers also. "walk of life"

How does an album that contains as unique a song as ‘Money For Nothing’ manage to be so aggressively boring otherwise? This record sounds like the whole band is on downers- everything is mid tempo, the arrangements are non-existent and the energy approaches narcolepsy. ‘Money for Nothing’, on the other hand, is decidedly progressive- it has multiple interesting production choices (including a downright fascinating guitar tone) and legit hilarious lyrics. What happened here? One good song and two other decent ones on the whole record. The rest is bizarrely staid. I will admit it sounds very good- but Knopfler’s perfectionism with audio fidelity apparently does not extend to songwriting.

Liked this better than the last Dire Straits album, felt more complete.

- This Dire Straits album is better than the other one that I got on this list. This one has four of their hits. At their best, Dire Straits has great songwriting - the songs are catchy, melodic, and infinitely singable (even though Mark's voice isn't really anything special). - And, I can't talk about Dire Straits without complimenting the guitar playing. - On the other hand, the majority of the songs (even the hits) are on the dated side, but since I grew up with them, the nostalgia overrides that for me. I wonder what I would have thought if I just heard them for the first time now. - Also, like the other one, this album is mainly filler - basically starting at song 4, Your Latest Trick. And all the worst songs are so long. After the hits are over, this album really feels "Adult Contemporary", and that's obviously not a compliment. - Their "Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits" album is the way to go so you don't have to wade through the boring stuff.

Very strong beginning, but the songs in the middle are a bit of a letdown, but Brothers in Arms compensates as finale

I remember this when it came out back in the day. I had this on cassette tape and played it a lot in various walkmans. I mainly bought it because I really loved the song Money For Nothing, probably because of the distorted guitar riff and that computer generated music video which was revolutionary at the time. I do remember how subdued a lot of the other songs on the album were. In hindsight a lot of it sounds like some sort of adult contemporary soft rock so I’m sure as a kid I didn’t totally get it but I do remember putting it on just to chill out. Putting this on now it seems that some elements have not stood the test of time but I still enjoyed the listen. I never listened to any other albums by them though and I really ought to. I do enjoy Mark Knopfler’s voice and guitar playing so there’s gotta be some other gems in their catalogue.

Wow, this one is hard for me to rate. Never listened to this album start to finish. Songs are good, vibes are great, Mark's playing is amazing. I really want to give it 5, but the lack of louder and uptempo moments makes it harder for me to call this album "flawless". I really like it, but I'll go with 4 this time.

Ok

This could have been five but lost a star in the second half

Always easy listening … good disc

Ya know I was digging this til the f slurs.

A real masterpiece. Beginning to end with a couple of all time tunes on there to boot.

un pinche perro discazo

“Why Worry?” and “So Far Away” will become some of my new favorite songs, though I didn’t love this as a complete work enough to give it 5 stars

Money for Nothing alone deserves a five stars for me but I also love some of the other songs on this album like Brothers in Arms and Your Latest Trick.

It’s really good, but it’s just not my vibe. Very polished 80s — atmospheric in a very clean, hi-fi way, but it feels sterile to me

A surprising listen for me. Everyone knows the cheesy (but still good!) MTV and radio-friendly hits from this album, but I didn’t realize that the rest of the tunes were jammy-blues and more muted/ textured, as per Knopfler’s MO as a virtuoso guitarist and “soundscapes” guy.

Good album, but the tracks were longer than they should've been

Can someone please explain the selling 100m albums but having zero charisma as a band conundrum. The Knopfler Effect

Good tunes good vibes all around. BRB gonna go run for a 2nd term.

Very consistent and smooth sound and tone throughout. Beautiful song writing- a little too adult contemporary at times.

Overall I liked this album save for the second song having the F-slur in it. Not my cup of tea. In terms of just general music however, pretty good!

Best song: Why worry, money for nothing

Sorry not for me.

This is a slow, guitar filled, classic rock album. Mark Knopfler is always a pleasure to listen to. To my taste, there are some very nice track and way too many forgettable fillers. I love Dire Straits, but I think they work way better in a Greatest Hits compilation.

