Private Investigations (The Best Of Dire Straits And Mark Knopfler) - Dire Straits

Advantages: Great sound, use of vocals and instruments
Disadvantages: None

...This album is brilliant. Stretching from Sultans of swing right through to Brothers in arms. The band did an amazing job making all of these songs and there really is a song for every moment on this album. With Mark Knopfler leading this band nothing could go wrong he is a brilliant singer and player. The sounds that they manage to get in this album are incredible and the guitar solos simply blow me away. I can never get enough of this album and it is almost always playing in my room. If you want a CD that you can keep listening to over and over and over again then this is the one for you! I never get bored of the awesome rifffs that are out into these songs and the way that they blend the guitar in after the lyrics makes the listener really focus on what is happening at the time and not trying to listen to a mish... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: If you like country influence then there's plenty
Disadvantages: If you hate country influence then there's plenty

...decent bluesy little number, which although you know it's Knoplfer because of that Sound he gets the guitars to sing for him, would do well being played by the likes of Clapton or Gary Moore. Hey a bit of fast rhythm for "The Bug"! Sadly this is line dancing territory. Grab those cowboy boots, tasselled jacket, natty hat and yeeehaw your way through it. Have fun.. We're back to the Dire Straits sound again with "You And Your Friend." Thankfully this is the sort of track that I really like from them. Laid back. Drawling mumbles for lyrics. "Heavy Fuel" is a bit of a rocker, but they still don't seem able to step just outside the boundary of Dire Straits niceness. I know that this is what makes them popular because I've been to gigs and seen the vast age range that attend, and if your Nan is happy to go to the NEC with you to see... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: A lovely duet with James Taylor
Disadvantages: Flat and repetitive

...I have always been a fan of Mark Knopfler, both in his days of Dire Straits and as a solo artist. So I anxiously awaited the release of his second solo album, Sailing to Philadelphia. I actually pre-ordered it from Amazon, so that I would receive it on the day of release. After his prior album, Golden Heart, which is one of my favourites and which I had to buy twice, since my children permanently borrowed it, I was sure this would be among my favourites. Wrong! Don't get me wrong, it's fine, but it is nothing exciting. It sounds like Mark Knopfler, like always. He has that very distinguishable voice and guitar sound. But it is flat and monotonous, not even the musicians excite me. There are a couple of redeeming tracks. The first being the beautiful title track, Sailing to Philadelphia. On this, Knopfler duets with James... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful