Brothers In Arms

This album starts strong, then lulls, then ends with an inspiring song fit for a nuanced President to determine that he's going to seek re-election (where my West Wingies @). (As an aside: "Walk of Life" was hilariously used in a project to show that it fits movie finales brilliantly.) Dire Straits were an eclectic group with a unique sound. This album shows them at that: arena rockers and ballads, fast songs and slow--this is Dire Straits at their best. Top tracks: "Walk of Life," "Brothers in Arms," "Money for Nothing," "So Far Away"

fuck yeah, quintessential dad rock. Title track a banger.

--So Far Away...lazy river opening. it's pleasant. a little long --Money for Nothing...I always liked this song. the gay slurs are uncomfortable. Knopfler's excuse is the lyrics were written in third person and are not reflective of his own views. Still probably should have used a different word --Walk of Life...just a fun little ditty with a timeless quality. could easily fit on any number of 21st century twee indie albums --Your Latest Trick...the intro probably could've been shorter; cut out the sax solo would be my suggestion. I used to play the sax. making a saxophone sound not cheesy is really hard to do. this sounds cheesy --Why Worry...is this a lullaby? an 8.5 minute lullaby? you crazy, Mark. --Ride Across the River...lots of cool little surprises in this. guitar, pan flute(?), percussion, and trumpet come together nicely to tell an interesting story --The Man's Too Strong...like that guitar intro. rest of the song is pretty good too --One World...we get some bass funk! I like this one a lot --Brothers in Arms...there's a Pink Floyd's the Wall thing going on here. not as good as Floyd

Fav- one world 3/5

Tiene varios palos eh

Listened before?: partially So Far Away - 4/5 Money for Nothing - 5/5 Walk of Life - 4/5 Your Latest Trick - 4/5 Why Worry - 3/5 Ride Across the River - 3/5 The Man's Too Strong - 3/5 One World - 3/5 Brothers in Arms - 5/5 Average score: 3.8/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ this was a little underwhelming in comparison to their debut album (which i listened to a few months back), particularly in the second half. as long as these 9 tracks are, i was expecting the tracks to be just as good, especially with all the praise i've seen for this album in particular. maybe i just don't get it at this time on the bright side, the first half was still fairly enjoyable, as was the final track. i think this album just barely fits into the 4-star range because of this

Some classic 80s goodness here. Dire Straits has some great songs, some of which are on this album. A few songs I didn’t like or care for here, but Knopfler’s guitar is on point as always. 4/5

I want my MTV

Dire's pretty cool, but that Straits is a traitorous jerk. Solid album. The intro to "Money for Nothing" will never not kick ass. Someone should start a band called Dire Gays lol.

The first three songs hit hard out of the gate, with “Money for nothing” being the most recognizable. Overplayed, yes, however it has an iconic riff and helped to define the 80’s and MTV era. Many fond memories of these opening three hits. I also liked “Ride across the river” a little further in. The rest was somewhat forgettable but this deserves a high rating for the impact at the time.

liked ts

First 3 tracks are really good. The rest doesn't quite do it for me. 3.7/5

Ощутила, как будто я живу в то время. Прикольно

When to listen: 80s party pre-game. Had no idea how many of these songs I'd recognize and know. The music felt... derivative, but it was a derivation of music I like.

This will be a relisten. It was an album I had put on quite a bit when it came out. I had just been ordering my first few cassettes from Columbia House (first two albums I bought Peter Gabriel So, and Art of Noise's In Visible Silence). I had been working for a little bit and discovered that my library had albums. Until this time, very little listening was done outside of what my parents listened to: country, early 50s rock, and some pop music. When they went to church on Saturday nights, I would be able to listen to a different radio station and eventually got a clock radio in my room where if I kept it exceptionally quiet, I would listen late at night when everyone else was asleep. The video of Money for Nothing was on heavy rotation and was not like anything else. I borrowed the album from the library and copied it onto cassette. I played it many times. Other than Money for Nothing, the rest of the album was a bit of a bridge from what my parents were listening to and something more mysterious. It didn't fit most of the Top 40 show stuff or the more eclectic show stuff from overnight radio. It was something different that felt like a bluesier rock. I didn't quite get the whole feeling of the album. It spoke to my working class existence. Even as I noted the sarcasm and the chagrin of making fun both of musicians and the movers. I found the last song the one that when I first started listening I would consider skipping or at least be happy that it was one that was one at the end so I could maybe drift off to sleep. Now having said all that, it was time for the relisten. Sometimes as I listen, I would recognize this as being related to Don Henley's Boys of the Summer and other times my touchstone at the time would have been Honeymoon Suite. Dire Straits was more restrained and sounded less produced. The song Wave Babies is the closet thing. It had lots of space. These shared a sense of sunlight on waves in the summer and falling asleep in the sun on the dock, eyes squinting. Ride across the river has the opening sounds that I associate with Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer. The Mans too strong feels like a standard country/folk song of frustration and revolt. This is part of a reason that the whole record feels like a working class album. I could connect with some of these feelings of loss of control and having things happen to you. Also, the comradery of being different but still working together like the last track of Brothers in Arms. Feels almost like an Irish song in places. If this was solely based on how much I like the album, I would give it a 5 and have been debating. In terms of impact; other than the production and the video, this is a fairly middle of the road album. It means more for me as a part of my formative listening. I'll split the difference and give it a 4.

i want my mtv. favourite song: brothers in arms

A bit cheesy but great songs, production and guitar playing.

