Brothers In Arms

if you go into any second hand vinyl shop and ask the owner of what album they have the most copies layin around, they are nearly guaranteed to say "Brothers in Arms, mate! Every second guy brings one o' those in here." What does that mean? Well that it sold great (the main reason it's on here) but now people don't listen to it as much as they used to. The reason is fairly simple: Every song is either a slow jazz-inspired rock song or a very 80s pop-rock tune. And as we all now 80s production can get very cheesy and if you don't like the slower songs you won't like it. But is it bad? No it's really good, good production, great instrumentation and so on. It's just that apart from the singles there is not much to really get into because the rest is kind of boring. I mean I like long songs like In a Silent Way (Miles Davis) or Echoes (Pink Floyd) but the 8 minutes of Why Worry? are just not interesting just good enough if I want a retro-vibe for a study session wich is too bad because I don't study... I'm very sure that the edited vinyl versions are better still the album is great to perfect at points but others just drag it down. my favourites: So Far Away, Money for Nothing, Walk of Life, Your Latest Trick, Brothers in Arms least favourites: Why Worry?, One World rating: decent 7

I grew up on this album!! That said there are only a couple true bops.

Really cool

lit album, fun to play starfield while listening to

86/100

4.5

i mean yeah it’s incredible but some of the songs have far too long instrumental sections. and those sections include sounds which are physically repulsive. yes im talking about ride across the river.

Big hit with me. I enjoyed the hits and then the melancholy second half vibes. Brothers in Arms was a highlight. Mark Knoffler's guitar sounding incredible throughout. I find the faux-American troubadour thing he does a bit weird being he's from Newcastle but he's got the songs and the skills so he can do what he wants I suppose.

7/10 - decent but just a more simplistic early springsteen record

Banging beginning and end

Forgot the good songs that were on there

Quite a mix but I enjoyed it. Not that dire afterall

Took me back to my youth. 3 hits right off top and then you get to Mark’s bluesier side and I like that.

Tracks 1, 2 and 7 were highlights on this album, but did enjoy the whole vibe of the album and there didn't feel like a weak song.

i listened to this twice while lying on the couch, exhausted from covid. it was kinda trippy, especially ride across the river's jazzy DK jungle beats. there's also a familiar sprinkling of synthesized 80s cheese over the top of the whole record, which was kind of comforting. the back half of the album definitely dragged on, but it was a good listen overall favorites: money for nothing, walk of life

Classic album

Very good album, insta added

I had heard this many times as a child, but it has been many years since then. It still stands up, thoroughly enjoyable. I tohught I would find it boring but it was actually really good.

Solid rock album. Some top hits on here.

Starts well but fades away a little towards the last few tracks

Some great tunes

Damn, I know so many songs from this album, yet I didn't know that band called Dire Straits even exist.

This was a pleasant surprise. I despise Money for Nothing, mainly due to the fact that when it was a hit it seemed to lurk around for years and was on constant radio/ TV rotation. I also knew Walk of Life and didn't particularly like it either. I figured that was about it for the tracks I knew, but I half remembered the title track maybe. Turns out I had heard almost every track on here at some point or another, often without even realising it was Dire Straits. On one hand this is awful AOR, sax-solos, 80s cheese, pop/rock, everything I disliked about the 1980s. However, it's done so well, the guitar is superb, the long tracks almost sound like prog rock in places. I came away having seen why this was such a big hit. There's always a reason for an album being popular enough to be one of the biggest selling records of all time. Often the reason is simply that it's a good album and I feel this is the case here. Not a 5-star album, and not even a strong 4-star one, but I'm giving it 4 stars anyway as I enjoyed it and, once I was past the hits, it was better than I had expected.

good.

Side 1 pretty much sucks. It's got the famous bits, but other than Your Latest Trick they're all either rinky dinky kindergarten bullshit or dopey dad pop. The build-up in MFN is great, but the payoff is MASSIVELY overrated - specifically because of that second little phrase, with the squeaky palm mute that sucks all the air out of the moment. And then the rest of the song is garb. BUT That doesn't particularly matter because the Side 2 is one of the great underrated record sides in music history. It's atmospheric, it's kinda spooky, the lyrics are meaningful, the band sounds great. Stacking Ride Across the River and The Man's Too Strong like that should probably be illegal. If the first side had the same energy, this would be a true all-timer in my book. Pretty funny to me that the general discourse is the exact opposite, but hey.

A couple of monster hits that were played over and over on MTV in the early days. Enjoyed listening to to this album.

This one is a certified classic, there is nothing more I can add except One World is probably my favourite song, ooohhh, what? Me? Being a contrarian whatever next? Dogs will bark? Cats will meow? DFS will have a sale?

Shifted millions but not their best. Still fantastic but falls just short of a five star for me.

Iconic: Dire Straits are just a purely classic rock band which play satisfying to listen to music. They are always a solid bet when talking about the most iconic rock bands of the 70s and if not ever. Overall this album had a couple of enjoyable classic but quite a lot has faded into obscurity, didn't mean I didn't groove along to it tho.

Mostly really good, will relisten to see if I can pick out some of the songs I zoned out for, the guitar riff coming in on money for nothing is great

Mark Knopfler is one of the greatest guitarists and songwriters of all time and this album is a great example of this Despite not being my favourite Dire Straits album (I think the debut and Love Over Gold have aged a bit better) I still agree that this is one of the best and most iconic albums of the 80s The effective buildup to the riff in Money For Nothing is still one of my favourite moments in music history Very clear and strong anti-war message on a couple of songs Ever since I first listened to this album, a lot of the B-side has grown on me a lot Favourite tracks: So Far Away, Money For Nothing, Your Latest Trick, Why Worry, The Man’s Too Strong, Brothers In Arms

Fantastic guitar, fantastic album

So far away is such a brilliantly subtle track.

Got to install microwave ovens Custom kitchen deliveries He's gotta move these refrigerators Got to move these colour TVs Loses 1 star from me for getting a bit sleepy in the back half.

Not as good as their first, but still pretty nice. The guitar works and the emblematic vocals really does it for me!

Banger. Got it in the car in CeeDee format.

Superb, all killer no filler

Classic album. A lot of great songs and a few okay ones.

Add a star for the Saxophone solo in Walk of Life, and for Why Worry

I grew up with this album. I love it. Mark Knopfler’s voice takes me to places I’m very happy being. The album cover art is so evocative. And of course the songs are just wonderful.

For a band called Dire Straits they sure say the word “Faggot” a lot.

Classic ! Great album! Easy 4*

Luckily it has three fantastic songs because some of the others were not as good as I remembered.

