Reviews (page 2 of 16)
damn this actually might be better than brothers in arms
First time I heard this album, played it several times. The albums that followed were even better.
Made me think of my dad and the background music I heard as a kid.
Exceptionnel
It reminds me of Steely Dan in that it is pleasant but a little boring. High 3.
I'm gonna say it again that Dire Straits is one of the most underrated bands of all time.
Solid album! Love sultans of swing! Very guitar/soft rock
album de velho mas vou dar uma chance ne, dei play agora vou jantar e estudar espero escutar tudo down the water line é uma otima introdução pro album nao é como se dire straits nao tivesse muita musica foda porra water of love eu nao lembrava que lembrava dessa musica obrigada pai sultans of swing é muito bala nao da wild west end muito linda provavelmente ja tinha escutado antes
really great guitar work on this, obviously sultans of swing is a standout but the bluesy jams work all over this. Another one my grandpa had on vinyl!
enjoyed this a lot
I have a soft spot for Dire Straits. Never heard the full debut album before but I left it on repeat. Easy 4/5
Super-accomplished for a debut, plus it has “Sultans of Swing” which practically earns a 4 on its own. Dire Straits are just enjoyable to listen to. A nit is that it does sound rather same-y throughout. There was even one early track that I thought was “Sultans” for a good minute into the song.
Good fun album
I love Dire Straits and I love this album. Knopfler’s guitar work made me first fall in love with the instrument. 4/5
Great stuff the guitar on these tracks is fantastic. A great band nice vocals and underatted rock n Roll. Sultons of swing one of the greatset displays of Guitar Genius ever made
Again, they are picking the wrong albums. Making Movies would be my pick for Dire Straits. However, this is a solid debut.
Mark Knopfler doing his thing. Great groovy guitar solos with an awesome guitar sound!
De stem en de gitaar van Marc Knopfler zijn altijd zalig om naar te luisteren
The longer this went on the less I liked it. Pretty sure I like Dire Straits? Can't deny Sultans, but as a whole this was...pretty bad.
Fucking yacht rock
#265 Heard Before? Yup. Although I'm more familiar with their Greatest Hits CD that I got when I started Columbia House. I was a dull 12-year-old. Notes: - i laughed when i saw this come up because it's just so terribly bland. but then i tried it and it has a strong opener, for real. - vocals are hit and miss. much better when he leans into the affected delivery. - the lead guitar is truly impressive, both a technical achievement and highly expressive in a way I find actually compelling. - but yes, the bland is real. the backing band has all the thrill of faded beige wallpaper, and the songwriting holds nothing of interest. Verdict: Tasteful, terminally boring. Listen Again? Nope.
In my opinion this is the far stronger of the two dire straits albums I’ve heard on this list so far. It does a really good job of exploring a musical theme without feeling repetitive while still feeling consistent enough to be a full fledged album. Really nice listen.
Pretty okay. Fun and vibey at times
Brings about nostalgia, as it is one of the bands my dad would listen to when I was a kid. But it also is not music that appeals to me. Individual songs, one at a time I can appreciate, however, I would not choose to engage with a full album. They sound a bit too repetitive to me and in the end, the sound is much more country than I like.
un par de temazos, otros no me enganchan tanto. producción impecable, limpia y moderna
Didn't connect with me on first or first and a half listen
On par with Brothers in Arms. Another excellent recommendation
I love Brothers in Arms. This, their first album (of largely unfamiliar songs) made me think of other more familiar DS songs in their later catalogue. Which suggests that, guitar noodling talent notwithstanding, their songs always were a bit samey. This being the first album, and a perfectly pleasant one, you can’t really accuse them of samey-ness yet. So have scored as if a brand new sound. And on that basis it works.
When I was growing up I wrote off Dire Straits as Dad Music. Now I'm a dad I can appreciate the quality that feels almost effortless. Will be listening again.
Been some time since being given an album that gave me shivers, will have to revisit this one. Interesting that it wasn't on sultans of swing
I was really excited for this one but it really felt like they put everything into sultans of swing and then just kinda threw together 8 other songs. Nothing felt quite as close or as grand. Would be a 2 if not for sultans.
Think about when this came out and what was swirling in the musical air! With that in mind I say: "Absolute perfection!" Sultans is just so good - studio version, Live in London version, it's awesome. Down to the Waterline, Wild Wild West, add to the story. Mark put this out there right in the face of disco and punk. Love it!
lo escuché en cd, sultans of swing temarramen
Ei mulle
A classics, a must listening to every guitar lover
"Sultan's of Swing" is of course spectacular but outside of that specific track it's nothing really special
Good. I like Dire Straits. Mark Knopfler is a great guitar player and songwriter.
So awesome. Some songs sounded like David Bowie to me.
Last song is the only miss. Insane playing and consistently solid in every sense.
Meinasin ennen kuuntelua jo laittaa arvion, mutta eihän tää ollukaan niin hyvä ku se Dire Straitsin ultimaattinen superalbumi. Oli tääki menevää swingiä sulttaanien kanssa
Kuuntelin oikeen pariin kertaan että eikö tässä nyt oo mitään muuta hyvää biisiä ku sulttaanit, mutta ei sieltä vaan löytynyt. Ihan lepposaa rämpyttelyä ne loputkin on, eipä siinä, mutta ois se ollut kiva kun ois löytynyt jokin muukin kiva uusi tuttavuus.
Vaikka Sultans of Swing kääntyykin suoraan suomenettuna panon mestareiks, niin tää eka levy ei oikein lähe kyseistä biisiä lukuunottamatta. Ihan jees värittelyä ja yks ool taim kreit. Kyl sillä kolmosen tilaa.
Knopflerin Markku on kyllä luunkova luu. Varmaan omissa kaikkien aikojen kitarasankarisuosikkilistalla ihan siellä terävimmässä kärjessä, jos ei jopa ihan ygösenä. Tää on vallan hyvä levy levy, joskin omissa papereissani Making Movies on vielä parempi Dire Straits -lätty. Tässä on vähän se helmasynti mikä monessakin muussa Knopflerin albumikokonaisuudessa, että terävin kärki on ihan helvetin kova, mutta sitten loput on vähän meh. Jos tältä levyltä ja sitten tätä seuraavalta Communiquelta oltaisiin otettu 10 parasta biisiä ja tehty niistä yksi levy, niin olisi täydet viisi tähteä, nyt pitää vähän rokottaa, kun on tuolla tosiaan ihan turhanpäiväisiä jollotuksia seassa.
I was shocked at how much I liked this. Just nice vibes I loved the guitar and Mark Knopfler’s voice. Will definitely listen again.
Not poppy shite rock like I expected
Mark Knopfler is an absolute force of nature.
(4/5) I'm going to put DS in the same bucket as big rock acts like U2 & REM (I know they're not contemporaries..), that are good but just don't excite me. This is the perfect 3.5, but because my group would pillory me if I don't round up, I'll round up. I enjoyed it, I might go back to it (maybe..), and I recognize the musicianship. I mean, that's good right? It's just another brick in the rock wall that holds it all together. I understand it's important, but don't expect me to piss my pants and scream like a girl when it comes on. I can't muster that sort of enthusiasm.
I've been a fan of Dire Straits since my childhood, and that has only grown as I've gotten older. This one may not be their best (few debuts by an artist are), but Knopfler's virtuoso is on full display here as he steps seamlessly from blues to rock with a tinge of psychedelia and prog to boot. I've always compared him favorably to David Gilmour, whose emotivity and ability to bend/fold/hold a note is second to no one. A great revisit that earns a 4.5/5 that I'm happy to round up.
