Reviews (page 12 of 16)
super solid and a couple really good songs
Bluesy
Primera vez escuchando un disco de esta banda. Algunas veces más rockero tradicional, otras, más blusero, sin duda Mark Knopfler es el protagonista, tanto por su voz con un dejo de desgano como con su modo de tocar. La nota de color es que, como argentino, es inevitable conectar a Skay Beilinson con Mark Knopfler, tanto desde la estética como desde las guitarras. Buen primer disco de un banda icónica.
Not bad but kind of a snoozer until Sultans woke me up. Then back to decent but somewhat insignificant. I’m a little surprised since I really like Brothers In Arms
Enjoy listening to Dire Straits from time to time, but this album was honestly a bit repetitive. Many of the songs could be mistaken for Sultans of Swing in various parts.
Not quite country or easy listening, but soft, inoffensive, and welcome to any sensitive souls not in the mood for depth at the moment.
Knopfler > Clapton
Mark Knofpler is one of my all-time guitar heroes. His finger-style playing ranges broadly from chicken picking to blues rock, but he also has crazy dynamic control with his phrasing. The way he bounces between singing and playing emulates a conversation, and his constant “ghosting” of notes on the strat makes it seem like a breathing entity. So much sass and emotion! This album is a great example of slight genre variety while sticking to your tonal guns. Dire Straits is an awesomely tight band, and their debut album puts their best in display. Stand out tracks include “Down to the Waterline”, “Six Blade Knife”, “Sultans of Swing”, “In the Gallery”, and “Wild West End”.
that's a good one!
Not really for me
Pretty good. I've never much cared for sultans of swing but wild west end is amazing
A great, great bluesy rock record. Steel guitars with no country twang, smooth rhythms, excellent pacing. Sultans of Swing, of course, is the best track on the album. The rest of the songs are of similar pedigree. Not a 5, but a very solid 4
too repetitive
I wish the whole album was as good as Sultans of Swing
I listened to this interspaced with Tom Lehrer, which I thought really enhanced the overall experience.
Old school rock. Not bad.
Why is this so corny? I mean, the guitar is good, technically, but the singing ruins it. It’s so try-hard-boomer-cool. This is a reluctant 1.5
Enough with the britRock, damn.
Sultans of Swing alone makes this a 4/5, the rest of it is good too.
Classic, lovely, 5/5
So. Much. Blues. Didn’t think I’d enjoy the album as much as I did. Definitely loved the blues infused rock throughout.
It's good, but it's but not really my exact vibe.
The Beastie Boys are a one-trick pony that managed to stretch their unremarkable style into an entire career. Although this album contains some of their greatest hits, songs that have permeated popular culture, it’s hard to argue that every track on this album, along with their other releases, sound the exact same throughout. The formula is simple: AA BB rhyme scheme with lyrics out of a children’s dictionary, and most importantly, SHOUT the last word of every second or fourth line. This is noise. Leave rap to rappers.
Day34 - more than just sultans of swing
Classic Dire Straits
What else could this be but a five? Their second record consisted of work from the same sessions and that one is pretty damn good as well. A truly great album.
Will this album always be a 5 in my eyes? Maybe not, but this morning it hit
Favourite Song: Lions A simple and solid album. Feels very samey and repetitive at time, but as a cool vibe to it that blends well.
probably gonna be one of the most listened albums of this period for me.
Good
Very nice debut album featuring the unmistakable, bluesy, guitar and vocal stylings of Mark Knopfler. For me, it's a coin toss for which I like best...this or Brothers In Arms. So I'll just make sure both are in my collection.
I didn't get much out of this one. Pretty boring
This was great. Can definitely see myself listening again.
Great album. listen all day.
R&b and country and rock all rolled up into some tight, groovy ass songs.
Jag tycker om Dire Straits gitarrspelande. Sultans of Swing är nog fortfarande bäst. Rätt mysigt album. Prel. 4 / 5
• Tycker om omslaget; det är simpelt, lite mysteriskt. Motivet ser ut som något som man vanligtvis skulle finna på ett foto, men här är det istället målat • Down To The Waterline tror jag att jag inte hört innan, men bra • Han där Mark Knopfler skulle jag vilja påstå är min favoritgitarrist • Lite countryinspirerat stundtals • Sultans Of Swing har inte blivit sämre med åren direkt Betyg: Inte deras bästa album (*host *host Brothers In Arms), men det är bra, Sultans Of Swing är en av världens bangers, hade lyssnat igen => 4/5
Sultans of swing är bra. Annars bra gungig album som funkar bra i bakgrunden. Inte jätteinspirerat men bra ändå
Good pub rock, exactly what you'd expect from dire straits
I liked this more than I thought I would, was funky in places. Though I'm not sure I would listen to it again unless I was driving or something - seems like good driving music.