I’m excited for today’s album! I know that there are a few songs here that I love, but I’ve never heard the album in full before. My absolute favourite song by Dire Straits is Sultans Of Swing, but that track won’t be found here. Let’s listen and see if it’s as good as I hope! Songs I already knew: Money For Nothing, Walk Of Life Favourites: Money For Nothing, Walk Of Life, Brothers In Arms After the first four songs on this album, I was convinced that this would be a perfect 10/10 album for me. However, after this, the music just seems a little less interesting and catchy until the final song which is the titular track, where things come together again. This feels like an album where if I had the vinyl, side A would get a lot more playtime than side B. I don’t want it to sound like the rest of the album is bad, because it’s certainly not, but it is noticeable less amazing.

Loved this on the first listen, on the second listen I realized how long it is. I tagged on rap albums for being too lengthy, this gets the same treatment. No rock album needs multiple 8 min songs and 4-5 tracks over the 6 min mark. Money for Nothing deserves the run time, however. Walk of Life is pop gold. The Man’s Too Strong is a great lesson on how volume control can turn a good song into a great song. I think the overall album length and slight filler prevent it from getting the fifth star. Love Mark Knopfler though.

I'm physically incapable of giving Mark Knopfler any less than 4 stars.

Starts off very strong, but loses some of its steam in the middle of the album (why on earth is Why Worry 8 and a half minutes?) In the end it did win me back again with the last tracks.

Started very strong, got sort of lost and worldly towards the end but then finds itself again with final track, excellent music for the most part

All I know of these guys is Sultans of Swing. Such an amazing solo in that. Oh! Money for Nothing just came on. I've heard this one a bunch. Never knew who it was. Oh WTF, Walk of Life is them too? The sound on those 2 songs are def 80s. So different from Sultans of Swing even though that was in 78, and this album is 85. Oh man this sax on Your Latest Trick is so 80s! Actually really enjoying Why Worry too. Nice guitar picking and sounds like some thunder. The Man's Too Strong sounds cool. Kinda country kinda blues kinda rock. Great album!

Classic album, and although it's not necessarily groundbreaking in any way, it still gets a fair bit of praise in my book. Intro to Money For Nothing is like something off a Pink Floyd track. Guitar tone is pretty sick, what even is that? Walk Of Life is still a bit of a mood booster, but not very interesting (Your Latest Trick much more so, compositionally). Based on plays, One World seems somewhat underrated to me, was pretty good. Title track is fantastic: Knopfler makes his guitar sing and has great lead tone. Loving the vibe overall. 4/5.

yeah it's my 10th album in this project) Brothers in Arms is another quiet soft rock album in this challenge. yeah, it has catchy songs but i am not a big fan of soft rock (and soft music). in sum, album is good and pleasant to listen to. i don't know what else to say... added songs: 3 fav track: one world 8/10

Solid. The first 3 kinda kick the ass of the rest I think, but still solid.

Excellent album, almost a 5 for me

soft sound with groovy guitar. digging it

Listened Before? N This was good. Not what I expected... a bit more prog-y and some very long songs on here but I found it enjoyable from beginning to end. I really liked the full album version of Money for Nothing. I had no idea it was trimmed so much for the radio. Would recommend this one! Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Money for Nothing

Lol whoops I kinda liked it

I can't tell you how prevalent this album was in 1985 and early 1986. "Money For Nothing" was EVERYWHERE. You could not escape that song. It was like Dire Straits had not done anything else ("Sultans of Swing?"). It's weird how I tend to like the album BEFORE the hit album of some of these bands. "Love Over Gold" is a tremendous album, and such a different album than this. Lot of great atmospheric and instrumental stuff on it. "Industrial Disease" and "Twisting By The Pool" were really the first two songs by DS I ever really knew, Then came this juggernaut "Money For Nothing." Let's talk about the elephant in the room and the slur used on the song. Knopfler was role playing for this song, and many other performers have done the same in their songs. But in today's world, the song would still not have been made this way today. Same as "The Wall." I don't want to wave it away and just say "times were different", they were. But that kind of acting in songs without realizing the repercussions was just not thought through. I think one of the things about the album to me is how so many of the songs actually have a Springsteen feel. You know, without the gravitas, the songs don't have that cathartic feel. There was a thing called the Walk of Life Project where the song made so many movies better. It is such a "feel good" song, you can't help liking it. I still enjoy it. I don't think there's any song I find overly weak here. The guitar work is smooth on all of the songs, you even have Tony Levin on a track (always a bonus). I wish Marek Knopfler was a better singer. He does not have a wide vocal range, but his guitar kinda makes up for that. I teeter back and forth on this album. I like it a lot, but it's not my favorite of theirs. It has a lot of great songs, and just about all of them are easily listenable. I think "One World" is a bit of a filler, and honestly "Money For Nothing" does go on a little long. I can see why there were single edits to it. I guess the big thing is that I don't keep coming back to the album. It doesn't have relistenability to me. It's a strong 4, but it just doesn't cross over to be a classic for me.

I love Money For Nothing - one of the greatest guitar licks of all time. A buddy of mine got this album off his older brother when we were kids and made copies for us and I listened to it a fair bit. At least, maybe the first three songs, So Far Away From Me and Walk of Life being the other two. Because those three are killer; the former being a little bluesier and the latter being a little poppier than Money for Nothing (pure rock). After that the album drags a bit. Your Latest Trick has a great sax solo to open it, and Why Worry has a decent blues(ish) final few minutes. But both go on too long, as does the album. 54 minutes but it probably could've been 40. I always found Ride Across the River interesting; not as good as the first three but still cool and a better capturing of that sultry blues feel than the rest of songs 4-9. And the title track is decent - again going for that bluesy feel. Overall, the album is good, but could be so much more.

This is my first time really listening to Dire Straits. Really good, growing on me. Excellent guitar riffs. Often simple construction but the different pieces fit together in a very satisfying way. It initially struck me as generic and a bit cliche. But the songwriting is great, music is great. I wonder if it has a “very 80s sound” because it [helped] define that sound. I’m interested to see how the album lasts over time.

Excellent!

Beautiful production and great playing. Carefully controlled, tuneful rock record.

Can't find many faults with this album. Walk of Life is a jolly good tune, and Why Worry was a nice slow ballad thing with some weird synth moments. Other tunes all had something to them. Money for Nothing steals the show, even if it is 8 minutes long. That riff can inspire a generation to play the GEE-TAR. Not sure it needed the word "faggot" four times in back to back sentences though, but it was 1985.