Some absolute bangers in here but the second half of the album fell off for me. Had to relisten a couple times to have a good opinion here (was bouncing between 3 and 4). Dude's voice sounds like a close cousin to Bob Dylan. Love how many different feels they have in the album though from harder rock, to some country, jazz, and even some raggae. Going with a 4 but a relatively low 4 (3.7) Fave Songs: Money for Nothing (obviously), The Man's too Strong (very bob dylan-esque)

Have I listened to this album before? No How familiar am I with this album? I know some songs How do I feel about this artist? I like the radio hits Pre-Listen Thoughts: This is apparently one of my mom’s favorite albums ever Favorite track(s): Walk of Life, Money for Nothing Post-Listen Thoughts: Dad rock for sure, but not bad rock. I feel like some of the songs could have been shorter, but its still a solid album.

ders calisirkn sardi

4/5 best three song run to start an album possibly

If you became a dad in the 80s they sent you home from the hospital with this album. Knopfler’s guitar sound is so unique, and this album is a real showcase for what he can do with 6 strings. It’s a lot gentler than I remember it being, and I think I appreciate it more now than I did when I was younger.

This has a few goofy bits (Walk of Life, Ride Across the River), and some 80s cheese, but it's still a really solid album. Mark Knopfler's guitar playing is excellent.

The first three songs and the last three songs are great. Not a fan of the sax on “your latest trick”. Like always with Knopfler, the guitar play is amazing.

really enjoyable album, strong songs really slap, weak songs do drag though, still banging

Have grown to like this. Prefer all there previous albums.

For several summers in a row in the early/mid-80's, several friends and I had VIP passes to the OP Pro surfing championship in Huntington Beach, CA. In the summer of 1985, when we arrived and were entering the gated area with our cooler and beach chairs, we were invited to sit in front of the bleachers next to the MTV people - we agreed since we would be in the shade of their umbrella and got a better location. We visited with several MTV personalities - specifically Dweezil Zappa - and some of their guests. The most memorable guest was Mark Knopfler. We told him about the Laserium show at Griffith Park Observatory that was currently featuring Money For Nothing and how great it sounded in the Planetarium room with the 2,000W system and 20 JBL monitor speakers. We hung out for a while and chatted. Pitchfork: n/a Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #418 Best Songs So Far Away Money for Nothing Walk Of Life Why Worry Brothers In Arms

Wow, I was really vibing with this album. I haven't listened to a lot of Dire Straits before this, but I like their melodic sounds and calming voice. Some of the songs can linger on a bit, but I don't necessarily mind. Great to return to as a whole album.

Very enjoyable softer Rock album. The riff on Money for Nothing is absolutely iconic. Bit of filler/skips for me keeps this from being a 5, but the highs are very high. Favorite Songs: So Far Away, Money for Nothing, Brothers in Arms

Saturday, 16 May, 2026 Great album. Knopfler is in true form as a master band leader. Side one is full of songs you’ve heard 1,000 times, but side two is great!

Hard one to rate. Some of the album aged poorly but the guitar rips all the way through.

*Starts out really strong but fades, even though some later tracks have cool jazzy stuff *Didn't realize Dire Straits was this jazzy, slow tempo at times

A really well put together album especially from the instrument side. The vocals are inoffensive and just drag the songs honestly. Pushes the connection between jazz and rock to the forefront. The guitar intro for money for nothing is incredible. Some of the songs dragggggggg though. Why does the intro to ride across the river sound like it should be in mario 64.

Me pone feliz y lo hará siempre. Muy disfrutón y bonito por partes iguales.

1- So Far Away- hell yeah!! I love whatever this sort of bouncy sound is. 2- Money for Nothing- was initially less into this one but at around 1:50 I tapped back in. love a groovy drum beat fading into a David Byrne sort of sing-songing about MTV and microwave ovens... movies and refrigerators... oop, f slur! Definitely not as into this one - a little same-y, goes on a little long. but still enjoying the synth or whateva (this one was #1 on US Billboard! interesting..) 3- Walk of Life- HELL yeah! it's got that country twang! my favorite so far... 4- Your Latest Trick- brass is promising... but this one sort of faded into the background for me 5- Why Worry- mm. comforting 6- Ride Across the River- this made 0 impression on me but also I was busy spreadsheeting 7- The Man's Too Strong- nice twangy (banjo??) 8- One World- again, loving the twang and bounce (these are technical terms?) 9- Brothers in Arms- listened to this on the R train going to Brooklyn and it made me feel very tenderly towards all my Brothers In Arms experiencing the subway alongside me notes from Wikipedia: -Louder wrote that when the band released their self-titled debut album, "Dire Straits became a byword for a certain sort of safe, homogenised music, and Knopfler was turned into a caricature of the middle-aged rocker, with jacket sleeves rolled up and wearing a headband." -The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame stated that the band "were one of the few rock bands to break out in an era dominated by punk and disco" and that "introspective lyrics with out-of-this-world guitar and drum sounds made them one of the most original rock bands of the 80s." -Written during Britain's involvement in the Falklands War of 1982, the album's title track, "Brothers in Arms", deals with the senselessness of war.