Love Dire Straits!
Неплохо, но позже были альбомы лучше
Sultans Of Swing. Bien; aunque se me ha hecho un poco largo ... 3. No, venga, Sultans Of Swing se merece 4.
Not my favorite Dire Straits album but a good debut
peak rock
yeah yeah yeah
Not quite a 5, but close. Probably a 4.5 on the strength of Sultans of Swing alone.
Must have. And Brothers in Arms.
Ok, not really my thing
This reminds me of listening to the album in the 90s. Still love Sultans of Swing. Mark Knopfler is a genius on guitar. I like Down to the Waterline too but prefer the songs in a mix of other songs, rather than listening to the full album.
Fantastic album, throughly enjoyed from cover to cover
Hmm ok
4.8 - Mark Knopfler is amongst the most legendary guitarists of our generation. Never listened to the whole album and was surprised about how refined it was as an album. Sultans of Swing is amazing and was happy that it didn't overshadow the rest of the album, which I feel can happen with a lot of the albums on the list.
It's Dire Straits. It's pretty good. Fave Tracks: Water of Love, Sultans of Swing, Wild West End 4/5
Side 2 is 5/5. Mark Knopfler is such a virtuoso guitar player.
Like Dire Straits and this album is a good one.
Loved it
Enjoyed it very much Very relaxing Good vibes
Great album if you like the Dire Straights sound
Phenomenal. I actually got this one on vinyl from my dad but hadn't listened to it yet. Soooo gooood!
1- is this country 0-0, not bad i like the guitar 2- beginning gave me zoom flashbacks ngl, im skipping through this i dont think i like it but the chorus is good 3- this one is my fav so far but still not quite there idk, i love the guitar in these 4- nvm this is better than 3 5- yeha i dont like this 6- IMMEDIATE BANGER, first song on here thats going to my liked 7- very chill probably between 1 and 6, idk why but it feels longer than it is 8- yeah no 9- this would go extremely hard if i was a christian cowboy, which im convinced is the target audience yeah i think country is just not my fav
I think I prefer their more filmic synth tinged 80s sound than this more straightforward stuff. Still enjoyed it and Sultans of Swing is brilliant
Really enjoyed the album. Smooth music very easy to listen to. Always loved the “Sultans” track hearing the entire album was a blast.
An ok album… not my preferred listening pleasure, yet not head banging either.
One of my favorites
Water of love, Wild West end, Lions 3.5 stars
This is one of the best debut albums ever released, a timeless masterpiece. I love everything about it.
Boring bluesy rock.
Another album from the series “this is what my dad was listening to when I was a kid.” I liked it. Not amazing, but pretty relaxing, easy to listen to on the drive home from work. I loved the track Sultans of Swing.
Sultans of Swing is really amazing, the rest less so.
I like a number of their well known songs like Sultans of Swing. But I don’t really need to listen to a whole album, at once, ever, at all.
A bluesy, laid back pub rock album was an unlikely candidate for a hit back in 1978 at the height of punk, but somehow Dire Straits got away with it and went on to be one of the biggest rock bands of the 80s with MTV friendly anthems like Money for Nothing. There’s a lot to enjoy here, especially the hit song Sultans of Swing and the atmospheric guitar lines.
I love the instrumentation but the vocals kind of kill it for me. There's a disconnect and I find myself hard to enjoy this.
Knopfler is a great guitar player and it shows in Dire Straits debut album, very precise and bluesy. And he's good in a good way, meaning that he is not a neck-wanker, he lets the music breathes. The upbeat songs are the really nice, the rest of the album is a bit too chill for me and turns almost boring unfortunately. The production is maybe a bit too clean too
Exceptional album, I like every detail. Mark Knopfler plays guitar like a god.
Never heard them before, didn't know what to expect. Somehow I find the music to be nice and chill, but then when the vocals kick in, it's sooo boring. The cover matches how it sounds.
Some nice moments and Knopfler is clearly a great guitarist but this is not something I would want to hear regularly.
A classic of the classics. I always have a good time with this album.
