Dire Straits

Pretty good.

Pretty enjoyable.

Only Sultans and Down to The Waterline pique my interest

the sultans of swing da da da duh da da da

I like the music but I'm just not a fan of Mark Knopfler's voice.

Listened 5.5.21

Some neat guitar work but too many bum tracks

Fun, but not really any memorable songs bar Sultans of Swing (a classic favourite). 3.5/5, so I've gotta round down :/

Dire straits halt. Irgekann man sich nicht vorstellen dass das jemals in die Zukunft deutete

It was decent may come back to it

Sort of vibing with this!

I think I need to be in a smoke-filled lounge to truly enjoy this album.

Liked it, very chill. the very 70s vibe (talk singing) reminded me of Eric Clapton or Bob Dylan.

Sultans of Swings was the only song I was familiar with, this album wasn’t really my jam but a nice change in pace and tunes

It’s not bad as background music, but not something I’m likely to ever listen to straight through again. Sultans of swing has a lot of memories tied to it of driving in the truck with my dad as a kid, so that’s a plus.

music was ok. voice and lyrics were meh

Dire Straits...more like Diarrhea straight from a butt hole.

Solid album, definitely oreger the funkier vibes when they appear like southbound again.

Not their best album. But the general style is good. Sultans of swing is ace.

I’m not a huge fan of how long it takes every song to actually start and it seems like a very mood-specific album, but I enjoyed a few of them once they started playing.

enjoyed as an album with a few stand out tracks. Mad how this was out in the height of punk too.

Tak zmieniony styl w porwnaniu do tego co slyszalem na brothers in arms, ze myslalem ze caly sklad sie pozmienial i tylko wokal przezyl, a tutaj ciaglosc zespolu byla zachowana,wiec musieli szukac czegos nowego, przed tym przesluchalem znalem tylko walk of life, ktory mialem juz na plejliscie, a te materialy dzieli przepasc jesli chodzi o koncept granej muzyki, wiec jest to spokojnie grany rock z mocnymi elementami country czy bluesa w zaleznosci od kawalka, minmalizm instrumentalny, prawie calkowity brak chorkowania daje ciekawy efekt, bo wszystko jest grane pryma sort, wiec jest czemu sie przysluchac na spokojnie dwom gitarkom, basikowi i drumom, a do tego wokale Knopflera, ktore sa stylizowane na Dylanowskie daja ciekawy efekt, w niektorych kawalkach takie granie brzmi wrecz ludzaco podobnie do Dylanowskiego, lirycznie dosc typowo bo i milosne zawodzenia sie znajda, czy losy zycia biedakow, ciekawy jest kawalek sultans of swing, mianowicie o bandzie ktora sobie gra po barach, gra dosc kiepsko wiec ludzie nie daja o nich za bardzo jebania, ale oni nadal sobie graja dla siebie, czy to utwor autobograficzny grupy to nie wiem, ale skoro pierwszy albumik studyjny, to moze tak byc, dlatego go wrzucam na plejke razem z down to the waterline

Del año en que nací. La guitarra de Mark Knopfler es inconfundible. Sultans of swing es un melocotonazo.

I literally knew nothing about Dire Straits. Kind of surprised how much I liked Down to the Waterline but even Sultans of Swing wasn't really doing it for me. I'm just not a big fan of this genre.

I don't think I can name a single song by this band and having listened to this album, I still think that is true. I liked it though

For the sultans

Es un grupo que tiene sello y estilo propio. Pero aunque suena ligerito y digerible, llega a sonar muy igual salvo 3 rolas

At times this album felt almost too relaxed, but there were other times where I was really jamming with it. Solid album, but not quite good enough to make me want to listen to more Dire Straights Favorite Track(s): “Water of Love,” “Southbound Again,” and “In The Gallery”

Sultan of swing was quite fun, but I can’t really get behind what they were doing the whole way through

Decent but unremarkable pub rock. I'd recommend the single "Sultans of Swing" and check out the rest of the album only if you're truly enthralled.

Mysig bakgrundsmusik!

It's no Brothers in Arms, but still perfectly good catchy nonsense

Sorpresa muy agradable, solo conocía la canción Sultans of Swing y resulta que es de entre los mejores discos de rock country que he escuchado... Me gusta más la música que hicieron después pero fue un disco harto disfrutable y relajado.

Better than the first one. Still kinda boring :/

Sultans me gusta mucho y creo que eso elevó mis expectativas demasiado. El disco es sólido pese a lo sesgado de mi apreciación. Creo que no lo disfruté tanto como hubiera podido. Tracks: Sultans of swing, Down to the waterline, Setting me up

Not my thing, but hearing more of their songs made me appreciate the reasons people love them. Delicate, interesting guitar work.

i liked it, but didnt leave a last impression on me

"Sultans of Swing" is an all time classic in my books. Amazing guitar work on the album by Mark Knopfler, can appreciate the acclaim he receives as a guitarist much more here. Really like "Down to the Waterline" , have to revisit that much more often.

Otro disco agradable y fácil de escuchar Me sonó un poco a country a ratos

Another classic.

In regards to Dire Straits, I've heard sultans of swing and nothing else. But this album introduced me to their unique sound and I was intrigued by the mix of influences.

