Sailing to Philadelphia is Mark Knopflers second solo Album attempt, from the man who brought you Dire Straits. His first solo album Golden Heart in 1996 and now his second solo album is here for our hearing pleasure. Sailing to Philadelphia is a great album, but is far different from the Dire Straits albums and the first solo album Golden Heart.
The first track is "What it is". Personally I love this track which shows you how Mark has matured over the years to show how the guitar should be played with complete emotion and devotion. I would say this is easy listening, as you'd probably listen to it in the car driving home when your all cosy in your car, and its windy and raining outside. I won't cover all the tracks, just a few as I think it would take forever.
An increasing array of instruments are in the album, like the irish pipes, tin whistle, piano-accordian and fiddle. In some songs an Irish feel is present, like celtic perhaps. In the track "sailing to Philadelphia" there is a true folky style which is quite distinctive. Van Morrison makes a guest apperance in the track "The last laugh" which really combines the singing talents of Morrison and the unmistakeable sound of Mark's Gibson Les Paul singing out the solo licks will be music to the ears of any Guitar player. Mark's facination with America shines through with this album, with quite a lot of reference been made to the States.
When Mark Knopfler was a journalist for the Evening Post in Leeds in his 20s, he was interviewing two ladies who were performing at the Leeds City Varieties. He started writing a song, say 30 years ago, and has now finished it after all these years and it made it onto the album, it is called "One More Matinee". This song is quite different and you may not like it at first like me, but it grows on you. It has on me as I've learnt to play this song myself on the guitar.
From a guy that has a unique talent, and composes music for top films now, and also had the biggest band in the world with Dire Straits, this is music at its best. ENJOY!
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As a fan of Mark Knopler (and also of Dire Straits), I am anxious to purchase this CD. I liked Golden Heart quite a bit, and I'm sure this one is equally good, if not better. Great op! Ellen
Versatile 27.01.2002 23:37
Great op ~ Welcome to Ciao & enjoy the site ~ Thanks Versatile :O)
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