8 - all time first three tracks then fades

Money For Nothing is such a good song man its unreal how they make 8.5 minutes sound so insanely fantastic (I'm a real sucker for that first minute of buildup in particular). Also, So Far Away kinda ruined my day lyrically but it's real good too. Walk of Life is timeless as well (look up the "Walk Of Life Project" it's a riot). Everything is at minimum fairly good, with my personal weakest being That Man's Too Strong (which is luckily one of the shorter tracks and also offers a unique western twang that at the very least keeps me interested in the track even if I'm not loving it). Some tracks are lengthy but none of them overstay their welcome and they offer something distinct. I'd prefer fewer, longer songs that are all unique over albums with more tracks that are shorter in length but eventually blend together (looking at you Ramones!). A couple amazing tracks, a couple really good tracks that are going in the library, and only one or two I'm not insane about. This may be my first 5; we'll see how I feel tomorrow morning.

I liked this

Really good mellow rock sound.

This is a classic. I owned the CD, probably still do. So good.

This was a rather solid album! Enjoyed most of the songs and got some pretty good bangers. At least 4 stars.

A very strong album. Mark Knopfler combines a fantastic band with his excellent singing, songwriting, and guitar playing to make a really enjoyable listening experience. The album lost a bit of its energy in the middle, but the very strong start & finish bring the goods.

Enjoyed that. Some were a bit meh but overall good. The world one is good

a victim of 80s soft rock bloat, but one of the strongest three song starts ever.

There are 9 songs on this album. 6 are awesome, 3 are meh. Therefore I can't give a 5. This was the album that truly launched the CD generation. It's a beautiful recording, with a great mix by Neil Dorfsman. The title track is as emotive as you'll find, with a solo that could wring tears from a stone.

Brilliant stuff! ★★★★

Great album, many well known chart hits on this one.

Don't enjoy it as much as their self titled but still a great listen

It's between a three and four but it does groove pretty hard

Great pop/rock. One of the most endearing songs ever.

Genial!

Includes one of the slay-est hate crimes I've ever experienced. /j

For the first time in weeks, I started listening to this album on my drive to work, and I finished it while getting a handle on a new work routine at my new location. In the quickest turn around yet for this album list, we have been assigned a second Dire Straits album just a week after their first appearance. Brothers in Arms still contains some of the light country rock instrumentation from their self-titled, but now with more warbly synths and a more expensive and open soundscape; many of these performances feel like I'm standing in a wide empty room with instruments (especially the drums) echoing off the walls. I was also completely floored when the synths hit in Walk of Life and I realized that this was in fact a song I was incredibly familiar with. In addition to the change in instrumental palate, Dire Straits have a crisper and catchier sense of songwriting as well, accompanying quite a few solid riffs and some new incorporations of some funky horns and smooth jazz sections. Brothers in Arms feels less like Dire Straits are cosplaying as an American country rock band, seeing them bring in new wave and jazz to diversify their sound, even including a few slower songs which work beautifully in the tracklist. While some of these longer songs maybe didn't need to go on for eight whole minutes, there is still a lot to love here. Highlights: So Far Away, Money for Nothing, Walk of Life, Your Latest Trick, Ride Across the River, The Man's Too Strong, One World, Brothers in Arms

Money for Nothing (minus the first minute) and Walk of Life are two 10/10 tracks. Regrettably, I have to rate this lower than I want to because the rest of the album sucks.

Masterfully played, but outside of the standout legendary tracks, I found it lacking some songwriting variety in the second half. It was still good, but a little forgettable. Still, it's a legendary album and in the end it's a solid 4/5 for me.

Really enjoyable + a couple of all timers in there too!

Overall solid album. Standout songs: So Far Away Walk of life Brothers in arms

Several songs on this album were huge hits in the mid 80s / MTV at its peak era. Money for Nothing has always been a go to for trying out speakers or headphones. I just assumed the rest of the album was filler and not very good. I was wrong. I really loved the second half of this album almost more than the first. The whole thing just oozes of mid 80s and reminded me of Miami Vice late night driving montages. I miss those days. I wanted to give it a five. It might take a few more listens to convince me. 4/5

Dire straits were the first album we had on here (the self titled one) and after not really knowing their stuff, I loved it. I gave it a 4 because it was literally the first day and you can't go off on a 5, that's madness! THIS album is good too, however, it just reminded me of their self titled album and I ended up playing that one for half the day instead. Giving this a 4 and should have given the other a 5.

this album contains probably my favorite song of all time - walk of life thank you to my dad for introducing me early to some dire straits So far away starts playing and it’s like I'm a teeny tiny child with my dad singing to me 🥺🥺 Like the amount of instrumental and how it complements the lyrics but the second half of the album wasn’t super strong or memorable for me maybe I’m too biased from the ones I know Favorite is walk of life and second is so far away. Both those songs are five stars but overall …

Det kunne jeg faktisk rigtig godt lide, selvom noget af det lyder lidt 80'er-agtigt.