201. Dire Straits - Dire Straits (1978) 9.11.26 Variety: 3 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 5 Emotionality: 4 = 4.4 rounded down to a 4 "Everybody got a knife it can be just what you want it to be/ A needle, a wife, or something that you just can't see" I remember being very surprised when I eventually found out these guys were Brits. It just didn't gel with what I knew of the rock music from the era. This was a good decade or more after "Money For Nothing" had been a giant hit ( I still love the Weird Al parody more), and I'd since heard a ton of their other stuff, including Knopfler's film score stuff like Local Hero ( which is pretty great) and teh Princess Bride, of course. Though at the time I was not aware that was him. Over time, both this album and Brothers in Arms became minor favorites, and when I've listened to them, it's usually been back to back or in a playlist, so they run together in my brain as some sort of misty, undefinable super album. So much so that even today when I saw this pop up, I still had to take a peak at the track listing to remind myself that "oh yeah - "Walk of Life" is not on this one. So I had to hit snooze on my 5-star alarm, and reassess. Just when was the last time I listened to this one all the way through? By itself? It's possibly within the last 15-20 when I had both on vinyl, but I can't be sure. I know this will be at minimum a 4 though. THE TRACKS Side one "Down to the Waterline" - Slow and atmospheric, with what are presumably meant to be the far off sounds of a boat horn? The bright, clean, bluesy guitar comes in and we're in it. Everything hits all at once and we go from 10 to... well, to maybe like a safe and reasonable 35MPH. The pace feels like it should be frenetic, but it's all very controlled, and Knopfler's moderated delivery gives off heavy Bob Dylan vibes, while his guitar work is more Gerry Rafferty. Thematically there's less a sense of romanticism here than danger, and excitement, and coolly impressionistic. I dig that Knopfler is one of those guys who can tell a story without being strictly literal, maybe another trick he picked up from Dylan. A great start, and pretty damn representative of the high level we'll be staying at for the duration. "Water of Love" - Bodies of water were on the mind I guess. Less menace, and more of a down home swampy blue bayou feel to the atmosphere as well as the beat. The drumming by Pick Withers deserves a special call out at this point, as it's just as top notch as everyone else on the album, but has always been one of my favorite parts about the thing. This song is a great showcase for his sparse, and gentle style. Once again Knopfler takes a simple metaphor, doesn't gussy it up too much, but shoots his shot straight down the center, smooth as silk. I came to his stuff much later in life, but this track reminds me a bit of some stuff from Richard Thompson, who seems to get a bit more varied in his stylistic choices, but who also has a superb clean guitar tone, and who I pair with Knopfler as the other great British guitar hero of the period, though I think Thompson probably had a good ten year head start on him. "Setting Me Up" - The guys turn up the reverb and we get much closer to a simulacrum of a live sound here, with a bit of a country blues pub rock number. Again, I can't stress how well this formula works for the band - basic as fuck blues number but swaddled in a layer of perfectly constructed instrumentation, and injected with a liveliness that makes it anything but a stale, cold imitation. I've made a couple of comparisons to Dylan already here with Knopfler's voice, but it's on these faster paced numbers where you can really hear the differences, and you realize that he's making choices with each song, and not doing an imitation. "Six Blade Knife" - We're squarely in down tempo Steely Dan territory for this number, but the bassline and the still bluesy guitar accents are SO much more organic and warm than anything those guys could get away with. Maybe my favorite vocals on the album, with Knopfler once again modulating and adjusting to the material, stretching those lines out and putting some gravel into the delivery of another perfectly constructed metaphor that doesn't need any gilding. Listen to how subtle those bongos are when they come in. This is musical surgery, guys. Where lot of the musicians of the era were content to punch you in the face, yank your teeth out with some dirty pliers, and pour some whiskey down your gullet to kill the pain, Knopfler and company are fully prepping you in a comfy chair, and providing you with some top shelf anesthetics ( never sedatives though) before making the minimum number of incisions and sending you on your way, alert and maybe only just slightly disoriented. "Southbound Again" - A bit more of a straightforward blues rock flavor on this one, with the rhythm guitar provided a not terrible imitation of what might have been a accordion line in a more traditionally bit of American southern New Orleans type of blues. SOlid stuff, but maybe not as distinct as the other stuff around it. Side two "Sultans of Swing" - The big hit, and understandably so. The band takes the game they've already well established and turns that knob all the fuck the way up as if to say, "well if you think you liked the other stuff, then get a load of this...". The flamenco inspired finger picking rolls on this are STELLAR, and have lived in my brain since I was a kid. At the time I definitely was NOT hearing this sort of thing anywhere else. The kind of professionalism and technique on display in this one made Duran Duran and all the rest look tragically uncool, and I distinctly remember being fascinated by this band, who were obviously providing their origin story in song form. If the internet had existed at the time, I would have definitely been looking for more stuff by the Sultans of Swing. There's a very boring "band plays song on blacked out stage" music video ( though you do get to see Knopfler showing off his technique) that I didn't see til way later, and it never connected for me , at least early on that these were the "Money for Nothing" guys. Anyways, this is awesome. An all-time 80s classic, and one that lives in my mind as their calling card song, despite those later, more popular hits. I think it was a very wise choice to keep this in their pocket for the opener of side two as well. The listener is primed and ready to be bonked on the head by this one, and it doesn't overshadow everything that comes after that way. "In the Gallery" - A slow bit of blues with a seemingly oddball topic of an working class artist, denied entry in the closed ecosystem of the big city art scene. Seems a weird choice at first, but I think intentionally or not, it gels really well with the band's own image of the pub rock band at the top of their game, who might have been looked down by the more artsy fartsy elements in their own scene. Meat and potatoes blues rock, even as classy and high level as this stuff is , it had to have been a hard sell to the mainstream that was all primed for synths and electronic drum beats. Possibly reading too much into it, but yet another very solid number. "Wild West End" - Easily the softest song on the album, this one keeps a folky acoustic line and a fat bass going over top of everything else which keeps things a bit bouncy still, and avoids falling into something that's too schmaltzy or approaching soft rock, in a similar fashion to how a band like America could avoid the same trap. I wouldn't necessarily call the edges rough, but they are far from treacly. "Lions" - And another band who sticks the landing. We might be on a small roll here. A mid-tempo number that feels appropriately lazy, and like the lights have started flickering, letting you know it's almost closing time. This one reminds me again of Steely Dan, but it has the kind of purpose and drive lacking in even their best stuff. Solid and not as immediately as memorable as most everything on the album, it still works very well as a final