Dire Straits

I have always loved Sultans of Swing but this was the first time I'd really thought about why. Dire Straits has a way of making the guitar interact with the vocals that is really unique.

Martyrs of Swing. This album feels so circular, slowly meandering through the songs and never getting to the point. It's as if Bob Dylan's 70's backing band got a free weekend in the studio and they just "jammed it out". Talented group, but they need some direction (which is hilarious, considering they're one of the best selling bands of their time). The music of Dire Straits just does not translate well, and has all of the hallmarks of guitar-driven dad rock that has become the butt of so many jokes. Fav Track: Wild West End

Nothing gets me in the mood for a corporate day at Twickenham like the Sultans of Swing (Low Sweet Chariot). Essential listening while getting ready for the game. Boot cut jeans, loafers, TM Lewin checked shirt (button cuff, it is the weekend), corporate branded fleece (its XL but doesn't fit too badly and I didn't declare it to Compliance and their gift register!). Then off to the game with the "lads" from work. They leave after the game but I stick around with some new mates I met in the Orange Tree. 20 pints (I'm paying)of the black stuff later. Wake up on my sofa in the middle of the night covered in take away to the crushing realisation the wife has left, taken the kids and I live in a flat about a pub. Will have to watch Top Gear reruns on Dave to lift the spirits!

Shit slaps

The album that our Amsterdam Air BnB host left in his record player

Driven by Mark Knopfler's spare, tasteful guitar lines and his husky warbling, the album is a set of bluesy rockers. Knopfler also shows an inclination toward Dylanesque imagery, which enhances the smoky, low-key atmosphere of the album. While a few of the songs fall flat, the album is remarkably accomplished for a debut, and Dire Straits had difficulty surpassing it throughout their career.

Pretty drunk while listening but I think this is a favorite. Sultans of swing but 1hr long

Wow. Silky smooth riffs and bitchin' solos abound. Can't believe this is a debut album. I think In The Gallery may be the weakest effort here, but every other track is gold. Sexy, groovy mix of sparse rock and roll mixed with country, folk, and blues. My knowledge of Dire Straits was Money for Nothing. This is at least 500x better than that.

Sultans of Swing was the best song, they should have written some more like that! Three stars, which means it’s better than American Idiot and Dark Side of the Moon.

Stellar debut album. I am an old.

What if "Country", but actually good. Update: Ok, I've had this album on repeat for about 10 times...

Sometimes it's hard to believe how good a debut album can be. Absolute classic, a great listen almost any time.

GOAT

One of the best debut albums, the best guitar solo ever (though I prefer the live Alchemy version), and a great album that's always been there for me

THIS ALBUM HAS GROOVE FOR DAYS

Great first album to start 1001.

Melodically muted, rhythmically stunted. They’re a guitar band, I get it. But then why aren’t the guitars more interesting?

Love Mark knopfler

Sehr gut. Schöne Songs.

Sultans of Swing is fantastic and the rest are good.

Knopf let is a smashing guitar player, but this slick mid-tempo rock just didn’t touch my soul.

Serenely shredding Guitar guides you through the blues With effortless cool

Honestly I dig this a lot more than I anticipated. Some really fantastic guitar playing and the vocals are catchy and bluesy. I'd definitely listen again.

Fantastic guitar solos!!!

I’d heard this before, but this time round only Waterline, Water of Love and Sultans were familiar, which makes sense as they’re the keepers. The rest washes past comfortably: they were a tight little band at this stage, and I have a thing for Knopfler’s voice, which makes me a common sort of fetishist. Dylan looms in several of the tracks, no bad thing in itself, but not flattering to the band either. Knopfler had not yet embraced his brown tone nor that flavour of Nordic fatalism I sniff out in BIA. I’ll mention once more that as a kid he shared an office with Basil Bunting - isn’t that something?

I really enjoy Mark Knopfler's guitar playing, and even more so his production talents (Aztec Camera's "Knife" is so great). Another reviewer astutely describes this record as if Dylan's '70s backing band made a solo album (see "Slow Train Coming" and "Infidels" for the nexus of these two ideas, both really good if advanced-level Bob). Oddly sedate for a debut album, this passes the time pleasantly. Obviously, "Sultans" is welcome anytime, the rest are a bit indistinguishable from each other.

A bit bland, but okay.

Hell yeah

I see Dire Straits - i give it 5

For me Dire Straits is always a pleasure to listen to

Brilliant.

Clean, like the genre Would listen to it outside of this

It one of the best albums with an acoustic guitar that I listened to with a very captivating voice.

Sehr bueno, chillig

Really good. This is the type of rock that lives on forever.