I always feel surprised how good this album is, because the immense popularity of the leading two tracks and the aged sound of the synth leads one to believe this group just had a one-hit-wonder—but the musicianship is remarkable.

Im probably gonna sound stupid but whatever lmao So far away: such a nice tune and took me back to those years in an instant Money for nothing: a classic Walk of life: i love it the pacing is nice too:p Your latest trick: the vibes suddenly changed from the rest of the album Why worry: relaxing and sad the rest of the album is not bad at all like i give this album a 8.5/10 but uh it started off strong and then turned into something more relaxing and meaningful (lyrics esp) not what i was expecting from the rest of the album STILL its pretty solid man

Dire straits altijd mooi. Lekkere muziek met goede afwisseling

Always soothes me in the right way. Brothers in arms, the track, might be one of the most beautiful songs of Dire Straits. It punishes you at the end of the album for coming up wat a score less than 5. Made me almost change.

I knew about half the songs. they have a mature tone. they know what they are doing. but I had trouble identifying with their voice.

8/10

this is what flow state sounds like

Ok, ignorant confession for a self-professed music fan: I didn't know "Walk of Life" was Dire Straits, and I didn't know what that song was called, only knew the synth riff. This album is probably a 4 at minimum because of "Money for Nothing" alone, but you throw in that little riff and it cements it. I can't quite get to a 5, but its probably a 4.3

First impressions? Musically tasty, lyrically a bit trite. So Far Away is very lyrically one note, we get it, you're tired of being so far away. Then Money For Nothing repeats the line "I want my mtv" for minute, it's enough to make you lose hope. But the underpinning instrumentals are so promising, and you don't have to wait long for it to pay off, because the Money For Nothing guitar lick kicks the door open and Mark Knopfler delivers the instantly iconic vocal, `thats the way to do it, get your money for nothing, and your chicks for free.` And you start to realise Dire Straits know what they're doing and where they're going, and you're being taken for a ride. Admittedly Walk of Life is a bit more on the cheesy side, but once you're through it, Your Latest Trick delivers some really sexy vibes, a little reminiscent of The Blue Nile (who I love). This synth padded, not quite noir sound follows on with Why Worry, which is sort of city pastoral folk song. Very laid back, almost futuristic, honestly my main complaint is that I'm not listening to this at night, which it is undoubtedly made for. Like, if you're not walking through a neon lit, steamy street in an urban metropolis, I'm not sure you're listening to it right. This album is actually laid back as fuck. The Blue Nile comparison fits much better than I expected across the whole record. The final track, Brothers In Arms is a gorgeous softly spoken ballad over a sparse atmospheric arrangement, and lands emotionally because of that delivery. It's really intimate and contemplative, almost like an Irish folk song. I liked this record a lot more than I expected to at the outset, will certainly be putting it on again, once the suns gone down.

Tough for there not to be a let down when your album starts off with 3 absolute bangers but they do a pretty good job of sticking the landing. Favorite track: Walk of Life

In between a 4 and a 5. Great great album, but i think I wish they either went more rock or more soft and not the mix it has.

I generally enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I have mixed feelings on this band – some songs I like and others I really don’t. After the opening track I didn’t expect much but was pleasantly surprised by some including “Why Worry” which is a really lovely track and I love the soft intricate guitar work. There’s no denying the talent of Mark Knopfler. “Your Latest Trick” has some sexy sax work which does kind of sell the song to me I can’t lie. This record has 3 of their classic hits so I can see why this is considered a big album. “Money for Nothing” has that iconic riff, but I never liked the song that much. Same for “Walk of Life” it’s pleasant enough but I don’t rate it. The title track I’ll say is better than I remember and is a good closer. Top picks: Title track, Why Worry, Your Latest Trick.

Nesten 5/5

nice record, great vibe trough the album

Ña Lol

Notables: - Money For Nothing - Walk Of Life - The Man’s Too Strong - Brothers In Arms

Old pop, suit for road travel. Like the saxophone

Was familiar with money for nothing and walk of life previously. Had some other easy to listen to soft rock tracks that I didnt mind, especially one with some nice saxophone parts. Id give it a 4/5

In the middle of the 80s while everyone else was making garbage music, these guys dared to ask "what if we didn't make garbage music?"

The album brothers in arms by Dire Straits was a great album to listen to. It felt very nostalgic and has that very 80’s rock vibe. I would listen to it again I would give it a 4 my favorite song was walk of life and so far away. Also the album felt very energetic and kind of care free.

So Far Away 3.6 Money for Nothing 4.2 Walk of Life 3.7 Your Latest Trick 3.6 Why Worry 3.2 Ride Across the River 3.7 The Man's Too Strong 3.6 One World 3.6 Brothers in Arms 3.7 Score: 3.655555556

Well of course everyone had to own this CD in 1985 as it showed of the new format brilliantly, and it was pretty much the only one you could get. As a result the whole world became Dire Straits fans! 🤣 As for the album, it’s middle of the road dad rock at its peak! It starts off very strong, wains a bit in the middle and then picks up with the title track at the end. The guitar playing is sublime and it still sounds great on your hifi system! A bit boring in places but overall it’s good.

love me some Dire Straits. this is their "hit" album with "Walk of Life" and "Money for Nothing" among others. it's a good listen.

