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Rating:
......a date to forget........March 18, 2003 (road accident).......
That's right, the life of a highly decorated artist also holds days to forget, as it was for Mark Knopfler on that Monday, March 18, 2003, when, in the heart of London, while on his Honda, he crashed into a Fiat Punto (there wasn't an Italian driving, was there?), suffering six fractured ribs and being admitted to St. Thomas Hospital, from which he was discharged after a few hours. Concern aside for the artist's health, both management and fans sincerely worried or deliberately greedy, had to deal with the immediate cancellation of the tour supporting "The Ragpicker's Dream," which was set to begin in a few weeks. The convalescence – which prevented him for almost a month and a half from even picking up a guitar –, however, did not deter the Glasgow bruised from putting inspiration and ideas on paper that would later find a place on a subsequent record.
"Shangri-La" is the delightful result of an artist who focused his compositional energies on country, folk, and drew from the inevitable source of blues, translating moods reduced to the essential into music and austere feelings that, without even realizing it, reveal the entire spectrum of musical passions of a Knopfler who, at times, does not even fear appearing outdated. I won’t contradict myself by stating that on this album one can both identify a musical narrative whose bulwark is represented by a tender spontaneity and discern more lively and carefully electric compositional aspects.
5.15 a.m. snow laying alla round... is the line that quietly introduces the first track (5.15, precisely) of the album, where the guitar tickles the mellifluous and catchy melody of a vocal interpretation, which opens up to all instruments, in a polite yet never bland atmosphere. "Boom Like That" is a dynamic track where measured electricity drags the listener into a satisfying whirlwind of hilarity, in the name of a perfect verse-chorus combination where even the simplicity of a solo finds its rightful place, for a sardonic text dedicated to the success of the world's most famous fast-food chain, or rather its creator Ray Kroc (...ring-a-ding-ding milkshake mixers that’s my thing…and I gotta see a good thing sure enough, now or my name’s not kroc that’s kroc with a "k" like crocodile but not spelled that way, yeah...). "Sucker Row" pleasantly harks back to the past in the song's structure, where the dazzling embroidery of a brilliant six-string to the sung verses, transforms a simple song into an impeccable atmospheric ballad, providing a time leap to the incomparable (with the proper distinctions...) "Brothers In Arms" and "On Every Street" which were unsuspected precursors of certain stylistic refinements. In the same vein is "Whoop De Doo", for whose maximum listening appreciation, one simply has to close their eyes and be carried away by the magic of an atmosphere, as by the sweetness of words that instill the pleasure of savoring the simplicity of things at best (...so many little things are so much better now they were only the little things anyhow...).
In the global economy of a work like this, Knopfler could never miss the chance to remember those who left indelible marks of their existence for the benefit of others: it starts with the rhythmic expansion of the biting blues of "Song For Sonny Liston" (dedicated to the first bad boxer) that makes you regularly tap your foot the whole time, just like "Back To Tupelo" (which also recalls the King of Rock 'n' Roll in the lyrics) gives us two heartfelt and brief solos without any pretension, and with "Donegan's Gone" (a nod to the well-known Lonnie Donegan who gave so much to folk) where the appealing screech of the bottleneck slides up and down for the entire duration of the album's shortest track. To prove that the former Dire Straits leader enjoys expressing himself in those different musical territories that most reflect his natural habitat, there comes the palpable calm of folk in "All That Matters", which gives life to a spontaneous nighttime waltz, the enchanting and engaging South American rhythm variation of "Postcards From Paraguay", while the lovely title track seems to transpose to the present day, the serenity of the late '80s Springsteen-like sentiments.
In this fourth solo chapter, Knopfler wears the singer-songwriter clothes more than ever with thoughtfulness and careful balance, offering riffs perhaps veiled, yet demonstrating that skill and technicality are always present, but more in service of delicate melodies and untainted blues echoes. Most of the time it feels like listening to very personal and intimate songs, perhaps afraid of giving themselves to the broad public, but maybe this is also what amplifies their undeniable beauty.
Let it be clear, we are not in elegant Newport (the record-sessions were held in Malibu...) where more than forty years ago Dylan was accused of killing folk, of freeing himself from tradition, but in front of his polite disciple inclined to the call of his mentors (or masters).
[For the first time, the limited edition of an MK album includes a DVD, in which our explains the making of the album, how the composition process changes over the years, and also gives each band member, who has accompanied him for years, a chance to share their thoughts. Well, surely a supplement many will not want to do without, as it is unlikely – although I wish it with all my heart –, that anyone of us might have the chance to spy on how "a true studio recording protagonist" behaves with all his extensive "equipment" and to fully enjoy the execution of an unreleased gem like "Summer Of Love," which I consider a real pearl and will blissfully take you back in time].
... and a date to remember...September 28, 2004 (release of Shangri-La).
Actual rating: 3.5.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Boom, Like That (05:37)
I'm going to San Bernardino, ring-a-ding-ding
Milkshake mix is thus my thing now
These guys bought a heap of my stuff
And I gotta see a good thing shooting up now
Oh my name is not Croc, that's Kroc with a K
A crocodile is not spelt that way now
It's dog eat dog, rat eat rat
Kroc style - Boom, like that!