I messed up and I heard this on shuffle lol but whatever it’s alllll about the instrumentation for this album 👏 made me feel like I was on a road trip lol if I could rate it 3.5 I would but I’ll settle for 3.

I did like it but it didn't keep me coming back. Not bad just not really my thing

Cool, don’t hear them enough

The first half of this album was great, but then it sort of...got worse. I was a little disappointed by it, but it's still not bad.

A lot of good grooves. Basic bass lines and very reliant on guitar to keep me interested. 1-4-5 album. Best songs: sultans of swing (obviously) The album is pretty eh overall.

The cubby-hole from whence Knopfler came and crawled back into post-BiA, albeit this is too early to see his true strengths as a guitar player. Basically 8 second-rate "Sultans", and the worse version of the real one. Enjoyable, if throwaway. Rating 61/100

I got my money for nothing and. My chicks for free.

This album has one great dire straits song. Ultimately the album swung wildly between different genres of songs. At the time Dire Straits was still finding their footing.

Not really for me. Even Sultans of Swing was not my favorite song on this album.

it's okay some songs are cool ummm old I don't think this album or the dire straits are for me lol southbound again kinda slaps sultans of swing is okay too

Interesting guitar, I saved the song with the famous sample. Fringe country voice was a little bit grating to me at first but overall enjoyable

Not something I want to listen to in my spare time, but I appreciate the vibe

Knew Sultans of Swing. Would listen again

very chill and indie. loved this one, has one of my favorite songs Sultans of Swing.

Surprisingly, I did not hate this. A lot of it sounded like the kind of stuff bluegrass bands play at Music on Main.

Great intro

not really my tase, too boring.

Nice little album, good guitars and Marks voice is cool

Damm that was like actually boring 💔 I didn’t even listen till the end because of how same all the songs sounded to me Js someone playing same accords on guitar in every song okay 💔🥀✌️? I would say 3.4/10

Dire straits* is right. Sigh!! Starting to think this week was not auspicious after all. *They do have several songs about water. There are a lot of bands with brothers in. Maybe too many? This album is like an extended cut of The Eagles' 'Peaceful Easy Feeling'. All told, very boring. Not even a "microwave oven" to save it.

really enjoy the strumming pattern in the introduction of 'down to the waterline' got pretty crazy toward the end of 'setting me up' lowkey i dont think this vibe is for me im crying ok so its feeling like this album was recommended just because of sultans of swing and i dont really like that if im honest. i think its a good song on its own but the album itself isnt the best to be recommended alongside it ok the interlude in 'in the gallery' was really nice i wont lie album shouldve ended at wild west end imo. put lions somewhere else and it wouldve sounded the same

Boring album

not that great

Dire Straits? More like just dire. It's so fucking boring that when the album ended, Spotify carried on playing Dire Straits and I didn't notice at all. Is this 1001 list just filled with Top Gear rock? It's so default and uninteresting.

rock delke no me gusta, ni en mi casa

At its best this reminds me of that thing where boomer blues rockers in wraparound shades move their face forward and back on their neck in time with the music instead of nodding or shaking their head. At its worst it makes me think of a kid I knew who used to drop his pants and strum his junk like a guitar and go "deener-neener-neet neet neet neet neet."

most of album 2/5, Sultans of swings 4/5

Incredibly technically proficient and yet... Also very much not my thing. Dire straits get a lot of praise for their guitar work and singing and I totally get why, it just doesn't work for me. I was mostly bored listening to this? Even the big well known song Sultan of Swing just doesn't do anything for me. Maybe this type of music has just become so deeply oversaturated to me that I can't really enjoy it anymore. I wish I had more insight into what the issue was but this is one of those albums that just bounced off me.

it aight, i wouldnt personally listen to it but they are unique i guess, teehe..

Instrumentals reminded me of country/western rock (if there is such a thing) I was surprised to know it was a British Band. Definitely chill and relaxing, the guitar goes absolutely crazy. I didn't find the lyrics that strong or something to write home about. Though, because of the immaculate instrumentals, added the album to my offline collection! Favourite song in the album - Six Blade Knife No. of favourited songs - 3/9 Rating - 2/5

Someone relinquish this dude’s valium supply.

kind of nice, i would be happy to listen to this in a bar on a hot sticky night. i don't think i'll remember anything about this tomorrow. fave track six blade knife

Батя-рок батя-роковый, скучнейшая поебота

I'm, just so tired

Dire Straits album #2... still a no for me, dawg.

2/5 Best Song: Sultans of Swing Worst Song: Southbound Again Weirdest Song: In the Gallery Honorable Mention: Wild West End It's okay. The twangy style hooks you at first but each song that follows is very similar and produces diminishing returns until you get to Sultans. The rest is the same except for Wild West End which is a surprisingly good ballad.

Ma lubasin endale, et ma lõpetan igasuguse meedia ülehindamise. Seda järgides oli see album jube igav. Jah, see oli hea kvaliteediga ja sihuke klassika, aga terve aja mu sõrmed sügelesid midagi muud peale pann. See on midagi, mida ma kuulaksin isaga roadtripil ja see ütleb palju.

This is soft rock for balding functioning alcoholics with a touch of scoliosis. Having said that, I do like Tunnel of Love. This one is too "adult oriented rock" for my taste. Overcleanedup rock.

"любимый альбом бежевого папы" нууу, в общем-то альбом записан очень чётенько, без шероховатостей, мастерство гитариста и драммера чувствуется (sultans of swing тому подтверждение), но скучнаааа до жути. уговорить себя дослушать не смогла. пульс у альбома ебануться ровный (прямая линия нах вхах). под такое ток вискарь потягивать после смены на заводе, на кресле-качалке ёрзать, газетой шуршать и у камина пятки сушить. бл но если сухо смотреть то работа реально заипатая и во времена буйного панка группа растолкала топ чарты своими пенсионными удостоверениями лол. пс. всем участникам оказывается было около 30._. пспс. идеальный коммент: "Музыка, которая, кажется, создана для отцов среднего возраста со скучной корпоративной работой, чтобы они могли выпить пива и сказать: «Сейчас таких уже не делают»."

Is this the pre-cursor or the "inventor" of AOR? It's just so... pedestrian? Out of its' context it is so tame it's ridiculous. Formulised blandness in music. Highly competent musicianship designed to induce narcolepsy.

Are Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits a "had to be there" thing to get why they're always mentioned in best ofs" I really don't understand it; it's a fine blues album, congrats. Don't care for his voice, don't see the hype of his guitar work, mid songs, should I search genius.com for a breakdown of the lyrics to get the point? Truely bizzar to me why this is big.

More hip old man social club buffet music. I’ve finished my pork pie to Elvis Costello just in time for my triangle egg sandwich to Sultans Of Swing. Again. Ok.

Music for corporate wankers off to the rugger! The staccato character study lyrical lines accentuated by a guitar phrase are well done and a unique thing for this band. I think they’d have been terrible prog but punk (via Pub Rock) saved us from that and the record is competent and concise and Mercifully free of self indulgent noodling. Overall it gets a bit dull and you end up howling at the moon “Kick Out The Jams, Mark Knopfler”.

A couple of enjoyably groovy moments, but nothing else to report. Very forgettable.

This was pretty boring.

Old timey rock n' roll. Nothing much besides that. Not really the hugest fan of rock n' roll so that's a shame.

Nothing mind-blowing for me.

333/1001. Old Dire Straits sounds the same as new Dire Straits: well produced and boring with a bit too much anericana thrown in. Not for me, although not a horrible listening experience.

Production was great, band was great, songs were... okay. I can see why it's on this list but the songs didn't really do it for me. Great work by them though.

Bit dull. Not fantastic mix/priduction.

A very solid debut with Mark’s guitar signature style already well on show. But apart from waterline and sultans the song writing was just not nearly as accomplished as he reached in those amazing mid 80s albums from making movies through bros in arms. Mark never really had to sing as the guitar always did it for him. But he got a lot better at telling stories in his music later on. But this is only a 2 star effort.

pense q iba a hacer tipo R&B, no lo es, al igual no se que genero es, pero extrañamente m gusta, pero para escucharlo debes en cuando, solo estoy hablando de la primera canción.La primera canción la puse en la playlist daily y en la de musica de noche y en ingles, xq es la vibe, adicional creo que voy a hacer una playlist de las canciones q m gustan de los próximos álbumes q esta web m enseñe.La segunda canción es ese tipo de canción q puedo usar para imaginarme una historia mientras q voy x la carretera y el sol se esta poniendo.In The gallery, no m gusto al inicio, pero luego de escuchar la guitarra, si.HOLY SHIT, eso pense cuando escuche Down by the waterline, m hizo distraerme de lo q estaba haciendo, ni idea q tiene pero suena increíble, ok.Water of Love, estoy empezando a pensar que este album m da vibes a SInners.Setting me up, creo que es musica country, no estoy segura, las canciones me dan la esencia de un papa cool, pero obviamente gringo.OK lei la wiki, pense q iba a ser un solo, pero es de una banda, se hizo muy famosa en usa y en uk, ahora entiendo xq, las reviews a la gente le gusta el toque de la guitarra con las voces, a mi tambo, al igual siento q detrás de esas reviews hay un montón de gringos estereotipado, mucosa dicen q es aburrida, en lo personal la única q no m ha gustado xq en realidad se m hizo aburrida es Wild West End, se me hizo muy meh.Six blade Knife tampoco m gusto, no la pude ni escuchar completa .Sultangs of swing la que llego al hot 5 de billboard, por ende su más famosa, se m esa incómodamente familiar, al igual esperaba muxo mas, así q no m gusto. En conclusión las ultimas 3 no m gustaron de resto si, mi fav Down to the waterline, al igual es un tipo de musica con el que no congenio mudo así que probablemente no la escuche muro, o no la vaya a volver a oír por elección, al igual m sorprende que me hayan alcanzado a gustar

Twang, not really my thang. Favourite track: Southbound Again (cowbell)

Not for me. Vaguely better than the eagles but not by much.

First song was good, the rest wasn't

Mark Knofler is obviously a world class guitarist and everything but this gotta be some of the most vanilla music to ever be this popular. Sultans of Swing is a certified classic tho, and the first track wasn’t too bad either.

Really did not care for it

Very dull

They definitely have a sound that i can't get behind.

It was fun to get some context on this one.

Boring. I only knew Sultans of Swing. I’m not a big fan of Mark Knopfler’s voice.