The first 1/3 of this record are all massive cultural hits and then this record steers all over the road. I don't love how much we're missing Knopfler's clean, muscular tone and instead processing it deeply. But there's also some truly stunning cuts, specifically the title track to close the record. It's a very uneven record but when it's good, it's great.

I did not like this one nearly as much as I liked the bands first album. This was from 1985, and it is very much influenced by the sound of its time, whereas the first album was much more guitar-based and likeable to me. This had elements of New Wave and the guitars were definitely not front and center.

Highlights: - Money for Nothing - Walk of Life - Your Latest Trick

Pure vibes

Mostly a good album, but fuck the song Money for Nothing. "That little f*ggot" shut the fuck up. Weird Al did it better.

Ok

Great singles (f slur notwithstanding [like I get the context but it was still jarring]), and not quite as great filler. Solid listen!

I have owned this for over 40 years. Still love it. Still trying to figure out how to get my money for nothin' and my chicks for free. 5.0

Was not expecting this to feel like a country rock album.

I've heard this before and it's good but I feel like I'm missing something because it doesn't really stand out as anything special to me. Top tier guitar playing though

...

Still a great album. Not quite a 4 but better than a 3?

I like the vibe! The songs are long and I do feel like I am drawn to more strong lyrical music but I really like the music.

213/1001 :: Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ❌ Rating: 6.5 Listen before you die: Yes Lotta hits on this one. And frankly they’ve been beaten to death by classic rock radio. For that I think my perception of these songs is skewed. It’s not a bad album but I also don’t think it’s great. Some very good song writing though and generally enjoyable the whole way through I was just kinda waiting to be blown away and I wasn’t. Lastly I didn’t realize how much Mark Knofler’s voice sounds like Tom Petty’s; not as good a singer IMO but but also very similar.

Æ vet at det liksom ikke e kult å digge Walk of Life, men faktum e at æ hørte den i en sånn alder kor den bare satte sæ aldeles fast i mæ som en morsom sang å høre på, og det har den aldri slutta å være, du du dudu du du du du du, resten av albumet va helt greit.

5/5

Despite my initial resistance to its length, Brothers in Arms rewards patience with an impressive range of sound across its nearly hour long runtime. While the album can at times feel sprawling, Dire Straits use that space to demonstrate a remarkable stylistic breadth. The standout moment arrives in the closing track, “Brothers in Arms,” a seven minute ballad told from the perspective of a dying soldier. Anchored by restrained synthesizers and a slow building, hypnotic guitar solo, the song show cases the post-punk attitude this band is know for. Its stark anti-war messaging lingers long after the album ends, effectively overshadowing some of the weaker moments elsewhere on the record. Tracks like “Money for Nothing,” “Your Latest Trick,” and the buoyant “Walk of Life” highlight the band’s technical precision and genre fluency. Brothers in Arms may not be my personal favorite, but its ambition, sonic variety, and cultural significance—especially as one of the defining albums of the CD era—make it well worth a listen.

So atmospheric! Enjoyed the experience but probably won’t be coming back to it. Instrumentals were absolutely beautiful, I’d definitely recommend it to some people. Favorite tracks: so far away, the man’s too strong

Did not enjoy

3/9 bekannt 6,5/10 Beste Songs: Walk of Life, Brothers in Arms, Money for nothing

Was never a dedicated Dire Straits fan, but this record has a lot of familiar hits...and even for the unfamiliar tunes, Knopfler's guitar is always familiar. Didn't really remember the edgy lyric in Money for Nothing, and never noticed that Sting sang back up.

Not bad. The songs I knew from the radio have been so overplayed I can't enjoy them anymore. But the rest of the record was good.

Overall, I found it fine but a little boring. Two songs jumped out to me, but the rest sort of blurred together unfortunately.

really great! i'll admit i didn't give it the proper listen it deserved. i started listening while high and then on the light rail and the walk to campus. i love the hints of jazz and folk... jumpscare when i heard faggot used multiple times and then another jumpscare when i found out sting on was on that song and then another jumpscare when i saw stills from the music video. and then i remembered singer sting is not the same guy as wrestler sting. aw dunk they don't let you do half stars. i would have given this one a 4.3/5

I was expecting to like this more than I did. Maybe for it to rival their debut album which I gave a 5/5. But this album was too polished? Too soft? Too much of that synth piano and weirdly placed smooth jazz? Too... something. Even the hits "Money for Nothing" and "Walk of Life" fall short of expectations in the context of the former album. I miss the guitar heavy tunes of their origins. "Brothers in Arms" is a jam though.