Great catchy and moody songs honored by Mark Knopfler unique playing. Always a pleasure to listen to.
i love so much already, on track 1. I wanna listen tonthis in my miata with the too down
I'm sorry, but my review is biased. I've never really understood the appeal of Dire Straits, though I do find Mark Knopfler to be one of the great guitarists of the 20th century.
I do like Dire Straits, and Sultans of Swing brought back memories of my brother practising that song on the guitar when we were young. Not their best album, but solid.
Genre: Rock Instruments: 4/5 great guitar Modern Translation: 3/5 Dance Potential: 1/5 Listening Location: desk at work Favourite Song: Sultans of Swing Made me feel: Chill. Easy listening, not much diversity in the album.
Dire Straits has such an iconic sound. You have to love them. Sultans of Swing is probably one of the best songs ever. Rating: 4/5 (A very good listen) Standouts: Sultans of Swing, Water of Love, Others: Down to the Waterline, Setting Me Up, In the Gallery, Wild West End,
Dire Straits creates guitar-driven rock songs that are performed in a style reminiscent of blues rock and country rock. Dire Straits' distinct sound comes from Mark Knopfler's smoky, rich voice, and his crisp and expressive guitar solos. Their self-titled debut album contains some of their most popular songs, like "Sultans of Swing" and "Water of Love." These songs became very popular all over the world, and helped Dire Straits become one of the world's most successful bands during the 80's.
One of my all time favorite albums.
Sultans of Swing rules. this whole album is just plain good rock.
My favorite Dire Straits album! Great song after great song and friggin Sultans of Swing is on there. What more could you want? F slurs? Just wait a couple albums you bigot!
great to get stoned and do dishes to
Good
I listened to the track "Sultans of Swing" on repeat for a brief period of my life, but for some reason I had not dipped deeper into this album. I'm glad I came back to enjoy the rest of this excellent record. And it was enjoyable, from start to finish.
At this point many of these albums sound the same xd but it was nice
Excellent, excellent from the first song to the last. No notes.
Amazing guitarist and songwriter but I wasn't blown away by many songs besides sultans of swing of course.
Such a great album, used to be one of my favorites. Always surprised me that this is their debut album, they are just extremely talented. Awesome riffs and vocals.
Discazo. No el millor, però molt escoltable
fine i guess
Ah, I love Sultans of Swing... I also love how pretty much all of the songs have this Dire Straits sound. The guitar play is majestic, the songs are very relaxing and chill. You can't really have perfect songs throughout the whole album, so they have their ups and downs in the album, but overall great sounding album.
Classic with so many bangers!
divine. record that shakes you awake and reminds you what you do it for.
Just great grooves front to back
Strong guitar work.
Sultans of swing is by far the best song ln this album. I can appreciate the rest for what they are but they suffer from the comparison. Not my fav.
A great chill album. The clean guitar work, laid back vocals, all so very nice!
musically amazing, not something I listen to frequently tho
Down To The Waterline, Sultans of Swing
Was familiar with one song on here, and thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the album. The vocals stood out as being well mixed, they were clearly in front of the instruments and not lost in them.
Some good songs. Interesting voice
Loooving this so far, only like 30 seconds in. I like the guys voice and the guitar is awesome. The audio quality seems so high which is ridiculous because I’m on my AirPods but, but it just sounds really good
Learnt to play sultans of swing when i was 15 so it has a certain nostalgia to it. The rest of the album is pretty steady eddie bland and inoffensive
Good album. I love Sultans os Swing, so that really helped.
Signature guitar sound
First time all the way through. Knew Sultans of Swing, obviously. Mark Knopfler is soooo good.
Mark knopfler is great
Not my kind of music. Only really enjoyed two songs. Could have on in background while working but that’s about it
1/10/24
Ok. One or two good songs but overall a bit boring / forgettable.
Dire Straits has to be the most boring rock band of all time.
Great guitar playing by Mark Knopfler
I liked the guitars
wild west end
Excellent classic. Not exactly my jam, but clearly a work of art.
Not the biggest Dire Straits fan, ever, but hearing some of their older material was good to experience. 'Sultans Of Swing' will always be a classic in my ears. The guitar work, the catchy lyrics, semi-cryptic comments/verbiage makes it a pleasure for the listener.
Smooth guitars and gritty vocals. This band changed the landscape.
