•
Rating: Once Upon A Time... Dire Straits. I have always believed that the phrase just written could have been the title of a greatest hits album by Dire Straits, once the story of one of the most followed rock bands in history had come to an end. The name Charlie Gillett may no longer mean anything to many, but to the true "aficionados" of the British group it will surely recall the name of the radio host who in July 1977 - during the "Honky Tonk" program for the BBC - broadcasted a track from a demo tape of five songs he had received some time before. Indeed, (more or less all great stories) have behind them extraordinary little coincidences that have contributed to ensuring that seemingly insignificant small events can turn into events that rightly enter history.
This CD (or rather the real collection) contains the group's first steps like "Sultans Of Swing" (the historic track broadcasted on the radio) or "Lady Writer," which can be considered one of the few impactful songs taken from Communiqué. To seal worldwide recognition, there are "Romeo And Juliet" and "Tunnel Of Love," with more commercial appeal that preluded a first great world tour which would make them known everywhere. "Private Investigation," despite being less radio-friendly (seven minutes for a single was really too much!!!), considerably helped "Love Over Gold" take the number one spot simultaneously in as many as sixteen countries. The rock'n roll of "Twisting By The Pool" (from the Extended Dance Play) and the semi-acoustic "Love Over Gold" (from Alchemy) guide the listener to "So Far Away" (pure simplicity and beauty), "Walk Of Life" (recreational as well as witty), "Brothers In Arms" (heartfelt and touching), "Your Latest Trick" (passionate and daring), and "Money For Nothing," which would become one of the band's most acclaimed songs, and for which I don't think further words are needed to describe it. "On Every Street" (the last work to date) is more than worthily represented by tracks that summarize (more) for better and for worse (very little) the various musical paths undertaken by Mark Knopfler's band: from the very rhythmic "Calling Elvis," passing through the substantial "Heavy Fuel" to the brilliant "On Every Street"; closing (as in concerts) with "Going Home" taken from Mark Knopfler's first soundtrack titled "Local Hero," where the guitar/sax intertwine gives birth to a calm and at the same time rhythmic melody with a folk-rock flavor.
The second CD contains a performance by Knopfler, held at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 1996, during which part of the hits presented on CD 1 ("Calling Elvis," "Walk Of Life," "Money For Nothing," and also a short performance of "Last Exit To Brooklyn") are played in a suitably diluted version with absolute joy for lovers of the leader's guitar-centric egocentrism. The reason why I feel compelled to recommend purchasing this package is the presence of the DVD that faithfully reproduces the greatest hits through the videos shot for the launch of the records that were: from the historic clip of "Sultans Of Swing" where Mark duets with his brother David, to the semi-unknown clip of "Lady Writer" and gradually through the complete studio/live videography of the group. For those who want a convenient concentrate of Dire Straits' history to take anywhere, I consider this publication the most comprehensive among those available on the market, while for those who already own some of the group's albums, I suggest gradually purchasing the original titles, today easily available among special prices.
Loading comments slowly
