Reviews (page 4 of 15)
guy says pavarotti incredible...i say check out markiplier six blade knife...world class vocals...perfect voices.. kultainen kitaranäpytys, midaasin kirous... kaikki soinnut mitä tekee kitaralla muuttuu kullaksi heh... Dire Straits has a way of making the guitar interact with the vocals that is really unique. BLUD SANOI DIRE STRAITS... YKSI HENKILÖ TUOSSA KYSEEESSÄÄ... FATHER KNOPFLER... in the gallery...kuulemma paskin...ei...paras....objectivity saavutettu...
Top 2
Always a pleasure
I already love it
this album is good
Chef's kiss. Perfect.
great debut album from one of the greatest bands.
Great
Knopfler's guitar blends perfectly with the vocals, classic blues rock album and such a strong debut album. Arguably one of the best guitar solos on sultans of swing but this album is much more than that.
Fantastic debut album! Great song writing, musicianship, and production. This album sounds gorgeous.
Very enjoyable just pushes a 5, upbeat but also contemplative Rock album
Great album, mellow vibes, overall one you can play start to finish with no skips
Dire Straits doet het altijd goed bij mij. Mark Knoflook mompelt wat in de microfoon, gooit er vervolgens een paar gitaarnootjes in, mompelt verder, weer wat gepiel op de gitaar, etc etc. Misschien een beproefd recept in de bluesrock, maar Knopfler perfectioneert het. Ik denk dat ik latere albums nog een tandje beter vindt, maar je weet in deze snoblijst nooit of die albums er ook in staan. Want debuutalbums zijn heilig. Dus ik geef maar alvast 5 sterren voor het hele oeuvre, dan zijn die alvast gegeven.
"Sultans of Swing" obviously the best, most popular song on the album but having heard the rest of the album, you can get a good feel for the overall sound of the band and why Sultans sounds the way it does. The band really knows how to compliment the instrument to the vocals so easily. Fantastic album, loved it. 9/10.
Dylanesque lyrics with some fantastic guitar playing. I’m always happy to be pandered to. “Wild West End” stands out as my favorite.
i’d avoided this album in the past because i didn’t love sultans of swing — man was i wrong. this is great; great guitars and very dylan lyrics and tone. really fun listen, and i ended up enjoying SoS when it came up!
This is a great sounding album. A high level of smoothness and exquisite production of guitar and drums and vocals all in good quantity. This album has good grooves and sounded fantastic on my hifi. Every track is a good listen. Surprisingly only one ‘hit’ with Sultans of Swing. But I enjoyed it all. 4.7/5.
Just slaps from start to finish
Probably one of the greatest debut albums I’ve heard so far! I didn’t realize that Sultans of Swing was this early into their career either. This album is so much better than the acclaimed Brothers in Arms. Listen again: yes Purchase for my collection: yes Favourite Song: Water of Love (Cream vibes!)
Is this the best album in the world? No. Does it contain the best guitar solo in the world? Yes.
One of my favorites
I grew up with this, my dad was a big fan. And you know, it rubbed off on me. Lots of good songs here with great guitar play.
Album 25 of 1001 Dire Straits - Dire Straits Favorite Track : Sultans of Swing Rating : 5 / 5 Each song is like a visit from an old friend. What is not to like about this album? Solid listen all the way through and includes one my all time favorite songs. Always a pleasure.
A pretty amazing album. The guitar work is special... it has so many soulful flourishes that continually make the music more expressive and integration. Every track is strong, with Sultans of Swing being an all time great. Can listen to this over and over.
Primeiro álbum da icônica banda, ja temos o clássico sultans of swing, e o começo de uns dos melhores tons de guitarra imortalizado por Mark.
Where has this album been all my life? Stunning mixture of rock, blues, country, swing, probably countless other genres I'm forgetting right now. A pleasure to listen to. Loved all tracks, but In the Gallery is what pushed it to a 5 for me
Classique 5 sur 5 , les c9mpisitons la guitare et la voix de knopfler sont vraiment deja a point t annonce ce qui s’en vient. Un album incontournable et pourtant, meme pas le meilleur de dire straits.
I was surprised how much I loved this Immaculately arranged and produced
An absolute classic and a debut album to boot. It introduces the Dire Straits signature sound of smooth jazz infused rock. It's just an amazing record.