Chill album. Sunday afternoon after lunch vibe with low volume
The bass on tracks like Six Blade Knife and In the Gallery combined with Knopfler's distinct guitar sound is perfect. Love the interplay of the guitars on Southbound Again and Lions is a great closer. There's a lot to unpack here - not just Sultans of Swing.
dump this. make some room for a Squeeze album.
thoughts by song 1. Makes me want to smoke a blunt and watch the sunset 2. good vibe could have taken 3 minutes off the song and felt the same. 3. good ol southern chili cook off vibes. 4. Smoke even more weed that snoop 5. A better verison of setting me up on the album. sounds the same almost. 6. high speed horse chase. certified banger, 7. Boogie Nights vibes 8. eh 9. solid
Very expressive and smooth sounding guitar solos throughout the entire album. Sultans of Swing is a registered Hyper Banger
Every track is at least solid. Smooth af.
This has been one of my favorite recordings ever since it came out. Mark Knopfler was and still is one of the most innovative guitar players of the last and this century.
Ja dit is gewoon errug fijn!
Dire straits, 5 reeten
Sultans of swing is gewoon heel erg goed. Rest van het album was primajima om lekker op de achtergrond te luisteren. Eigenlijk 3,5 sterren!
Sultans of swing geweldig nummer, rest was een beetje standaard ofzo
average, fairly boring, but ok enough 2.5/5
Could not be more dad music if it tried. I think it's boring as batshit but honestly I'll probably age into it as I get more jaded. Fave track: Down to the Waterline
I feel like this is one of those records that stereo salesmen put on for you so you can hear how good the speakers are. At least I had one do that to me one time. And it does sound amazing, production on nearly all Dire Straits albums are pretty insane and everything is sounding really good here. I will admit that outside of the hit I didn’t think there was any song that jumped out to me. Most would start out with a great groove, and solid rhythm guitar section, but would lose me halfway through the first verse. Knopfler is a genius guitarist no doubt, but find his lyricism and songwriting a bit basic sometimes. Two and a half. Fave track: Sultans of Swing
Surprisingly enjoyed this, reminds me of my grandpa. Wanna drive to this
Excellent. I thought, again, I would not enjoy what I thought was dire straits … IN MY HEAD!!! In real life good. I see how the songs worked . Really fun. Thx
Spoiler alert, I love this album and Mark Knopfler is a personal hero o' mine. Still amazing.
Love it! <3
I enjoyed the beginning, but the album suffers from being SO FUCKING LONG WHAT THE FUCK. Nice guitars :^)
Overall a Generic 70s album. It’s not bad any means just average. Id probably give it a 6.5 out of 10. Down the waterline. Southbound again I enjoyed the most
Good album. Some filler. Establishes Knopfler as a performer. Local lads did good.
This is probably the most solid guitar on any album ever. It is just consistently great.
Good music!
I think what makes this album for me is the guitar, it's fucking phenomenal. While the lyrics aren't always perfect in my opinion, the guitar and the other instruments always make up for it.
Great memories.
Have listened to Dire Straits for years, but have not heard a lot of this music. Radio plays most popular songs which is unfortunate.
Really nice chill tracks, amazing guitar work.
•Owned •Masterful performances by Mark Knopfler and Pick Withers over a debut that is simultaneously tight and in development. "Sultans of Swing" still sounds fresh. •3/5
Strong debut, but their later albums are much better.
Sultan of Swing was the only good song, the rest were boring.
This starts so well with Down to the Waterfront, and obviously Sultans is great. My hopes were dashed by the pretend gruffness and country vibes. Don't like country. Seems like a wasted opportunity as those two fast, clean gritty songs are belters.
Ein Klassiker und solide handgemachte Musik. Mich haben die Dire Straits noch nie vom Hocker gehauen. Viele Songs klingen ähnlich und dudeln so vor sich hin. Das Album hat aber sicher der Verkauf von Stratocaster-Gitarrren angekurbelt.
9/10
4/5 Down to the Waterline Wild West End Sultans of Swing Water of Love
wheeee!!! it doesn’t make me obsessed but all respect
Love the guitar on this one
The guitar playing alone warrants a 5.
Really catchy, and deeper than I had assumed. I mainly think if Money For Nothing or Sultans if Swing, and was worried the album was going to be weak, but I enjoyed the whole thing.
The only song I really got into is the one song I was familiar with: Sultans of Swing. That’s too bad, because I like the guitar throughout this album. I was surprised to learn that Dire Straits is from the UK. I always assumed they were American. Maybe it’s their blooper video for Walk of Life that just seems American?
Solid and enjoyable. Almost 4 stars.
Really good especially the second half. Sultans is one of the best songs ever by anyone. 4+
So solid.
More like Dire Straights FIRE 🔥🔥🔥
It took me way too long to realize how much I love Dire Straits.