This a really solid LP. The variety of soft rock, folk, and country - while keeping the atmosphere as tight as it is - is very impressive. I’m also addicted to a lot of the guitar licks and riffs throughout. These guys seemed to have everything figured out for a debut album.

not an instant favorite or anything but honestly for being such a staple of "dad rock", there is something that is Still rly refreshing and bold about this band...sultans of swing is a funny anecdote made into something resembling a statement of meta-defiance in the face of what the expected face of rock music Was and Is. honestly this could prob come out near-unaltered today and get a fantano 7/10 or something. slick and quiet but also incredibly direct, its all in the licks. very cozy music tbh...instantly digestible in its musical information and just in general dedicated to not Overwhelming u. the solos especially are hugely likable. if u turn up the Complexity and Snark sliders i think thats how u get steely dan...also a great band, but a different itch then this, and tbh one i might be in the mood for slightly less often

Great first album. Torn between 4 and 5. Going to add this to my library even though I'm giving it 4.

This feels awfully modern and well-produced, I was surprised to find it's their debut album.

melow tunes. nice vocals. didn't really listen closely to lyrics some upbeat twangy beats. clean sound. i liked this album; mostly the melow low pace tracks.

- Two Dire Straits albums in one week? Cool. - Sultans of Swing and the opening track 🔥

It's just middle of the road music? I understand this is good guitar work, it just seems competent? like he's so good he doesn't have to try? It's just so boring background music to me.

Oh god, Dire Straits platen. Daar had ik mij nog niet helemaal op ingesteld. Maar daar komen er ook nog heel wat van langs de komende tijd natuurlijk. Tja en wat moet je er dan van vinden. Wat mij opvalt is dat dit debuutalbum nog niet zo sophisticated klinkt. Het klinkt nog wat rootsier, wat meer Americana en is wat swingerder en aanstekelijker (southbound again) dan die lange uitgesponnen gitaarplaten die zouden volgen. De sound is herkenbaar Dire Straits, maar nog zonder het pretentieuze gedoe. En Sultans of Swing is natuurlijk een banger. 7/10 Highlights Southbound Again Sultans of Swing

Swingin'.

Just regular standard period music...

Music that seems to have been made for middle-aged dads with boring, corporate jobs to have a beer and say "they don't make 'em like they used to anymore" to. Despite it being utterly uninventive and frankly kind of dull, they pull it off pretty well I suppose. Down to the Waterline and Sultans of Swing are the real saving graces here.

One of my favorites.

Disco was at it's greatest moment. Punk had just lost its biggest band before they even got a chance to begin. And rock was seeing the waning of Prog Rock, and the loud, brash, sounds of "Double Live Gonzo" and technical based heavy metal swing of Van Halen had just taken over The U.S. and growing world wide. So, out of nowhere, this small quiet blues and shuffle type of bar band from days gone by, appears, and left a huge mark on the music world, with the song, "Sultan's of Swing", a song which is a staple of every classic rock station.

- For a debut album, this is phenomenal, especially with Sultans of Swing - Considering the music that was around during 78, this album stands out with unique lyricism, tight musicality and stand out guitar licks - Mark Knopfler, I will forever love you

9/10 Great songs, definitely some classics on the album. Only point I have is that I wish they did not fade out the songs during interesting guitar licks. Favourite songs: Sultans of swing (obviously) Setting me Up Least favorite songs: Six blade knife

Knopfler is the best singer-songwriter- guitarist there ever was.

Really loved all the tracks on this album - some of which I'd never heard before... Such virtuoso instrumentalists - a guitar act to aspire to.

I love finding new music and artists through this site. And I also love this type of scenario, becoming reacquainted with and artist/album that I absolutely loved when I first found them/it. In 1978 I was deeply into the standard classic rock of the day (Zep, Boston, Aerosmith, etc) and I was also exploring the newly emerging punk and electronic sounds in the background of the music world of the day. Along with Kraftwerk, Dire Straits absolutely blew me away with how different it was from anything I'd ever heard up to then. Of course I found out later about the music and artists that influenced Mark Knopfler, but for the longest time I couldn't listen to anything else, this album was as fresh and different as Duty Now For the Future, Autobahn, and Never Mind the Bollocks to me.

Very nice. I saved it on Spotify and would love to listen to this album with close friends during a roadtrip.

Haven't heard this in awhile and forgot how good it is.

70s Dire Straits > 80s Dire Straits Great funky sound. Really got into this.

Best of the best. Fantastic. 10 outta 10. They're so genuinely good and unique, their music frequency is from another world, another time and dimension billions of light years in the past. "Her lucky stars give her just enough to get her home."

Just lovely. Delightful. So easy to listen to and to enjoy. 5

I can see why they are so acclaimed

4 excellent songs in Water of Love, Setting me up, Sultans of Swing, and Wild West End. Lions is pretty good too and the rest is good enough

Loved the guitar, interestingly I though 'Down to Waterline' is better than 'Sultans of Swing'

Not a bad song on the album. Highlighted for me by "Down to the Waterline" and of course "Sultans of Swing". Outstanding debut.

While seemingly following a bluesy base line, there’s lots of musical layering and lyrical creativity. It has an originality which was somewhat missing from the rock music scene in the ‘70’s and early 80’s.