Mark knopfle’s sultry guitars are great but not necessarily interesting Like mid period Dylan with out the skill Sultans of swing is a great island in this sea of mediocrity

Meh

très similaire pendant tout l'album j'ai trouvé ça fade en fant

Aaaah me childhood

I can appreciate the musicianship, especially of Mark Knopfler, and enjoyed the two big hits (Down to the Waterline, Sultans of Swing) but just really not for me

Not my style, kinda sleepy tho

I thought I liked Dire Straits. But they are actually pretty annoying. We get it Mark, your good at guitar, but give it a rest. The noodling is relentless and way too high in the mix. The classics obviously stand the test of time, but the remaining over written, annoyingly sung and the honky Pink Floyd sound is too much.

Real style over substance on this album, they did way better in later albums. Sultans of swing iconic but it doesn't carry the whole album. Sublime playing from Knopfler though. Songs just generally don't hold up that well.

Forgettable but not terrible

das cover ist hübsch, soft, träumerisch. erinnert mich an die steins;gate ästhetik. ich sitz' gedanklich wieder im keller und bin gezwungen finns playlist zu hören. ich hab' das gefühl, dass mein hirn zu vercrackt ist, um diesen vibe, der zu dieser zeit prominent war, so richtig zu verstehen. damals war das ein teil der musik für die große masse und ich kann mir vorstellen, dass auch wenn die musik heute, die extrem beliebt ist, sich anders anhört, ich hier, so wie heute auch, etwas nicht finde, was zu mir spricht. das gewisse etwas, dieser funken, der mich wiederspiegeln kann. ich glaube, dass das bei diesen alben, die zu den einflussreichsten musikstücken unserer zeit zählen, häufig passieren wird. feeling fremd. rein musikalisch ist das album in sich schlüssig, aber liefert mir zu wenig diversität. ich höre das album während ich diesen text hier schreibe und hab' nicht immer mitbekommen, dass ein neuer song angefangen hat. das kann auch funktionieren, aber in diesem fall hat es für mich nicht funktioniert. sultans of swing kennt man natürlich, ist aber auch kein hit, den ich in eine playlist packen würde. gespeichert hab' ich mir keinen song. ich bin jetzt am ende des albums und denke mir, dass irgendwie nichts passiert ist. keine melodie, die mir im kopf geblieben ist, kein moment, der viel in mir ausgelöst hat, was okay ist, aber ich such' und brauch' das in musik.

It is easy listening but nothing notable for me. 2

To be honest, I did not really hear this one. I listened to it while working on a puzzle (like I have done with every other album), but it was completely in the background. I only noticed it was over when another band started. So, I can't say I liked or disliked. It was literally not on my mind. Standout: Sultans of Swing - only because I know it and it's the only song that I actually heard & noticed. 01-26-2026

Plenty unsophisticated

This seems like an album out of time. Released 10 years later then possibly a more favourable review could be offered. Yet alongside the costello, dury and others of that ilk this seems pedestrian and samey. The sultans of swing remains an excellent song an absolute career highlight.

MOR rock 'n' roll enthusiast music. If it were playing in a bar ca. 1971 or 2001, I wouldn't have noticed much difference. Solid performances but as bland as wonder bread.

Eh… pretty basic. Entertain me please!!!

*DS plays instrumentals* Thought to self: “Hey, this isn’t half bad! I thought this band SUCKKCKED” *Mark Knopfler - sings words with a sultry cowboy… uhhh… persona?* Thought to self: “Ohhhh THAAAATS why”

quintessential dad rock unfortunately very boring and forgettable outside of the 3 popular songs (which are good)

Good guitar playing, but the songs don’t move me. There’s not much emotion in them. I’ve always had the impression that Dire Straits made bluesy/country-ish music for businessmen, and this album did nothing to puncture that notion.

it's fine but I'm just so bored

This album is quite inoffensive and unforgettable. Although I enjoyed some of the songs and musical choices like the soulful addition of southbound again, I am not a fan of country /folk influenced rock. Didn’t realise sultans of swing was by Dire Straits so that was a nice surprise.

I get it objectively but not for me

I only liked one song it's not really my music grene so I hope I get more as I get back on the site

Most of this is exactly the kind of blues I can't stand, veering on country. There are flashes of brilliance, like Sultans of Swing, but overall not an album I want to listen to again.

Every song sounds like a variation of Sultans of Swing

Down to the Waterline: ok PERIOD what a stellar start to an album. It feels like driving down Ventura Highwaaayyyy Water of Love: mischievous opening, a cowboy’s opening scene, feels like the Wild Wild West Setting Me Up: ok this album is GROOVY and I need to start looking at lyrics because these guys are mumblin’ for real. It’s a vibe though. This is a precautious “f you! You can’t play me” anthem. The guitar lines feel very southern rock/blues, very chuck berry Six Blade Knife: Nothing special! A song for unhealthily attached yearners Southbound Again: This song reminds me of going from Boston to North Carolina during college 🥹 “Southbound again, don’t know if I’m going or leaving home”. Have I carved out a new space that feels like home with a new community and freedom or is home where I can be my most uninhibited natural self, the way I was raised. “Southbound again, last night I felt like crying” I’m leaving what I know and returning to what once was. I miss that person. Sultans of Swing: I don’t know if I’ve ever heard of this band but I’ve CERTAINLY heard this song! I would love to see this in a sped up fight scene in a western or anime turned live action movie. Sharp movements, sharp angles, you know the vibes In the Gallery: They’re reminding me of Steely Dan at this point Wild West End: ok OBSESSED with the mandolin and steel guitar! I love how the instrumentation mirrors what music for the “Wild West” sounds. Dreamy syncopated guitars, gruff voices, rough growling vocals Lions: These songs are too damn long, I’m sorry. Nothing they’re saying necessitates songs this long!! It’s not like the guitar solos are super impressive either???