Solid album. Knoffler has such a distinctive sound.
For sure one of the underrated bands of the 80's. Knoffler is a guitar god.
Perfect roots rock and Dylan cosplay.
ok
Great, amazing album!
Meh.
Good 70s rock
Apart from Sultans of Swing, the whole album feels a little slow and bland. There’s technically nothing bad I can say about it. The instrumentation and vocals are there. So are the harmonies and some experimentation as well. They have a unique sound and it’s a great album, it just feels like I’m in a sleepy high the whole time. 4/5
4.2 - Songs like “Water of Love” aren’t so memorable on their own, but I will remember the wonderfully laid back vibe of this record, and how casually Knopfler slays every guitar lick and solo. His hammers and string bends are unparalleled, and it baffles me how underrated he is compared to Clapton and other so-called “guitar gods.” And “Sultans…” is one of a tiny handful of “classic rock” songs that I still love hearing.
It's not bad, but I'm slightly annoyed by how overrated it is.
It is quite good album. I like how it seems to flow without trouble and still sound good. Maybe I'll come back to it some day.
Rock for people who prefer classical music.
Loved this one, dire straits are good band
This is my favorite Dire Straits. Have this on vinyl and listen to it often. Incredible guitar work throughout.
Rock
These guys just sound Cool and effortless. Good blues.
Sultans is one of the greatest songs ever.
The guitar work is very impressive, and there are some great melodies, and what just sounds like effortless songwriting. However, I'm not a fan of the blues sound that is continuous throughout, which means I doubt I'll ever want to listen to this album, again. Still, as with many albums on this list, I understand the impact, and "Sultans of Swing" will always remind me of my dad.
Very lovely album. Good vibes. Nothing super special in my opinion Best song:sultans of swing Rating: 5/10
Still my favorite album from them. Amazing guitar, dynamic and lyrical playing, plus Pick Withers on drums.
okay i admit it, wild west end is quite nice if we can only harness the power of this thing they call "fretless bass" then surely we will be unstoppable
Dire
¡Me gustó! Sigue con el estilo de la única canción que conocía de este disco "Sultans of Swing". Pero definitivamente rock muy agradable de escuchar y fácil de digerir.
This album had much more interesting guitar work than I usually associate with Dire Straits, but I still find their sound very flat overall.
Sultans of Swing is an all-timer. Legendarily difficult solos, and even he doesn't nail it 100%. I also enjoy Setting Me Up and Southbound Again. Down to the Waterline feels really SoS adjacent to me but I don't mind really. Mark Knopfler has his peculiarities but boy is he a guitarist who really understands and utilizes rhythm like no other lead axeman. Love a Honky Tonk album. I think I still enjoy Brothers in Arms the most and hope its on the list, but the impact of this record is undeniable. Some songs definitely blur into one another but that's kind of part of the deal with Dire Straits. They have a sound that's theirs and they don't divert from it much.
I liked this but no songs stood out to me. Chill though. High 3.
Sultans of swing is obviously a jam. The rest of the album vibes really nicely, great drum and bass groves with nice guitar on top. Vocals are just fine in my opinion, with great vocals this would be a five star album for me
A great debut album that came out of nowhere. Completely different sounding than the punk/new wave music so popular at the time. Mark Knopfler is a great lyricist and superbly smooth guitarist and he makes this an album that succeeds on many levels. The opening track "Down by the Waterline" is seriously underappreciated. "Sultan's of Swing" was the breakout hit, but I think this is the best song on the album. Great start to their success.
Never heard this full album before but from the second the lead guitar entered in track one I was hooked. Roots and funky with the lead guitar mixed incredibly well . Honestly could get a 5 from the “Sultans of Swing” guitar solo alone. Other faves were “In the Gallery”.
I really enjoyed this. Solid music to walk to. Nice guitar and drum work. Just very pleasing on the ears.
I remember this one from my childhood. I thought I would like it more
I did not get the hype
Could make an argument for this as a clear influence on the likes of Kurt Vile and War on Drugs. Could also make the case for this as a huge rip off of Bob Dylan. Sultan of Swing isn’t that cool of a song, but there are some decent to great tracks that showcase some excellent guitar work overlayed with Knopfler’s monotone Dylan drawl. Really enjoyed In the Gallery and Wild West End.