Folks line up all down the street
Now I'm seeing this girl devour her meat now
And then I get it wham as clear as day
My pulse begins to hammer then I hear a voice say
These boys have got this down
Ought to be one of these in every town
These boys have got the touch
It's clean as a whistle and it don't cost much
Wham bam don't wait long
Shake fries plenty of gum
How about that friendly name, heck
every little thing gotta stay the same
Or my name is not Croc, that's Kroc with a K
A crocodile is not spelt that way now
It's dog eat dog, rat eat rat
Dog eat dog, rat eat rat now
Oh it's dog eat dog, rat eat rat
Kroc style - Boom, like that!
You gentlemen are to expand
You're gonna need a helping hand now
So gentlemen well what about me?
We'll make a little business history now
Or my name is not Croc all the way
A crocodile is not spelt that way now
It's dog eat dog, rat eat rat
Kroc style - Boom, like that!
Well we'll build it up and I'll buy him out
The man they made me grind it out now
They open up a new place flippin' meat
So I do too, right across the street
I got the main I need town
Sell 'em in the end and it all shuts down
Sometimes you gotta be an S.O.B.
You wanna make a dream reality
Competition sent 'em south
They're gonna drown or we're hosing 'em out
Do not pass go go straight to hell
I smell a lotta meat, da smell
Or my name is not Kroc that's Kroc with a K
A crocodile is not spelt that way now
Oh it's dog eat dog, rat eat rat
Dog eat dog, rat eat rat now
Oh it's dog eat dog, rat eat rat
Kroc style - Boom, like that!
10 Postcards from Paraguay (04:02)
one thing was leading to the next
i bit off more than i could chew
i had the power to sign the cheques
it wasn’t difficult to do
i couldn’t stay and face the music
so many reasons why
i won’t be sending postcards
from paraguay
i robbed a bank full of dinero
a great big mountain of dough
so it was goodbye companero
and cheerio
i couldn’t stay and face the music
so many reasons why
i won’t be sending postcards
from paraguay
i never meant to be a cheater
but there was blood on the wall
i had to steal from peter
to pay what i owed to paul
i couldn’t stay and face the music
so many reasons why
i won’t be sending postcards
from paraguay
11 All That Matters (03:04)
my darling girl
my darling girl
you’re all that matters
in this wicked world
all that matters
all that matters
my darling boy
my darling boy
all of my sunshine
and all of my joy
you’re all that matters
all that matters
well, i can’t stop the pain
when it calls
i’m a man
and i can’t stop the rain
when it falls, my darling
who can?
my darling girl
my darling girl
you’re all that matters
in this wicked world
all that matters
all that matters
my darling friend
my darling friend
all we’ve got going
is love in the end
it’s all that matters
all that matters
14 Don't Crash the Ambulance (04:58)
don’t often open up this floor
since i handed in my gun
what all these keys are for
now my tour of duty’s done
you got to know the switches
now you got your turn
watch and learn, junior
watch and learn
now you will get your
trouble spots
here’s one from
down voodoo way
bragged he had me
by the you-know-whats
very funny, you don’t say
the big enchilada
stealing elections
had to go down there
trash collection
got his cojones
on my desk in there
made into a souvenir
set of cufflinks, nice pair
the rest of him’s
someplace up here
sometimes you got to
put a shoulder to the door
not so fast, junior
listen to your pa
here, son
i’m handing over to you
don’t crash the ambulance
whatever you do
what we have here’s
a dung hole place
thought it was fly shit
on the map
fat bastard, ugly face
and the personal crap
you can’t move the barriers
you can’t mess with oil and gas
had to go down there
stick a couple
aircraft carriers
in his ass
fancy dress
medals chest
it’s all in here
for all the gigs
gas mask
bullet-proof vest
all the usual rigs
there’ll be things they missed
they didn’t mention
you’ve even
got a whistle in there
for attracting attention
well, i think you’re gonna
be okay, son
you’ve had the tour, i guess
these two buttons
by the way
this one i hope
you never press
some holy fool, just watch
who’s not like you or me
that one’s the whole
shooting match
right there
it’s the whole shitaree
we don’t forget
who put us here, jack
that’s page one
we talk soft
but carry a big stick
and pack the biggest gun
we don’t like accidents
major or minor
you don’t want yourself
an incident
don’t ever invade china
here, son
i’m handing over to you
don’t crash the ambulance
here, son
i’m handing over to you
don’t crash the ambulance
whatever you do
16 El Macho (05:19)
Your date has gone home
Now you're left on your own sweet own
Your tough - talkin' friend
Split on you in the bitter end
And you look like a fine thing Jerry
Yeh you look like a fine thing Jerry
They say you're a star
That's what the boys all say you are
I don't see much TV
So you don't mean shit to me
But you look like a fine thing Jerry
Yeh you look like a fine thing Jerry
They got a name for people like you
Yeh they do
And they got a name for people like me too
El Macho, El Macho
Now they want you to sing
Don't get shy or anything
The boys are all here
Gonna buy you another beer
'Cos you look like a fine thing Jerry
Yeh you look like a fine thing Jerry
El Macho, El Macho
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Other reviews
By charles
The lead single, "Boom, Like That," fully encapsulates the Dire Straits style.
It’s very pleasant to see and hear artists age like this if the quality always remains at medium-high levels.