inoffensive but unnoticable. didn't pick up that the album had ended until spotify autoplayed something i actually liked and i went to check the title lol 2/5

Some nice moments!

Eh it's okay

Formulaic British blues rock, but better than Clapton, since at least Knopfler sounds cool and nonchalant instead of whiny. I think 'Sultans of Swing' is a nice little self-aware admission that these guys are basically just a bar band. There are better Dire Straits albums, but here we are because the 1001 list tends to prefer debut albums. Probably a 2.5.

This seems like a harsh review... if we had half stars, this would be 2.5. This was fine, but nothing stuck with me. The songs kind of sounded the same. Do I give it a 3 because of vibes? It doesn't offend me, but it's not something I'd seek out. I respect it, but don't need it in my collection, y'know?

Am I the baddie? Everyone else seems to like this tedious white man faux-blues dadrock. Saved from one-star oblivion because I know that Brothers In Arms, their other album on here, stinks to high heaven. At least this one wasn't made for MTV.

Infinitely better than Brothers in Arms. Almost managed to listen to the whole thing...

Not my bag. Sounds like a bunch of old guys fiddling around in the basement flat their parents once lived in. Tired and drab. I mean, I get why people like this but for me it's almost as bad as the Travelling Wilburys, and that's bad. Ok, so Sultans of Swing passes but overplayed on radio stations to the point of real pain so no, not my bag.

I swear I listened to this, but now it's gone.

ett album där alla låtar låter som sultans of swing..

Relatively inoffensive but there’s something a little dull about most Dire Straits songs

++: Setting Me Up, Six Blade Knife, Lions +: Down to the Waterline, Southbound Again +-: Water of Love, In the Gallery, Wild West End -: Sultans of Swing 5,2/10

Not really my thing, just kinda washed over me

Sultans of Swing, great song but the rest can fuck off into the sun.

I've listened to it before and dont want to again. Walk of life is abit of a bop but can't remember if it's on this one. And it's annoying because it's about a guitar player but the keys are the main feature.

Not totally dire, but dull.

Een beetje saai.

I do enjoy select Dire Straits songs, but a whole album is too much for me.

- I was really looking forward to this because I love the Dire Straits greatest hits album I have, but I wasn’t really moved by the songs on here (no wonder they’re not on that album, lol). - Knopfler has a memorable voice, and he is amazing on the guitar - it sings - harmonizing and supporting his voice, but with a life of its own. I don’t love guitar solos usually, but I like how this is conversational and melodic. I love how the album starts with that nice guitar intro and beautiful tone. - I wanted to rate this high, but I just don’t remember the songs other than the hit & Wild West End. Also, lyrically, I can’t tell you what anything was about.

Really good background music, not that impressive if you stop and listen to the album as a whole

dun dun dun da da du du dun

eh.

Lovely instrumentation, but vocals a bit too gratingly-Dylan for me to regularly enjoy.

Each song very samey...

Not very special tbh

not my cup of tea. sounds like dad rock made in a garage.

Knopfler must know that he's not as cool as a real jazz or blues cat, but his living depends on the pursuit of that sort of hipness. Mix in a Dylanesque vocal style, and you get something that's not only boring but unoriginal. I don't need all musical ventures to be fully authentic, but when it's empty - when the bullshit isn't a form of ironic or satiric critique but coincides w/ a colorless + tedious smugness - I can't get down. B/c besides 'Southbound Again,' all the tracks are too long and the lyricism somehow manages to be both clunky and chic: 'You think I care about your reaction / You think I don't understand / All you wanted was a piece of the action / Now you talk about another man'; 'Greasy, greasy, greasy hair, easy smile.' The point?

2 stars I always kinda liked “Sultans of Swing.” I honestly had no idea that Dire Straits were as big as they reportedly were. I haven’t heard Brothers in Arms yet, but it better be better than this. It was technically fine but generally uninteresting dad noodling. I wouldn’t listen to it again.

Having grown up with Dire Straits frequently playing in our home - thanks to my parents’ shared appreciation for them - I’ve always appreciated their distinct, polished sound. Yet, for whatever reason, it doesn’t quite resonate with me. Perhaps I wasn’t in the right frame of mind when listening, but the music feels somewhat anemic, and the vocal delivery grates on me slightly. I just couldn't get excited. Shame.

There are some good jams on this album but I was really disappointed that they didnt seem to develop their ideas much over the course of the album. It all felt very samey throughout and I unfortunately found myself bored and struggling to finish it.

Sultans of Swing is the notable one and kinda fun but the rest is like unseasoned chicken. Bland add B movie tier music (2.5/5)

I didn’t like it

Litt gammaldags musikk. Men overraskende lunt og behagelig.