Love this album. Down to the Waterline and Sultans of Swing fav songs
As far as easy listening classic rock goes, it doesn't get much better. I could easily let this play and enjoy each of the nine songs—much more than just the Sultans of Swing. Excellent road trip soundtrack.
Only Mark Knopfler can sould like this <3
A good friend of mine once said to me If music could have a texture this album would be smooth. True dat! In the middle of the Disco craze this album dared to feature bluesy sounds, glorious guitar work and licks that make you feel chill as balls.
Smooth.
I love love love dire straits, we've got to install microwave ovens, custom kitchen deliveries, we've got to move these refrigerators, we've got to move these colour tvs
это прекрасно, восхитительно и великолепно. вкуснейшая музыка, одни гитарные соло чего стоят. хочется переслушивать.
Удивительный дебютный альбом Супер роковое кантри с сочнейшим басом Алкоальбом: темная пинта стаута
I really like this album. Although the singing is quite simple, it does a great job at contrasting the really complex music behind it. Really great songs to bop your head to. 5/5 Favorite song: Sultans of Swing (duh) Worst song: Wild West End
My go to evening rock record. Love it. 5
Whenever you hear Dire Straits - Mark Knopfler's unmistakable voice, along with the classic lyrics and backing musical arrangements make for some fantastic tunes. This album was such a treat to listen to - hit after hit. Loved it.
Very hard listen without dancing
yes.
Great just for Sultans
‘Saltans of Swing’ reminds me of my Dad. Big fan he was and taught me this solo 🤘
Wonderful. Hard to believe it was their debut album - it sounds so fully realised and polished.
Three words: Sultans of Swing. That's all you need to know.
Classic. Nothing more to say.
LOVE this album. so much
Excellent
The best album i heard…
Another fun listen from an album I hadn't heard
Every album has that groovy rock and roll twang that Dire Straits perfected
Dire Straits, enough said
awesome!
Another boss debut album. Communique got criticised for being too similar which is ridiculous. 'What a great album, better not make another one with a similar sound'.
Top album. Water of Love, Sixblade Knife, and Wild West End are some of the least mainstream yet most slammin' Knopfler tunes. Sultans of Swing is worn out from the radio burning it down, but a great tune. I remember way back in the day having one hell of a love affair with a gorgeous woman whose favorite tune was Wild West End. Ha! That one conjures some memories! I'm a pretty unabashed Dire Straits song. The guitar alchemy of it all.
Love the guitar. One familiar song on the album. Over all the album is great.
Loved the first 80% of it. After the famous Sultans of Swing the rest felt like it lacked that special something so I was hesitating to give it full rating. But looking back at the album makes me smile. What a lovely record with unique feeling.
an album from my childhood i completely forgot about, so glad i rediscovered it through here! extra points for nostalgia obvi
Love it. Mark Knopfler's guitar playing is just sublime. The whole comes together as a smooth, easy listen. 5 stars without a doubt.
Kuulemattomia biisejä! Kitara böngähtää aina kivasti!
i love dire straits. i love this album. 10/10 mark knopfler is p dang cool.
Substantial chops plus an understated vibe as the antidote to the chaos of disco and punk. There’s a modesty that underscores the quality, the restrained and refined licks a new brand of non-show-offy guitar heroics. The record has a vaguely cry-from-the-wilderness feel. One gets the feeling that this band kept its head down, avoiding all the noise around it, just doing its thing, and doing it at an extremely high level. "Wild West End" is a personal all-time favorite, and "Lions" and "In the Gallery" are seriously underrated, bookending "Down to the Waterline" and "Water of Love" in terms of intrigue and listenability. "Sultans" is fine, but barely a top five on this excellent sert. And much better was still to come – namely, Making Movies and Love Over Gold, egregious and utterly inexplicable exclusions to this list. Bonus points for the cool and arty cover photo, which the headbands-cum-wristbands-cum-wife-beater look (speaking of egregious) would rather unfortunately cancel out.
Onko nää kaikki näin saakelin hyviä? Mahtava tunnelma. Sopivan lyhyessä ajassa (9 biisiä n. 40 min.) ei ehdi tulla huteja. Miten voi kitara kuulostaakkin näin hyvältä? Uskoisin että yksittäiset biisit kuulostaa paremmilta juurikin levynä putkeen kuunneltuna. Paras biisi: Sultans of swing tietty, erityismaininta down to the waterline Huonoin biisi: Six blade knife? En kyl oikeesti tiiä minkä valita koska tää levy vaan toimii saakeli.