First 3 songs are classics. Then the songs started to slow down and I didn't like it as much. 3.5/5

Some jams and then some filler making this a solid 3 album for me. “Walk of Life” is one of those tracks I’ve sung along to on the radio for years and, frankly, never knew it was Dire Straits. Now I know!

I love Dire Straits and this is their most popular, and arguably best, album. Their off-kilter pub rock isn’t for everyone though, and the handful of records between their eponymous debut and Brothers In Arms are middling and inconsistent. But here they’re at the height of their inventiveness and creativity in both song writing and recording. Their is no fat to be trimmed. The experimental songs are fully formed, and the hits are distinct and undeniable. Their allegiance to a specific Americana-tinged sound often masks their wry artistic nature. For me, their appeal has always been the fact that their approach to music blends a seemingly vapid veneer with deeply critical, unironic lyrics with a dedication to — and expert execution of — specific music traditions. This album is blatantly satirical, and that sensibility was further amplified by the album’s reception in popular culture: despite the songs critique, one that questions the evolving role of musicianship and popularity in the age of visual media, it became a massive hit on MTV with its charmingly-dated computer animation powered music video. Many musicians who became popular before music absorbed the added visual medium that MTV ushered in were hesitant and critical about this development, and their concerns weren’t unfounded. Despite those anxieties, Dire Straits takes control of the wheel and cruises over that divide, and Brothers In Arms has aged very well — a forward-thinking and thought provoking, expertly crafted, commercially successful album. The runtime of roughly half the songs on this record are over five minutes long, a testament to their willingness to be more expansive in artistic direction while not sacrificing a commitment to writing catchy hooks and riffs that can be enjoyed at face value, unconcerned about the churning waters just below the placid surface.

Great album love the guitar tone on some of these songs

A masterpiece in rock music with purpose.

This was great. I really need to listen to more Dire Straits.

i like this album cover. i liked this album! happy friday team

My nextdoor neighbour's mum had this when I was growing up. I always thought of it as old person music. And it is. But it's good old person music. And I am now an old person.

Muy chill, las partes de jazz me gustaron mucho.

Honestly, this one felt like nothing special to me. Their self-titled which we got a while ago was cool and bluesy if a bit samey, but this one went headlong into 80s pop rock, a sound I'm overall less interested in.

For an album that sold so many copies and had so many hits, it was just kind of ok to me. And some of the songs definitely went on for entirely too long.

It's very nice to hear how well they fleshed out their sound since their self-titled, which I enjoyed a lot despite it being a bit one-note. There's much more variety from track to track here, and they even managed to transition into the 80s without falling into its usual trappings! Guitar John still knows all the chords! Since I'm rating this as an album listen, I do think it hits a few lulls here and there, which would be fine if they didn't go on for up to 8 minutes. Too many of these tracks fail to justify their length -- even Money For Nothing is pushing it!! When it's good, though, it's awesome. And it made me rediscover a couple of nostalgic bangers! Standouts: So Far Away • Money For Nothing • Walk Of Life • Ride Across The River

Man, I listened to this album before and I remember hating it. Could not believe how much I enjoyed it this time. I suspect maybe I was listening to it on a speaker where I couldn't adequately hear the bass, which really brings this album to life. I do think you could easily trim here and there but it never got annoying.

I refuse to listen to this. I will never again be tormented by a DS album again.

Still love this album after so many years. Great songs and amazing and innovative guitar sounds. Some of the songs are a bit long but still enjoyed them all.

I mean it’s good I kind of thought it would be better I guess maybe it just wasn’t exactly my vibe or what I expected

Oh my, I used to listen to this album so much at school! A very cozy album for me, lots of great memories. To me Dire Straits is quintessential background music - but I mean it in the best way as it just fits, just like an old cozy sweater.