This album almost had me in the first half… until it sank into beer-belly braai vibes in the second.

i listened to it, but don't remember listening to it

Knopfler is a really good guitarist and the guitar tone is sweet. But he doesn't seem to have any confidence in his singing voice here, and other than Sultans of Swing it just passes by without leaving an impression.

I’m not ready for this stage of fatherhood

There can be a fine line between laid-back and boring. I'm afraid this falls into boring territory for me.

It isn't that this album is bad, it's more that this isn't my type of music. I like their later efforts much better, or at least they fit my taste much better. On my scale, it would be a 2/5 which sounds relatively harsh, but oh well. It also reminded me that Money for Nothing existed which is a banger, but apparently theres a whole ass homophobic verse they cut out of the radio version, so I don't feel too bad about giving them a 2 actually.

Kind of disappointed, was sort of bored with this laid back pub blues, bit better at end. But nothing memorable other than "Sultans of Swing". 2.5

Not gonna lie, I was pretty disappointed with this one. “Sultans of Swing” is such a banger, and it set my expectations way too high. I figured the rest of the album would have that same magic, but it just didn’t click for me. The musicianship is solid and Mark Knopfler’s guitar work is always impressive, but the songs outside of the big hit felt flat and forgettable. They lack the same punch and swagger that made “Sultans of Swing” so timeless. I wanted to like it more, but in the end this album felt like a one-song wonder. Great single, underwhelming record.

With my limited experience, listening to this album is like, "What if there were an alternate reality where Dire Straits sang more than just Sultans of Swing?"

No opinion, really. First track sounds like a budget version of Sultans of Swing.

Bit slow for me but nice rhythm and beat.

Very heavy on the guitar noodling.

boring

No me gustó, muy country

Eh, it's fine.

This doesn't do much for me. I had (and loved) Brothers In Arms as a kid, but outside of the hits, I've never heard anything else. Sort of surprised by how southern rock this sounds, especially coming from a British band. This was mostly tolerable, but started to wear on me toward the end.

i didn't hate this but spotify started playing their next album after this on autoplay and it was so much better that i had to dock this a star, they started JAMMING on that one

I know I'm wrong, but this record sounds like a pub band, writing very forgettable songs, that just happen to have a good guitarist who plays really well and found some really nice tones. (I realise that it's probably because they influenced a style of pub rock band) The guitar comping is fantastic. That's not really enough to save the record for me.

This is the only Dire Straits album worth listening to (barely) and it's only because of two songs, Sultans of Swing and Down To The Waterline. The rest of the album is dull and ponderous, and plods along until it finally (thankfully) ends.

Sounds like the shittier bob Dylan 70s records. And this is their starting point. Meh.

Started strong, I was surprised how much I was enjoying it. Very quickly got bored and continued to be bored until Sultans of Swing, and even then apart from the main guitar line its pretty boring. And the song afterwards was offensively boring. Clearly not the target audience here, guys a good guitarist but good guitar playing ain't enough to make a good album. Boring/10

I was way more bored than I thought I’d be. The first track sounded like a demo version of sultans of swing. After that the songs were kinda sleepy. Sultans is a cool reminder of what you can do without a pick. Wild West End was neat.

not exactly my stuff

It was fine.

Not interested that much in it but it is nice 2 stars.

Guitars were the best part. The rest, not really for me - particularly the speak singing.

very capable musicians making boring songs

Its an Ok album but that country vibe lind of lingered too much and just wasnt amazing. Great guitar playing and riffs thou

This was solid. I understand why people would love it but it just didn't grab me

Det her pøllede pis var min fars favorit. Det siger mig intet. Sultains of swing var højdepunkt.

If this were 1001 guitar guys or 1001 singles I’d rate this higher. I love the guitar playing and Sultans is great but the rest of it is boring. It sounds so lifeless. I actually identify with the lowfi approach and even the lazy vocal style, but this record doesn’t put those elements together in a way that excites me.

Knopfler is an extraordinary guitar player but a negligent vocalist. Iommi, Page, and Van Halen never understood why they needed a lead singer - but they all accepted it. Great guitar players can be excellent frontmen - Billy Gibbons, Dan Auerbach and even Hendrix come to mind. But they have to CARE about the singing, and even more importantly, the harmonic and melodic structures of their songs. That’s what’s missing here. Knopfler’s voice is what a sneer sounds like. He affects this Dylanesque indifference or even disdain for melody and intonation. But even more, like so many lead guitar players, he doesn’t seem to care about theme and melodic/harmonic structure. So we’re left with this rambling unfocused mess. Until Sultans of Swing. Somehow that track is absolutely incredible. And the vibe is decent. But if I want a dose of stripped-down bluesy bar band, I’m reaching for early ZZ Top every time.

The Final Boss of Boomer Rock Albums. If The Rolling Stones were into ZZ Top they would sound like this.

kinda boring

I'm quite disappointed. This album feels like a demo album that hasn't been refined yet, and still includes one of the most overrated songs I've ever heard. Favorite Track: "Southbound Again".

Alright, but kind of boring for me. This seems kind of dated. I liked some songs, though.