I remember hearing Bob Hudson play Sultans Of Swing on 2JJ one afternoon in 1978 & thinking that it would be big. The album was even better. Not sure how much the production of Muff Winwood (Stevie’s bro) had to do with it but the flow from track to track is terrific. There are the moody songs (In The Gallery),the rocky tunes (Setting Me Up is pure rockabilly) and, let’s face it, the ones that sound so much like J.J.Cale, it ain’t funny (Southbound Again). It’s all about Mark Knopfler’s laid-back vocals & distinctive guitar sound. From then on you could always identify his sound. Within a year Dylan employed him to play lead on the Slow Train Coming album. I hadn’t played this for quite a while, but thoroughly enjoyed it. A great album.
One of those perfect and classic albums from an iconic group and even more iconic guitar player. The whole JJ Cale roots rock style paired with Knopfler’s amazing guitar work make this such an enjoyable listen. Underrated is also the lyricism.
There's just something very cool and chill about the Dire Straits sound. Absolutely love Mark's relaxed, almost deinterested singing style and how the guitar howls just perfectly every time, not too much, never too little, just perfect!
When that guitar kicks in, the first song. Chefskiss
Great album. One of the underrated bands of the era. I believe this album would fit in today's scene with its masterful guitar work and hints of modern alternative rock.
Yes. 4.6
Very nice guitar work.
Great time listing to this one
Always loved this one. Sultans of Swing is one of my all time favorites.
Vidste godt at Dire Straits er gode, meeen skal til at høre mere. Deres bedste album.
Great album
Classicly good.
Nobody plays guitar like MK
Transcendental guitar rock, excellent album 9/10
A true classic!
Sultans of the swing ❤️
Such a good album. Knopfler is so underrated.
Easy 5 ;) Liking the laidback feel. Played a lot in my early days, still like it, nice to hear again. Same for communique probably or maybe i should say all albums up to alchemy ...
This is not "Making Movies" which is one of the best albums ever made (and presumably included on the list as well) but still easily 5 star of course (just like Love Over Gold and Brothers in Arms).
Totally unique, changed music forever.
discon con willy de reves
I think we all agree that Dire Straits' music is basically magic, so I won't try to come up with a new way to describe it.
Awesome!
Already knew and enjoyed "Sultans of Swing." Loved listening to the whole album. My kind of classic rock Summer jam.
Un clásico con temas muy británicos
Amazing debut album with rock heavily influenced by blues.
Fantastic album, one of their best.
Very pleasant classic, soft rock. Wikipedia calls it blues rock or pub rock. Enjoyable album.
Hi- Down to the Waterline, Water of Love, Sultans of Swing What I like most about Dire Straits is that it's like Bob Dylan, but good. All kidding aside, the smooth, effortless vocals and masterful guitar plucking of Mark Knopfler, is precise and old-school, which lends to the classic timelessness of Dire Straits.
So good - really fun album
Wonderful guitar!
Excellent…one of there best
Didn't even need to listen
The Dire Straits are the right amount of smooth and cool. Not too smooth, not too cool. They are situated in the 80's, for sure, but their music has a timeless quality to it that makes it feel fresh. I also love how they don't play on any southern rock or 80's pop "troupes," but rather have a sound in and of themselves.
This debut album is awesome!
Knopfler's finger pickin is one of the sweetest tones I've ever heard. While not my favorite Dire Straits album it does have Setting me up and Sultans of Swing the latter having perhaps the greatest the solo of all time. Though I prefer the solo on the live version on Alchemy, just insane.
solid af for a debut album definitely gave off heavy Bob Dylan vibes but with a lot of fast guitar picking which sounded really cool I think i’ll give this album a 9/10 but my favorite album of theirs is still Brothers In Arms
I have never tired of Sultans of Swing, it’s a perfect song with one of the best guitar solos of all time and Knopfler’s vocals maybe don’t get enough credit on that song. But this whole album is pretty damn fine, too. The buzzing dobro on the moody Water of Love and pretty much all of the guitar picking on every other song is great.
Magic one!
I always read people banging on about Dire Straits and how amazing they actually are but I'm only really familiar with them through the later stuff that has been played to death. (Except for The Sultans of Swing off this album, which I did rate but assumed was just an anomaly.) I ignorantly thought I was familiar enough with them and just didn't get it the same way as all those people who banged on about them... but this album has proven me utterly completely wrong. This is astonishingly good. Might pop off and buy this now.
pretty cool
Ótimo, perfeito, maravilhoso
Every song just slaps
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.