Next 5 songs played by my Spotify Algorithm: Dusty Springfield - Son of a Preacher Man Paul McCartney -Hearted of the Country The Doors - Cars Hiss by My Window Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Breakdown The Animals -Brother Bill (The Last Clean Shirt)
12/4/23
Hard not to enjoy one of the best guitarists of all time. I certainly had heard Dire Straits in my life, but it was Mark Knopfler’s album with Emmylou Harris that really brought me to the band. And while Brothers in Arms may have more ear worms, this is an excellent representation of a kick ass catalogue. Can’t say anything critical about “Sultans of Swing,” but I really enjoyed some of the songs I wasn’t familiar with - “Six Blade Knife” a particular standout. Lotta fun.
Fantastic from start to finish.
So good. Nice insight into Dire Straits before they gained mainstream pop status in the mid-80s. Great early sound
I like the guitar fills and solos, but otherwise this album doesnt do it for me too much. Little boring.
Do you know “Sultans of Swing”? Then you’ve heard every song on this album.
never heard of them before or listen to their songs, their most popular sultans of swing sounds familiar, i like the way he plays w his voice like with the talking
What I really appreciate about Dire Straits is that Mark Knopfler he plays his leads without a guitar pick. There are some very intricate riffs and solos that he is playing. Between him and Lindsay Buckingham I'm not sure who does it better. Stylistically, they're different. But they both have perfected their craft. This album is groovy... It's got some funk, some blues, some thick grit to his vocals.. It has the classic song Sultans of Swing on it... And to this day, it's one of my favourite classic rock songs. But its arguably not the best song on the album. I was surprised to hear a more western style song on this album, appropriately called Wild West End, to which they did really well. Every lead guitar riff has purpose. The quote unquote guitar wankery isnt in your face, but it is present, yet purposeful. I really appreciate Knopfler's guitar work. It's inspiring. Dire Straits is a band that sounds like no one else. Despite their influences. It's just Dire Straits and you can credit Mark Knopfler's vocals, and his guitar work for this. Great album. Would listen to again.
Other than The Sultans of Swing, this album is super mid. None of the songs are bad, and stylistically it's interesting, but nothing stands out.
Knew Sultans of Swing but nothing else. Had that 70s almost country twang. Good overall album even if ot loses steam at the end.
Really solid funk/blues/country/rock and roll album. Lots of great influences here and a great listen overall. A couple odd songs and a few overlong stays away from being a solid 5-star album. Fav tracks: Down to the Waterline, Sultans of Swing, Setting Me Up
I was only familiar with Brother In Arms. This was pretty cool
First album I ever bought. Sure, all my friends were into punk (as was I, but not in a huge way) but Sultans of Swing was on the pub jukebox on a happy holiday and I loved it. It took a few more years to become truly rebellious in musical taste. Listening again after many, many years, I was still singing along with most of the songs.
Dire straits doing their thing
None of the songs really grabbed me. One thing I liked on each song was the guitars. But otherwise, couldn’t really connect with any song. Just didn’t grab me lyric-wise. I wouldn’t have been able to tell Sultans of Swing was the big hit of this album without reading it. If I had to pick a song I liked, it would be Wild West End. It was the one song that seemed different as it was slower, and it got me trying to listen to the lyrics. But ultimately, just couldn’t connect.
My favorite Dire Straits album. Rating: 4.3
Seriously. It is what it is, but I couldn’t be better.
Safe album, though generally boring.
I love Dire Straits but hadn’t previously dug into their album tracks. This one is brilliant!
I’ve long loved this record, but I will admit it starts to lose me towards the very end. The gems on the front end push it to four stars in my book.
Damn he’s good on guitar. This group has a pretty unique sound ive not seen anyone else imitate, well at least.
Sounds like old guys trying to be cool. Not my scene.
Fine
Solid classic rock
Good, classic. not sure if 4 though.
starting it off with a sexy lil tune, how could one complain? the guitar solo on down to the waterline made me feel like i was going on a cosmic journey to every summer night anyone has ever experienced! six blade knife got me groooovin’! in the gallery WOW it just keeps the vibe going, like i’m IN the gallery and having a jolly ol’ time, tripping a lil balls and walking like john lennon in the one photo you guys know what i’m talking about. if there’s one thing about me, i LOVE checking out the movies and magazines, AND walking in the wild west end. and that’s why i believe wild west end was made for me!!!!!! and it’s slaps ! thanks dire straits ! stella was a fiend for lions, she loved it, who knew dire straits made music for cats??? not me! great album 4/5 letterboxd stars! looking forward to rating more with you friends !
should be 2.5 stars. not bad but not a favourite for me
I haven’t heard anything by DS (Dire Straits) other than Aqualung, and this album is what I imagine aqualung would be like if they weren’t a virgin. Aqualung is amazing in it’s own right just way less smoooth there’s some epic awesome guitar lines all over this thing. Also the singer has a cool voice.