statement. HIGHLIGHTS - "Down to the Waterline" - "Water of Love" - "Setting Me Up" - "Six Blade Knife" - "Sultans of Swing" - "In the Gallery" - "Wild West End" MIDLIGHTS - "Southbound Again" - "Lions" LOWLIGHTS - FINAL THOUGHTS I wonder if this might be the stereotypical "Dad Rock" album. Back in the day some of the exemplars of the genre might have been the Who, or Brice Springsteen, and maybe this is still true for boomers and boomer-adjacents. And nowadays I'm sure plenty of young people would even have the temerity to suggest that Green Day and Foo Fighters have aged into the term. Dire Straights to me, seem like an eternal archetype of what Dad Rock represents. The nostalgic comfort I feel at the deceptively simple, straightforwardness, full of killer guitar hooks and shined up with that radio-ready polish exemplifies the vibe, and at the same time transcends it for me. The band continues to straddle the boundaries of the early MTV era, and yet their sound cucks so much of the trending of the period that it still feels timeless to me. Maybe it's the mish mash of genres and influences - country, blues, pub rock, and a half dozen other subgenres and turns - that keep it sounding fresh to me every time I hear it, but what is unarguable is that the craft on display is TOP LEVEL. Even in a time when production techniques had evolved light years beyond even just a decade before, this sounds like a perfectly mixed and presented piece of technical art. I'm not sure how well documented the recording of this was, but I'm willing to bet there's a very interesting documentary o be made about it. Maybe not as epic and flashy as one about Dark Side of the Moon ( I'm sure there are a few of these) might be, but it would be a story of top level technicians ( both behind and in front of the mic) nailing it, again and again. Flawless execution aside, I will say that the album does feel a bit too workmanlike for it to hit that very top tier for me. It's a VERY solid 4 through and through, and full of great moments, with not a song that goes by that I didn't enjoy very much while it was playing. But it lags behind the ones that make the 5-star grade in that I am mostly able to immediately pull up specific moments from throughout the hole thing, or it just blew my away as a unique artistic accomplishment and experience, or both. This album is the long distance runner, slowly but surely on track to make it to the finish line, never faltering, but lacking in a certain flash and excitement, because those features are inimical to the whole game. I think I'll have much the same to say about Brother in Arms ( though it is ever so slightly flashier) when we get to it, and both albums will continue their very impressive, but very stable dual orbit around the 5-star black hole that the crazier, more surprising, and risk taking albums all get sucked into. Possible turn-Offs might Include: - squeaky clean, very polished production sound - nasally, Dylan-esque vocal delivery - lack of distortion and other very organic vibes - a very roots based sound You Might enjoy this if you: - like casually excellent guitar heroism - want to be surpised by unstereotypical sounds from a the era - enjoy lyrics that don't feel tossed off or like placeholders - don't mind silky smooth, perfection in both the playing and the production - are middle-aged dad or a middle-aged dad's dad PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - FURTHER LISTENING - Naturally by JJ Cale – - Down by the Jetty by Dr. Feelgood - Infidels by Bob Dylan - Local Hero soundtrack by Mark Knopfler - Daring Adventures by Richard Thompson - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Lost in the Dream by The War on Drugs
Dire Straits are the band I forget how much I like until I'm actively listening to them. I'm a baseball guy, so I have heard "Sultans of Swing" more times than I remember. In the 80s & 90s it was the quintessential baseball highlight music track. "Walk of Life" would be the sibling track to this when it came out. My friend said Dire Straits is the epitome of "Dad Rock" and I agree. When your music perfectly fits highlights of a 19th century pastoral game you are exactly at the pace of good dad rock. This album never displeased me. It was high quality production of infinitely listenable guitar riff rock. Mack Knopfler is an understated virtuosos on that guitar. The pub rock flavors mixed the blues and roots are great fun. I think I keep forgetting that I enjoy Dire Straits so much because I don't have much to say about them beyond this. Still 4/5
Day 395 Great Album, prefer it to Brothers in Arms. Highlights Down to the Waterline Sultans of Swing In the Gallery
Some unbelievable
Do not own it. This is my first time listening to this album start to finish. Mark Knopfler is what I would describe as a guitarist's guitarist - like John Mayer - such thoughtful licks that add just the right touch without being overblown - and deceptively hard to play. I love "Six Blade Knife" and the acoustic touches in "Water of Love." "Sultans..." is a 10/10 song with a top-tier solo that is eclipsed by the outro! 5-star debut album, 4-star overall.
A very chill album. Will be good to have on in the background. Might need to listen again and post more attention to pick up on the guitar work.
Liked the vibe and the instrumentals but not a fan of the vocals.
The whole album was kind of boring to me. Some cool guitar parts, specifically in Sultans of Swing. 2.5/5
Favorite songs: Down to the Waterline, Water of Love, Southbound Again, Sultans of Swing, Wild West End 3.5
Boy do i love this album. It meanders so charmingly. And the more I listen to the guitar & lyrics interact with each other's and with the drums, the more i fall in love with it.
it was kinda boringgg to me i think i just dont know this kind of music that well
Down to the Waterline: outstanding opening to the album. It kind of felt a little similar to Steely Dan in some ways. Water of Love: This had lots of western themes that I loved. Sultans of Swing: a classic for a reason but honestly it wasn’t my favorite out of all the songs here. Wild West End: surprise gem 💎 Across the album: amazing full bodied instrumentation with lots of unique instruments adding lots of flavor and depth to different songs.
Sultans of Swing is a great song, all the other songs on this album sound like Sultans of Swing to me. Not a great thing but they all sound decent. I'd say it's a middle of the road album for me. Didn't hate it but only one song really stood out for me.
Love the unique style of Knopfler. Not the grooviest of songs, but very listenable.
I got a day time job, I'm doing allright.
Je m'attendais à mieux
Classique mais répétitif en fait
Great album. Really enjoyed.
This was so awesome wow. Felt like my ears were being fondled
3.5
Some albums you put on and they just sound cool. This is one of those albums. It just has a very crisp sound. 8.5/10 Top song... Sultan of swing
The type of album a friend would put on while you're driving to the beach and you would realize your dad used to have it on CD. Great album for a specific mood, wouldnt listen to it all the time. 6.5/10
guitar work goes crazy on this one 8.5/10 best song - in the gallery
A solid debut with one stone-cold classic and several really good songs. Their midtempo bluesy style mixing jazz, the blues and pub rock makes for catchy songs. It's a good record, fun to listen to.
Imposible que sea un disco malo si es de los Dire Straits :)
Ah, Dire Straits! I was a big fan and still am... Mark Knopfler is a guitar genius. His playing is so refined, lots of nuances, fantastic phrasing, always functional, etc... This is definitely a great album although Lover Over Gold, and only the first two songs, trump anything they have done. Dire Straits is also one of those bands I love, EXCEPT their most famous song. I really don't like Sultans of Swing! (similarly, I like everything Radiohead except Creep). Can't not give it a five though despite Sultans of Swing. Could be a four maybe but I'm biased. And this definitely needs to be on the list.