Just a trumpet playing band. Love this album. Good guitar and vocal blending. Not a bad song on it, plus Sultans of Swing. 5
Top tier
Loved it!
OH yea!
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.
Excellent.
Love the grooviness.
Didn’t realize these guys sang Sultans of Swing which I’ve definitely heard before.
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.
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
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!
Classic......waterline gallery sultans ...etc
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.
wtf this surprised me, really hit the spot
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
This is a certified classic. Album is gewoon een ✨vibe✨
Ohhhh yeah baby. So good.
Dire fucking Straits man
One of my top #5 albums
One of my favorite debut albums. Great tracks all the way through. And, of course, Sultans. Amazing. Knopfler is an animal.
Upbeat album for a down day.
Every track is a good one. Even better than I remembered.
Class album
Het blijft een sterke groep.
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.
nice and bluesy
nivélazo. a real rythem guitar!
A great album.
A great album.
Beautiful, clean, classic Knopfler playing. Songs grove. Some great, classic DS tunes including Sultans.
Terrific
Very nice tunes, with a lot of roles that sound like jazz (to me)
Loved it. I don’t understand why they weren’t so widely regarded in the US from this album. Excellent.
Excellent album
Incredible
great album. nice vibe through and through.
Amazing classic rock album
One of the best albums ever.
Freaking awesome
Det skønt
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.
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.
I always enjoy this album.
a solid album, but got bored.
Love Dire Straits. Sultans of Swing is a stone-cold classic.
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
'On Every Street', is better.
I only really knew Brothers in Arms bu this was pretty good
Está bueno, pero prefiero el otro disco donde sale Money for Nothing
Very nice album!
I’d listen to these guys all day long
Knoppfler is amazing. Great cohesive band.
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
4 - great album
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.
Loved this one, Second half is amazing.
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
Outstanding
Great opening song. I like the vibes.
8/10
nice
Better than expected! Simple sounds but effective songwriting. First half of the album is excellent.
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!
Not bad dont love the country ish vibes
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.
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
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.
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
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).
Dad rock - but the very good kind. It’s an incredible record
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.
Dog Leap Stairs mentioned
4 out of 5. This makes me want to drink in a dark but comfortable bar.
an incredible album that immediately relaxes you.
Groovy very VERY MUCH 70s vibes,its giving the scooby gang at the beach in their 40s??
Nice chiller. W Vibe, me like
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
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
I think I might like this more than *Brothers in Arms*, even though the latter was a part of my High School years.
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
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)
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.
Classic
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.
Very groovy, perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon. I really liked Wild West End. A little long for me to put anything in heavy rotation, but I really enjoyed this. 3.5/5.
smooth, easy listening, interesting, groovy, bluesy-rock guitar licks and "cool guy storytelling".
Damn, Mark really sounds like Bob Dylan sometimes. Like, a lot. There's a lot of interesting guitar work and lyrics. Could use some dynamics or some more high points.
Good ole dad rock. Love the style. Great guitar work and mellow sounds.
Sultans of Swing could solo most other albums on this list
Calm und cool, nice work.
One of those bands that arrived fully formed. It's a very impressive debut and they then did go on to do even greater things (Love Over Gold is their masterpiece), but all the same this is a really enjoyable album. Sultans of Swing obviously the famous track (deservedly so), but the rest of the album is of a similar grade, if a bit more low key. It's just fabulous musicianship and tight as a drum. Fabulous recording as well (all DS albums are). Hi-fi demo stuff. Solid 4.
cowboy vibe
bloody fantastic. sounded in parts like a better version of JM's the church with one bell
Dire Straitsin omaleimainen tyyli kuuluu vahvasti jo yhtyeen esikoislevyllä. Mark Knopflerin käheä ääni ja rautalankatyylinen kitarointi ovat vahvasti läsnä. En kuitenkaan ole varma onko tämä kyseinen levy välttämättä paras valinta tälle listalle. Biiseistä Sultans of Swing nousee kevyesti ylitse muiden, mutta mukaan mahtuu muutama vähän tylsempi raita. Kokonaisuus jää kuitenkin vahvasti plussan puolelle ja yhtyeen myöhempi megahittilevy Brothers in Arms tullaan vielä kuulemaan tämän haasteen aikana.
