Dire Straits

Sultans of Swing is an all time classic. Thought a couple of others would also stand out but not much.

Wow. How mediocre was this. Really can’t believe the hype around these guys. Dirge after dirge. Save yourself the hassle.

Good sound and has a chill vibe. Enjoyed it.

Can't remember a thing about this album. It played and then it was over. Must not have been too good or too awful.

Lame boring dad rock

It's so easy to forget there's more to some of these bigtime artists than the stuff you hear all the time - this is a great album.

Great stuff, Sultans of Swing is an all-time classic but I enjoyed the whole album.

Good album, easy listening.

It doesn't sound like a late 70s album. Jazz, Fusion, Rock and Prog together. 3.5/5

Really nice album, some amazing songs

Ótimo, perfeito, maravilhoso

Oni su mi prvo sjecanje glazbe, cak i prije vesne pisarovic!!! Ali i da nema te nostalgije rekla bi da je album jako dobar. Knopfler jednostavno zna znanje. Tekstovi i ta njegova suptilna gitara su bas uf

Dire Straits mada ih ne slušam pretjerano - svaki put paše uhu, ne mog opisat. Bend koji nije čisti blues, a čuješ ga u svakoj pjesmi. Dosta mi se sviđa cover albuma.

Parapaam 🎸

Every song just slaps

mag die dire straits ja sehr gern aber an den hit sultans of swing kommt auf dem album sonst nix ran, leider bissi fad

Bin zwiegespalten. Einerseits nervt mich wie smooth und kantenlos das ganze album ist. Sowas will ich eigentlich nicht belohnen. Auf der anderen Seite kann ich nicht abstreiten dass ich die ganze Zeit während dem Hören mit dem Kopf nicke. Außerdem räumt der Knopfler der alte Angeber schon viel Platz für seine Soli ein - aber sie sind halt auch verdammt noch mal gut. der Strat sound ist außerdem echt geil. Zähneknirschend geb ich wohl 3 Sterne

1/27/2021 Today's Album: "Dire Straits" by Dire Straits - This album is perfectly alright. I think this style is incredibly played out for me, with the same old classic rock tone and similar instrumentation, but the guitar work at times is really nice and I do vibe with most of the tracks on here. Setting Me Up is the first real surprise on these tracks, coming in at track 3, but it's still just a good solo surrounded by some generic grove and vocals. Southbound Again brings the energy up and is pretty bouncy and playful. I think its a half decent track, and it is quickly followed by an amazing track, bring Sultans of Swing. It is a great song and so far is the only reason to give this one a chance. They just feel like a really typical jam band and I don't know what exactly it is about these songs, but they are just really not hitting the right spot with me. Yeah the rest of this album just doesn't pay off and is the same stuff. I think it's a good album to put on in the background during dinner or something, but it really just doesn't scratch any itch for me. Score: 4/10 Meh Highlights: Setting Me Up, Sultans of Swing

I mean it's dire straights, it's legendary for a reason. Knopfler's guitar is amazing. Album is very good but some songs just don't completely vibe with me. 4/5

Classic template of Dire Straits. Boogie, licks, riffs, they are all here

Down to the Waterline was a solid jam. Water of Love was a great tune. It started to fade a little bit by the time got to track number 5. Sultans of Swing could be back ground music for as many times as I have heard it. Starting this challenge with this album and have already involved in two other podcast. Episode 35 in the 1001 Album Complaints “American Idiot” and Episode 20 1001 Album Club “ Genius of Ray Charles”.

Not much variety but hints of the better things to come.

Great!!!

Ridiculously easy one for me to review as it's one of my favorites. Still listen to it quite frequently. In the midst of an era of music history, they recorded and released this beauty which should've been a total flop based upon what was popular at the time -- and even based on what was considered unconventional or rebellious at the time -- yet it endures as one of the finest works in the broad rock genre. All that aside, I just love listening to it. Mark Knopfler's melodic and intricate guitar playing never fails to fill me up, and it's important to acknowledge just how darn excellent the rest of the band is, too. Genius stuff. Love it.

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

Liked Sultans of Swing but the other stuff was pretty decent too!

