Reviews (page 4 of 14)
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
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.
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.
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
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)
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.
Også cool.
Extraordinaria habilidad con la guitarra, sonido suave que me recuerda al country y el blues. Dota además de una percusión distintiva, diría que inusual.
Overall enjoyed this one. The highs were VERY high. The rest was pretty mid, but not bad. I did enjoy the honky tonk vibes on Setting Me Up and overall bluesiness of the guitar solos on everything.
Is Mark Knopfler copying BB King, or is his guitar sound an homage? I suppose it could be both, either way, the music is heavenly and heavy at the same time. I’ve always thought Knopfler was one of the most underrated guitarists, but listening critically to his music, I hear King’s influence. Although the vocals are weak, the songwriting and excellent guitar work more than make up for it. 4 stars
i liked it. fell asleep while listening tho lolz
Sultans of Swing. Waterline. Perfect.
As far as I’m concerned, Dire Straits are the ultimate in Dad music since I spent many a car journey growing up with the likes of Dire Straits playing. Sultans of Swing is an absolute all timer but I don’t specifically remember this album, perhaps we just had other albums and maybe even a greatest hits in the car. In any case, this is damn good; I’m not surprised at the quality of the guitar playing given what I know about Mark Knopfler, but I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the album as a whole because I wondered if this might be all about the one very famous song here.
Decent
Great Debut, fresh sounds, but they have better records
Favorite Track: Sultans of Swing
groovy
This album sounds plessant and relaxing, but it is not realy my type of music. I am not a big fan of country, but the guitar sounds realy good.
Brothers in Arms is the only Dire Straits album I know, but I know it very well and love it. I have enjoyed nearly everything I have heard involving Mark Knopfler (including his work with Dylan,) but I was never interested in exploring any more of it for whatever reason. I of course know "Sultans of Swing" and I vaguely seem to recall that I knew it was on their debut. This sounds VERY much to me like Dylan's stuff from the same period, which isn't surprising. I really enjoyed this and struggled between 3 or 4 stars. I've given a lot of albums "3.9"s that couldn't quite clear my self-constructed 4-star threshold. Maybe I'm just feeling generous today, but this is a really good album, especially for a debut.
Already listened to it. Classic.
I love that while the punk scene was in full swing, Dire Straits seemingly came out of nowhere, fully formed, with this record. They're one of those bands that sound like nothing before or since but for some reason, I still have them filed under 'Guilty Pleasures'. I really don't know why - I'm not trying to impress anyone, but there's just something about my enjoyment of them that I'd prefer to keep quiet. In fact, if anything, they probably deserve a bit more credit than they get - I'm pretty certain they could have reformed, toured the world, and pocketed mega-billions but they never have. They walked away at the height of their powers on good terms and left their work to fend for itself, displaying a level of integrity missing from so many other big bands. They've always been a bit of a 'dad band', but there's a comfort to their sound, and I don't care what anyone says, Sultans of Swing is a wonderful track and I could listen to it endlessly. I REALLY enjoyed listening to this album. There, I said it. (These reviews are anonymous, yeah?)
Some great tunes - need to get back to this record in the future 8/10 Will I add this album to my library? yes
Some great songs. Will probably return to this album myself
Down to the Waterline is kinda giving Disraeli Gears (by Cream), but more awake and aware. Water of Love: I can picture myself when my dad, brother and I drove down ohio and oklahoma. Yeah this album is giving very much Disraeli Gears, but a bit more country or something.
Love his voice, and the instrumentals are very enjoyable. Occasionally a bit overly simple.
ok dire of saints is very cool, pretty 70s i like the vibe a lot.
Day 33 — Dire Straits — Dire Straits (1978) Listened: April 29–May 2, 2026 Genre: Blues Rock / Pub Rock / Classic Rock Vibe: Relaxed and confident blues-driven rock with a quiet snarl — Knopfler's fingerpicked guitar does more with less than almost anyone. Highlights: • Water of Love • Setting Me Up • Six Blade Knife ★ Sultans of Swing • In the Gallery • Lions Impression: Enjoyed it from top to bottom. Only knew Sultans of Swing before this and the rest of the album makes complete sense around it. Great background music with enough groove and chill energy to work or clean to. Knopfler's guitar musicianship is the whole story. Rating: 3.7/5 Keep songs? Yes Revisit album? Yes
Этот альбом - просто эталонный пример той самой "музыки чтобы ехать" и было отлично послушать его пока я ехал и смотрел в окно. Чилловый кантри-рок, без напряга и переусложнений, но с приятными мелодичными мотивами. Так и надо.