Recognize some of the songs. Pretty good album overall. It gets more folky the longer you listen though lmao

Een paar (te) lange nummers, maar wel steengoed

Not bad, a lot of it I kind of zoned out, it easily becomes background music. Also, I guess I’ve never heard the non-radio version of Monwy for Nothing, a lot of F slurs! I get it’s from a different time and I think the context was almost mocking people who use the term, I was just surprised because I’ve heard that song a ton on the radio.

4/5

Good

A solid listen with notable songs, I wasn't super into it but enjoyed it enough to praise

★★★★★,

Love this album. And this is one of the most iconic album covers ever.

My friend used run a hi-fi shop in the 80’s and used to dread Saturdays. All the dull hi-fi buffs would come in to hear the new Kef or Mission speakers and bring this on CD, I laughed. Today I had to listen to it, fantastic musicianship totally wasted on the dullest pile of shite created! 54 minutes of meaningless twaddle, 5 plus minute tracks that went absolutely fcuking nowhere. I will happily die before I put myself through this guff again. 0 stars is too high.

It’s fantastic, but I think that Money For Nothing should have been placed later into the album. The rest just felt a little weak compared to it

Good

Didn’t finish

First album I bought as a kid. Didn't age well, except maybe the title track

Listen to this one more

As good to day as the first time I listened to it in 1985.

Ok, enjoyable enough

wonderful

Not their best but still excellent.

4/5

Two very good songs lift the vote up. The rest of the album has a lot of instrumental parts, but overall the vibe is there.

Felt like they put all there effort into Money for Nothing and Walk of Life and the rest are just filler tracks

Loved DS at the time. Sometimes a bit self indulgent, but great stadium rock. Occasionally still listen - but to selected tracks. Worth a 4 I think for BinA and MforN.

Money For Nothing plus a few other tracks I enjoyed, the rest a bit nothing for me

Sehr gutes Album, mit den altbekannten Bangern. Die weniger bekannten Songs finde ich hatten auch n tollen Sound und Texte. Hier gibt es nicht wirklich was zum Meckern

2 Lieder fand ich nicht schlecht, aber finde Diere Straits generell eher langweilig. Das Album war auch nicht viel besser.

Banger

Listened. 3.5/5

The album grew on me l

Catchy album with a mix of pop songs and some more jazz influenced numbers. The singles work and I think the main problem with this album is some tracks just run on too long. While Knopfler's song crafting continues a pace on this record not everyone's a winner, despite this being a massive hit.

Obviously know and love the three big singles, but have not spent much time with the other songs on this album. They are rather beautiful and delicate, but often a bit sloggish given their run time. The album still sounds beautiful and was clearly ahead of its time in production and recording and a 40th anniversary remastering sounds excellent.

Great singles, fantastic guitar, but some boring songs as well.

An excellent classic rock album with guitar virtuoso Mark Knopfler at his best. Starts out with 3 solid tracks and finishes with the greatest comrades in arms sobg ever.

I prefer more guitar picking by Mark knopfler than this album has but it's still an iconic album. Every song is a banger.

I hate way of life the sam eway I hate take on my or never gonna give you up. Why worry and Ride Across the River - those ones were extremely calming, I think I may wanna listen to them again. And couple more. Yeah. That's a good calming and chill rock album.

Listened to this a lot when I was 13. Didn't age well for me. Jammed out 'Money For Nothing'....

I enjoy a handful of songs from Dire Straits, but it always surprises me how quickly this album loses steam after Walk of Life.

Fantastic. I do think this album slows down a bit at the end but it keeps its spirit

A few songs that get old kinda quick, but some great songs and the closer is absolutely goated

Loving it

Mark Knopfler is one of the greats! Loved this album and it brought me back to a time in my life when this album played on repeat and life was a lot simpler.

Why do they sound like they're on Valium? I only knew two songs going in and want to go back to that time in Sorry dozed off and crashed my car. Brb.

Mark is a legend. The first 3 tracks are excellent. The other tracks are just decent.

This makes me feel incredibly old. When I was a kid I’d have called it dad rock. Now that I’m a dad I guess I’ll call it grandpa rock. Some good solos but way too long and boring.