Smooth, soothing rock with hidden layers of groove underneath. When it gets to you, it can get to you and you become more impressed as the album rolls on. Good stuff, don't underestimate it. Favorites: Setting Me Up, Six Blade Knife, Sultans of Swing, In the Gallery, Wild West End.

It was inoffensive but dull. I can't remember any of the songs after listening apart from Sultans of Swing, which probably tells you something about this album. It reminded me of being a kid and going on holiday with Dire Straits on the cassette player in the car. I would not choose to listen to this album again but if I had to it would not be the end of the world.

Just a trumpet playing band. Love this album. Good guitar and vocal blending. Not a bad song on it, plus Sultans of Swing. 5

Classic

Perfect album for a Saturday morning putzing around the kitchen. The whole album is kind of one song, but it's a good song!

A number of outstanding tracks alongside some mediocre ones, but the guitar playing is sublime

Consistently good

10th January 2022 Listened throughout the day while at home home, chilled and watched lost daughter in the evening. Sultans of swing one of the all time greats. Knopfler is a genius, such an identifiable sound.

Solid Album. Little slower but great vibes

Otro nombre que merece más reconocimiento y fama de la que tiene actualmente: Mark Knopfler

Top tier

Really good guitar first dire straits I’ve listened to

pretty tight for a debut album. Only knew a couple of songs but the rest was good too.

Prima achtergrond muziek

Dire Straits never had a bad album, and this is one of the best. Mark Knopfler is a god. About time there's some "classic rock" on this that I actually like. I'd love to give this a full score but there is a hint of reggae at times. 4/5.

Just not for my taste

Just got a perfect album this Christmas Eve. While it isn't solidly great, its warm, slick, and minimalist approach in rock is just perfect for such a cold, grandiose day. I want to liken this album to a fireplace. It sparked in the first track, "Down to the Waterline". A pretty decent opening. But the fire was still not warm enough to do anything besides emitting a low glow. Between the opening and "Sultans of Swing" aka "The epic acoustic guitar solo song" -- the greatest extent of the fire, no doubt, the fire was like that. Bland. Trying hard to make something out of the folk and country fiddling in their pub-rock sound. But after the explosive spark of "Sultan's of Swing", the fire was up. The following tracks were warm and slick. But while "In the Gallery", "Wild West End", and "Lions" are great tracks, none surpassed the epic single. Overall, pretty dull, but a delicious Christmas treat nonetheless.

Sultans of Swing is incredible and really stands out against all the other songs

Loved it!

OH yea!

Cool

Walking in the wild west was my fav.

Liked a lot

It was better than I anticipated, but has a very similar sound across all songs. Decent overall record but probably not something I would listen to again. 2.5/5

love sultans of swing but the rest of this was just pretty boring.

I was intrigued by this album. As far as the big classic rock bands go this is one that I hadn't heard much of. I wasn't missing much. I found it pretty boring, a bit meandering. I would say I don't get it but I like some bands that are fairly similar. Sultans of Swing is pretty cool though. Not my bag, baby

WE ARE THE SULTANS😈

Not for me

Good, but not amazing. Mark Knopfler is a great guitarist, and he makes that evident throughout the album. "Sultans of Swing" is obviously incredible, and I really liked the first song too, but for the most part? Nothing mind blowing. Side note, I highly recommend the Alchemy Live version of "Sultans of Swing". One of my favorite live performances of any song.

It's not bad. I can never tell if I like the lead aibgers voice or not. I think I like it most of the time, then sometimes it just sounds super old and cheesey. But like, maybe this is what made the cheese? And can you fault it for that? I don't really think so, sultan of swing is a fucking banger for the ages. Overall, it's good.

COOL!!!

Love everything about this one. 5 stars all the way for me, along with the classics, Sultans of Swing and Down to the Waterline. Mark Knopfler's clean and sweet guitar licks are just masterful.

Pff, daar word ik niet blij van

Dire straits, alsof je naar een Fender reclame spot luistert die nooit stopt; Verschrikkelijke band! Kan ik ook minder dan 1 ster geven?

Saaaiiii!

Degelijke plaat maar nooit helemaal mijn ding geweest.

Best een swingend plaatje.