Loved this. I forgot how much i enjoy thier music. Awfully close to a 5 star rating. It is so good that when i listen to on Amazon the related songs kicked butt

Some classics

This one kicks off with hit after hit, sounds absolutely amazing, with multiple iconic tracks. I'm never disappointed when this one is playing

Weird Al did it better.

Honestly a great album, money for nothing and the walk of life are excellent classics. The other songs are calm and enjoyable, and I thoroughly enjoyed this one throughout.

my brother has no arms :(

An underrated aspect of what makes this album age well is how it was produced for CDs instead of tape-based analog media. Dire Straits are really good. This is their most accessible record. Bam.

Classic stuff I guess, but pretty MOR

It's got Money for Nothing on it - let's not overthink this. The Knophler Bros. do it again.

Bad dads should be better to their children so those kids can learn to love Brothers in Arms. Good dads earn this perk & their children's love - a win-win! Favorite Tracks: Money for Nothing, Walk of Life, Why Worry, One World, Brothers in Arms

Very consistent album. The tunes reminded me of the music we used to listen to when my father drove at night during holiday trips, and I sat next to him! Favorite tracks : Why worry, Ride accross the river.

Homophobic slur jumpscare but also this album fucks severely

Good

Side 1 is off the charts. Side 2 felt a bit less than with some songs that felt very much of the time. Super strong closing with one of my all time favorite Dire Straits songs, the eponymous "Brothers in Arms"

Dad rock in its purest form? I like it, which would have appalled the 19 year old indie snob I once was. But I'm a 36 year old married man now and Knopfler is a king to me.

An absolute classic. The first half is as solid a run of tracks as you will find anywhere, culminating in my favourite Dire Straits song (“Your Latest Trick”, with the most brilliant sax). The second half doesn’t even get close to the first. It’s slower, less interesting, and the track list seemed to drag out compared to the first half (despite the whole thing being too long in general). This is a 3.5* for me but that first run of tracks elevates it beyond just downgrading it to a 3*.

It seems we're never too far away from 'albums my parents played a ton when I was a kid' during this project. This is one I remember pretty well compared to many others though. I think there are some truly great rock songs on this album. I haven't listened to it in probably 25 years, but I remembered so many of the lyrics and was tapping my foot the whole way through. I even quite like the ballad Why Worry despite it being three times longer than it needs to be. Away from the singles (all of which are great) I think I like The Man's Too Strong best due to the whole 'quiet, quiet, LOUD, quiet, quiet' thing it's got going on. Thinking about the score for this I found it really hard to pick between a 4 and a 5, at least partially because the singles are such standout tracks that it's difficult for the rest to compete. On balance I think I'm settling on a: 4/5

I listened to this a few times and each time it grew on me. Never listened to Dire Straits before so it was a good introduction.

This album is so quintessentially 80's to me. I had obviously heard Money For Nothing and Walk of Life before, but I wasn't super familiar with the rest of it. My mom was a big Knopfler fan when I was growing up, I remember some of his solo albums fondly. I would say this album is great, if a bit unbalanced. It's one of those albums that has a couple of incredible, iconic tracks, in this case Money For Nothing and Walk of Life, and then a lot of tracks that sound nothing like the hits, and while enjoyable don't have the same energy. Regarding the hits on this album, I much prefer Walk of Life. MFN has that amazing guitar lick, but overall I think WoL is just a better song. It's got heart and soul in a way that links to the rest of the album, making it more cohesive, while MFN is a big outlier in terms of sound and energy. Mark Knopfler is funny to me, because here's a guy with huge, generational guitar talent, but is so restrained you would barely guess it based on the bulk of this album. It's like he blew his whole guitar load on MFN and kind of took a backseat for the rest of the album. One World stood out to me as a song format they could have explored a bit more. Blues-y, kind of psychedelic and a good platform for his guitar work without being too flashy. Anyway, I'm giving this a 4.

8/10… pop rock / vintage rock / *1985

I have been playing guitar for two decades and I still can't get that riff to sound right. Several bangers on here I didn't know were Dire Straits songs. Solid throughout.

great

A classic of mid-80s rock, their best album

Very cool

Great opening songs. Feel like they ran out of steam as they moved to later part of album. They do have some great guitar and drum play.

For a first album, it was very solid and pleasant. There is a familiarity to it

This was pretty good. The first half is a lot better than the second half but that happens sometimes. Very top heavy album, but that first half is incredible. Love the guitar playing, songs are well put together and layered. Really solid.

honnêtement bien bonne guitare par contre ça dit pd un peu trop facilement

The ghost of Mrs Landingham turned this from a 3 to a 4.

Can't give a 5, the hits are amazing but the rest is so cheesy.

This is such a good album from beginning to end. While it's not my favorite Dire Straits album, it's an awfully good one with catchy tunes and such great guitar work.

I think the last time I got assigned a Dire Straits record, I commented on how I could just about listen to Mark Knopfler play guitar all day, which is still true, and a good thing too, because some of the songs on Brothers in Arms are about 30% longer than they sometimes need to be. That said, this is probably the pinnacle of Dire Straits' work. The record drags here and there, but overall, Brothers in Arms is great. 8/10

Side 1 is majestic. The opening three songs are all outstanding. Side 2 is not entirely as good, but still highly enjoyable. Averages this out at an 8/10.

