Mark Knopfler
Privateering

An autumn album. The release in September couldn’t have been more fitting. The songs of "Privateering" evoke a late summer atmosphere: it rains, the weather becomes harsher and the leaves fall from the trees. Or at least that’s the scenario I imagined while listening to Mark Knopfler’s new work. Then maybe someone else, on these notes, might think of beaches and forty degrees in the shade. But everything is relative.

Good old Mark, once again, did a good job. It is a double CD with each CD containing ten songs. No wild rock, Mr. Knopfler prefers calm. It’s a calm and relaxing album, to listen to, as I mentioned before, during some rainy Sunday afternoon. The tracks range from country to blues, alternating between slow and fast pieces. Or less slow, there isn’t much speed. But after all, this man surely deserves a bit of tranquility after a brilliant career both as a soloist and as the leader of Dire Straits. Alright, he was never a true fan of movement, but it doesn’t matter: he continues to give me feelings since childhood and for this, he is forgiven.

The CD opens with "Redbud Tree", one of the standout tracks of "Privateering", a melancholic song for a walk in the woods. "Privateering" ranges from sad moments like "Radio City Serenade" (a song evoking cold night walks, without overly burdening the soul though) to happier moments like "I Used To Could". A noteworthy track is "Corned Beef City", belonging to the "happier moments" but at the same time melancholic in a certain way. It leaves a bit of sadness inside each of us, despite being one of the liveliest tracks on the album. Another outstanding track is the titular song "Privateering", a song to listen to while lying on the couch with a blanket or with a cup of tea in front of you (ok... I love autumn).

The vocal abilities of the fingerpicking master have remained unchanged with age, his beautiful deep voice is the same as always. 

The lyrics are Dylan-esque with a certain pathos. There is always an underlying sadness in the words and the music. The Knopflerian poetry is present, which lightens the usual social protest typical of these great men and his almost heart-wrenching guitar is not missing, be it Stratocaster, Telecaster or Gibson.

Overall, Mark doesn’t disappoint even this time. And I really hope to manage to attend one of his concerts next year. 

“I take a swig of sheep did

From my flask

And once again I ask

What made you think

There’d be a living in sheep?

Eat, work, eat, work and sleep”