I remember my parents listening to this, it's not bad but not something I would seek out
Classic, great solid songs.
Fun bluesy rock album. I like their sound
This album is really good! Blues and pub rock mixed together. Guitar sounds are great. Really a gem
A really good album. Great guitarplaying.
My first impression (after noting the underwhelming album art) was ‘wow, this first track sounds quite a lot like Sultans of Swing’. But that’s no bad thing, and maybe it’s just a case of them locking down their signature sound nice and early in their career. And as signature sounds go, this one is easy on the ears - deft, nimble fretwork and licks a-plenty; technically impressive but ‘light’ and relatively un-showy, somehow. It’s probably lacking in killer tracks to accompany SoS, but still a pleasing listen from top to bottom. 3.5 stars
A good album, not a great album. Would be more likely to put it on as background music. Favorite songs - Water of Love, Setting me up, sultans of swing, Wild West end
Impressions: The only blues I will accept. Love this! Favorite tracks: Down to the Waterline, Setting Me Up, Rating: 4/5
Great stuff.
Great debut album. Some incredible guitar work here. Sultans of Swing is a definite standout.
great album, man can make that guitar sing
Pretty good not much to say about it tho
Ight almost my think but a little too on the nothing going on side
decent
Grandpa rock
Sultans of swing great song to do cocaine too everything else is meh
Some bops some slops
I have always loved the twin hits "Sultan Of Swings" and "Down To The Waterline", but I have to admit I tried appreciating this whole debut album many times, and yet I still feel it a little lackluster overall. Of course, Knopfler's guitar playing is inspired and even technically impressive... yet I think too many tracks in this record are 'by-the-numbers' blues rock / pub rock cuts. There's none of the pop dynamism of *Brothers In Arms* or the ambient dirges of *Love Over Gold*. Make no mistake, this debut is still very decent--and as far as debuts go, it's even great at times--but I think subsequent Dire Straits records are far more imaginative. Guess they had to start somewhere to eventually get there. 3/5 for the purposes of this list, translating to a 8/10 grade for more general purposes (5+3). Number of albums left to review: 379 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 281 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 147 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 200
Nice
Yeah. I think knopfler has written some great songs and great guitar player, something in the performances though struggles to keep my attention, like some of the songs here seem really long to me but it could be I just need to pay more attention. Great guitar tone obvs
Enjoyable. Great hi-fi sound!
The tempo, instrumentation, and song structure altogether don’t do much for me, even though I think the execution was good. The twang couldn’t sustain my attention or interest for the entire duration, but the last couple tracks were my favorite. I liked the songs that autoplayed afterwards more. The depth I’ve gotten into this type of music is evident by the fact they reminded me of the Grateful Dead. 4/10
Great stuff! I can see the appeal of Knopfler guitar work more after listening to this album.
Favourite tracks: sultans of swing; down by the waterline; wild west end; six blade knife; southbound again; in the gallery
Good listen, with good instrumentation and good voices. It's got that Allman brothers vibe, which I love. This is good music.
Excellent debut
Knopfler is prettyyy cool, not their best album tho. Fav: Sultans of Swing
Groovy bass lines, twangy guitar, country/rock vocals. Dire Straights provides a fun mix of styles. It's laid back without being boring.
Hasn’t aged well.
So groovy, but super chill at the same time
All around good listening
Some great tracks. It can be a little ponderous at times, but overall a great album.
Better than the other one at least. Bluesy
Ok
Pretty sick
Ok. Clear mixing and occasional catchy guitar rythm but didn't grab me. Happy to listen to but wouldn't choose to
Smooth guitar raspy voice very nice we love some dire straits
As a guitar player, this album stands out to me over the others I've listened to so far, I'm thoroughly enjoying my time with this one and will have to revisit in the future. Going into this, the only song I knew was Sultans of Swing, the standout songs to me are: - Down to the Waterline - Setting me up - Southbound Again
Just a really solid album. Great for road trips
Really good blues rock album. Sultans of Swing still holds uo to this day. The rest of the album is driven by Mark Knopfler's excellent guitar work. Blues riffs, walking bass lines, guitar solos, this album has everything. Other than Sultans of Swing, I'd never heard any previous tracks. They were great. Great album, definitely deserves to be on the list
It was nice to listen to
Another album unsuitable for listening on the road. On better equipment it transforms into a pleasant listen, for those moments where you just need to chill. So I will award it a pleasant score.