Sultans of swing

Chill. No other song quite hits the mark as 'Sultans of Swing' does but an entirely pleasant listening experience. 'Lions Den' is probably my personal favourite after and rounds of the end of the album nicely.

Solid

I guess I just don't understand classic rock... The album wasn't bad - it just didn't have a whole lot of variety. I had heard "Sultans of Swing" before, and when the first track started, I actually thought it was SoS, that's how alike they sounded. It's a style I suppose; just one I'm not super fond of.

Mja inte bättre än nån annat min pappa lyssnar på? Sultans bumpar till en 2a

Debutalbum? strålande intro till 'bandet'. Frisk och livlig ljudmix utan att vara vass eller skräning, toppen och lattjo ljudbild som verkligen lyfts fram i de första minuterna på plattan. Proffsigt producerad, bra 'gung'. Man hör verkligen hantverket i introt till "Setting me up". Trummorna låter snärtiga och tighta, de lite 'studsiga' gitarrslagen plockas upp snyggt och placeras väl i 'rummet'. Bra stereoupplevelse. Vissa låtar känns lite som filler (typ som ovannämnda), många bra låtar men inte jättehög bangerratio. Låter ibland som Mark gör till rösten ibland? försöker få lite mer 'rough' sound (?) men låter bara som han är förstoppad (typ i "in the gallery" och stundvis i "wild west end" och "lions"). Väldigt underligt då han låter toppen på de andra låtarna. Många bra låtar men känner inte att albumet 'förmedlar' någon övergriplig resa eller upplevelse, skulle nästan kunna vara ett samlingsalbum om det inte vore för att låtarna har ett relativt sammanhängade sound. Stark introduktion men inte nära lika kraftfullt avslut till albumet. Skivan innehåller två av världens bästa rocklåtar men dras tyvärr ner lite av att det inte finns något tydligt narrativ där det verkligen skulle sitta så bra med ett. Inte heeeelt övertygad om att det är Dire Straits bästa album? förmodligen? Gillar verkligen "Brothers In Arms" och "Love Over Gold" också. Jättebra låtar, riktigt kompetent produktion men inte superinspirerande i sin helhet. Snudd på 4:a men faller lite kort.

Knopfler är ju tveklöst en av de stora gitarrgudarna, och hans röst tar en direkt till en rökig klubb en kväll nånstans i London. Jag är tyvärr en sucker för gubbrock och utdragna gitarrsolon, men trots det landar det lite för ofta i utdragna jam över klyschiga blueskomp som bara nästan räddas av Knopflers känsliga solospel. Dock: Sultans of Swing. Gillade också Down to the Waterline och bytet av ton på Walking in the Wild West End, även om den hade tålt att vara lite kortare. Sammanfattning: Mysigt album att ha på i bakgrunden, men inget som kräver din uppmärksamhet med våld, och undantaget Sultans inte för många låtar som riskerar att göra ett alltför varaktigt intryck.

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.

Only heard greatest hits before. Very much enjoyed, though struggling to put my finger on it!

sultans of swing is massive. then its just a load of album. nothing to tell anyone about, its just some stuff.

It just reminded me of the forbidden love between a special needs man and his mother in law, which forces them to go on the run together ultimately in their car plummeting into a reservoir. Will they survive? No.

Brave, pioneering, spectacular, explosive and groundbreaking are just five words that do not describe this fairly dull album. 🥂

Every song starts out a bit like Sultans of Swing but then turns out to be nowhere near as good as Sultans of Swing. Then there's Sultans of Swing which is alright. And then there's some more songs that start out a bit like Sultans of Swing but turn out to be nowhere near as good as Sultans of Swing. If Robert Johnson really did sell his soul at the crossroads, I'm sure Beelzebub is making old Bob suffer in eternal damnation by playing this type of watered down, piss weak "blues" on repeat to him for all eternity.

Nice and relaxed, easy to listen to

Fine I guess, nothing to write home about. Pretty monotone sound but a few good tracks.

Nice guitar riffs, but they are getting used to as the album goes.

Excellent.

Love the grooviness.

Dire Straits - Self Titled Classic 80s sound. Decent listen, but was not life changing.

Didn’t realize these guys sang Sultans of Swing which I’ve definitely heard before.

Good but not my style

Good sound, but too repetitive for my taste. Sultans of swing definitely stands out.

as first albums go, this is fucking ace. As first singles go (is this right? to lazy to check) Sultans of Swing is neither the best, not the most radio-friendly cut. Embarrassment of riches. When I first heard this (retro-tracking the back catalogue in the wake of Brothers in Arms) I used to imagine the ideal listener of the time. Its late. Co-habitants have buggered off to sleep. Outside, the silence lays thick. Indoors, single lamp by most comfortable armchair. Brushing off the vinyl, pouring out a subtle malt (generous serving), and settling down for 40 minutes of me, myself and I. Subtle malt and vinyl aside (I lack the resources for one, the temperamental inclinations for the other), I did this last night. God, it felt good.

I've heard of the Dire Straits, however this album isn't what I was expecting. I was expecting a little heavier rock than the slight blues twinge to the record. That's not to say that it was bad, just unexpected. Best: Down to the Waterline Worst: Wild West End

Not bad. Maybe 3 bangers.

Now that's a debut album

This is my favourite album. I have all the collection of Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler and his collaborations with anothers artists. The best.

Absolutely sublime, up my street and an all time classic

Haven't heard this for a long time. Back then it was one of those albums that had a few good tracks but as a whole was a little boring. Was a favourite of my parents but didn't see the appeal. So it was good to get a new perspective of Dire Straits. I forgot how good the guitars was here, Mark Knopfler's solos were fantastic and the jamming just makes me want to be a part of it. The songs have a nice chilled vibes drenched in blues and rock. It's still not a favourite but have gained respect for it and will be saved for the mornings. Favourite tracks are Sultans of Swing and In The Gallery.

Fine

Not bad. I must be getting old.

Very chill blues rock - gotta love 'Sultans of Swing'. And man, Knopfler can play!

I have been in a permanent yawn for half an hour. I have never felt my face so weary. Now, most occasions of boredom lead to frustration, not physical tiredness. I am perversely impressed at how soporific this album is. It's all just one song, and quite a boring song at that. So, we have one boring song raised by an order of magnitude. An album consisting of pure halal filler. You know how pop stars are supposedly able to sing people out of comas? Dire Straits can play people into them. Punk happened for so many reasons.

Pretty good debut album, really this should go dead between a 3 and a 4. 3 stars because I like dire straits and I don’t want to favor a band I like, especially as this is not their best album

Just not a band I have ever warmed too and this doesnt change it

A lovely listen full of gorgeous guitar tones and a couple of really great tracks in there

Great Dad rock👴🤘. A more consistent album than Brothers in Arms and a total surprise.

Lovely stuff from start to finish, country and Americana tinged throughout with great guitar, bolstered by what I think is their best song - Sultans of Swing

Listening to the album after many years again brought back so many memories. It truly is one of the greatest. So many remarkable hits. And those you don't know are just super chill to listen too. The lyrics are timeless. And Mark Knopfler's skills are just out of this world. 5 Stars

Loved this album. Probably more then brothers in arms.

I've had a few other Dire Straights and Knopfler albums, but somehow never studied this one. This is a great piece of work!

ehhhh this was alright. Bit too samey all the way through for me.

Classic......waterline gallery sultans ...etc

Great music. Classic Dire Straits sound which is timeless. Very listenable.

Too many clunkers for a higher rating than a 3, even with Mark Knopfler's top notch guitar and the masterpiece of Sultans of Swing.

This album was so low energy. It almost teeters into 1, but is so mundane and safe that it doesn't have the guts to get into the 1 place.

The 'Dire Straits sound' has a lovely clean and so distinctive guitar tone, but most of the songs are a bit too long and don't go anywhere all that exciting. And Mark Knopfler isn't a singer really, though he actually seems like a sound human being. However, this does have Sultans of Swing on it, a song so good that Daft Punk ripped it off 25 years later and it still sounded great. I couldn't recommend this album, but it isn't without its good points. (NB - later on, Romeo and Juliet, and Walk of Life are also tuuuuunes. Definitely worth owning a greatest hits. But not an album)

October 5, 2021 Didn't mind this - might have enjoyed it better with good speakers. A nice bluesy feel.

Sultans of Swings. Plus others.