So Far Away and Walk of Life are both great blues-pop songs, and Money for Nothing is fantastic (ignoring some questionable lyrics). I can't help but get pumped up when the guitar kicks in at the beginning. None of the other tracks on the album get me all that excited but they're all good. Knopfler's guitar work and the rest of the band are great throughout. The singing suits the style even if it's not classically impressive. This isn't in my top ten or anything but Dire Straits bring something unique to the table and I'm glad for the excuse to dig a little deeper into their work.

they just kinda gave up after the first three songs

1. so far away - i liked it at first but it just was really repetitive. not bad. (also this album is almost an hour long for 9 songs like what) 2. money for nothing - it says some real crazy things i like the beat and music and all but it’s super long 3. walk of life - may i say my favorite one so far? it reminds me of another song though. 4. your latest trick - nice softer slower jazzy like track i think would be so nice for like background music when ur just doing something chill like a nice dinner party or something. 5. why worry - another very long track. and it’s slow in a way i could put it on my time to snooze playlist and it’ll sing me to sleep. 6. ride across the river - not sure how i feel about this one yet. the albums definitely gotten slower though i hear lots of the same instruments happening. 7. the man’s too strong - this one’s interesting (kinda) idk if i like it though not my fav at all. 8. one world - another one of my more favorite ones and also the shortest track on this album yet. 9. brothers in arms - another slowed down song it’s alright. this album was just ok though i don’t hate it but most likely wouldn’t circle back to it myself.

5 h Solid and chok full of impeccably produced hits

that is some tasty guitar goddamn. i like

The kid from school who was first to have a Tamagotchi's white collar dad ROCKS COCK to these guys. There are some nice dynamics and tenderness here that appeal, but it never quite gets "real" enough. Too tidy. Too composed. Like the judgy girl in high school that doesn't participate in anything but has some real big opinions. I'd water my garden to this.

this one felt just so incredibly blah to me. definitely not something i would reach for. even the singles (So Far Away) are boring and - dare i say - cheesy in a way that's not nostalgic to me. The only track I kinda like is The Man's Too Strong, fun lil country lane with bold guitar and the vocals sound more Bob Dylan-y on this one.

I like it, but the big Money For Nothing song is much less than it's intro, and has the word "faggot" peppered throughout it. What an I missing here? 3-4

I remember reading a (possibly apocryphal) story that this sold more copies on CD than there were actual CD players when it initially came out. That was meant to illustrate how much of a phenomenon the album was, but I choose to believe it’s more indicative of the impacts of lead poisoning on boomers and gen x.

Before Listening: Is this the album with the song that has the f-slur? Guess we’ll find out! After Listening: Yep, that’s the one. Besides that song, this one wasn’t too bad. I really enjoyed the orchestration and lyrically, it was pretty strong.

Some classic tracks here early - money for nothing, walk of life. Kind of got bored in the middle. Money for nothing has some pretty dated lyrics.

me (a f*g): this rocks

Easy 4 for me

Very good album I throughly enjoyed. Your latest trick was my secret find from this album. Lwk think Making Movies is a better album than Brothers In Arms but this was still great though.

An ode to intro’s! I miss those nowadays!

I’m a fan.

Money for nothing will always be a crazy listen and makes up for the rest of the album falling a little flat

Didn’t realize I knew songs off this album. Would definitely listen to this again.

Enjoyed this Favourite tracks- your latest trick, brothers in arms, and money for nothing

So many good songs, nice to have an album I like again

8.22/10 4/5

Weird very listen able

8/108:10

I thought about giving it only 4 bc it is personally a bit slower than what I would usually listen to but honestly even if it is not youe cup of tea you can hear that this is art. The guitars? The synth? Juicy is what it is. I knew half of the songs anyway but never knew they where all by the Straits let alone all on the same album that's nuts to me. Such a chill album sounds like a dream ngl I will definitely listen to it again as a whole thing in the future.

Me cago en la puta no pueden poner algo divertido. Acaba de empezar y ya me aburrí. O sea que está bien pero bro no

Mark Knopfler is one of the most distinctive, enigmatic guitarists out there. The main riff to “Money for Nothing” is iconic (and difficult). The first four songs are excellent, but then the album plateaus a bit at that point. Or maybe it’s just my lack of familiarity with the later tracks that’s the problem. Nevertheless, I’d call this a solid 4 stars.