Dire Straits prawie Best Of. Brothers in Arms trochę przeruchane, ale Money For Nothing i Walk of life top notch.

Money for Nothing as the ultimate diss track. Did the hardware store employee ever know he was cussed on record and made Knopfler even more wealthy and successful? Brothers in Arms is an excellent guitar album and features some iconic tracks including Walk of Life (check out the Walk of Life project) and the title track (another excellent soundtrack sound). Knopfler has a knack for song construction and giving a record a memorable mood and feel.

Super album, il y a une vibe de Wish You Were Here qui plane au dessus des chansons sans que ça soit un copié-collé. Petit bémol sur le rythme d’écoute, ça s’essouffle un peu vers la fin

honestly this fucks so far. I was expecting this to be some shite after hearing them all on the radio but this sounds sick in headphones. Yupp. Why worry was honestly fucked.

A surprisingly meaningful - if overly so, at times - classic. A great record.

4.5

4+

Fanme egentlig lækkert. Den skal lige have et kvarter mere!

Two absolutely iconic songs on here with "Money for Nothing" and "Walk of Life." Guitar work is pretty incredible. Will listen again.

Muutama oikein hyvä biisi ja kaikin puolin helppoa kuunneltavaa. Tästä levystä tuli erittäin vahvasti lapsuus mieleen kun veli poppiteli tätä LP:tä. Nelonen on ehkä vähän yläkanttiin.

Classic anthems and great guitar work throughout. Strong opening, lost me a bit in the second half but overall a excellent album.

amazing production. was well aware of the radio songs that have been overplayed WAY TOO MUCH! Was surprised how much I enjoyed the tracks i've never heard. Mark Knopfler is stellar throughout.

7/10. Walk of life and money for nothing are fantastic but the rest of the album was a little dull.

4.5

Klassík. Ennþá töff.

Just a good album

I thoroughly enjoy this album. I can clearly see the influence it has had on contemporary alt rock, jazz rock and blues rock. I was thinking about RHCP, Arcade Fire and more while listening. Only critique that seems to be consistent with albums of this generation is it can be a little repetitive at times but that is made up for with its fabulous musicality and select songs that go against the repetition and evolve, even if subtly, throughout the track.

Never finished it before rated.

A few "blockbusters" ofc and still a very good album, overall i like the earlier work better though. The sound quality is very good and I remember the promotion of the cd at the time with this album and a deal with Philips :)

Sounded good, but maybe a bit too polished.

Mark Knopler's guitar work is top notch, and I love to listen to him play. I don't like this album as well as their self-titled album - while Money for Nothing is an absolutely rocking song, the homophobic slurs really drag it down. I actually like the "filler" on this album as well as or better than the hits - that's where Knopler's guitar work really shines in my opinion. This album deserves its place on the list in my opinion, and I really enjoyed listening to it again. But it doesn't quite merit a 5/5 in my book.

I guess all recordings are a type of time capsule, but this one feels especially so. Seems like a good example of both the good and the bad of what rock thought sounded cool in the early 80s. I wanted to give this five stars but there was just a little too much cringe. Mark Knopfler sure plays a soothing guitar though.

Money for nothing, Walk of life, man’s too strong were my standouts. Some of the instrumental songs and outros stretched a little long but overall really enjoyed this one

Very good, some great songs on it

Way better than I was expecting. Money For Nothing, Walk of Life and Brothers in Arms are still classics (not that I knew they were Dire Straits before this).

Money for Nothing is a classic song that perfectly encapsulates 1980’s rock and the emergence of MTV. I was unfamiliar with the rest of Dire Straits’ music. I thought this album was really good.

Tja.... Vind dit echt een top album met een paar bangers die ik vaak op repeat heb, maaaar of het echt nog van deze tijd is, weet ik niet. #moneyfornothingandchicksforfree Lekker luisteren en Mark Knopfler op gitaar is pluspunten, dus ga toch voor de 4 sterren

Ik was wel bekend met de Dire Straits maar ik heb nooit een volledig album van ze geluisterd, erg fijn.

first listen exactly my kind of 80s album

Love Mark Knopfler's guitar work....can't hear "Money for Nothing" any more, since it's been taken over, commercially...but, otherwise, a pretty good album!

Great album from one of the great hands

Some specific moments are a 5, but most if it falls around 3.5

No idea what to expect but I enjoyed this!

Tricky one to review objectively as it’s all tangled up with my childhood. That said I could never stand Walk of Life, and that hasn’t changed. I like the noirish storytelling, dislike some of the more 80s production, find Brothers in Arms moving however much I try to maintain some semblance of cynicism and that barely controlled while at the same time completely under control guitar sound on Money for Nothing still sends me.

Really love the first half of this album especially. Never listened to Dire Straits before and this was a great introduction. I wasn’t expecting how spacey and atmospheric some of these songs to be, but I loved that. Faves: Money For Nothing, Your Latest Trick, Walk of Life

This album is arguably the band's most impactful and certainly greatest commercial success. Showing a range for easy melodies as well as timeless pop hits, this album is diverse and a strong one.

Buen disco de pop-rock con predominio de guitarras, con buena voz y con canciones que se han convertido en auténticos himnos

Great album. Not the highest pace ever but really enjoyed it.

Possibly some nostalgic bias with this one.

it is good, kind of 80s dad music

I use to find this a bit overrated, but I thoroughly enjoyed my listening experience this time around. Maybe it's the use of good headphones or the fact that I'm getting old at 25y/o that made me enjoy that one that much. The album starts off very strong with the first 3 songs being big hits. The second half is a bit less interesting, with One World and The Man's Too Strong being the weakest tracks here. The sound engineering and production of this album is immaculate and the songs are mostly great. If this album was 45 min, it would be an almost perfect album, but the longer parts in the second half drag the album down to a 55 min which it doesn't have the songwriting chops to sustain. 8,4/10

Half the album is perfect and the other half is above average. 4/5

-Already liked "Money For Nothing" and "Walk of Life," but hadn't listened to the rest of the album. -"Money for Nothing" just has an absolutely gnarly intro. The drum buildup to the classic guitar riff is absolutely killer -"Walk Of Life" tells a fun little story about Johnny. The song is upbeat and fun with a solid backing synth riff. I particularly like the instruments cutting out to just drums and vocals on the line "Turning all the night time into the day" -Cool horn intro on "Your Latest Trick." Rest of the song is certainly music. -"The Man's Too Strong" is a cool song that strikes a good balance between slow and spare and more intense portions. I like the booming guitar and drum/synth something in the chorus section. It is generally a calmer song but it keeps a cool spooky vibe going. -"One World" starts with some awesome slap bass. Then it continues with awesome guitar and drums. It borders on being a funk tune. -I liked this album more than their self-titled album, which I had reviewed previously. I think this album had more quality tracks, but the less exciting songs were more boring. In particular, "Why Worry," "Ride Across the River," and "Brothers in Arms" were very long and drew almost no notice, despite their runtime being almost 20 minutes and almost 35% of the whole album. But, its got some great tracks as well. "Money for Nothing" is legendary, "Walk of Life" is fantastic, and "The Man's Too Strong" and "One World" are solid tracks that I intend to listen to more in the future.