Solid album. Like the instrumentals and the melodies.

This album is mostly known for sultans of swing, and for good reason, but the album as a whole was pretty good. The chill guitars on each song were really nice and knopflers voice is relaxing. A nice chilled out rock album. Fav songs: sultans of swing, most of the other ones

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

What a solid debut album

I've always liked Dire Straits, I wish I had a chance to see them perform when they came out in the early 90s. Their first album is not my favorite, but it definitely has some great stuff here, and not just "Sultans Of Swing." Listening to this album made me go listen to their other stuff, which is really what an album wants you to do: make you hunger for more. I want to hear more of the guitar, but there's a lot of it talking in spurts, more soloing please. It's more apparent in my favorite album "Love Over Gold." Still, I'd give it a 3.6, which does round up to a 4. But it's a weak 4, at best.

I struggled with this one. Mark Knopfler is an amazing guitarist, which can be heard right from the start on Down to the Waterline all the way through Sultans of Swing - two classics. And the rest of the instruments and musical arrangements are good on the good tracks. But I don't love Knopfler's vocals or lyrics (they're fine) and some songs are just meh (especially the last 3 tracks). I liked the funky blues sound on Setting Me Up and Southbound Again, but they sounded a bit too similar. As much as I love rock, this album is just okay, despite the amazing guitar work. Probably a 3.5 but I'm going to round down just to show not everything rock can be a 4+.

I've always known that Mark Knopfler was a good guitarist from the radio songs but MAN is he good. The fact that he doesn't use a pick impresses me as well. There aren't a lot of famous guitarists that finger-pick everything. This is just a great blues/rock album from start to finish. Right from the beginning we hear his impressive style on Down to the Waterline. Water of Love has a good groove and some great dobro playing. The solo on Sultans of Swing is actually one of my favorite guitar solos too.

This is a pretty good album. Always enjoyed Sultans of Swing and hadn't really listened to these other tracks. There's a bit of "sameness" to a lot of tracks, but the band is great and Mark Knopfler's guitar playing and singing was excellent from the start. "Setting Me Up" really stood out for some excellent playing. Solid 4.

Pretty good.

Better than their latter years let on.

sultans of swing är för jävla go, resten är inte så bra.

Not as boring as expected. Southbound Again was pretty nice.

Nunca pensé que me volvería fan de Dire Straits. De joven era una de las bandas que odiaba con toda mi alma. Así cambia la gente. Este disco es brutal, me encanta el tono de guitarra que tiene.

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

Obviously got a banger on in sultans of swing, otherwise a good album

Pretty good bluesy classic rock. 7-8/10

One solid track (Sultans of Swing). The rest technically competent but in the same breath and pretty unextraordinary.

While the overall composition here is rock solid, these tracks just don't know when to quit. The grooves established on some are enough to power through a solid 3 minutes, but others are so limpid that even 2 minutes feels like a drag.

Brings up latent childhood memories. I think one or both of my parents liked Dire Straights, so I remember it being on in the background. Didn't love it but it had a soothing quality.

Groovy jams. Very signature sound. Sultans of swing is the clear standout. The rest is mostly ok. Some great guitar solos.

3, it's fine.

This album has established for me what "classic rock" truly is! (and, more informally, "dad rock"... which is what I will likely affectionally refer to it as in casual conversation). I instantly associated it with social outdoor activities, such as riding on a boat or hanging on a patio with family. I would comfortably play this out loud for them. I also cannot wait to "click" with a classic rock album so I can channel more power into my new Justin cowboy hat when I wear it in public while listening to my MP3 player. This specific album: seems heavy on story, which I need time to digest for any album, ever - and I cannot wait to bond with it further. I noticed elements/splashes of folk/country and prog rock in this album as well. Sultans of Swing onwards piqued my interest the most.

