1001 Albums Summary

Tom Scholz is clearly an enviable musician and popsmith. None of Boston's shortcomings — the unending cheesiness, the so-slick-you'll-slip production, and some eye-roll inducing cuts — are from a lack of trying. This is a record of extreme detail and consideration, and beneath the spectacle of songs like "More Than a Feeling" or "Foreplay / Long Time" is a genuine heart of power pop. A fine record.

Johnny Cash's "American Recordings" revitalized his career, so its fitting that "The Man Comes Around" would be the last record he lived to put out. The same minimalism that defined the rest of the American series remains here, as does Cash's well-aged and wise voice. It's an understatement to say that this is a record of mortality; the specter of Cash's poor health lingers ominously over tracks like "In My Life," "Danny Boy," "We'll Meet Again," and of course "Hurt." Johnny Cash passed away less than a year after the release of "The Man Comes Around." How fitting that this album's last moments are his children joining along with him in singing "I know we'll meet again some sunny day."

I feel there is a greater level of appreciation I'm missing out on with this record from not speaking Songhai. I'm left to evaluate the music on its own merits, and the resulting mix of blues with Songhai musical elements is very intriguing. Songhoy Blues are clearly a talented gang, and while nothing was exactly revelatory, the music here had a passion that was evident from start to finish. The production is also fine, although I tend to be skeptical of the modern blues sound.

Mark Knopfler is a worthy leader for Dire Straits, and his skills all come through on this debut. As a songwriter, his stream-of-consciousness lyrical approach is likable and intriguing; as a vocalist, he's laid-back and casual; as a guitarist, he's technical, sometimes subtle, sometimes flashy, and always cool. The rest of the band keeps up well with the world painted on "Dire Straits," keeping everything appropriately casual and crisp. A very good debut record.