Such a distinctive guitar sound, enjoyed this. Only really knew Sultans of Swing beforehand which is the obvious standout
I can hear some pretty strong influences in this album like JJ Cale & ZZ Top. It’s a solid album.
Not as familiar with this album as I thought I was, but I had a great time with it. Pretty amazing for a debut.
A great answer to the question "what if a Brit tried his hardest to sound like Dylan and played blues rock?". Even on this debut album Mark Knopfler was already earning his rep as a guitar legend. Good stuff. 8.5/10.
8.5/10 Every once in a while I randomly get surprised by a debut album. Sultans of Swing is such a damn good track.
This was a very good album. The whole time I kept thinking that it sounded like something made today. Production wasn't "in the way," but it definitely helped this album sound as fresh as it did.
⭐⭐⭐⭐- Gediget och imponerande debutalbum. Inte mitt favoritalbum av bandet men jag har lärt mig uppskatta det. Kanske skulle funnits några fler spår som sticker ut lite mer men samtidigt är det jämnt utan sänken så det blir en svag 4a. Bäst är Down to the waterline, Sultans of swing, Wild west end
Solo por Sultans of Swing está guapisimo. El resto del disco mola también mucho, así relativamente chill
It was a good country music band. i would listen to them during long car rides...
I actually already knew this album but, I only knew of sultans of swing. An annoying part of this album is that the guitar is very repetitive. It repeats a lot of the same licks and rhythmic qualities. Overall this is actually a really great album! I’ll definitely come back to it! I’d recommend Down to the waterline, Setting me up, Six blade knife, Southbound again, In the gallery, Wild west end and Lions.
Monday, 22 June, 2026 Mark Knopfler! Side 1 is excellent. His guitar work is captivating. Side 2 is good. Obviously “Sultans of Swing” is an amazing track. The rest of the side is good, not great. One song: “Wild West End” would be great if it had more lyrics.
You know, I liked this more than I expected. I thought it would be much country-er for some reason. Also, I had heard the song title Sultans of Swing before and assumed it was, you know, a swing song, so I never pieced together that it was THAT song that I had apparently heard and enjoyed before.
Mark Knopfler, thank you for Wild West End.
Super catchy and a little wild
Solid 4.0. Álbum bem agradável.
Dire Straits is a band I’ve overlooked beyond the hits but I’m inspired to dive deeper after liking this album front to back.
Only knew Sultans of Swing going into this, which I love. The rest of the album was really great too. Not a single stand-out besides the aforementioned, but it was really solid front to back.
i have a memory of listening to sultans of swing with my pops so i was excited for dire straits to be my first album of this project!!! this is a crazy debut album. very pleasant listening experience, especially for the fleetwood mac enjoyers.
I really like the Dire Straits, and Mark Knopfler is a guitar genius. However, their albums are not as good as some of their individual songs. Sultans of Swing is great. The rest of the album is just ok.
While Making Movies was the best album by Dire Straits, and Brothers in Arms was the most popular, this one started it off in style with Sultans of Swing being a big breakout hit. That said, the whole album is laid back cool.
The wild West End - Great. Really like the vibe of this song, on first listen this is the standout. Obviously sultans of swing is a classic, nothing new to add here
I like Dire Straits but was surprised at how fresh this sounds
Solid album. Not my favorite type of music, but recognizable, enjoyable, and chill.
Fantastic time. I'm not sure I'd have Dire Straits on my regular rotation but it's always a good time when it's on. Of all the "dad rock" albums I've listened to on this list so far, Dire Straits can hang the most.
3.5
While listening to this, I didn't connect much with any of the songs (except "Sultans of Swing", but more out of familiarity). And yet, after listening, I still feel like I can't rate it any less than a 4. I did appreciate the understated sound of it all...nothing overly flashy other than Mark Knopflers playing. It had to be a different sound when it came out in 1978. Maybe not quite my thing, but highly respected.
Was already a fan of Dire Straits (Brothers in Arms) and this is only to confirm it!
나른허다 베스트: Wild West End
Whilst not there peak. The debut DT shows the band exiting the oven fully formed with their signature soft rock sound. Great
chill
Fireeee. Got to always appreciate Knopfler. Really beautiful album and perfectly crafted. Have my preferred songs on the album.