This was way too mellow for a Friday morning. This style of music doesn't grab me at all. I like some of Dire Straits' later work, but I don't see ever coming back to this one. Standout track: Sultans of Swing

The only song I was familiar with was sultans of swing. Never liked this band too much.

🛠️

too much flex

I understand why it is a popular album, but the music just isn't my style.

I’ve already given Hidden Pleasures a 2 tonight.

Walk Of Life aside, Dire Straits are guff.

The only song I know from this is sultans of swing. I’ve never listed to a dire straits. The only thing I can say so far is it sounds like Dire Straights. I’m starting to think I don’t like Mark Knopfler’s voice. Musically this is pretty good, but something is just “off”. I don’t hate this album but it’s not for me. So “wild west end is a great song”.

Half-asleep dudes grooving along firmly inside of their comfort zones. Laid back, chilled-out, well done, boring.

Just very dull! I’m sure it must have been popular at the time but it hasn’t really aged very well.

I respect the unique guitar sound and technique here, but I don't love it.

Meh

Never got the appeal of Dire Straits or Mark Knopfler. I get the guitar playing is impressive and all, but most of the songs are just pretty unmemorable to me. Key tracks: Sultans of Swing Six Blade Knife

Down To The Waterline - alright but kind of just a less good Sultans of Swing. Excellent final chord though. Water Of Love - first few bars reminded me of America from West Side Story. Rest is boring unfortunately. Setting Me Up - veers too much into country for me. Six Blade Knife - fairly dull. Southbound Again - same. Sultans of Swing - absolutely excellent as we know; highlight being the insane guitar at the end. In The Gallery - great groove to this one. Wild West End - not great but love "pink toenails and hands all dirty with money". Lions - dull.

Never been a fan of Dire Straits and this is dull as dishwater for the most part. Sultans of Swing is still a classic though.

Chill dad rock.

not for me, but it was kind of cool album cover is great btw

Sounds annoying.

Ok

This album feels like an EP, but with a bunch of undercooked filler to make a full album. Which isn’t to say everything in the non-filler is good. They just sound finished. Bad track sequencing, too. The track sequencing is completely flipped from where it should be. Everything from Southbound Again to the end should have been side A, and the rest of it on side B. Except keep Sultans Of Swing as the side B opener. 2 stars, and that's only because Sultans Of Swing is a well-done tune that I've come to appreciate when I'm not hearing it 5 times a day on classic-rock radio.

Wasn’t as impressed with this one as I am with their Brothers in Arms album so this was a little disappointing. Maybe a little more upbeat by comparison in a way I didn’t like.

Highlights of this album were definitely Sultans of Swing and Down to the Waterline.

better than bob dylan , but only a little bit. 2

2.5 really, with the weight of those stars entirely carried by Sultans of Swing

Boring, sent me to sleep and not in a good way.

Competent, jammy, doesn't do too much for me! All the stereo sound stuff going on here is great. The songs just don't really stick for me outside of the hits (Down to the Waterline, Sultans of Swing). Really feels like this should be up my alley but there's not that oomph for me to latch onto.

I love Money for Nothing, but TBH I found this album a little boring.

It's fine. Had fun moments, but overall felt like an impression of the blues.

boring, I don't remember a thing.

Classic of 'dad rock music's

Nah. 2 out of 5.

Painfully generic, riffs are ok, but the vocals are dreadful.

Sultans of swing and down to the waterline both great songs. Rest of album ok and easy listening, but won’t ever likely put album on again

Ok. Propped up by Sultans Of Swing. Just not my thing really.

He’s a north east lad like me so gets a 2

Um bom disco de AOR, não que isso signifique muita coisa. Fica um bocado repetitivo em um ponto, mas o Mark knopfler realmente lança uns licks que gostei. Sultans of Swing só tá curtida pq no contexto do disco ela acaba realmente brilhando mais.

This sounds like what you'd expect the first Dire Straits album to sound like bob, sure does bill, glad we had this conversation bob, me too bill.

Never listened to a Dire Straits album before. After hearing this, I'm not sure I need to listen to another one. Got bored pretty much immediately, too many slow tempo songs that kinda do the same thing from start to finish.

Saved Prior: Sultans of Swing Off Rip: Setting Me Up, In The Gallery Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: Sounds like a good acoustic bar band but is terribly overrated. Don't even like Sultans of Swing that much

Quite monotonous, bored my brain out for half an hour. No moment really stuck with me. That might change if I ever give it a few more listens but I have better things to do with my time than that.

This album is kinda boring to me :( 2/5

Når den kommer til slutningen - Sultans of Swing og derefter - begynder der at være lidt personlighed over den, men indtil da keder jeg mig gevaldigt. Dire Straits er helt sikkert gode musikere men de er ikke for mig

trækker en del op at det lyder fantastisk, trækker en del ned at jeg kedede mig ret meget

While sultan of swing is a great song the other on this album didn't speak to me att all. They were mostly ok but nothing I will listen to again I think.

Kind of the same noodley guitar that you expect from Dire Straits. I don't really think Dire Straits is for me.

This one lives in its own world, picking from many genres, which is interesting. Although, it faded into the background for me, not resonating in the moment. I can appreciate it, but I'm not going back.