First 3 songs are bangers. Then it gets slower and experimental.

I was thoroughly surprised and satisfied that I enjoyed the album as much as I did. The second half of the album did slow way down and get pretty boring, though. Wasn’t a fan of the pan flute either, I don’t feel as though it fit into the rest of the song comfortably. Good music though some wasn’t for me. 4/5

An introduction to one of the greatest rock bands of the 80s. Mark Knopfler's genius begins to show through on this album, and aside from some now problematic lyrics in "Money for Nothing", this is an amazing album.

Pretty enjoyable rock. Some classic tracks and riffs on here, but its a pleasant listen all the way through

Really good album. Maybe a bit slow at times but Brothers in arms and Money for nothing are huge bangers 4.25 / 5

Good album that starts strong, drops off a little in the middle in my opinion, but ends strong with the title track. Money for Nothing and Walk of Life are absolute classics, the latter being just a feel good track that makes me wish for a warmer month to be listening to this album in.

My life’s end credits song is on here. Obvi a gem.

I recognise this album as my old man used to play this all the time in the car when I was younger - so I may have a soft spot for it as sections of songs come flooding back in memory just as others are like strangers whose faces I recognise but can't quite remember their names. I just can't give this one a fair shake. Smooth guitars and lazy vocals with a smattering of synths. Best Tracks: So Far Away; Money For Nothing; Walk Of Life

мама любит этот альбом.

Good ol‘ DS

Starts off incredibly strong, but peters out after the first 3 songs. Still has a nice laid back vibe to it, so even though I wasn't completely enthralled the whole way through I still didn't mind it.

This is the album with Money for Nothing on it :D. So far pretty good. Walk of Life is on here too. Solid. Some of these tracks get way off track with some space type jam band sessions.

There are the hits we all know. Then there are the other songs. They're also good. There's definitely an 80s vibe with lots of sax.

This album starts out incredibly strong, with three great songs that were all hits to a greater or lesser extent. It slows down after that, but it's still pretty good overall, if a bit less toe-tapping. Very much an album of its time, and I'm not sure how ground-breaking it is, but its still a good album that is well worth a listen 4/5

groovy. I fw it, interesting vocals. Really depressing. lots of minors, & hard to listen to at times, melancholy vibes throughout. Track 3 has upbeat vibes, i swear i remember the melody.

it had some rlly nice songs

Dobrze ze tym razem juz osluchany wczesniej material, bo tasma nadal trzyma

Well, it's a classic isn't it. Hadn't heard the slurs in there before though which takes the shine off. They don't sing that live anymore, I bet. And it's a bit Levi 501s bootcut.

Was surprised at how much I enjoyed this one! It's hard to explain, but this album has a "cinematic" quality to its sound and line-up that was quite enjoyable. A nice blend of rock and synths that still feels very organic. "Walk Of Life" is stuck in my head. Only knew Money For Nothing but I am glad to know the Dire Straits a little bit more!

If the back half of the album wasn’t overlong, and a certain slur wasn’t part of Money for Nothing, this album would probably have earned itself a 5. But the parts of Brothers in Arms that work are phenomenal-Mark Knopfler is a perennially underrated guitarist.

Classic album that my father would play all the time in the car on long road trips. I know this one well.

Good, classic and essential hits for the Straits

I mean there is really not a single miss on this whole album. But that doesn't mean every song is a 10. And it's also not consistent. Starts off alright, but not perfectly. And really that first song as well as a string of forgettable songs near the end it what stops this from being a 5. And although I do love money for nothing --> your latest trick, it's really not the best shit i've ever heard. The closer is amazing. but again not the most impressive closer ever. Amazing album but on the whole it comes off as a little cheesy. solid 4.5

Great album. Not their best but some great tunes. Last song was great

A Classic, didn't realize some of these songs were theirs.

Ubiquitous in my teens, particularly Money for Nothing with its classic MTV era video and Walk of Life which was just everywhere for a long time. Though I never owned it most of the songs were familiar. Just solid rock and roll.

Ok. Ik geef gewoon vier sterren voor wat iedereen ouwelullenmuziek vindt. Ik heb hier warme herinneringen aan :).

Unexpectedly good album for me. Everything was thight and fun to listen. I only get bored in why worry but the other tracks were flawless

solid classics

This album feels as if I'm working a long day as the ticket taker at the movie theater helping crowds of people knowing damn well there isn't anything worth seeing right now. By the way, if you're gonna spend $7.35 on a medium popcorn, might as well toss in another $0.65 for the large

Interesting!

Great songwriting and lyrics, Knopfler’s guitar is beyond imitation.

Great album. Such a magnificent start then all lost in the middle/later part then wrapped up with a good track. 4/5

Excellent, relaxed, sometimes somber, sometimes funky.

Heralded the arrival of CDs. Cover art 4/5 instantly recognisable

I wasn't hugely into this album when it came out, but I recall it being pretty universally liked. Held up against other popular music from 1985 it fits right in, with slick production, lots of hooks and a blusey edge. Most of the singles are straight up classics that have held up pretty well over time. Mark Knopfler's nuanced, impeccable musicianship and more mature lyricism is what elevates this above a lot of other music from that time. The keyboards admittedly sound a bit dated, and the quality of the individual songs is somewhat uneven. But on the whole this is a really enjoyable listen, one of the better rock albums of the mid-80s. Fave Songs: Walk of Life, So Far Away, Money for Nothing, Brothers in Arms, One World

Fun to listen to as a full album but songs were too long to add to a playlist. Got boring towards the end.

cool... not annoying.

Guitarrr DAYUMMMM loved it

I think this is a cool album. Love the instrumentals although sometimes the interludes were a bit longer than necessary. Love the song Why Worry. And today I learned Walk of Life is not by Bruce Springsteen.

This is definitely a classic album by a classic pop rock band. I remember the first DS song I heard on the radio was Sultans of Swing. I was mesmerised by Mark Knopfler's guitar work. That continues on this album. This is one of the most popular albums of all time. Great sound and writing, although I still cringe at some of the lyrics.