Another album ive listen to many times. Tbh it doesnt grab me like it used to years ago, but I still very much like it. The first two songs and Sults are by far the best ones. Knoppfler is just reslly good at making his guitar sing. I think this is a 4.5 but im rounding down to 4 for this one.
I liked it. I like Dire Straits, although this album wasn't super WOW, I think Sultans of Swing is the best song on it tbh. Other songs were mostly slower & I think their faster songs sound better
nutty guitar
Primera vez escuchando un disco entero de los Dire. Good enough!
Knopfler's warm rangy guitar tone and his low key smoky thrum of a voice, the band's relaxed country pub choogle, and the lyrical solos. Solidly enjoyable.
Who could hate this album?
Here’s a short personal review based on your notes: Dire Straits’ self-titled debut was a real surprise for me. I’d heard Brothers in Arms before and thought it was good, but this album connected with me much more. Right from “Down to the Waterline,” the bluesy groove and incredible guitar work grabbed my attention, and songs like “Water of Love” and “Six Blade Knife” kept that laid-back, easy-listening vibe going. The whole album feels perfect for a summer evening, whether you’re sitting outside or taking a walk. What stood out most was how authentic the band sounds. At a time when so much music was moving toward punk, disco, or arena rock, Dire Straits carved out their own space with a blend of British blues, roots rock, and country influences. Mark Knopfler’s voice often reminded me of Bob Dylan, while the music brought to mind bands like Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles without ever feeling derivative. The songs are tightly written, never overstaying their welcome, and the guitar playing is consistently outstanding. “Sultans of Swing” remains my favourite Dire Straits song and the clear highlight of the album. Its storytelling, atmosphere, and legendary guitar solo make it a track I can listen to over and over again. While a couple of songs on the second half didn’t hit me quite as hard as the early standouts, there wasn’t anything I’d skip. Overall, I enjoyed Dire Straits more than Brothers in Arms and think it’s the stronger album from start to finish. It’s a cool, bluesy, groovy collection of songs and an impressive debut that I’ll definitely be revisiting, and probably adding to my vinyl collection someday. 8/10
Not their best, but a good start.
An interesting album , plenty of variety. The vocal is a bit too Dylanesque at times but overall a solid debut.
Preferite: Down to the Waterline Sultan Of Swings Lions
Sultans of swing? I'm in!
Very nice very good
album de estreia LINDO. é o album de música de pai mais legal de todos!!!!
Feels like an album I would listen to vibing on my yacht when I retire while I sip a cold white claw or maybe something more classy. Besides Sultans of Swing, these are all new to me. A lot of them have pretty much the same sound which is not an issue(it feels very connected). Didn’t realize how deep each song was until I actually took a second to listen to the lyrics
um álbum que com certeza meus pais ouviram e eu dou um belíssimo 4, mas queria dar 4.5 na verdade
It’s never been cool to like Dire Straits. “It ain’t what they call rock n roll.” But Mark Knopfler’s guitar is peerless. Sultans is the outstanding track, of course, with some vocals to set up the guitar solos.
A great debut. Love the guitar work and mostly laid back vibe. I do prefer Brothers in Arms.
300526 13:27 4.5
I liked this one a lot and feel bad I never really explored this band when I was younger. The guitar work is varied and interesting and several songs were favorited. Not yet as catchy to me as Brothers but deserving of at least a 4. I will be back for me. 4/5
de genre ‘soft rock’ komt van deze band denk ik
erg goed, minder goed dan verwacht tho
Set my expectations too high for this - found it too repetitive, but can't fault Knopfler with a guitar.
Not mu fave by them but not bad at all
Nice album, and nice recording with lots of dynamic range
I enjoyed this
I cannot unhear this album being described as pub rock 3-4
Preface: I love sultans of swing so much that been afraid to ever listen to any other DS beyond their few radio hits. It’s just so perfectly atmospheric with the stratiest guitar tone ever recorded. Guess this is what I’ve signed up for though. Pretty terrific the first song is sonically a prequel to sultans, mark flexes on the acoustic too, and there’s a snappy little rave up reminiscent of Christian era Bob. The last song is a snooze fest though.