Some good songs, but overall as an album it is kinda boring
The masterpiece for the Mark Knopfler band, which of itself offers a very bluesy vibe with the great guitar playing throughout. It contains some of the heavy hitters in DS discography but to my ears, 'Down to the Waterline' is their absolute best. 10/10 [KEEP]
Very smooth. I liked it more than most other 70s rock. Sultans of Swing is such a banger. The first track was good too.
i've listened before. i love the bassy bluesy sound, feels unique, def deserves to be part of the musical canon. i think you could reduce it to a baseline of just *pretty good rock* with a few standout hits and i wouldn't vehemently disagree with you, but the instrumentation is really cool to focus in on and it might be my favorite blues-colored record yet. Sultans Of Swing still gets me going for sure, but Down To The Waterline is a stellar opener. solid 4
Rating: 5/10 Crazy to me that this band is British. It's got the aesthetic of a Wild West desert highway drive, and does play best if you're doing exactly that, presumably. It's got good guitar strumming with a bluesy sound and country rock twang. I didn't love it, it got pretty boring. Besides Down to the Waterline and Sultans of Swing, not much stood out to me and I don't think I'll be listening again
My favorite dires straits album. Definitely 5*
Notable Textzeile: Your six blade knife do anything for you Anything you wanna do One blade breaking my heart One blade tearing me apart Your six blade knife do anything for you Selbst in meiner recht kurzen Dire Straits Phase mit 16 und danach fand ich dieses Album immer am langweiligsten. Und ich meine – das ist ja aus ihrer Sicht fast eine Qualität – langweilig, ruhig, vor sich hin spielend zu sein. Aber hier ist es völlig übertrieben. Ich mag zwar wie ein unverkennbarer Gesamtsound erschaffen wird, in dem die Instrumente sehr gefällig ineinander fließen, aber bis auf „Sultans of Swing“ ist es einfach ein Brei. Dazu kommt das es wirklich bessere Singles gibt, in denen eine interessantere Geschichte erzählt wird und bessere Alben von DS die als Ganzes stärker sind, melodiöser, lyrischer. Das hier ist 2,5 at best. Bin gespannt ob noch andere kommen, ansonsten ist es wie so oft: Debüt wird genommen, weil es zu der Zeit evtl. besonders neu war, aber es wird übersehen was das Meisterwerk der jeweiligen Musiker*innen ist.
So stelle ich mir LKW Fahren durch die Industriebranchen des Midwest vor. Tempomat rein, alles midtempo an einem vorbei ziehen lassen, dabei kompetent in unspanndende Landschaft blicken und sich fragen, wie lange man das noch machen muss.
Verstehe alle Boomer-Dads die das geil fanden. Kann da wirklich nichts gegen sagen. Unhassbar und nur ein wenig eintönig in sich.
Didn't know Sultans of Swing was part of this album Starting off with Down to the Waterline - very good guitar and drums High expectations let's see - liked it very much Water of love - has such a lovely chorus Setting me Up - Reminds me of a Lifafa song (i think Lifafa took inspiration from this genre)
This album has some good tracks on it but it doesn’t do enough for me personally to find much enjoyment out of it. Down to the waterline and sultans of swing are dope songs that do elevate this album from not being a complete slog, but other than those songs it was hard to keep interest all the way through. Fav tracks: Down to the waterline, sultans of swing and Wild West end
Not too big on classic rocks. Liked the first song and it was a snooze fest from there. Like I literally fell asleep to this. It’s not bad, I personally just wouldn’t reach for it.
Great debut album from the band. Down the waterline Six blade knife Water of love Sultans of swing Wild West end Are my favourites ****
Fav: Sultans Least: in the gallery
Great album, rock classic
wonderful debut record that doesn't get enough recognition 1000/5
Quite good, but not great. Sultans of Swing is the obvious high bar on the album, they tightened up on future albums, that being said, I’m familiar with a more greatest hits aspect of Dire Straits. It’s a nice chill bluesy vibe record overall, it just didn’t knock my socks off.
Ett av mina favorit album. En närmast perfekt debutskiva. Bra melodier och skönt gitarrspel.
What country wishes it could be
This is a solid album. I like the sound more than the actual tracks, but the tracks are good too. Obviously the centerpiece is Sultans of Swing.
never listened to them before. i like the voice, like how smooth some of it is versus how rough it becomes. don’t know that i listened to an actual word but don’t really care honestly.
Enjoyed it a bit, but it’s pretty just usual rock besides the classic Sultans. Not worth giving a 4
Great!
Funny, I didn’t really like “Sultans of Swing” but the rest of the album is okay.
More familiar with the following 4 albums this debut hints at what’s to come… Sultans of Swing was massive and even this 10 year old boy could hear it was different and great.
Sultans of swing is a great song. The rest of the album felt like them trying to figure that song out
Sultans of Swing is a great tune, but everything else felt like a precursor or response to it. Finger picked electric guitar is an unusual enough sound that it gets monotonous over the course of this album, and the rest of what's going on isn't interesting enough to be an antidote.
What a fantastic debut album, and not just because it has one of my all-time favorite songs--"Sultans of swing"--although that certainly doesn't hurt. It's funny to read that this album totally bombed in the UK and didn't really make an impact of any sort until the US propelled it to double platinum; all the more ironic given that Mark Knopfler grew up in Glasgow and then NE England, although I didn't ever appreciate his British origins until I read the "1001 Albums" entry for this album. (I also didn't realize that he started off as a journalist and schoolteacher before he became the massive musician/artist he's best known for.) I know there were only two singles form this album ("Sultans" and "Water of love"), but so many of the tracks from this album are really solid and some have even become later hits; my no-single favorites are their classic opener "Down to the waterline", "Six blade knife", and "In the gallery" (and somewhat "Wild west end"). I'm not sure why this laid-back sound from the late 70s works so much better for me than contemporary albums from Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Tom Petty et al, but it does, and I'm thankful for that.
The guitars sound really good throughout, esp if you like their distinctive noodley-adjacent sound. The songwriting falls a little short, but I'll always enjoy hearing the Sultans of Swing.
Lepposta kai tää on. Ei herätä isoja tunteita suuntaan tai toiseen. Hieno kansikuva.
melodic bob dylan tunes
Great
Clean Strat: The Album
Great album as a debut, the guitar is amazing. However it feels like the most of the songs are very similar and I can barely distinguish between them
Проходной альбом, меня никакой харизмой не зацепило
Best yet
A fine album. It reminded me of latter period Dylan, which was weird.
Music to chill out and just vibe to. I'll listen to Sultans of Swing any day. Not my personal favorite out of the Dire Straits albums, but the formula was just immediately there and only got better as the band's career went on.
tops
Not for me. At least it's growling instead of mumbling I guess. Not BAD just... meh.
Relaxing, but apart from Sultans of swing no big standouts 6.5/10
tira tudo menos a guitarra por favor
é a banda das guitarras, né? mas sultans of swing realmente ofusca todo o resto do álbum que parece uma extensão dela
I know and like Dire Straits. I have 15 liked songs by them on Spotify, with 3 on this specific album. The 3 songs already liked on this one are "Down To the Waterline", "Sultans of Swing" and "Wild West End". I have the album Brothers In Arms as a perfect album, where I like all of the songs. Hoping to discover more cool stuff by deep diving on this one. It's interesting listening to this so many years after originally hearing "Sultans of Swing" and knowing their other radio hits and the Brothers in Arms full album. Mark Knopfler definitely has a super unique way of playing the guitar. You can tell it's him on any of these songs. It just doesn't sound like anyone else. I definitely get a Faces vibe from "Wild West End" - in the best possible way. A lot of times his vocals are vaguely Bob Dylan-ish but his deeper register reminds me more of Robbie Robertson. He's not a copy of either - just noted some similarities. I had trouble getting into "In the Gallery" and "Southbound Again". They're not horrible - just didn't seem to be adding much new. I ended up also liking 4 new to me songs - "Water of Love", "Setting Me Up", "Six Blade Knife", and "Lions". It's interesting that this came out the same year (1978) as Van Halen 1. Both were very different from what was dominating the radio at that time - but just in different directions. This one more bluesy/folky and VH1 more hard rock. Liked songs on Spotify: 7/9 Rating: 4/5
Mark Knopflers voice tells the story but his guitar sings the song. Dire Straits debut doesnt sound like one. The production is great I love the relaxed sound and the blues folk rock mix. Even though at that time the Dire Straits were still finding their style and sound for me its one of their best sounding records looking back on it. Knopflers guitar playing is nearly unrivaled for me when it comes to delivering emotion and feeling and his style of songwriting fits it perfectly. Some really great songs on there but also a few not really outstanding ones. Sultans of Swing is obviously one of the most recognized songs ever and the status is rightly earned for sure. Really good one this is a regular album pull for me. 4,4/5
I didn't expect to even consider anything but four stars for this, but I'm realizing it's not exactly full of my favorite songs (they're mostly on brother's in arms) or my favorite versions (alchemy) But it’s still four stars
I enjoyed listening to this one more than I thought. Not the most ground breaking and a bit too long. But I can see myself listening again.