Nice to listen
amazing that they named a band after the jojo's character in pt 2
Good album
A lot of very funky guitar that I loved
Ahead of their time. Mark was awesome and the whole production great.
Dire Straits oli juuri sitä lääkäri määräsi. Entuudestaan yksi tuttu kappale, mutta loput uppos kuitenki oikein hyvin.
It's easy to see why Sultans of Swing is the song on this that really did something, but it's probably not the strongest one here. There's a nice groove to a few of these tunes, but the more Mark and the Straits actually let the drummer relax and all just reeeaaaaaally take it easy the better they sound! Solid 4*
me sentí un vaquero caminando por la calle
Low 4 Good this. Nice to hear someone like bob dylan as much as me.
lou reed vibes, i love. not a perfect album but really great.
9/10 - The album is so lush and deep. It grows on you with every listen Fav Tracks: Wild West End, Sultans of Swing Heard before? ---–- ❌ Saved a Song? ----- ✅ Saved Album? --–-- ✅ Will Listen Again? -- ✅
Sounded good! Did not make a big impression 😔
I partially listened to this album as I drove home from the grocery store, and I finished it as I was in the shower. I had been expecting a more punk-leaning sound from this album based solely on the name, but I was immediately proven wrong by the sudden appearance of some classic muddy guitar plucks and strings. With some incredibly rhythmic percussion to bob my head along too and catchy, danceable rhythms, this album ended up feeling a lot more fun than I ever would have guessed. The dark and foggy vocals served as a perfect complement to the dingey, blues-inspired vibe of the music, to the point that it took me a second to realize they were British. The longer the album went on, the more it started to sound less authentic and more like an act, but that's not inherently a knock against it. This blend between camp and authenticity keeps the album fresh from one song to the next, and both tones serve the album very well. I have found myself more and more throughout this project to be a sucker for bluesy classic rock, and that continues to be true when it comes to Dire Straits. Highlights: Down To The Waterline, Water Of Love, Setting Me Up, Six Blade Knife, Sultans Of Swing, Wild West End
An album for driving on an open road in the west, windows down, hair blowing in the wind. Love!
slow sunny morning or road trip vibe; also good as background music
Really liked this Album. Mark and David Knopfler just know how Create good melodies. But sometimes Mark Knopfler sounds like Donald Trump and I can't unhear it✌️😭
I have long been on the fence about Dire Straits. A friend of mine bought me a Greatest Hits album years ago, saying that they must be right up my alley. I remember being a little offended by that because when I listened to the album to me it sounded like corny mainstream 70's soft rock. This time around I really tried to approach this album with an open mind. It won me over by the end. I still do think they are a bit corny but they own it, and I definitely don't think they are mainstream, I feel like they are completely doing their own thing. I am also fascinated by the guitar tone on this album - as a fender clean tone guy who often plays without a pick, I approve.
I'd heard Sultans of Swing many, many times, but I've never bothered to listen to any other Dire Straits. Turns out the rest of the album is just as good as Sultans of Swing! Honestly, I was a bit hesitant going into this one because I am incredibly burnt out on blues guitar based music, but Mark Knopfler has such a smooth and unique way of playing the guitar; it just works so well on all of these tracks and it doesn't feel like the same tired blues licks you hear all the time.
1) 7/10 2) 4/10 3) 5/10 4) 6/10 5) 7/10 6) 9/10 7) 7/10 8) 7/10 9)
Absolute classic!
I love this album.
Kaunista soittoa ja kauniit riffit.