Wieder so ein Album, das über Kopfhörer das eigentliche, komplette Gesamtvolumen seiner Stärke über gute Boxen locker verdoppeln vermag; Fetisch der Audiophilie. Hatte ich vor diesem letzten In-ear Durchgang erst noch gemutmaßt, einen blassen Stuhlkreis aus Claqueuren die „Sultans of Swing“ bestaunen zu hören, wie sie das Zentrum eines vermeintlich mittelmäßigen Albums bilden, so wirkt diese Runde nun etwas wacher, vordergründiger und endlich wie eine ebenbürtige Sättigungsbeilage, statt dem knackigen Obst nur das warme Porridge-Bett zu bereiten. Nun reicht der Fetisch nur so weit, wie Gelüste zu befriedigen geneigt sind; entsprechend abgebürstet, kommt wieder das eher mediokre Song-Gewand der Manege zwischen Vorhang auf und Vorhang zu zum Vorschein. Torn 3.3

Wahnsinn, wie abgeklärt das klingt. Auf nem Debüt-Album! Muss gestehen, dass ich es nur weitgehend nebenbei gehört habe als Soundtrack zum Aufbau eines Waschtisch-Unterschranks, große Tiefe konnte ich dabei nicht heraushören. Aber die frappierende Ähnlichkeit der Harmonien/Melodieführung von "Wild West End" zu Becks "Golden Age". Sehr angenehm war es auf jeden Fall, ich würde es wieder tun!

No doubt Mark Knopfler is a fantastic guitarist, but at certain points it can be a bit distracting. This is especially true, in my opinion, on a few of the opening cuts of the record. It's a nice, relaxing blues rock record. Favorite tracks: "Sultans of Swing", "Six Blade Knife", "Wild West End"

Great swinging bluesy rock music

wtf this surprised me, really hit the spot

Muy buen disco

Really neat, and way more country than I expected! Great acoustic/electric blend and songwriting. Big fan of some of these tracks.

één minuut bezig en ge gaat goed. Zoveel leuk gitaargebruik en zo een aangename stem. ik ben nog maar net bezig maar al wie haat heeft op dire straits mag met bezos naar de ruimte en niet meer terug komen. oogjes toe, denken aan de jaren 70-80 en dan in de auto, opendak, zonnetje op uw snoet en dan met de wind in de haren deze muziek! Sultans of swing is een klassieker onder de klassiekers

3,6 Oke sultans of swing is een pokoe maar de eerste helft van het album, sorry dat ik het zeg, is wat saai. Kleine vibe.

This is a certified classic. Album is gewoon een ✨vibe✨

Some nice tunes, lovely playing, but I drifted off in the middle for a bit.

Some great guitar work, but the music just isn’t my bag unfortunately. Country influenced stadium rock.

Ohhhh yeah baby. So good.

Great tones, lovely licks, Sultans is a great song … the straighter rock n roll tunes feel a little too square when I go back to this …

Just a fine album not a bad song on it. My favourite Dire Straits album. Guitar work is just gorgeous. Almost a 5 but not quite 4 🌟

Nice album, good variety. Nothing that makes it really stand out outside of Sultans of Swing

Dire fucking Straits man

Eh, hooky guitars.

Very weird to listen to an album with an absolute classic mid way through but have no idea who the artist was until that point.

Very low key, chill, guitar driven, old time rock and roll. A tad repetitive overall. No real singing moments or lyrics that stuck with me. I can appreciate a couple of guitar parts, but that’s about it. Not likely to revisit.

Not my cuppa

Pretty good.

Pretty enjoyable.

Only Sultans and Down to The Waterline pique my interest

I think Sultan of Swing's popularity has hidden the other high points of the album. Very nice, smooth rock.

Solid album overall I found the first half to be a little samey but track 5 onward is just consistent quality.

the sultans of swing da da da duh da da da

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

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

Just a really easy listen and everything comes together so well. The vocalist is incredibly soothing, and the instruments are vibing along. No wonder you hear these tracks in movies all the time.

Listened 5.5.21

One of my top #5 albums

About what I was expecting

8/10 bom mas pouco variado

A classic

One of my favorite debut albums. Great tracks all the way through. And, of course, Sultans. Amazing. Knopfler is an animal.

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

Some neat guitar work but too many bum tracks

GOAT

Fantastic. A completely new guitar sound - Sultans of swing is absolutely the best single ever and the backdrop to my friday nights for a decade or so. Down to the waterline and Water of love are also still on my running playlist.

Didn't expect to enjoy this, good throughout - I'd always written off Dire Straits as a MOR 80s group but this is kinda interesting. Nice surprise!