Honestly I was going to 1 star this snoozfest. But Sultans earns an extra star all by itself.
Out of the gate swinging (no pun intended) with some iconic sound. This is one of the undeniably great guitar tones of all time. The way he can make it rock, sway with the vocals and envelop everything on the track. What a freaking genius. And I loved the lyrics on this one. Gets close to Dylan territory. That’s my cat nip always.
Lovely guitar work throughout, and the production is grounded and real, but the songs lack hooks in spots and are somewhat samey
I always enjoy this album.
хороший простой рок с красивой гитарой есть хит, есть еще пара песен которые зашли в целом для меня средненько хотелось бы динамики или вокала поярче просто ознакомился с классикой
interesting pick, debut knopfler can instantly hear the sultans of swing of it all overall, pretty funky but also chill 💥down to the waterline 💥southbound again 💥sultans of swing
Guitar tone was pretty cool, but I found it kind of slow maybe a little on the mellow side. Honestly just relieved I got through it.
a solid album, but got bored.
Vaca come back
I didn't need to listen to this before I die.
A sound that instantly identifies the band is interesting from this, their first, album. Would like to give them 4.5. Tunes, interesting lyrics and interesting sounds.
Love Dire Straits. Sultans of Swing is a stone-cold classic.
I must apologize to Dire Straits as I was not familiar with your game. I thought you were just the Money For Nothing guys, but you are so much more
🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵
It's really good. Knopfler's solo stuff is better, but I can't get away from the fantastic guitar even if his voice hasn't really come into its own yet. For anyone reading this, PLEASE listen to his solo version of Romeo and Juliet, it's life changing
Clearly a classic band, on a classic album, with a classic hit (Sultans of Swing). They're popular, they're skilled, they're well regarded. I'm not sure if it is a failing on their part or mine, but the connection has never been solid between us.
'On Every Street', is better.
Ça sonne bien. Quelques classiques mais trop lent.
Trop country
Quand même chill, meilleur que le bleu
I only really knew Brothers in Arms bu this was pretty good
it's not brothers in arms ... but waterline and sultans are such classics ... i remember this being a regular spin when i was a little kid, it came out when i was 6 or 7 ... def a little more twang to this than i remember ...
Está bueno, pero prefiero el otro disco donde sale Money for Nothing
Hørbart, men gubbete.
Very nice album!
Relisten for sure. it was fine
Ca ronfle sympathiquement et puis Sultan of Swings
beautiful just beautiful
I’d listen to these guys all day long
Knoppfler is amazing. Great cohesive band.
Before Brothers in Arms, I think "Sultans of Swing" was the only Dire Straits song I knew — and I loved that. I remember reading the Douglas Adams quote about the distinctiveness of Mark Knopfler's guitar and paying attention to his playing after that: "Mark Knopfler has an extraordinary ability to make a Schechter Custom Stratocaster hoot and sing like the angels on a Saturday night, exhausted from being good all week and needing a stiff drink." (from So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish) I even bought and really enjoyed The Notting Hillbillies' album. I think I'll listen to that next. "Feel Like Going Home" is just beautiful.
Always love an excuse to listen to this again. One of my all-time favourites. Just sumptuous music.
Don't need to listen to all of it to know this is an absolute banger. Lovely album, lovely album.
Catchy funky tunes. Unusually cool guitar riffs.
Nice rhythm, a bit slow for my liking
ok
Sehr entspanntes Album. Mag Down to the Water line und sultans of Swing natürlich. The Gallery ist auch cool.
PUUUUUUF pero que banda la concha de mi madre
85
SO much better than Brothers in Arms, and even though there are a couple songs I don't like as much, the good stuff (all the singles and 'Down by the Waterline' especially) is immaculate.
Sultans of Swing is a bit of a guilty pleasure, but the rest was exactly as I imagined
No thank you.
Dear dear dear god no…OMG make it stop. This is about as horrible as it gets. Sadly I am sure we have worse albums to come but I can not begin to imagine how bad they are going to be. Tom.
4 - great album
too country oriented to deserve more
A guitarra de Knopfler é a protagonista do início ao fim. Quem gosta do estilo, não tem como desgostar das músicas, do disco como um todo. É o meu caso. Mas há outros melhores da banda, então, na comparação, este fica um pouco atrás.
I had only listened to Sultans of Swing, but the whole album is fire.
They are all good tracks, but the noodling does get old
Didn't have to, but listened to it again and was still amazed what a masterpiece this is. One of the clearest 5* I gave during this journey.
it was alright
Beautifully understated, subtle guitar plays. This is definitely a 4 for me.
Ooh another one that I've listened to before. It knows me so well. I hope it's not stalking me... Here we go. Ok I'm not going track by track for all of these. Will give best and worst song though. Best - In the Gallery 8/10 (impossible to pick a favourite - they all occupy similar spaces in my brain. This one is cool) Worst - Southbound Again 7/10 (Again not a lot to separate these. This one is probably the most generic bluesy song, but still groovy. Outro of SMU saves it from being the worst offender IMO. Dire Straits sit as snugly in the pocket as you can imagine. Probably the best and worst parts of all of these songs. Most of them don't go anywhere. But man are they funky. And also somehow distinct even though they sound the same. Clean guitar sounds, groovy riffs. I can easily listen to this on a summer walk or drive. Pure uninterrupted vibes. This is a very solid album front to back as well - no weak tracks. No undisputed bangers either though, which probably stops this from being in my top tier. 8/10.
3.5 decent album , got some good moments. “Wild West End” was the stand out moment
Loved this one, Second half is amazing.
All the great guitar and drums in the world doesn't make good songs. This is a long way away from Brothers In Arms, yet it started so well. Two good opening tracks plus Brothers In Arms, then the rest is an assortment of embarrassing dad rock and...stuff that is just okay.
August so far as regards this list has been a bit of a disaster with many 1 stars. So a Dire Straits album was welcome to buck the trend. That said this is not my favourite album of theirs. To be expected really as it’s their first and contains only one track which helped to propel them to mega stardom. But still contains some great Knopfler guitar licks played with his distinctive style. 4/5 9/8/26
Classic i gues
Outstanding
Pleasant enough, maybe slightly boring, don't think I'd put on by choice but wouldn't object to someone else putting it on
JL : 3, Down To The Waterline
Great opening song. I like the vibes.
I spent so much years liking Sultans of swing so much without even really acknowledging who played it that for sure I had never listened to the full album. And well, it's definitely not a surprise that's good.
May be an unfair rating. Listened to it hungover during a bumpy car ride in Bali
Just ok
Fine, chill, very skilled but not very interesting
They were huge, and they have only one sound. It's a great sound. But it's so overplayed. I can't anymore.
