I guess like many people I bought Dire Straits first album on the basis of the outstanding single "Sultans of Swing" expecting more of the same, and was then disappointed as the only other track with a similar sound was the LP's opening track "Down To The Waterline". Forty plus years later, together with "Wild West End" these are the only songs on the track list that I remember .
It is fair to say that my musical exposure has widened significantly since being a teenager who had moved on from the progressive rock dinosaurs to punk/new wave, so I have a bit more appreciation to the styles on display here rather than dismissing it as mostly boring, or to borrow a phrase "It ain't what they call Rock N'Roll" !
That said, it is still not the type of music I would consciously choose to play again in full.
"Down To The Waterline" has just a sparse plucked guitar intro before launching into an up-tempo song with a "Sultans of Swing style guitar lick, and some of the best lyrics on the album "No money is our jackets and our jeans are torn. Your hands are cold but your lips are warm". It could have been the second single from the album.
"Water of Love" is a bluesy type number which I would now equate to something that could be found on a JJ Cale album,, not that JJ Cale appears anywhere in my record collection ! For me it is harmless background music, nothing to be offended by but not exactly memorable.
"Setting Me Up" has more of a country feel to it and is what you expect to hear on many a bland US radio station, with perhaps the music being something from a TV show set in the Southern region of the USA when some crazy chase is happening. Or it could be a perfect song to be covered by Eric Clapton. Apparently the song was a hit for Dire Straits in the US and Canadian country charts !
"Six Blade Knife" has a bass line that hints at Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams and is a song I could listen to again.
Side One closes with "Southbound Again" which frankly, I had to double check it wasn't "Setting Me Up" playing again.
"Sultans of Swing" opens Side Two and remains a masterpiece,. It still gets regularly played on radio stations such as Virgin Anthems and there can't be many people who don't know the lament about a jazz, trumpet playing band that is unappreciated by the modern youth.
"In The Gallery" commences in a vaguely reggae manner before slipping into some more JJ Cale influences, and it goes on way, way too long.
For me "Wild West End" is one of the highlights on the album, with the slowest tempo out of this collection of songs. It is wistful and dreamy, there is a hint of piano, and it is one of only two tracks with backing vocals. It reminded me a little of the Rolling Stones' "Fools To Cry" or even "Angie".
"Lions" closes the albums. It also has some backing vocals but plods on to no specific purpose.
Overall, I found "Dire Straits" to be less dull that I thought it was, and it was good to listen again to "Down To The Waterline" and "Wild West End" "Six Blade Knife" was pleasantly surprising. Whilst I didn't dislike any of the other songsthey didn't particularly do anything for me. Although growing up in Newcastle and living in London, Mark Knopfler's heart at the time was probably in Oklahoma !
Track Listing :
Side One :
1. Down To The Waterline
2. Water Of Love
3. Setting Me Up
4. Six Blade Knife
5. Southbound Again
1. Sultans of Swing
2. In The Gallery
3. Wild West End
4. Lions
Released : 1978
UK Chart Position : 3
Singles :
Sultans Of Swing ( 8 - 1978 )
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