Reminded me a lot about Tom Petty. But not very remarkable and I got way too much work done without noticing the music.
Nice, easy to listen to album, bluesy/funky at times. Good.
Dat je iets van deze kwaliteit als debuutalbum op de mat legt is zelfs 45 jaar later nog indrukwekkend. Ontzettend relaxed album om in z'n geheel af te draaien, wat ik nog nooit had gedaan. Het kan dan wel dad- of boomerrock zijn, maar de voetjes gaan toch automatisch een beetje mee zitten tappen. Neem een grote heksenketel, gooi er lekker wat country, blues en funk in en laat ome Mark maar lekker roeren terwijl ie wat loopt te mompelen. Gewoon lekker dit. M'n grootste kritiek is dat het na de hit een beetje instort. Maar heel veel last heb je daar niet van.
Leaving my smiths review here cuz I accidentally hit the rate button without writing anything: Listened on the plane to Chicago. It's the smiths what is there really to say. If I were a teenager I'd probably think it was transcendent. I'm not a teenager but it's not bad. Dire straits: Listened while bumming around Chicago and getting onto the trump tower roof. Very good and groovy for a city walk. Solid stuff real meaty music with a lot of depth. Makes me feel like I'm looking back at a desert town that I barely escaped with my life. Kind of an LA cocaine and mansion vibe.
😎
What a great vibe. Such an easy album to listen to.
Not my cup of tea but had some interesting stuff
Impossible to deny the straights ability to shred. Each track carries its own instrumentally. Unfortunately the monotonous vocals leave me feeling unsatisfied with the songs as a whole.
Love dire straits. Very good album
This rules
Listening to this album makes me understand why they make Greatest Hits albums. Overall it was fine but not something I'll go back to anytime soon.
This is an excellent album with a distinctive and unmistakable sound that can be none other than Dire Straits. With their stripped down, country-rock vibe, this album showcases how engaging music can be without anything elaborate or particularly fancy: Their solid composition and tight electric, bass, and drum playing leaves no mistake that they know what they're doing as musicians. And while Knopfler may not have a traditional voice or a wide vocal range, he knows how to leverage it to great effect, adding to their signature sound. I look forward to listening to this again! Favorite surprise tracks: I don't recall hearing In the Gallery before, and I dig the bluesy, funky vibes—the guitarists are all on point! And Wild West End hits me like waking up to a summer day with no responsibilities, no expectations, and the restrained excitement of heading out to exploring something new.
It was fine, but it didn't do much for me. If this doesn't qualify as yacht rock, I don't know what does.
This was great. Lots of tracks I want to hear more. "Water of Love" in particular is sticking with me.
If there was a bingo game of life and one of the squares was "Become a fan of Dire Straits" I would have counted that row out as a possibility the moment I saw the sheet. Did I have a reason to feel that way? No, I filed the band off as a bland claptrap of 80s and moved on with my life of heavy metal. So pure ignorant snobbery. This record has a permanent place in my collection.
Big journey. Liked it a lot.
Deze band kan bij mij weinig fout doen. Dit is ook nog echt de pure Dire Straits, echt heel goed album van start tot eind.
Classic debut into the discography of Dire Straits. More to come and more refined later, but this was a great start and will always be notable for the band.
Excellent album! Very bluesy and kind of funky. Some songs sound like the band America.
Liked songs - Six blade knife, Sultans of Swing, In the Gallery, Wild West End Incredibly famous album by on the most influence rock bands of all time. Strong elements of jamming in this album. I enjoyed listening to it but at times felt like songs dragged on too long due to the solos. Solid 4
Sultans of swing is a classic but rest of the album was slow and tiring
Beetje ouwelullenmuziek. Paar prima nummers en leuk deuntje voor op de achtergrond maar niet meer
yep yep
Love dire straits. Wild West end is the hit along with sultans of swing
I really like how mark knopfler plays the guitar, but not every song hit Top Tracks: 1) Down To The Waterline 2) Wild West End 3) Lions 4) Sultans of Swing
Awesome ! Their best work
Great smooth/mellow rock. Smokey voice. Some classics I definitely know. Reminds me of my parents and Saturday afternoons.
21.10.23 The Album surprised me. Usually, I thought "Sultans of Swing" was the only song worth to hear by Dire Straits. Instead, the guitarplaying and atmosphere is quite relaxing to listen to.