Loved it

Upbeat album for a down day.

I really enjoyed this album. Mark Knolfler is a beast on guitar. All songs are enjoyable with Sultans a standout. If I could I would give this a 4.5. But a 4. This was the first time I have heard this album, will listen to it again…..and agin. It deserves to be in the 1001 list.

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

-shit country rock

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

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

Meh. This album isuch of the same throughout. In my mind it was a vehicle for Knopfler's guitar playing. It is a bit of a strange album in that it crosses blues rock with more of a folksy song delivery. It is interesting that Tim picked up the Bob Dylan backing band feel as after Dylan heard Dire Straits he asked Knopfler and his drummer to back him up on Slow Train Running (good ear Tim!)The reason I think this album stood out as much as it did was it came out when Disco and Punk were really popular so it was different. Dire Straits was a huge draw if not a critical success. Brother in Arms was a better album. I'll give it a 2 1/2

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.

Every track is a good one. Even better than I remembered.

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

Interesting listen, but I found it a little difficult to get through. The band is really talented and the guitar playing in particular had a beautiful, tactile quality. But the vocalist felt like a Dylan ripoff without the same depth of poetry. Favourite track: “Sultans of Swing”

Class album

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!

It was decent may come back to it

Really fun! I'd never heard them before.

Shit

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

Het blijft een sterke groep.

Iets trager dan ik had verwacht, maar het gitaarspel is feilloos, en 'Sultans of Swing' blijft een topplaat

Mark E Mark Knopfler and the Funky Bunch bring the smooth rock and tasty slick guitar solos to people, while kindof singing, kindog talking. I was hoping to discover some gems, but instead was ushered into nothingness via Dire adult contemporary lullabies. He sure can play the guitar tho. C+

“Down the Waterline” is awesome… and almost a carbon copy of “Sultan’s of Swing.” I’ve always loved “Sultan’s of Swing” and the MTV song and the synthier hit but otherwise never listened to dire straits in depth. This album was surprising, very Texas Roadhouse Rick/country with a dire straits twist. I always imagined dire straits to be more of a Prague Rock band, but this is Almost what I’d imagine ZZ Top should sound like. These guys are great musicians and okay lyricists, that’s the only thing holding this album back. Really enjoyed this album, all the songs were good but not great, B+.

Dire Straits has never been more than Sultans of Swing for me, was a great listen to hear the full album, pretty surprised with how much I enjoyed it

this gets a solid C- for me. fairly boring. all songs sound the same. all middle tones. no variance

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.

Super into the music, less into the singing. Fave song - Water of Love. Worst song, (truly the worst) Sultans of Swing. Also, this album could play in repeat and I would never know if it changed songs because they have such similar music for each track. Not my cup of tea.

Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I'll just listen to cheeseburger in paradise instead.

music was ok. voice and lyrics were meh

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

Six Blade Knife - the ffff noise he makes makes me uncomfortable. But also he kinda sounds constipated throughout the song and I appreciate that Sultans of swing - already liked this song Lions - I like this one too It was ok overall for me, but not thrilled or anything

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 didn't really have that strong of thoughts on the album. It was pretty good but not one of my favorites. Sultans of Swing is great and definetely my favorite song on the album but there were some other good ones too Favorite Songs: Water of Love, Southbound Again, Sultans of Swing, Lions Least Favorite Song: Six Blade Knife Strong 7/10

Incredible. Knopfler is Legend. This album is an awesome, understated journey with some absolutely beautiful songs sprinkled through. Can hear Dylan infl. Favourite gat (it's all 10/10) - In The Gallery. Wild West End is super beautiful

Classic. Incredible, unique guitar.

swingin all weekend. Love the Dire Straits sound. Not quite a 5-star album but after the first 6 tracks I was feeling tempted

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.

Mark Knopfler is on the list of guitar gods. Rather hear him play than sing, but his voice is integral to the Dire Straits sound

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

nice and bluesy

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

Stellar debut album. I am an old.

Such an statement in the year of punk!! XD

Muy personal. Inconfundible voz, bajo y ritmos.

nivélazo. a real rythem guitar!