Wouldn’t know they were British - easy listening lol
Nothing remarkable. The voice sounds like Pink Floyd. May be good as a background music, but isn't worth it to hear actively. After finishing the album I can't remember any melody or words. Although the sound is boring, all songs form a whole, consistent album. The only situation, I can imagine liking this album, is sipping a cold whiskey, while watching a sunset on a terrace
8/10
Sultans of swing is an all timer, the skipping melodic guitar playing almost a perfect foil to Mark Knopflers Geordie dylanisms. Nothing else on the album is anywhere as good but its atmospheric and knopflers guitar playing is subtle and gorgeous throughout.
Good, but I felt like it never really quite got to where it could have gone. A bit low energy and lifeless.
Far from Dire Straits best album, but I love the rhythmic, bluesy sound that most of their tracks have. Sultans of Swing is one of my all time favorite Dire Straits songs so this album automatically gets bonus points. A really good listen, despite having a number of leaser known songs on it.
Such a great groove. A definitive sound with great instrumentals and vivid lyrics. Enjoyable all the way through.
Chill rock. Mark Knopfler's guitar really shines, beautiful tone and great playing. Very enjoyable album start to finish.
nice
A bit boring and too country for me
Fantastic! Not a bad song on here. 5/5
good vibes
Better than expected! Simple sounds but effective songwriting. First half of the album is excellent.
It is truly a shame I haven't given Dire Straits a listen earlier. Ofcourse I knew the Sultan of Swing, but this record is packed with great records. I will definitely be giving this record a few more listens atleast.
This is not an album I really needed to listen to since I already know front to back. Yet I would never pass up another opportunity to listen. This is my personal favourite alltime album, partly for the music but also definitely also for more personal reasons. To keep it to the music, the flowing music with the melancholic tones make for an amazing album. They build a solid foundation with chill and laid-back rythms which still keep up the tempo while Mark dances over them with his lead-guitar and vocals. It is music that can easily just be casually listened to in the background, yet as you start listening more carefully it still delivers plenty depth and diversity to make it worth your while.
Album legal, mas nada muito além disso. Músicas parecidas. A guitarra é o que dá um brilho no album. Bom, mas não escutaria outras vezes. 6/10.
Dire Straits by Dire Straits some really good sounding music. This felt timeless when I was listening to it which speaks to its greatness, this could’ve been made yesterday. Made a new fan out of me!
fav songs: water of love sultans of swing blues-y, polished, repetitive 50/100
## Dire Straits' Debut: A Deep Dive into a Classic Dire Straits' self-titled debut album, released in June 1978, arrived at a time when punk rock dominated the airwaves. It stood in stark contrast to the era's aggressive sound, offering a stripped-down, rootsy blend of blues, country, folk, and rock that felt almost out of time. Yet, it was this very timelessness and musical craftsmanship that made it an immediate sensation, eventually achieving multi-platinum status and launching the band to international fame. For many, it remains a landmark recording whose appeal has only grown with age. ### Lyrical Themes: Portraits of Everyday Life Mark Knopfler's lyrics on the album are often described as "Dylanesque," a testament to his knack for vivid, character-driven storytelling. Rather than romanticizing rock stardom, Knopfler focuses on the "normal trouble" of everyday life: loneliness, betrayal, and the lives of ordinary people. This is most famously captured in **"Sultans of Swing,"** the album's breakout hit. The song was inspired by a real-life pub band Knopfler saw in Deptford, London. The band was unglamorous, playing to an empty room, yet their lead singer grandly announced them as the "Sultans of Swing." Knopfler found the contrast amusing and turned it into an affectionate tribute to the hardscrabble lives of working musicians, painting a picture of "Guitar George" who "knows all the chords" but plays "strictly rhythm". Other tracks are equally rooted in autobiographical detail and place. **"Down to the Waterline"** and **"Wild West End"** feature colloquial touches inspired by Knopfler's time in Newcastle and London, grounding the album in specific, evocative settings. **"In the Gallery"** is a tribute to Leeds sculptor Harry Phillips, a figure from Knopfler's past. The album thus feels less like a collection of pop songs and more like a collection of short stories set to music, with a tone that is often melancholic, wistful, and quietly observant. ### Musical Style and Production: The Audiophile Sound Musically, the album is defined by its restraint and exceptional musicianship. In an era of overproduced stadium rock, the sound is remarkably clean, transparent, and minimal. The band—Mark Knopfler (guitar/vocals), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar), John Illsley (bass), and Pick Withers (drums)—creates a spacious, unhurried atmosphere, with songs often driven by a laid-back, jazz-inflected groove. The true star, of course, is **Mark Knopfler's guitar playing**. His fingerstyle technique (playing without a plectrum) produced a clean, lyrical, and melodic tone that was instantly recognizable and hugely influential. The album's production, helmed by Muff Winwood and engineered by Rhett Davies, is legendary among audiophiles for its pristine clarity and warmth. It has been described as having "audiophile quality," with natural tonalities and superb balances that allow every instrument to breathe. ### Influence and Legacy: A Quiet Revolution The album's influence stems from its quiet defiance of the prevailing musical trends. In 1978, when music was defined by punk and the burgeoning new wave, Dire Straits chose a more traditional path, drawing from the blues rock of J.J. Cale, country, and folk. Their "stripped-down sound" was a "breath of fresh air" that provided a gentle alternative to the aggression of the time. Its success proved that there was a massive audience for sophisticated, well-crafted rock music. The album's popularity, particularly in America where "Sultans of Swing" reached number four on the Billboard charts, established the blueprint for the band's career. It also earned them the admiration of peers; Bob Dylan was so impressed that he invited Knopfler and Withers to play on his album *Slow Train Coming*. --- ### Pros and Cons of the Album **Pros** * **Timeless Sound:** The emphasis on clean production and natural instrumentation has helped the album age exceptionally well, sounding as fresh today as it did in 1978. * **Exceptional Musicianship:** Mark Knopfler's iconic guitar work and the band's tight, restrained interplay are widely considered masterclasses in musical craft. * **"Sultans of Swing":** This track alone is a masterpiece of songwriting, lyrics, and guitar playing, and remains one of the most beloved rock songs of all time. * **Audiophile Production:** The clarity and warmth of the production make it a favorite for high-fidelity sound systems and a benchmark for quality recording. **Cons** * **Monotonous Tempo:** A common criticism is that many of the songs share a similar, mid-tempo, laid-back feel, which can make the album feel monotonous or samey on repeated listens. * **"Dated" Sound:** While its traditionalism was a selling point, some contemporary critics at the time felt the "old style" music was boring compared to the energy of punk. Similarly, some modern listeners may find its calmness unadventurous. * **Dylan-esque Vocals:** Mark Knopfler's spoken-word, "husky warbling" vocal style is distinctive, but some find it emotionally detached or lacking in range. * **Reliance on One Classic:** A few critics suggest that without the standout "Sultans of Swing," the album would lack a truly memorable focal point. Despite these few perceived flaws, the debut album by Dire Straits stands as a remarkably accomplished and influential work, a "lost gem" that announced the arrival of one of the world's biggest bands and set a standard for musical excellence that remains difficult to match.