Tähän on ehtinyt jo kyllästyä aika pahasti. 2/5

Apart from S of S and some nifty guitar from MK this is a bit dull

Whatever

I liked one of the songs

Doesn't have Brothers in Arms or Romeo & Juliet. 2 Knopflers.

papo reto? detesto dire straits

bom pra quem gosta (não é meu caso) as guitarrinha mais pau mole do mundo. dad rock até demais.

I remember that I listened to this album but I don’t remember anything about it. I feel like this is almost like you took every band from the 70s and distilled it into this, unremarkable grooves and riffs with one song that hits harder.

meh

Decent

I am my dad in the 1980s. I liked it

Very bland. All the positive opinions seem to praise its simplicity, but to me it's boring.

It was OK, very bluey not my thing really

simply could not muster interest in this as they just meandered through the album. could i write poetry to this? b

It all sounds the same

not really my genere but sultans of swing is a classic.

Impressive for a debut album. This sounds like the music a band would make on their third or fourth. Cool sound, and an easy listen. But that's kind of where it ends. I didn't really feel much substance or emotion or anything else. I liked the songs more than some of my other 2-star album ratings, but I can't envision myself ever coming back to this.

Oli kyllä niin pliisu että

Sultans of swing. The rest is boring. They can definitely play. They're just not that good at writing memorable songs.

Appropriately, I was on hold to a call centre for most of the time I was "listening" to this album. I barely noticed it.

For those who love Sultans of Swing... here's 40 minutes of the same.

Some interesting songs but also some boring ones. Not sure I’d listen again. Highlights: Setting Me Up Southbound Again

This album answers the question “what if Lou Reed started a somewhat dull blues-rock group that was the house band at one of those ice houses that all the local dads with Harleys go to?” Nothing special.

Probably a 2.5 but this felt like the white noise of this genre

meh

Listened to it multiple times and it doesn't quite cut it for me. At times it draws me into its atmosphere but then very quickly pulls me out with how drab the sounds are. Plus some of the songs go on for longer than I want, making it drag on.

Shows it’s age.

I do appreciate the guitar. And I like Mark Knopfler's laid-back vibe. But I just find this album a teeny bit boring. Sorry, Sam :(

They sound better here than on Brothers In Arms, more understated. I know he's a good guitarist and I quite like his voice but I find it all really dull. Not emotional, energetic or original. Sorry 😞

Beyond Sultans of Swing, there are surprisingly few hooks. The songs on this album are basically platforms for Knopfler’s guitar noodling. Dull listening.

Liked it better than the dire straights album I previously got, but for some reason I just don't vibe with them much

Sultans of Swing is great, but the rest of the songs sound sort of same-y.

Sorry it was boring

такой деревенский рок, даже не дослушал и уснул на песне третьей

kinda hoped this would be better, didn't seem to really get going

I spent this whole album being unsure how I felt about it. I could definitely tell it wasn't bad but it just felt a bit cliché at times like there was something just slightly off about it that I couldn't put my finger on. I do really like Sultans of Swing though, that song is great. The rest was fine for background noise but it left me feeling kind of empty.

Offensively mediocre.

Extremely disappointed only Sultans of Swing was a good track

I guess if you liked this bluesy rock, then the songs are interesting, but felt like to me that they were all so similar.

Diarrhea Streaks

a couple good songs, mostly whatever.

Found this a chore to get through Mid compared to brothers in arms. Sultans of swing and Wild West end were ok I guess and I wasn’t sure whether to give it a 2 or a 3 but decided in the end it’s a 2

lowkey boring but some songs saved it from a 1

Couldn't get over the vocals sounding like Otto the bus driver from The Simpsons. Awful.

Love Dire Straits but this is no where near their best album, apart from Sultans Of Swing it's a bit of a snoozefest

Booooooring

I don't know what I *thought* Dire Straits were, but it wasn't this, and I don't like it. I can't say it's bad, but it's tedious and boring. Sultans of Swing has something to it, that was the only good song on the album. It's definitely blues-influenced rock, and the lead singer sounds like a dime store bob Dylan without the interesting bits.

Kinda boring. It's like edgy dentist office music.

I know this is Mark Knopfler's band, and I respect the solo albums he later recorded as mellow guitar musings, but this is a little too much nothing much at all for me. I know they went on to achieve greatness so I'll give 2 stars.

Ha this album was not what I was expecting. I know the big Dire Straits hits for sure, but haven't really gotten in to the albums much. Outside of the well known songs, this album just sounds a lot like... Dylan... to me. Which I was not expecting. It was fine for sure, nothing to get too crazy about though.

water of love

This album couldn't keep my attention, just not my style.

Это второй альбом этой группы в списке для меня, и честно сказать, я чувствую, что дебют сильнее, чем голубенький с гитарой. Как минимум из-за главного хита группы (абсолютно заслуженно, я считаю). Но всё равно: очень хорошо сыгранные, очень хорошо записанные, и всё же скучные песни. Лучшая песня - Sultans of Swing.

Found it very boring. Couldn’t tell one song from another. Mumble mumbles for a lead singer.

The songs just seemed to wander and never really go anywhere.

i thought it was good and would be fun to listen to on occasion or in the right setting but i don’t think it’s something i would listen to on repeat. i think i only really enjoyed two of the songs on the album

The vibe is high-skill muzak for me.