Lite lite ostigt men också otroligt välproddat och med en härligt avslappnad känsla

Det är så nära en femma men mitten e trög och Walk of Life är festlig men passar inte in i sammanhanget.

This is one of those relatively cheap albums that sounds fantastic on a turntable. It has the radio hit, but also some yacht-rock (walk of life), a knopfler ballad (why worry) and a mystical, adventurous side 2. This album is a great listening experience if you enjoy well toned 80s rock and roll. It’s probably a boring and at times corny listening experience if you do not.

Flawlessly produced, lovely variety of sounds and textures. If this had just one or two more uptempo songs instead of being 80% ballads, it could have been an easy 5.

My rating 3.6. Another nostalgia trip for me. The classics like Walk of Life and Money for Nothing were fine but didn’t really wow like when it came out. The other songs however still shine. It’s like the hits obscured them but with time those fade and the other songs on the album are able to stand out.

Money for Nothing is SUCH a banger but the whole album is really enjoyable

This is one of my POP's favorite albums of the 80s — so much so that he would ship me my own copy of the vinyl just a few years back. No reason. Just "because." This is all to say that I know a few of the songs very well and also that they're generationally distant from me in my capacity to love them as much as others do. And while Dire Straits may have a different resonance today (the back half becoming more meaningful over time), the record is a solid collection of songs that range in mood, tempo (though nothing extreme in either direction there) and theme. I can appreciate Mark Knopfler's multifaceted brilliance and enjoy a song or two without needing to give this record five stars (tempting based on its rep and noted importance by others), because ultimately, while great, it doesn't move me personally in the way albums I bestow that rating on do.

SO FAR AWAY: Head boppin'. Love the keyboard inclusion and guitar. Lyrics a little repetitive but without being too grating, it fits the way he feels. Keyboard makes me think of Out of Touch a little. 3.5/5 MONEY FOR NOTHING: A classic, obviously. 5/5 especially the extended version WALK OF LIFE: Good old 80s country rock. Catchy. I'm not that into the bridge, though, for some reason. 3/5 YOUR LATEST TRICK: Oooh. Jazzy. I love the mellow, late night city street vibes of this song. 4.5/5 WHY WORRY: I can't say I was expecting this album to be so mellow. This one's a little TOO slow and soft in this very moment but it's sweet and I could see it being soothing. 2.5/5 RIDE ACROSS THE RIVER: Oh? This one is unexpected. Oh hell yes it's a Vietnam War song. Slow like the prev song but a little moodier and more atmospheric. 3.5/5 THE MAN'S TOO STRONG: Another dip into a Southern / folk sound. This one's pretty far up my alley. Like a more guilt riddled Sympathy For The Devil. 3.5/5 ONE WORLD: Starts off strong. I love the bass and the drama of it. 4/5 BROTHERS IN ARMS: An emotional farewell. This one's beautiful and has a little more punch than some of the other soft ones. 4/5 Favorite songs: Money For Nothing, Your Latest Trick, Brothers in Arms Overall rating: 4/5 Some strong songs and obviously Dire Straits as a band is incredibly talented, but overall personally prefer Love over Gold and more motion.

It’s a nice album, the one song on this album I did know was probably the worst one and most annoying tbh

3-4 good songs, a couple skips and the rest was fine. 3.55 = 4

It’s so good.

People don't give Mark Knopfler enough credit. There is some great songs and some great guitar work here.

Was surprised about how much I liked this. They had some good songs with some good lyrics. Unfort they did say the f slur a lot in one song but ehh it did go with the message lol. Eminem has said a lot worse and i hate that guy a lot more. I definitely recognized a couple of songs off the album that I've heard before which is always cool. I think I saved three songs. I'll knock one star just cause saying slurs isn't the best and also some of it felt a bit repetitive.

Some great and some meh

I really like Dire Straits. I have this album in CD, and have played it many times whenever I'd have people over. This is not my favourite out of their discography, but it is probably their most iconic. The singles on this one are obviously huge, but I want to give a special shout-out to my favourite track on the album: Why Worry. I listened to the digital remaster of this album, as I was on the road, but I have to honestly say I prefer the CD. A lot of times the remaster does necessary cleanup, but in this case I think it makes the tracks feel quite flat.

lekker natuurlijk! het album wordt wel iets te zwaar gedragen door Money For Nothing, de rest is aanzienlijk matiger. toch nog 4 sterren door die banger

Tons of great stuff here. A bit quiet in places. Feels like it needed one more banger in the second half to really make this a towering classic.

Die hebben we, papa hoort dat heel graag

I enjoyed this one more than the last Dire Straits album, and I enjoyed that quite a bit. Would definitely give this more play time. I feel like if I ever had to hang out with Knopfler I would be so intimidated by his level of cool, but somehow he'd make me feel okay.