Album #160 Dire Straits: Dire Straits Despite my musical background being almost entirely classic rock, growing up, I never fully took to Dire Straits. In some way, they are really the last ‘true’ classic rock band; generally, the classic rock sound is that of the 70s, with bands like Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, and Pink Floyd being go-to examples. You also have remnants from the 60s, such as The Who and The Stones, who were a little more rocking than their poppier contemporaries (Beach Boys, Beatles). As far as 80s bands being classic rock, you have the early 80s arena rock bands like Journey and REO Speedwagon, and the late 80s hair metal bands like Bon Jovi and Guns N ' Roses; however, both of those scenes are distinctly 80s, which means that they have a level of gloss to them which prevents them from sounding ‘classic’. Dire Straits' debut came out right at the end of the 70s, whereas most other British bands had already pivoted to punk, and even moved on from that to post-punk; Dire Straits were holding down the fort with a roots rock debut. Mark Knopfler, much like many other British rock stars, grew up idolizing American rock and roll; this reflects so much in his debut that many people, until this day, still think they are American; and lyrical references such as ‘London town’ are just faux pas. Dire Straits were the last holdouts of a fading sound, yet they proved just how commercially successful it could be, becoming arguably the biggest band in the world in the early 80s. And despite all of this, I never gave them the time of day, outside of a few select tunes. That was, until last year, when I started to really delve into their catalogue. My desire to dig deeper came after hearing some songs from their album ‘Making Movies,’ which had previously gone under my radar. Considering how big a fan of Bruce Springsteen I am, hearing that they recruited the keyboardist from the E Street Band for the album piqued my interest. It didn’t take long for Making Movies to become an all-time favourite album of mine, and soon after, Dire Straits became an all-time favourite band. Their debut is probably their most critically beloved, and I can certainly see why. I’m surprised I made it this long without referencing Mark Knopfler’s guitar credentials, but that really is the star of the show here. This is by far one of the greatest guitar albums of all time, and if you have any sort of appreciation for the instrument, you will find something to enjoy here. Knopfler would be amongst my five favourite guitarists, as he has something which so many lack with their playing, which is identity. His playing feels so alive and oozes with character, which results in every Dire Straits song feeling so unique, and in my opinion, their strongest attribute is cinematic. This album feels like a series of Western movies unfolding into your ears, packed with action, suspense, and climax. Though personally I prefer the high auxiliary love affair of a Making Movies, I can certainly find the time of day to sit back and revel in the slow burn drama which is Dire Straits' self-titled. Also, I figured it went without saying, but Sultans of Swing is probably their masterpiece, and honestly, just one of the greatest songs ever written. No other song has ever painted a more vivid picture in my head, or dripped with as much swagger. One of the finest debuts of all-time, and though for many the peak of Dire Straits' career, for me it only gets better from here. Best Songs: Sultans of Swing, Down to the Waterline, Lions Worst Song: Water of Love Score out of 10: 9
listened to "down to the waterline", "water of love", "setting me up", "six blade knife" (i love this one), "Southbound Again" (<3), "Sultans of swing", "In the Gallery", "Wild West End" (<3)
Classic.
One of my dad’s favorite albums. And I see why. The instruments and vocals are designed for maximum pique and noir flavor. Other than the obvious, which my dad showed me at a young age, I really liked six blade knife. Some songs made me think of Tom Waits and his growlier songs, which is a high compliment.
Cosy and safe, like a woolly jumper on a winter day
got me dancing in the kitchen
Sad that you had to turn into a vampire, Straits! I felt like I was listening to a cowboy sing, so it was good to listen to in the background. As a whole I give it a dire straight 8.5/10
A slower burn but I do enjoy.
Sultans of swing one of the best songs all time sure album not bad but sos way abow the album class Second best i think "in the gallery" 4/5
Undeniably one of the all time great guitarists with an all-time Sultans of Swing. Even when the songs aren't great, slowhand is.
A great album and a perfect debut for the group. Not my favorite band, but they really know how to play those instruments. Good stuff.
3,9 1. "Sultans of Swing" 2. "Down to the Waterline" 3. "In the Gallery"
Man, I am surprised by this album. Sorry, but I have always dismissed Dire Straits. Sultans of Swing makes me think of overweight men with pot bellies, wearing Bermuda shorts, flip flops, wife beaters and/ or Hawaiian shirts, beers in hand, half heartedly tending the bbq. Thanks… I‘ll pass. But there was so much more here than that! Those two opening tracks were so well placed one after the other. And Six Blade Knife… yeah, I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed this album. It really didn’t have any dead spots. I even appreciated Sultans positioned in its full context.