Not bad dont love the country ish vibes
Sultans of Swing😫 Also this was their debut album? Omg this one I loved entirely, I really am grateful for getting to discover the rest of this masterpiece of an album, very few are saved entirely in my playlists, not just for a few hits, let alone the boredom of the days I have to sit through mid album. Maybe that’s the point, to wander a desert until reaching an oasis, and it can be different for everyone too. I don’t know, this album really has an unique theme, one that I fully embraced and enriched my musical taste. A well deserved 5 star album, and truly an album to listen before you die
8 - dude knows how to jam a ditty
A great defining album of what the identity of the band is and has been. A big debut album that sky rocked a big influential group.
1er album studio du groupe, les dire straits ont réussi à se hisser du top 100 billboard grace a une guitare révolutionnaire interprété par mark knopfler et du mythique son "sultan of swing" qui reste mon son préféré de l'album est l'un de les solos de guitare pref ever suivi de lions et de six blade knife
Músicas icônicas, mas sem muita variação
Love this band!! So good!! Wish all my favorites were on here.
Dire Straits is another band with a totally unique sound, and definitely belong on this list. Sultans of Swing almost puts this up there with the GOATs all by itself.
All in! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sultans is obvi the highlight. The rest I found alright. At least rumor is we have at least one more Dire Straits album with hopefully some of their other great songs I like.
I really need to be in the right mood for a full Dire Straits album. They're good, but you have to know that you're not going to get a lot of energy out of them.
Ich weiß nicht was mir fehlt aber es ist keine 5
4,1 Highlights: Down To The Waterline, Sultans Of Swing
Pretty damn solid record. The Straits keep a consistent sound and remain in the light of the camp their sound resides in. Savory morsels these songs are
Will always be one of my favorite bands and favorite projects, sultans of swing alone is 5 stars
Blues; easy listening, consistent tracks
I grew up in an era of being scared of dire straits because of how dad rock it was. Maybe its because im a dad now, but this was decent. Sultans is still an absolute masterpiece
보컬을 포함한 모든 악기들이 끈적한 느낌?… 컨트리 바이브 안좋아해서 깊게 와닿지 않았다
70’s
Classic 80’s
Sultans is one of the greatest tracks of all time. Unfortunately there's not a lot else here that can reach anywhere near those heights.
Six blade knife is an all timers. I know sultans is in a lot of shit but six blade is better. I picked this vinyl up mainly because of six blade but the whole thing is a grove.
The sultans of swing was the collective noun for Len Houmous’ 21st and 22nd wives. 4.2 6/9 Sultans Of Swing
This isn’t Dire Straits best album (that title belongs to Making Movies imo), or their biggest hit (Brothers In Arms), or their most experimental (Love Over Gold), but it is a calling card. Mark Knopfler is the new gunfighter in town, he’s got skills and they’re all on full display. Fast and effervescent as Hank Marvin, sweet and clean as B.B. King and picking fingers like Chet Atkins. A new guitar god has arrived. If Sultans Of Swing was the only song on this album he still would made his point. 4.3
A classic.
muy bueno. me gusta los instrumentos
What a debut album! Down to the Waterline is a great starting point. The engaging rhythm and backing musician set up Knopfler's fantastic lead guitar to run away with the song. Of course, Sultans of Swing gives this eponymous release its worthy headliner. It's a song that holds its own nearly fifty years later. It's not only the hits that shine here. The quieter Six Blade Knife and Wild West End are showcases for Knopfler's guitar genius.
Plutôt cool mais j’y reviendrai jamais. Je ressors aucun son finalement (à part sultan of swings) 6/10
album
Love it
The opening of this album was some of my favourite sounds we’ve heard yet. The rest i also liked! Sultans of swing a standout
Not my favourite Dire Straits album, but I wish the record to reflect that they’re one of my all-time fave bands (and also Sultans of Swing IS that good).
Sultans of Swing has come up so many times in various "guess the song" type games that I have played over recent months and every time I have thought it sounded familiar but could never guess it. Hopefully that changes now. My only real experience of Dire Straits prior to this was knowing Romeo and Juliet (but specifically the Killers and Lisa Mitchell cover versions) and also that song isn't on this album. I loved the opening of Down to the Waterline (also Sultans of Swing) but apart from that didn't care much for the rest. but it wasn't bad! I also listened to this quite late at night while marking (probably not the intended way to do so)
I got nothing to say. Good guitar playing. Lifeless vocals that don’t match some of the energy.
I've listened to this album a few times recently and then it's popped up on here this morning, no worries, it's an album I love. I still think Sultans was the best song they ever recorded, we were in school when it was released and we fell in love with it. At the time Knopfler's guitar styler was so different to what the other guys were doing. Intricate yet subtle infills responding to the introspective story-telling of the lyrics. They went on to become huge of course, but I still love their roots.
"Need" to hear before I die? Probably not. But nice, none the less. Lovely guitar. Might be more impressive in context.
I didn't realize how much they sounded like late 70s Dylan.
Dad rock - but the very good kind. It’s an incredible record
Not my favourite but a few songs stood out to me!!
Good album. I like their more recent stuff more, but there were some gems on this album that I haven't heard previously that I really liked.
Great album of roots rock with a good mix of different tempos and genres. Mark Knopfler is one of the best guitar players in any genre. Most people don't appreciate all of the subtle notes he gets out of the guitar. He's also underrated as a singer and the lyrics in his songs are good. Sultans of Swing and Down by The Waterside are favorites. A few less good songs though.
Excellent debut album. 5
Dog Leap Stairs mentioned
It’s crazy how much better Sultans of Swing is than the rest of the songs. Which are nothing to write home about. No catchiness, nothing memorable, they just are.
epic greatness.
Great band, great record
Really solid rock. Couple of great songs but the rest blends together a bit too much
Great album , the guitar riffs are just stunning
Not their worst but quite bad. Mindless drivel for the Boomer set.
The dads were right about this one… The range, the ingenuity, the vibesss - 4.6/5 - also excited for this!!! (Apparently roots / blues rock is something I like now?) - Down to the waterline - amazinnggg, surfy adventure vibe - sultans of swing is an ultimate fave for me ever since Alice introduced it to me - Wild West end is a surprise new one for me!!? Slower but doesn’t lose momentum
4 out of 5. This makes me want to drink in a dark but comfortable bar.
an incredible album that immediately relaxes you.
A: Käraste Dire Straits, jag vill tacka er för att ha räddat min tro i att musik verkligen kan vara bra. Varenda ton som mina öron hade turen att höra morferades in i mina blodådror och gav mig ett lite längre och lyckligare liv. Spela igenom detta album på min begravning tack så att jag kan dö lycklig. 5/5 tror inte på gud men tror på Dire Straits. (S-tier) D: Enda mannen som borde få hålla i en gitarr. Enda gången gitarrspel som sådant kan räknas som S-tier musik. Som morfin i mina ådror. Omöjligt att ett album kan bestå av så många bangers i rad. Har de inte förstått att de borde splittra dehär låtarna mellan sju album och fylla resten med slop????? Måst lyssna resten av dem asap. 5/5
70% of the album sounds like the first song and the other 30% sound like Sultan of Swing
Groovy very VERY MUCH 70s vibes,its giving the scooby gang at the beach in their 40s??
Mi sono piaciute molto "down to the waterline" "sultans of swing" (ovviamente) e "wild west end". Una boccata d'aria fresca nel 78 invaso dalla furia del Punk Rock, caratterizzato da distorsione, rabbia e accordi grezzi, i Dire Straits portano l'esatto opposto con un sound pulito, rilassato e arrangiamenti jazz-blues minimali e una tecnica chitarristica sopraffina.