Down to the Waterline - 4/5 Water of Love - 3/5 Setting Me Up - 3.5/5 Six Blade Knife - 3/5 Southbound Again - 3.5/5 Sultans of Swing - 5/5 In the Gallery - 3.5/5 Wild West End - 3.5/5 Lions - 3.5/5 I used to be really obsessed with Sultans of Swing, so I had high hopes for this album. Turns out that's all this albums has going for it as the remainder of the album is pretty much just British Blues mush. Realistically a 3.5 but I'll be nice and give it 4 just because of Sultans of Swing Favorites: Sultans of Swing
Iconic
Gran debut…y marcando su estilo
It was decent but not earth-shattering. Good for a debut album.
A truly remarkable debut record for what was going to be one of Britains most successful rock bands. Already on this record, the first glimpse of Mark Knopflers incredible guitar playing can be heard, although it is on the following albums that he shows what he can really do. Solid album, no doubt.
8.5/10
Very good album, will listen again. Good songwriting, musicianship and nicely recorded.
I really liked this album. The instrumentals were my favorite aspect by far. The guitar and bass created such a cool and unique feeling.
4.4 Dire me fascina, increíble álbum de nuevo
4.6 El rock inglés y yo nos estamos volviendo bestis
Teenage me went through a big Dire Straits phase and this album played a big part in whatever the heck that was. I still have no idea why 4 Brits chose to make this genre, but it's aged well.
For a debut album this is pretty impressive. I think people of my age maybe overplayed Brothers In Arms as a way to show off their new CD players and as a result I’ve probably been aware but not explored much Dire Straits. This makes me want to listen to a bit more
Le feu, vrai album chill et ma les contre-temps
Fantastic album, really enjoyed it!
saarah: good, indie white boy, heavy instruments kinza: fell asleep but liked, 70s soft rock for daydreaming
What you hear in the background when you’re drinking a margarita at Margaritaville.
8/10
Quando li ascolto sono su una cabrio col vento tra i capelli
I love Dire Straits enough to see them a couple of times in concert. This is a great debut album, but, for me, they have a sweet spot and took a couple of albums to get to it. A little too 'blues rocky' for me. He is an awesome musician and has been a massive influence on my own musical journey.
They've got a familiar yet unique sound don't they. It's like I've both never heard this album and also heard it 1000 times. I don't know if that is necessarily a good thing, but it sure is interesting. The back half of this album eats good. 4.1/5
great listen, loved the country rock feel, but it got oind of repetitive, in a good way, because that repetitiveness was good since the songs were, I loved it, I was a bit skeptical a first but it was all for nothing
Love this album. lots of memories :)
Down To The Waterline // Sultans of Swing // Wild West End //
Not my vibe but great album either way.
Mark Knopfler is a talented guitarist and has a good voice. Its like southern boogie mixed with smooth jazz… in a good way. Gets a bit repetitive and all the songs have pretty much the same vibe and rhythm and feel and… you get the point. But it’s a good vibe and I will probably remind myself to pull this album out every few years. Best in headphones while doing a mindless task. Probably a 3.5 for me but I will round up.
80/100. For me, this album is all about the riffs, and they’re immaculate. Clean, precise and instantly memorable, they carry the whole record with ease.
Les solos de guitare et la musicalité des titres sont énormes à tous de cet album avec un coup de cœur sur le titre lions. Assez rythmique, des sons qui mettent la pêche. L’image du groupe est plutôt punk. Premier album du groupe qui débute par l’immense succès de Sultans of Swing. Forte influence de Bob Dylan. Écouter cet album m’a fait beaucoup de bien.
I mean, imagine having this as your debut album.
3.5/3.6 I can appreciate its sound! Very impressive that this was their debut album. Not quite the kind of thing I love at the moment but I’m sure there will be a time I enjoy it much more. Lions was the stand out song for me, ended the album beautifully.
I enjoyed this. It's definitely 1970s easy rock that I do enjoy. The guitar melodies in particular were very nice. Nothing that greatly caught my attention but enjoyable.
Classic tracks
Like ittttt
Amazing, almost perfect
Classic for a reason
Good asf nice chill album to lay on ghe beach with or to smoke some weed to
Wish I could give half stars, would've given it a 3.5/5 but since I liked it more than the previous album I reviewed (Number of the Beast) I'll just give it 4 stars. I can't help but love the way the guitars sound, but the vocals don't really work for me. Overall, I like it, but don't love it.