COMPLETELY BRILLIANT - FROM THE SECOND THAT IT WAS RELEASED!

Some kind of wonderful. Still my favorite Dire Straits album.

Gorgeous album, I see no flaws. I thoroughly enjoyed every track both old and 'new'. For me Dire Straits has such a specific, identifiable sound, you instantly know it's them - but they somehow created a different sound for almost every song. And these guys have never been a go to group for me, although I have always appreciated them - now I'm changing my mind : ) Walking in the Wild West End I didn't know it and now I can't stop listening to it

Unbelievable album and my first introduction to Dire Straits. From that first guitar riff I knew this album was special. Favorite Song: Sultans of Swing HM: Wild West End

Incredible production and recording. Good mix of mellow and some upbeat. An ethereal atmospheric quality that is unique to Dire Straits and some other British rock artists. Mark Knopfler solo guitar work is unique and stands out. Definitely listen to again. Great album from beginning to end.

REAALL funky. Loved the vibe. The classic Dire Straits guitar sounds elevates the groove of the songs. My suprising fave was "Setting Me Up". Never added so many songs to my favourites at once. Would even buy as a vinyl since the sound quality was great.

Such a distinct sound. To me this is a great album.

Dang, this is pretty good!

real bangers

Reminded me of why I love Rock so damn much. This album surprised me to say the least. I mean I knew that I liked the Dire Straits, but I had never sat through this album in particular before. Every song fucks. Gonna have to go pick this one up at the record store tomorrow...

Good album. I only knew a few songs from it, but the rest that were new to me were great to listen to!

The original Dire Straits album is iconic just for Sultans of Swing alone. A song easily ranking in possibly top 50 hits of all time. The melding of the bass with the guitar is Dire Straits is all about and their inaugural album easily shows this off.

Nothing convinces me that Mark's guitar wasn't a member and leader of this band. This bad little girl did the solos, provided the rhythm and even shared the vocals with Mark. The licks on Down On The Waterline are a perfect foreshadowing of what will come later on in the album. A sequence of spectacular jams that leads to the masterpiece Sultans Of Swing, which is very similar to classical music in the way it induces the listener to pay attention to the smallest details of the song. Especially this bad little girl who made her name in the history of rock n roll in the two solos of this song. Anyway, a hell of a debut album!

Every song was good. Would listen again 100%

One of my favourite albums

AND THE SULTANS PLAY CREOLE

Perfection

SO GOOD!! SUCH A VIBE

Einfach weltklasse!!!

One of my favorites. New sound worth repeated listening

Smooth blues rock with some silky guitar work. Just listening to this makes me want to learn to play fingerstyle. What an amazing debut album!

This album is comfort food, where comfort food is Thai scallops in citrus ginger sauce prepared by a Michelin chef. A great album with that unique Knopfler sound that's still fresh and relevant 45+ years later. Incredible talent.

Perfect guitar

Fantastic

I didn’t know much by dire straits and I was pleasantly surprised listen and relaxing and feeling funky

Oh yaaaaaa. Only knew sultans of swing, but enjoyed the whole album.

Noice

Brilliant! Well written, great production, very enjoyable

This one flew right on by. Favorite track: "Sultans of Swing."

This is a great album. They created a unique sound that is timeless and was hugely popular when they debuted. Even the lesser known album cuts are a joy to listen to. I particularly love the way the album starts with a hint of mystery. But you then immediately discover that this music is built on top notch guitar playing. Waterline, Water of Love, Setting Me Up; the album cranks 3 hit songs right off the top and Sultans, an all timer, is still in the wings. 4.6

Perfect.

Mentions of newcastle make me feel very nostalgic

This debut album from Dire Straits will always be their best. I love the minimalist, straightforward roots rock and pub rock approach of this album. It’s rock in its purest form. The laid-back vibe, combined with Mark Knopfler’s fingerpicking guitar style, creates a crisp, clean, and refined sound that’s hard to beat.

Perfection.

Outfuckingstanding

"Dire" implies something urgent, desperate, grievously troublesome, or of a nature that invokes fear or suffering. A "strait" is a narrow passage of water connecting two large bodies of water. I've listened to this album literally hundreds of times in my life. Not once have I ever felt any indication of "dire" *anything*. In fact, this has been one of my favorite albums over the years. I come back to it every now and then, and the only memory I can find that contains even a tiny hint of danger or trouble was when I was sitting on the hood of my car in front of a cliff (for the view, NOT for any other reason!), calmly listening to "six blade knife". I guess the mention of a knife, especially one with so many blades, could be anxiety inducing for some, but not me. I *might* have driven on a bridge over a "strait" when I was filling my world with sound from this album, but I doubt it. I guess maybe my point is, the only way "dire" or "straits" could apply to this is that if you don't love this album after even one listening, you'll be in dire straits for the rest of your life by not recognizing top shelf music, destined to wallow in the greasy, foul mud of pop music, or even worse, country/western. So "strait-en" up and love this. Or else.

Man have I underappreciated Dire Straits.