“Dire Straits” by Dire Straits (1978) I’m not sure why I missed this growing up. Eclectic blues and jazz rock, with a little reggae thrown in. Definitely for listening to in the evening when alone, with an adult beverage, on a good home hi fi setup. I hear Dylanesque composition and arranging, without aping, laid down in ever-changing grooves, and tremendous dynamic sensitivity. Lyrically, it’s a collection of referential and thought-provoking word pictures, effectively giving voice to the musical settings. But they lack movement and resolution, so a serious listener might be disappointed—if lyrics were the focus of this work. But they’re not. The most striking thing on this album is the lead guitar lines played by Mark Knopfler—silky and spare, with inventive fills and exquisite slides and bends. He knows how to pull the listener in on the quiet parts. His solo work on “Sultans of Swing” and “In the Gallery” is superlative. Great percussion by Pick Withers, who is never monotonous, always seeming to find color appropriate to the mood. Lead vocals are gravelly and lacking power, but I was almost relieved that they didn’t provide a high-quality distraction from the two guitars, bass, and drums. These guys produce a lot of music with only four instruments and minimal dubbing. And the person who mixed this album is a genius. A nice listen. Rock doesn’t have to be hard to be good. And this is very good. 4/5

THIS ALBUM HAS GROOVE FOR DAYS

Daora o album, tem a sultans of swing. Todas as músicas tem o jeitão direstreit, mas é gostoso pra deixar de fundo, tocando suave.

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.

A great album.

A great album.

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

Beautiful, clean, classic Knopfler playing. Songs grove. Some great, classic DS tunes including Sultans.

i don´t like at all

For the sultans

Mark Knopfler is a very talented guitarist, but the song writing on this album leaves something to be desired. Despite that, Sultans of Swing is a special song.

Terrific

Very nice tunes, with a lot of roles that sound like jazz (to me)

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.

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

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.

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

Enjoyed this very much

good one, many hits in there

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!

great classic rock

So chill

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

Loved it. I don’t understand why they weren’t so widely regarded in the US from this album. Excellent.

Love me some Dire Straits.

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

Love the dire straits. Great guitar playing, but sultans of swing is really the only great song

Felt like a unique indie album

Have always loved Sultans of Swing, but never really listened to a lot of DS. Love the guitar work here, it's really great and relaxing to listen to.

Not really for me. Nice groove, impressive restraint and I really like the lead guitar bits. But it just doesn't excite me.

Excellent album

Classicly good. Some of the best guitar solos ever!

Está muy cabrón. Es to lo que pue decir. Por un par de rolitas que desentonan no lo pongo en 5.

Incredible

Great first album to start 1001.

Smooooth

So great to hear more of Dire Straits, after only really ever listening to Brothers in Arms, or Sultans of Swing. I think this album is better as a whole, even though BiA has some more hits. Highlights: -Down to the Waterline -Setting Me Up -Sultans of Swing -Wild West End

A whole album worth of sultans of swing

Dire Straits is a great band. Mark is a great song writer and player.

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

Great album. Really really enjoyed it. Just what I expected a dire straits album to sound like. // 4.5

"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.

great album. nice vibe through and through.

I definitely need to get more into Dire Staits. Only readily summoned touchstones are Sultans of Swing and of course the much later Money for Nothing, that video icon of my pre-cable existence when my only access to music videos was Friday Night Videos.

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

Another classic.

no lo había escuchado completo y está muy bueno, me gusta ese rock de gangsters de los 70´s

La guitarra de Mark Knopfler hace que el disco valga la pena. Dire Straits tiene su muy marcado sello y de pronto todo el disco suena igual, así que me gusta más la experiencia de escuchar las canciones por separado que el disco completo de jalón.

Well this was one of the many albums I had recorded on a cassette tape. I like the Dire Straits a lot. Loved to listen to this full album again.

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

Amazing classic rock album

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.

One of the best albums ever.

Not as good as some of their later albums but still love that sound that's unique to mark knofler

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.

Couldn’t get into it

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

fine

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.

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

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.

Not bad. Chill, roadtrip rock vibes.

Endlich mal wieder Musik. Sehr gute 4 Sterne.

Sehr bueno, chillig

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

Tan tan tan taaan

Freaking awesome

Det skønt

The one song was good and the rest was fine.