Yes, Mark Knopfler is a brilliant and unique guitarist. And yes, the hits you know ("Money For Nothing", "Walk of Life", "So Far Away") are as great as they always were. But the rest of the album is full of interesting songs that go to unexpected places. Tony Levin's Chapman Stick on "Why Worry" and some unexpected slap bass on "One World" provide musical variety, and Knopfler's poignant triptych of songs about soldiers - "Ride Across the River", "The Man's Too Strong", and "Brothers in Arms" - give the album unexpected weight for those who are expecting more songs about installing microwave ovens and moving color TVs.

Ikke et 4 star album, men Dire Straits Greatest Hits (som halvdelen af disse numre er på) var altid i høj rotation i mit barndomshjem, så nostalgien trækker den lidt op

Great album, so 80¨s

Takes you back to the early 90s

About half of the songs are amazing. The other half are alright, but seem like well-made filler. Averages out to 4 stars.

This album is nearly perfection, it has so many genre inside and the mixing is top tier, you can hear everything on the same leveal

Great album. Got a little bit lost in the middle but the first 3 songs and last 3 songs are fantastic. If the whole album had similar baselines and guitar throughout this would be another 5 out of 5.

Fun at the start slow jams in the middle like the ending songs beautiful songs 4. To 9. Favorite: walk of life Least favorite: ride across the river

3.75 - I should listen to more Dire Straits. I'm always taken off guard by the slurs in Money for Nothing much like listening to that Green Day song. Even thought I get the reasons for including them, I think there are more reasons not to do it.

Kind of masterful playing. Invented the Dad rock genre pretty much. The War on Drugs and Kurt Vile kind of fly the modern flag for this stuff.

Brilliant album, love the music

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

Errug leuk

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

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

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 :)

So many bangers! Really enjoyed listening to this one.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

I love Dire Straits

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.

Another classic. Interesting song forms and tones.

Maybe 3.5

Really really good.

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

Money for Nothing

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.

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.

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

4.4

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.

Dope

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Не мой стиль песни но была прикольно послушать

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

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

“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

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 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.

Best song: Why worry, money for nothing

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

Pure vibes

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

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.

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.

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

Great album love the guitar tone on some of these songs

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.

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.

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.

Een paar (te) lange nummers, maar wel steengoed

4/5

Good

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

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

Listen to this one more

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

8.22/10 4/5

8/108:10

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.

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.

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

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]

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

Brothers in arms slaps

Iconic songs and bangers throughout while never sounding the same. Instrumentally 5/5 but some songs did fall flat compared to others! Still a solid 4/5

This was fun and groovy! Was listening to it in my car and then went into the pet store to buy kitty food and the same song I had just been listening to from the album was playing! Felt like good luck ✨✨✨

Although there were a few songs I didn’t like on this album, I thought it was really good! Every song felt unique and different while also being cohesive with the whole album. I love the album cover and I really love the electric guitar! My favorite song was by far Money for Nothing. I also liked Brother in Arms.

Masterpiece, but dated

the slow songs suck but man there are some great ones too

I always assumed the hype for Dire Straits was just 80s nostalgia with a handful of hits and albums full of filler. I apologise. I was not familiar with their game. This album has exactly one skip, Ride Across The River. Other than that, incredible record. Some real nifty guitar work and slick production across the entire album.

You just can’t go wrong with some Dire Straits

Året var 1985. För mig en klassiker,men kanske mest pga flickvännen, hångel, skoldanser mm. När jag lyssnar nu finns det låtar som är eviga klassiker (Brothers in Arms) men också utfyllnad. En stark fyra

Liked this a lot! Knew a bit of a couple songs!

Favourite: 1. Brothers In Arms 2. Money For Nothing 3. The Man's Too Strong Least Favourite: Why Worry

Erg leuk. Vond het lekker vrolijk. Ook leuk dat het verschillende stijlen waren. Soms wat sneller, dan wat rustiger. 2 liedjes kende ik al

I listened to this album a lot in the 80s and haven't listened to it since - and likely would never have done so again if it weren't for this project. Honestly it was great to revisit. The album is extremely well produced and recorded and outstanding music overall. The first half/first side is exceptional; second half a bit uneven. Elements are dated, a couple of songs Mark K phoned in the lyrics. But overall this is really good 80s rock and roll. I'd give it 3.5 if I could. Also, PLEASE understand the use of the epithet f****t. This is being used 100% as parody and critique, pointing a finger at what today we call toxic masculinity (in this case portrayed by a working class guy who thinks it isn't "manly" to be a musician). This attitude was certainly endemic in the 70s and 80s, and Dire Straits weren't the only ones to call it out - Monty Python has multiple sketches that call out this same mindset. The use of the word in this song was meant to be provocative and it was seen as such at the time - and we knew it was calling out this pervasive, homophobic attitude.

Me ha gustado la verdad y me ha dado esperanzas en las futuras canciones que me va a recomendar esta web. Creo que mis canciones favoritas son las 3 primeras y Why worry, pero aún así me falta pulirlo más y darle más oportunidades. Estoy intrigada de los futuros álbumes.

it was alright

I knew Money For Nothing and Walk Of Life. Great intros on those songs.

