Anybody get Mark Knopfler's newest yet?

treitz3

Hello, dromunds. Did you have a chance to listen to the vinyl yet? Man, have fun at the concert! Sounds like you are in for a good time. Congrat's on the seats.

Tom

dromunds

Treitz3, I very briefly had a chance to listen to it, but I've been incredibly busy and haven't had the time to really sit down with it sufficient to speak intelligently. Saturday night I have a buddy coming over and I've already told him we're going to listen to that album for a considerable time. He's also a MK fan. Then I'll have more to say.

treitz3

No worries and thanks. I'll look forward to your observations whenever it comes. Have fun Saturday Night!

Tom

dromunds

Some quick thoughts afte listening to "Privateering" on vinyl for awhile: At the outset, if this had been made into a single album, it would have been a simply tremendous album. But then someone would have had to decide what songs to jettison, not an easy task by any means. And the more you listened to this album, the more difficult a task it would become. I must say, every time I hear this, I appreciate different songs and different aspects. As a double album, however, Rolling Stone gave it three and a half stars. I think four.

That said, this is a wide and varied piece of work. One word summaries that come to mind: thoughtful, warm, tasteful, genuine, eloquent, lush. Diverse gamut of musical genres. Blues, English/Welsh/Irish/Scottish folk "roots," ballads, some jazzy stuff, some rock, even some country-ish stuff. Breath-taking musicianship. Celtic pipes, piano, sweeping organ, accordian, and guests like Kim Wilson, the co-founder of The Fabulous Thunderbirds on blues harmonica.

The entirety of side A of the vinyl is solid, starting with "Red Bud Tree," an excellent and timeless song that is one of my favorites. The second song, "Haul Away," was recorded in one take, a classic MK celtic folk. Really nice song. "Don't Forget Your Hat," features MK slide guitar and Kim Wilson's blues harmonica. "Privateering" is another classic MK folk ballad. "Miss You Blues" finishes the side with another strong blues number.

Other songs that deserve special mention are "Kingdom of God," (another of my favorites) "Go, Love" "Yon Two Crows" (best title of year award), "Bluebird" (a slow blues song with a Santana feel and great harmonica and organ), and "I Used To Could."

As far as the recording itself, the album has immaculate tones and clean instrumentation. The vocals and guitar are, of course, set off and highlighted. After the first listening, I felt the other instruments and backup vocals were, for the most part, lower in the mix than my tastes would dictate. As Treitz3 said in an earlier review in this thread, "Nothing overshadows the singer or the instruments playing." However, after several listenings, I realized the instruments are all clean and easily detectable. I also agree with Treitz3 the bass is lower in the mix than necessary. I would add the drums are somewhat low for my tastes as well. Just for the hell of it, I even went back and listened to the first Dire Straits album to see what different recording styles I could detect. Dire Strait's first album, I must say, is a really good recording. I was surprised to see that it was released in 1978, for some reason I remember it as a 1980 or 1981 album. Whatever, it was an instant hit on the college campus, regrettably in some regards. Dire Straits became a weight. One of the immediate differences I noticed in the recording styles was in the bass and drums. Aside from Pick Wither's being a totally underrated drummer, he was more pronounced in the mix. So was the bass. What a band. That's another point that I picked up on, Dire Straits was a band, and a new and dynamic one at that. Now its MK, highlighting his vocals and his guitar. Thirty-five years later.

After some reflection, however, I realized that MK is also a band, and these guys are absolute and total pros. What MK is now is a process that has developed. His voice has not lost a lick, and his guitar playing is perhaps better than ever, if that is possible and for whatever that means. His guitar playing is certainly more eloquent. There is still something within me that yearns for that fresh and innocent (?) band called Dire Straits in 1978, and that stripped down finger picking electric style that Bob Dylan immediately noticed and utilized for his own recordings beginning in around 1981 with "Infidels" and continuing for several other albums. Maybe that's why some people are disappointed when MK plays only a smattering of Dire Straits in concert now.

In any event, whatever I initiallly perceived in Privateering as a lack in recording style is what makes it best: no overly slick production and over-dubs. In fact, the best songs have limited instrumentation. A piano isolated, a harmonica or organ. The recording and soundstage are nothing short of awesome in those instances.

The first couple plays of this LP, I also underestimated the level of professionalism in the recording and mixing. I would strongly suggest taking a look at Guy Fletcher's diary, which I believe is: guyfletcher@co.uk. Google it if I'm mistaken. Then go to "MK Studio Diary" on the right side. Its a diary made during the taping and mastering of Privateering. Go through all six pages, its a real education on the breadth and depth of a project like this. This project started in spring, 2011. Terrific photos of the recording studio in action and the gear involved.

If I'm not mistaken, Guy states the recording was done on analog tape. The mastering was done on both analog and digital, and then they decided which sounded best on each particular song. "Analog tends to win most of the time," he said.

The album also has some real nice inner sleeve artwork, but there is not enough information inside the album itself. I don't even think it tells you where the album was recorded. Thank God for Guy Fletcher's diary. Where the album is deficient in photos of the band members, and other information for the more than casual fan, his diary fills in the gaps and much, much more.

This album is yet another piece of the body of work that is MK. The more you listen to it, the more you will enjoy it. It's not for everyone, but it deserves a place in any MK fan's collection.

dromunds

In my previous post/review, I mis-identified the website for Guy Fletcher's Diary. He is the long-time musician with Mark Knopfler and his diary is actually located at www.guyfletcher.co.uk. Check out "The Diaries" and then click on "MK Studio Diary" on the right side. Its a diary made in 2011 during the Privateering recording and mastering sessions, including wonderful photographs.