Sultans of Swing is a great track. Like the atmosphere of the album and the general vibe although a little bit too much country for me.
'Down to the Waterline' is an outrageously accomplished first track on a debut album. Knopfler already feels as accomplished as an old master. A footstomping delight. The chicken-pickin style is incredible, and adds lift to most tracks. What may be standard sounding blues-based fayre, such as 'Southbound Again' is elevated by Knopfler's boogie. 'Sultans of Swing' doesn't overshadow the album which is testament to the general quality, but there's no denying it is the highlight. A touchstone of any proper Dad's rock playlist, the different fills Knopfler finds throughout are excellent. And I always like to imagine 'guitar George' is a Beatles reference. Brother in Arms would take them to the stadiums but this is a very excellent sweet spot.
Excellent album
4.8
Bow bow woooow
Sultans of Swing is the obvious standout track, but the rest of the record is pretty good too. Nothing super mind blowing in terms of songs, but the guitar playing and storytelling especially is what ends up shining the most.
Favorite track(s): Down to the Waterline, Six Blade Knife, Sultans of Swing, In the Gallery
i liked this so much i went on a dire straights binge after this. i was grooving with my hands in the air like a drugged up loser at a rave but i was vibing
Bluesy guitar opening... I hope it lasts was my first reaction. The album did not disappoint, though it leaned a wee bit country, to my ear holes.
Por momentos me recordaba a the doors en algún sentido. Por momentos con estilo medio country, sonando un puntueo de guitarra acústica muy reconfortante con un buen reverb como en el tema water of love (a destacar). Parece un disco como para limpiar tu casa. Llevadero agradable. No destaco ningún punto mas allá del buen groove y las cuerdas que suenan bastante bien Sultans Of Swing temaso ultra conocido. Para pasearse en una ruta desierta levantando tierra en el charger de toretto
good I guess
Perfect summer album. Makes me excited for beach evenings, summer car rides and long walks. Overall vibe is 5 star but not I do not feel the need to listen to most of the songs immediately or an immediate re-listen of the album. (which i find i usually do with a new album that ends up being 5 star). However, this album will 100% be on the rotation from now on. Favourites: Sultan Swings, Down To the Waterline, Wild West End. 4.5/5.
Sehr schöner Klang 4.5/5
Excelente
Wasn't expecting much from this beyond it just being a middle of the road dad rock album but I really found myself getting it. I had a fun time with this album and would definitely listen again. 4.5
Favourite Songs: Setting Me Up Sultans Of Swing
Very enjoyable, will listen again
musica de la buena usos de guitarra espectaculares el HIT es un HITAZO
Sultans of swing heeeellll yeah rest kinda boring but very pleasant I really enjoy narrative music with silly storylines
Stripped down, sounds good.
Divorcee music, all through and through, and it's all mine (20 something)
Great re-visit, really enjoyed.
ive already listened to this album, really enjoyable classic piece, my fav song from this album is six blade knife
I did not know that Sultans of Swing is their song. I also did not know that is the name of the song. I guess there are just songs you know but have no idea who performs them or what is their name. Overall great album, especially for the debut!
Good and chill for Saturdays and roadtrips
Sultans of swing makes this an automatic 4
Really liked this one.
An amazing mix of nostalgia led by an amazing guitar.
Starts off with the only song I know by them which is a banger. Then is followed by a bunch of jam songs that are good but reach the same heights as the sultans of swing. 7/10
Very close to Brother in Arms. But as a debut album it's Impressive.
70’s Rock ⭐️Sultans of Swing
It has sultans of swing so it's a must listen on that track alone. Pretty listenanle
they should've called em pleasant straits
Masterclass of what a guitar driven album can be. Two amazing singles that stand out and the rest of the album holds its own.
I'm a sucker for someone just noodling away on a guitar all bluesy-like and this album has a lot of that. They sound really good for a debut, pretty impressive they're this put together for their first album. I do not believe that these dudes are British. No way man.
The second half is perfection
In short: It's always such a pleasure and so mindful to listen to Knopfler's guitar play. Could do that all day long.
As good as I'd hoped it would be
I don't know what the musical term is for vocals - guitar flourish - vocals - repeat, but it tickles my brain in a fun way. Really good.