Highlights - big iron, El Paso, they’re hanging me tonight

Honestly so damn good! Really didn't expect to like this so much. I feel like Walk of Life was embedded into my subconscious and only revealed when relistened without expecting anything. Adoreddddd the guitar solos. Beaut

Loved this entry. Love some Straits, even Dire ones. Great vocals and arrangements BUT that gay slur in Money for Nothing puts a different light on things in today's society. Doesn't make or break my appreciation for the talents of this group, just underscores awareness. Listened before? N Saved tracks? Y Favorite tracks? So Far Away, Walk of Life, ⭐⭐⭐ Liked it. Saved a couple tracks.

So bored. Boooooooooooooooooored.

I mean Money for Nothing and Walk of Life are bangers, but the rest of the album kinda bored me. Maybe One World as an exception to that rule. 3/5

Was so looking forward to this until I realized Money for Nothing is a monotonous banger and everything else on this record kinda sucked ass.

Ok - after a run of tough new listens, now we’re back on very familiar territory. If you had a CD player in the mid 80s then you had to have a copy of this! DDD was a big deal back in the day!! The fact that it’s Dire Straits most commercial album and somehow it’s still jammed with wonderful songs like Why Worry is amazing to me. It’s the big hits that spoil it for me now. Money for Nothing was never the strongest track for me and I have always loathed Walk of Life (my original CD player was programmed to recognise this disk and skip the track always). The rest is simply wonderful music. Overall I think Love Over Gold is a far superior album, but it’s still a 4 all day long.

Just a flat out ridiculous album, zero skips within, Sure "Money For Nothing" and "Walk Of Life" are way overplayed in your lifetime, but the whole flow of the album is seriously fucking good. Mark Knopfler is on fire with his guitar playing, the drums and bass are tight and even the 80s sax player gets his chance to shine with a godly tier riff on the jazzy noir "Your Latest Trick" and the vibes on "Ride Across The River" feels like an island band despite the song being about mercenaries and private wars, a theme that gets bookended in the titular "Brothers In Arms" about the futility of war, and capped by an emotional solo for the ages. This is arguably the moment Dire Straits went from "great British band" to "global phenomenon." It was one of the first albums made famous by MTV videos and directed at the CD market, recording digitally to capture every nuance of Mark Knopfler’s fingerpicking.

Best prima, kende wel veel eigenlijk. Vroeger toch best vaak geluisterd en gehoord.

best track: so far away money for nothing walk of life the man‘s too strong brothers in arms

Some classic songs. Meh overall.

I didn't realize that I knew some of these songs... but only through other sources. The Weird Al parody Beverly Hillbillies is way better than the original.

Songs are good and all but some of it just is too smooth for me and it infected everything in music for about 7 years.

have heard some of these songs before! enjoyed. one song had f slur and i was too tired to determine if it was reasonable lmao. sounds kinda like bob dylan but not?

Not super my vibe but had fun!

I didn’t get it. Even as I tried I just didn’t get it :(

One of the best albums ever created!

I was going to give this collection of tepid, boring, over-long soft rock snoozers 2 stars for, at the very least, not being unlistenable. But hearing the uncensored, slur-filled version of Money For Nothing, a song I already disliked, has earned this a spiteful 1 star.

Klasika 80' tých rokov. Dire straits majú aj lepší album, ale pre mainstream je tento asi najpočúvanejší.

One of the big sounds of the 80's. For those who grew up in or follow the pop culture of Anglophone countries, this album contains some of the most recognisable songs of the era. The problem is that it sounds not only dated (thinly EQ'd drums), but there's a few filler tunes towards the 2nd half of the album. This was one of many sounds that was created for those that don't have any strong feelings about music. It's instantly accessible and save for a few songs, rather forgettable.

Excellent album, couple of weaker tracks towards the end. Knopfler is a remarkable guitar player

Worse than their first record, albeit more packed with hits. It is a collection of bangers through and through. 9/10 [KEEP]

The famous songs are good

Buen inicio, luego es muy instrumental y relajado, no malo, pero no tan mi estilo

Brothers in arms slaps