I think So Far from Me is my fave. There is something magical about ballads with such good lead guitar playing. He does the same on Why Worry with acoustic. He is a mighty fine guitar player. Money for Nothing Is overplayed for sure but still listenable. Excellent opening riff and drums. Yeah I know one of the words needs to be replaced. I read that he later replaced it with "little queenie" when singing it live. I can't believe Sting gets a writing credit. It's not that close to Don't Stand So . . . I guess Sultans of Swing isn't on this album. Music blends together after a few decades. The album fades on side 2 which should mean it's a 3 but his guitar playing keeps it levitated.

Wow, feels like it's been a minute since we got anything remotely resembling a classic, let alone an album I'm aware of! I don't know too much lore about the band, though I've definitely sought out this album before for the guitarist. Not sure why, but in my mind Stevie Ray Vaughn is in this band which is definitely not true. I think "Walk of Life" is the only song I recognized, and it's a good old banger. Plenty of others on here though that, even on first listen, felt nice and familiar. I appreciate the exploratory sounds; even though it's a rock album, there's a meandering style here that's hard to pin down. I really dig this one. Rating it high as a vote of confidence so maybe the list will give us some more albums worth our while. Favorite tracks: Walk of Life, So Far Away, Money for Nothing, The Man's Too Strong, One World. Album art: I've definitely seen this one around a billion times before, so I'll call it iconic. I do think the framing and colors here are really nice, a silver steel guitar over a blue sky and pink cloud. Just a really clean design. 4.5/5

That aint workin, thats the way you do it, get your money for nothing and your chicks for free. Great album - 3 absolute banger tracks. 4/5

My third favorite Dire Straits album! (Listen to Making Movies if you haven't already) All the hits on side one and side two leaves a bit to be desired. Favorite Tracks: So Far Away, Brothers in Arms, Why Worry

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Money for nothing, Why worry

Enjoyable, just also slow and 80s. 7/10

I liked this album. Does it appeal to my white boy sensibilities, absolutely, but I’m not complaining. Money for nothing is so good and there are some other fun songs on the album

So Far Away: Nice easy intro song. Humble. Simple. stays in your head for a bit, until... Money For Nothing: Such a classic. perfect drum into, that spins on a dime to one of the best opening guitar riffs of all time.

Enjoyed it a lot. It was quintessentially 80s, but included a lot of forward thinking ideas and cuts.

Fantastic crisp production and guitar work by Knopfler. It's a classic.

Good album 4/5

Yikes this album is crisp. The snare and drums in general are super tight. I love this 80s pop sound. I find it interesting to start an album with the track they did - "So Far Away" is kind of like a repetitive chorus followed by a guitar riff that repeats for 5 minutes. I don't love that. "Money for Nothing" "Walk of Life" "Brothers in Arms" Are all solid! But the whole album is very very good.

Ups and downs but the title track makes it

4.5 A nearly perfect album

Some good hits and the others were fine.

Great album, Mark Knopfler’s the man

Mark Knopfler is one of the greatest guitar players. His style is known for its highly melodic and virtuosic lines, but his rhythm playing is also complex. Every note he plays is perfectly and intentionally placed. His is never sloppy and despite the highly orchestrated nature of his songwriting, it retains emotion. This album’s greatest downfall is the dated production. Furthermore, the use of a slur on ‘Money for Nothing,’ tongue in cheek though it was, is jarring and took me out of the song. Nevertheless, the album as a whole is fantastic.

one of the all time best rock albums

Great album, however I'm not a big fan of Dire Straits. All of my beloved songs are in this album.

4/5 4/05/22 That was a fun album to listen to, it had some well-known songs I didn't know was from this album. It was soft and chill, with emphasis on different instruments for each song which made each stand out from each other, making it quite unique.

What was Josh Lyman, a warning shot? That was my son.

When I bought this album when it was first released, I was so anxious to hear it I zoomed home to play it! Unfortunately disappointment, the opening track, So Far Away skipped on the turntable and without listening to the rest, I immediately exchanged it for another...then it happened again...anyways, third time was a charm! The opening three songs were amazing and most of the album as a whole was good, but it started to lose me towards the end. Dire Straits most commercially successful album and their last great record, but in my opinion, not their best. It still brings back memories of happier times of playing records, reading the liner notes, listening with headphones in your parents house and avoiding music videos. :)

Amazing.

You can tell what the good songs are vs the filler. Highs are high, lows are meh

I really like the vibe of dire straits and a lot of this was great, but even so sometimes this fades into the background. Brothers in Arms is a BANGIN closer.

they obviously sold out, made millions and there's a couple of poorer tracks but fuck me, the big hits are timeless

Hard.

Oh Mark Knopfler, what a guitar hero he is and do you know who one of his guitar heroes is.... Hank B Marvin of the Shadows! Amazing the influences that have made some of the best pop-rock of all time. I first heard of Dire Straits when the NME reported of one of their early gigs in Deptford at a pub that was late 70's early 80's (Sultans of Swing era) next thing I am watching them on this Albums tour at Wembley Empire Pool and who did Mark bring on as special guest with them for a couple of songs.... none other than Hank B Marvin! A great pop/rock album, they were masters of MOR rock and this is a prerequisite for any pop/rock collection. Love "Money For Nothing" (with Sting on backing vocals) "So Far Away" "Walk Of Life" (Listen to Hank and the Shadows influence here) "Your Latest Trick" and the title track "Brothers in arms" all pop/rock magic. Love the album, in my personal collection already. Rightfully on the list as far as I am concerned.

Audio semolina. What's not to like?

Frustré par la fin de la dernière track. Genre j'étais en plein kiff et là fade out sans crier gare... Avec 2 minutes de solo en plus et une vraie fin, c'était 5.

Some WILD saxophone stuff on Your Latest Trick. Lots of good songs though.

Love it. Good amount of hits. Always thought sultans of swing was on this one but apparently not.

Better than I remembered

A classic !

Dire Straits has such an easily-dated sound, but captures some of the best of what came out of 80's pop music. I love Mark Knoppfler's voice and guitar playing. The hook for "Money for Nothing" is maybe the most iconic guitar riff from my entire childhood; that song will never be played out for me. "Walk of Life" has an organ riff and boogie-woogie guitar combo that is near impossible to not bop my head to. "Ride of the River" has almost an Oingo Boingo-like lead in with the various synths, percussion and horns. Some of the slower songs are instantly forgettable, but the album ends pretty strong with "Brother in Arms".