Nice chiller. W Vibe, me like
A masterpiece. Tone on tone on tone. Love it
Some albums take me a few listens to appreciate, but I immediately liked this from the first listen, I’d never heard the album before other than Sultans Of Swing. The guitar interplay with the vocals & drums is simply beautiful with just enough variety from track to track to keep it interesting. That being said upon repeated listens I found it to be a decent album, but not among the greatest. Sultans Of Swing which I would rate a strong 5/5 remains by far the best track here and elevates this album up a level, there are some other memorable tracks for me such as Wild West End, Six Blade Knife & Down To The Waterline which are also pretty good but there’s also a couple of forgettable ones in there too which stop this from being a 5/5 album. FT: Sultans Of Swing Rating: 4/5
What an album, amazing album, even better knowing its a debut album. Sultans of swing might me a top 5 song oat tbh. And all the other songs accompany it very well. Mark Knopfler the musician you are, best guitar i've heard in my life. Wild west song underrated song. And Down to the waterline amazing song to start the album. This is what a 5 star album should be like.
Sólido, muy fácil de escuchar. Sultans of swing obviamente temón mal, pero me esperaba que alguna otra me sorprendería y no, mismo en un momento dije “upa, al fin otra buena buena” y era que había terminado el disco y se me había puesto “brothers in arms” del otro disco. Me quedo a la espera de que toque el otro. A este le pongo un 3,5.
Everyone knows "Sultans of Swing". I've heard it so much that it's hard to appreciate it for its merits, but when I do, I can fully appreciate how good it is. It's regularly listed as one of the Greatest Guitar Solos. No argument here. Mark Knopfler just embodies effortless coolness. His loose talk-singing is just awesome, especially when you listen to what he's doing with the guitar at the same time. I've been underrating his guitar playing for too long. Standout track for me is "Wild West End". I was on a camping trip with my buddy two years ago and he played it for me while we sat around a campfire, drinking beers and smoking a joint. That moment elevated it to my favorite Dire Strait song. Listening to it sober, it's still incredible.
Great instrumentation, not quite at their peak but clearly special.
It's okay I love how chilly and calm this album sounds
Dad rock you can listen to, if you'd like.
I don't know that we needed 2 dire straights albums on this list
I think I might like this more than *Brothers in Arms*, even though the latter was a part of my High School years.
5:5
It sounds like DS are still learning who DS is, and MK is still finding his voice. But the sound is there, and "Sultans of Swing" is as good as any of their songs.
Rate: 8/10
The first band I ever understood to be overrated, but I do like a few tracks here and there, including Sultans of Swing. Knopfler is an incredible guitar player, just the rest of this doesn’t do much for me.
I like Dire Straits quite a bit (Brothers in Arms was the second cassette I ever bought), but listening to them always give me a weird sense of unsatisfaction. (Not dissatisfaction.) Is it the minor keys? The stuck-in-a-semiromantic-place lyrics? Nostalgia for my grade school years? All of the above? Sultans is good, and Wild West End and Lions are unexpected treats. But now I'm sad and I don't know why.
Super chill album. Sultans of Swing is a classic; the rest of the songs on this album have a similar sound. No other tracks stood out to me but I enjoyed this nonetheless. (4)
Oops! All sultans of swing.
Already listened to, one of my favourite albums oat, 8/10, insane first album, fav song Sultans of Swing, closely followed by Wild West End
pretty good
Pretty chill but this feels like an early 70s album when it was actually late 70s
# Album Name: Dire Straits # Artist: Dire Straits # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: What a banger of an album. Top draw. # Top Tunes: Whole album # Would I listen to it again? Yes
10//10 love dire straits
Really loved Mark and Knopfler guitars and John Issley basslines are pretty underrated. A Timeless classic that has his own unique sound, specially if you consider the fact that includes Sultans of Swing which has probably one of the greatest solos ever recorded.
I'm over 50 and grew up listening to Dire Straits so there will be no 'first I ever heard of them' impressions here. Everyone in my generation has had a copy of the 'Brothers in Arms' CD, seen 'Money for nothing' on MTV. I've lost enough to always cry whenever I hear the title track 'Brothers in Arms'. Love the version of it with orchestra performed for the 'Music for Monserrat' concert. So I am very familiar - but also never heard the debut album at the same time (I have Brothers in Arms, I have the Best Of compilation from 1999 titled 'Sultans of Swing'. Now to this album: First track - Down to the Waterline: if you never heard Mark Knopfler/DS before this would you blow you away in 1978. Today it's just a good solid intro track. Nice but we know there's better. Second track - Water of Love: This blew me away, the sound of the guitars and drums. The guitar played is the steel resonator on the later cover picture of Brothers in Arms album that's world famous. the drums are suprisingly just the regular kit with felt and towels or something? Unique sounds that really caught my attention. Third track - Setting Me Up : formulaic and kind of boring to me. Fourth Track - Six Blade Knife: almost losing me here, getting more uninterested. Fifth track - Southbound Again: Wow, loving it. Music is very upbeat and southern USA style r&B but the funny part is the lyrics are from a northern British person hating traveling south, (ie towards London). Smart. This is GOOD. For me who has never had this album this is one of the undiscovered gems along with Water of Love. Sixth track - Sultans of Swing: I have a mp3 folder of the top 300 songs from 1965-2005 according to me, by my choice; this is on i. Also have the best of compilation by the same name, 'nuff said. Seventh track - In the Gallery: Not feeling it. probably better than Six Blade Knife and Setting me up. Eighth track - Wild West End: pretty good, probably 5th best track on this album. Another gem discovered, though not as good as the other top tracks. Ninth track - Lions: Smooth. Good but no hook. Enjoyable but nothing for the brain to figure out.
I am a huge fan of Mark Knopfler’s guitar playing and Dire Straits at their best is a great band. This is not Dire Straits at their best. “Sultans of Swing” and “Down to the Waterline” are, of course, stand outs that rival anything in their catalogue but generally these songs tend to be meandering while Knopfler finds his footing aw a songwriter.
Amazing album.
This definitely has the Dire Straits sounds even though it is not as popular album as the Brothers in Arms. I liked it but the sound is quite repetitive and it does not have as many hits as the previously mentioned album.
It was definitely enjoyable.
Enjoyed Down to the Waterline and Sultans of Swing (obviously). Feels jam-band-y which I don't super like.
Classic
Absolutely incredible album from Dire Straits and likely one of the best debut albums for a band of all time. Throughout the grooves and guitar licks Mark Knopfler completely runs free through all things fast and slow. Each song feels uniquely different to one another and thematic - it feels like a soundtrack I'd imagine cowboys would ride home to. Sultans of Swing? Do I need to say anymore???
I enjoyed this album quite a bit. The guitar is laid back and the groove on each song is pleasant. This is a great album to cruise around to.
Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Near Perfect - Down To The Waterline is incredible. The vibe that is created is very unique with the dry, smoky guitar that perfectly snakes around the solid grooves. Water Of Love and Six Blade Knife are also fantastic. The great songs don't let up and the album maintains a fantastic standard throughout. Dire Straits got it right first time, they never again made an album this good.
shit blues
Good solid album that I enjoyed
This is run of the mill white people music. Not bad not good. Real cool country elements. But nothing really stood out. Highlights: Sultans of Swing
I knew as soon as "Down to the waterline" started that "Sultans of Swing" was on its way. Brilliant album.