Dire Straits have got to be one of the most "American" bands to ever come out of the UK. Something about their music just feels like it belongs in the American heartland, but no. These guys are quite British. Interesting. Anyway, Brothers In Arms is such a cool album. I think I might actually prefer this over their debut, but it is a fairly close call. Musically, the talents of the first album are still there, but the general atmosphere has changed quite a bit in the 7 or so years between the two albums. Self-titled was bluesier and more spare, while Brothers In Arms is clearly the work of a band who's accomplished things by this point in their career. The energetic points of the album make for some absolutely iconic hits. "Money For Nothing" is a classic for a reason. That guitar riff is just the best. Mark Knopfler's guitar riffs all throughout are just stellar. "Walk of Life" is a really fun one that I have a soft spot for. Maybe it's the organ. I don't know. However, the majority of this album is actually more on the slow side. It's a little jarring to get songs like "Why Worry" coming two songs after "Walk of Life," but that's not even the most jarring thing on the album! I mean, I'm not going to be the person to give this album a low score just for the whole "slur usage in the second verse of 'Money For Nothing'" thing, but I can't just ignore it completely, can I? Anyway, the slow songs are quite good, though the best is by far the title track at the end of the album. What a great song. This album isn't perfect. Again, the thematic pacing feels a little odd and the album could've aged a little better. However, I find that the good of the album more than outweighs the questionable. The excellent compositions, interesting lyrical themes, and general atmosphere create an album that was absolutely worth my time. It's great. High 4/5.

Great Dire Straits tracks are amazing. Poor Dire Straits tracks are pretty boring. Honestly I think the great to poor ration on this album is skewed in the wrong direction, but it's hard to go below 4.

Really a tough call. Wish I could go 3.5. Side A is incredible, side B is pretty boring. I appreciate the yin/yang thing, Low is my favorite Bowie record. But there just wasn’t much in the back half that grabbed my interest. Knopfler is a magician on the guitar with a mesmerizing tone and touch. Rounding up on the score to pay my respects to his musicianship.

I like this album. Few mentions: ride across the river got my head banging. Great guitar and production. I also like walk of life and why worry. First songs are more rock and gets more mellow jazzy with the sax. Would buy this vinyl.

Wow like this so far, currently on track 4

Absolute classic but I fade after the first several tracks when it feels like it turns into 80’s lullabies.

Money for nothing does not fit in this album at all lmao(I like the song though) Overall a very chill folky/country twang album. I enjoyed it.

7.5

I know the album well having grown up with a lot of the songs, but I am not sure I have ever listened to it in full though, so it was an interesting experience. I was expecting a lot of Money for Nothing/Walk of life type rock and what I got was something completely different. I loved the way the album progresses from pop/rock to Mark Knopfler falling in love with his guitar. A lot of people in the reviews saying that side 1 is better than side 2, whereas I found the completely opposite, the album really came into its own in the second half, and then it ends with Brothers in Arms, which is easily the standout track, but I feel like mention should be made of "Why Worry" which really shifted the album in the right direction. 4 stars

Great record

I knew a few of these already. Thought the music was enjoyable, especially the tracks I didn’t already know. The album managed to be quite atmospheric which I liked. My main complaint is that some of the songs dragged on a bit too long, especially the slower ones, but overall I enjoyed it. Fav song: Walk Of Life Least fav: Ride Across The River

A couple bangers in here, but a tad inconsistent. I like the faster songs more than the slower definitely. Specific rating - 4.0 Fav song- walk of life Least fav- brothers in arms

Every now and then a pub quiz asks what the first music video played on MTV was, but now I'm prepared for if they ever ask what the first music video on MTV Europe was. Opens very strong, didn't like the middle few songs as much- was thrown by the jazziness. Favourite song: Money for Nothing Least: Ride Across the River

I love the guitar in so far away.

Was surprised with this album. The first half is great with also me recognizing Walk of Life since I heard it a lot in my childhood. Second half was but the title track was the standout omg.

Having really only heard money for nothing, this record is very good, with plenty of depth and relistenablity

This is my favorite album so far from this experience. There was some variety to the sound of the album. Definitely much more up my alley. I think I need to give it another listen all the way through to pick out particular songs that I like from the album, but it has potential.

nice to know where some recognizable songs came from. gave late 80s/90s movie music.

Legendary

This is direction Jethro Tull tried to take in the eighties but failed.

Not all bangers. But found a few more than the most popular songs.

my favorite song was Your Latest Trick

This is an excellent bluesy rock album. I fully listened to it for the first time this year as it was the 40th anniversary, but loved having an excus to give it another listen through.

Obviamente está exquisitamente grabado y tocado. La producción es cristalina y todo es absolutamente perfecto. Pero combina grandes canciones con pasajes menos inspirados. Es el grupo con peor cantante dentro de los que considero buenos gripos. Con todo es un buen disco, pero no es del todo redondo.

Vraiment très cool, un classique 4/5

a childhood album for me, bangers. f****t 3 times in one verse is crazy though

I enjoyed the use of guitar within the album, I also really enjoyed the social messaging of some of the songs. The title track of course is amazing, however my favourite song has to be money for nothing. I really enjoyed the perspective of the song, as though a working class person is mad at the “faggot” even though it’s the system that he is mad at and i think dire straights play on that amazingly. Such an easy listen, and also one that you can blast fully through your headphones to really rock out to and feel the music in ur soul. Loved it.