Liked this quite a lot actually. Start out fantastically with 3 back to back bangers with great guitar and synth work. Stumbles a little with some of the softer material (namely "Your Latest Trick", "Why Worry?") and even though Knopfler's vocals aren't exactly amazing, his guitar playing certainly is.

Mark Knopfler's songwriting skills cannot be overstated. Obviously the guy can shred like nobody's business, but he has just as strong of an ear for hooks and melody. Even songs that seem as simple and quiet as "Why Worry" have a couple little surprises that make them stand out. But what really make an impact are when Knopfler and co go big, like when he turns up the guitar in "The Man's Too Strong" or the all-timer riff on "Money for Nothing". It's funny that I keep mentioning the guitar work on this album, because this is otherwise quite synth-heavy. I personally preferred the band's earlier work which focused more on Knopfler's passion for blues and jazz. There are still hints of that here, but you can otherwise hear plenty of compromises for the MTV era, ie all of "Walk of Life", which I understand is beloved by many, but I've never been able to stomach. But when the band goes all out, they really hit. The last two songs, "One World" and the title track, I think are near-perfect, and I would have loved if the whole album sounded like those. Still, this is a fun 80's classic, one I enjoy coming back to even if it's hardly a first choice. B

Did not realize Walk of Life was a Dire Straits song until today. Much more of a diverse album than Money for Nothing would indicate. Favorite tracks are Ride Across the River and One World

Really unexpected beyond the singles I had heard but I really enjoyed it.

Far more atmospheric than I thought. A couple of great tracks and other good musical experiences. Mark Knopfler is a true troubadour.

I've listened to this maybe once in my life before now so wasn't sure what to expect beyond the hits. Happy to report that the rest of the album is pretty decent - side A is great. Nearly every track could arguably be shorter but overall it's solid stuff. Interesting to read that it got panned on release (though this was partly for sounding the same as previous DS albums, which I'm not in a position to judge... yet. I'm sure the generator will enlighten me in time.)

Pues los tres primeros temas son legendarios, luego se desinfla un poco pero mantiene un nivel aceptable y acaba x todo lo alto. Perfectamente podria ser mas corto el álbum, porque canciones como Why Worry se alargan demasiado. Mmm no se, esta guapo.

Didn’t listen as intently as I did with the previous two albums but this was overall a decent album with some good songs to have a lazy Sunday to.

I first heard Dire Straits as a freshman in college. Great sound. Mark Knopfler has a very strong and unique voice. His guitar skills are top notch. The other instrumentals on this album are also high level. The first 3 songs were very popular and are the most familiar. The rest of them are unique. Although some do get a bit slow at times. Nice to hear again after many years.

Great album, other than the three mega-hits, I enjoyed "your latest trick" and "ride across the river"

4/5 classic

good album

Never listened to a dire straits album before! Excited to finally be able to say I did!

A classic. Fun to listen to with singles like Money for Nothing and Walk of Life. Favorite song: Money for Nothing

Not too shabby for some dad rock. The occasional slow songs aren't my flavor though

One heck of a fun album until the final closing track which seems to come from a higher plane. Remarkable

A little corny but I still really enjoy this album. 8/10 1. Walk of Life 2. Brothers in Arms 3. Your Latest Trick

The first and third songs drag a little bit, but the second sends us off to the races and there's lots else to like. I was familiar with more than I knew. The guitar work is great, and while the style is whelming, the compositions are worked to interesting lengths in each case.

All time favorites seldom disappoint

Good but a little mellow 4

Super album van een super band

There is only one correct way to listen to Brothers In Arms. It is the mid-1980s. You are a man in your early 40s. You have just bought a new compact disc player. The salesman at the hi-fi store demonstrated it by playing the Brothers In Arms CD and it sounded amazing so you bought a copy. DDD, all-digital, every step of the way. You have set up your new CD player and put on the Dire Straits CD. You can't believe how crystal clear it sounds, how rich and pure. It is as if the Knopfler bros and co are directly beaming into your brain. You get chills, multiple times. "Money For Nothing" makes you feel like a bad-ass. "Walk of Life" makes you nostalgic for your youth. "Your Latest Trick" makes you feel... things. And the title track makes you cry on the inside. This is what the future sounds like. There is no going back. The mighty compact disc is here to stay.

Sounds amazing, among one of the best production efforts of the decade. Sets itself apart from the crowd of arena hard rock by being softer yet still appealing to the pop audience. There were soft rock bands still out there, but they were never nearly as big or good as this. Utilizes synths appropriately, distinctively 80s, but not excessively. The guitar is clearly at the front, never crazy but pairs well with the mellow instruments and vocals to make for a soothing experience. "Money for Nothing" is one of my favorite songs of the decade. From the atmospheric opening, to the memorable guitar intro, the synth effects, the harmonious vocals, and the lyrical perspective of a middle-aged laughing stock. "Walk of Life" is another song I grew up with, kinda country or rockabilly sounding, very optimistic. "Your Latest Trick" and "Why Worry" makes me wish I had a surround system; they're smooth and very like 80s pop. "Ride Across the River" is the underrated gem here, sounding like the jungle level of a video game. Really, there aren't any bad tracks on this album.

Better than I was expecting.

Album full of class music......and Walk of Life

Dire Straits are such an odd band to me - a lot of talent, but inconsistent. Their good stuff sounds like Gordon Lightfoot mixed with blue eyed soul and their bad stuff sounds like cheesy solo John Fogerty. And then there's Money for Nothing, one of the most overplayed songs in classic rock radio history. It might have been good at one point, but it winds up really throwing the tone of this album all out of whack. Once you get to the deep cuts, though, this album really gets good. Your Latest Trick sounds like it belongs on the soundtrack to Law & Order... it's a great arrangement... until you get to that cheesy saxophone. Some mixing changes might have saved it, but it winds up sounding very 80s in a bad way. Why Worry? has some nice little synth licks that hint at the band's proggier Telegraph Road. Ride Across the River is a straight banger. It kind of sounds like the soundtrack to some 16 bit video game's jungle night level in the best way possible. The Man's Too Strong has a strong Western vibe with a hint of apocalyptic folk a la Great Annihilator-era Swans. One World's not bad either, although the slap bass dates it a bit. The guitar does some heavy lifting here. The album ends with the moody synth swell of the title track, a song that was destined to be played during a pivotal scene in The Americans. This was one of my mother's favorite albums, and it has a lot of emotional pull for me - both negative and positive, nostalgia and rebellion. Listening through it, if it didn't have Money for Nothing and Walk of Life, it would be almost a five star album for me. As it stands, with those two tracks on it, it will wind up a three or (more likely) a four. Before I relistened to it, I wouldn't have ranked it quite that high, but like I said, the deep cuts on this album have a lot of fantastic elements, many of which I forgot.

more sexy sax than I've ever heard in a dire straits song before but enjoyed the album

from the first few notes of the first song i was already swinging with the music. As the album continued, each song was consistently good. The guitar on the album is insane. The first half of the album is definitely stronger than the last half, but overall a great classic album.

If I ever needed reminding that I was a teenage Tory, then this is it. In my defence, my location and surroundings made this more or less inevitable. At my school, the furthest left anyone would have been would have been fair bit to the right of, say, Bill Clinton. (Some of us who relocated Stateside would have enthusiastically voted for him in 1992. And I'm not saying that this is (necessarily) a bad thing, but, you know. Youth. Radical politics. etc. Not on our register). it holds up pretty well. Some absolute AOR (to borrow an Americanism) classics here, like The Man's Too Strong. And, I mean, this was more cutting edge than Christopher Cross. And in the somewhat privileged West African milieu I inhabited back in the day, guitar Rock was a fucking radical thing to enjoy. (Note. Yes, I listened to Police, and Prince, and Depeche Mode, and the Pet Shop Boys, and Kraftwerk, in 1985. Favourites then, still favourites now.) (Also in my defence. Brothers in Arms was a gateway drug to Def Leppard, then Metallica, then Anthrax, then Industrial, then Einstürzende Neubaten, then Nick Cave etc etc. No, not a gateway drug to REO Speedwagon and Journey. Anyway, just saying that some good did come out of this album for me, via one of my many make-your-own-adventure musical lifetimes .)

Dire Straits are good. Lots of interesting stylistic shifts. Even some latin flavour on a song or two. Mark Knopfler is one of the smoothest most tasteful guitarists to ever massage a fret board. And he's an excellent songwriter. Very nice album that deserves more attention than I paid it. 4 stars

some classic songs on here

22. Brothers in Arms - Dire Straits. 9 tracks. Better than expected. Forget that they are not "cool". This is brilliant. So close to 5/5. Leaving Brothers in Arms until the last track is an interesting choice but works so well. Again, this is a proper "album". 4/5

Klaaaaasikker. Der er twang og vibes hele vejen! Knopfler er genial!

klasse album, ikke deres bedste, men tæt på

lækkert pop/bluesrock, catchy, velkendt

Brilliant. Any album with Money for Nothing on it is one for the ages. Your Latest Trick also has that incredibly recognisable sax intro/coda on it by Michael Brecker

Oh hell yea. So Far Away is actually a great opener, Money For Nothing stuffs you right in the face with its hook in the most pleasant way, and Walk Of Life keeps it breezy and honky tonky. Your Latest Trick and Why Worry tread some pretty slow, cheeseball synth footsteps. Also Why Worry takes about a million years for noodling. docking a star for that. The Man's Too Strong is a great tune and doesn't get the respect it merits. Brothers In Arms is a little overly saccharine for me

pretty good :) realised i had been listening to radio version of money for nothing before now lol

Nice guitar solo, relaxing chords and vocal that album feels like cuteness and cozy rock

Pretty classic Dad-rock. So Far Away from me and Money for nothing, and Walk of Life should be pretty recognizable to most people. After the singles to open the album it gets into some more slow jams with some jazzy undertones. Wasn't as into these, I think the Singles were popular for a reason but the other tunes weren't great. Their instrumentals remind me a lot of the background music to an 80s movie like 3 Men and a Baby.

Great stuff. There was a couple of times where it went on a bit but it was a banger.

i enjoyed their music more than o thought! i thought it was nice and good length

My least favourite Dire Straits albums, certainly when compared to its 4 predecessors. Over the years I grew warm to its more mellow, jazzy (?), sound; yet I cannot forgive its original sin.

Not sure how I've gone so long without hearing this album. I've heard money for nothing and walk of life while being out and about. I think it's incredibly well done, and absolutely love the vocals and instrumentation. The writing is really solid too.

Couple of famous songs.

8/2 Couple timeless tracks on here. Standout Tracks: So Far Away, Your Latest Trick, Why Worry, Ride Across The River, The Man's Too Strong

Money for Nothin has a guitar riff for the ages and is an absolute classic, and the title track is a masterpiece. The standout tracks on this are incredible, but the album as a whole is a thing of beauty. As smooth and atmospheric as anything you’ll hear, a really rewarding listen if you let yourself go with it.

I have a bit of a soft spot for Dire Straits. I'm fully aware that they were already very unimaginative at the time and are pretty much "elevator background rock" by today's standards. Basically inoffensive radio filler tracks. Yet, even though they don't do all that much, they just do it really well. This isn't my favorite album by theirs, too ballad-heavy. A 3.5 where I might rate their others 4.0 or even 4.5. Still, rounded up to a 4.

I was surprised by this - I didn't think the first track was all that great, and then I knew Money for Nothing was going to be excellent but again, after that there were one or two average tunes. But as the album went on I found myself checking the names of most of the tracks on this thing and saving them to my liked songs... A really good combo of great guitar riffs/solos, interesting progressions, and the use of other noises and instruments to add to the scope of the tunes. Might have been a 5/5 for me if not for the couple of duds

Seriously impressive range and song craft on this album. Some of their biggest hits are here, and the B-tracks are interesting in totally different ways.

Buen disco, buena música, buen grupo y canciones míticas.

Pretty great

Favourite songs- So Far Away, Walk of Life, The Man's too Strong. The stones that drag this record down for me are Money for Nothing and Ride Across the River. Every other song was amazing.

Liked it a lot. Enjoyable, fun, songs that are easy to listen to. Highlights: Your latest trick, money for nothing, walk of life.

Bra album med många bangers Bästa låtar: Money for Nothing Walk of Life One World Brothers in Arms

Pretty good album of guitar riffs and classic rock songs. Some of the songs get creative and pull inspiration from other genres. Longer songs that don’t feel too long. 7.8/10

Excellent Guitar from one of the best ever.

Top

I'm a big fan of Mark Knopfler in general. I probably haven't listened to this album from start to finish since the 90s, but I have probably listened to half of the tracks on this album within the last 6 months. "Brothers in Arms" might be my favorite track on the album. I would listen to this album again (4.5 stars)

Starts of strong, but some songs on the 2nd half are either too long or too stale. Closing track is fantastic.

Both biting in its satire and inconceivably funky, especially the hit single "Money for Nothing"!

Tolles Gitarren-Album

Ach ja. Ist ja doch irgendwie wichtig und mit Abstand gehört auch besser als man eigentlich zugeben will

I spent summer 1985 on a farm in Israel. This album was the soundtrack (while not watching Live Aid). Will always have a special place in my music.

Not sure if this is a perfect album but it is quite superb with a mixture of light rock, pop, country rock, rock n roll, powerful slow tunes. Very listenable.

4/5 there are some amazing songs in this album

I like the sound of this. It's a little quieter than I normally like, so maybe it's the Aussie accents? Who knows, but I think it'll get a 4.

I dig some Dire Straits. Often a good reminder for me to spin the Cramps.

Remaster cd is excellent sound quality

really good rock

Pues agradable pero no es para mi.

So Far Away" Released: April 1985 "Money for Nothing" Released: June 1985 "Brothers in Arms" Released: October 1985 "Walk of Life" Released: November 1985 "Your Latest Trick" Released: April 1986

A classic. The video for Money for Nothing is seared into my brain. But the title track is by far my favorite Dire Straits track. It's a perfect anti-war song. It's not a coincidence the song is used in every movie.

Fantastic album, no filler songs at all.

Flashbrega muito bom, ouvirei mais vezes. Melhores: So Far Away, Money for Nothing, Walk of Life, Ride Across the River. Pior: Why Worry?

Nice chilly vibes

A classic

Saxophone surprised me. Otherwise, went as expected. Cool throughout, 4.

Pretty good all around. I didn't know that Walk of Life was theirs. 8/10.

My dad had this, on vinyl, back then. Listening now, I'm very impressed by the quality of the recording. I also like the dis on MTV, which they co-opted and ran with. I'd say that this is better than "meh", but not "life-altering".

liked it. good vibes

Really enjoyed The Mans Too Strong. I don't know if I'm a dire straits kind of person, but it was a nice album.

Great rock album, solid singles.

Solid album, start to finish. Not my favorite Dire Straits album, but enjoyable to listen to time after time.

Great easy-going feel with an easy folksy transition to 80s rock.

A classic, but I still like the self-titled better. Sting vocals and the outdated lyrics and kind of silly.

i didn't think i would like it this much truthfully

Way better than expected

Singing sometimes awkward, but great guitar parts

It surprised me. For an album that is older than I am, it had songs that seeméd pretty modern

Enough crackers to give it a 4.

Nice and varied, money for nothing to walk of life is a stellar 1-2

Oh hell yes! A classic 80s guitar rock album

Cool. Some of it reminds me of a poppier/more rounded out version of Bob Dylan.

Always good

Great album.starts off strong, lots of 80s vibes in there. Gets a little weaker in the middle to the end but still a quality album.

This album is good

fuck its good. intsrumental . nice chill.

Cool

4/5. Mellow with deep guitar and manly vibes, with some oldie rock bops. Listen while drinking scotch and playing a quiet game of pool.

Bra grejer ändå, ganska basic men men

A classic!

Track 2 and 3 are golden

The repeated use of the f-slur is a toughie for me, and feels unnecessary to make their point in Money for Nothing. One star removed for that, I'm afraid. I really like Dire Straights though, and appreciate what they put into this album. the guitar riffs and vocals are especially memorable. 5/10

A key part of my youth. Would've been 4 but the slur made me sad.

Very 80s. Every song is such a different vibe

Some bops but overall boring

Strong start, chills and then brings it home.

Don’t get it twisted I love me some dire straits. I’ve heard this album front to cover before, as well as their self titled. That’s about it. I will say, this one is a little too 80’s drenched in a bad/boring way imo. It’s so damn clean & poppy, it reminds me a lot of Empire Burlesque by Dylan actually. (I actually have grown to love that) Mark Knopfler even sounds like an old grumpy Dylan at times here. To me, I just much prefer the self titled. I love the guitar play on that record. That’s honestly what I know this band for anyhow.

I loved Dire Straits as an uncool teenager, but I was surprised to find how little I enjoyed this particular album on a relisten. Their earlier stuff has a strong sense of place and storytelling, but this is just shiny, bland, overproduced MOR rock, where most tracks outstay their welcome with several minutes of wallpapery instrumentals. The second half, with the folkier songs about war and injustice, is a bit stronger, but the first half was a slog.

I enjoyed this album. Despite being a fan of 80s music, I'd somehow never listened to it all the way through. Money for Nothing is so ubiquitous that I must have heard it a million times, but really focusing on it this time made me realise just how good a song it is. There are plenty of other great moments too – the sumptuous sax break on Your Latest Trick, the opening of Ride Across the River (a nice Easter egg, as I recognised it as the Naughty by Nature sample) and the fabulous closer, the title track Brothers in Arms. An enjoyable listen.

I described Trio as pleasant. I think I have to use that description here, too. I don't think the pulse ever gets above 50 BPM on this whole record. And, oof, the lyrics on Money For Nothing haven't aged, if they ever were acceptable.

I like me some Dire Straits, I really do, but I don't think any album's energy level has ever dropped off as hard as this one's does! It opens with three total classics, takes a nosedive into over-saxed naptime with Your Latest Trick, and struggles to wake up again. Half the songs are very slow burns that grow pleasantly hypnotic, but I wish there was more variety in pacing. The album puts 90% of its beans into Walk of Life, which, along with Walking on Sunshine and Baby Elephant Walk, is one of the great upbeat walking-based songs.

When CDs had become the mainstream media for music and you went into any record store (remember those?) this album would be playing. Even going into equipment stores like Richer Sounds, this would be the default demonstrator CD. It got a bit boring after a while and was totally over-exposed considering the video to Money for Nothing seemed to be included on every music programme on TV as well. Listening again though I remember why most of it was – and still is - so good. However, it would lose nothing by cutting half of Why Worry out and deleting the next three tracks altogether really. I think the album sold mainly for the first half and I doubt that many who had the LP version played side 2 more than a few times. Side 1 is perfect though.

A strong and enjoyable album! Classics in Money for Nothing and Walk of Life, and some quality synth and trumpet throughout.

The first three songs are excellent but it never reaches the same heights for the rest of the album. Shame because Money For Nothing has always been a big favourite of mine.

"Money for Nothing" and "Walk of Life" are like cartoon versions of rock - bubblegum for the '80s. The band is guilty of dumbing down in search of a mass market much like Springsteen did with the Born in the USA album - the difference being that his talent just about survived the process whilst here it only highlights this band's shortcomings (not least Mark Knopfler's voice, never the most expressive of instruments).

2 legendary songs on an otherwise boring album...how do you rate that?

eigentlich gmeint das isch öppe 3mal besser vo dem was ich ghört han