Mark Knopfler: 2009-2018 The Continuum Of A Genius

Mark Knopfler is a singer-songwriter, record producer, and composer who is frequently cited as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. He is also one of the most popular musicians to come out of the UK. He first gained popularity in the 1980s as the frontman of the band Dire Straits, which was responsible for many of the iconic songs of the time, including "Sultans of Swing," "Money for Nothing," "Romeo and Juliet," and "Walk of Life."
Dire Straits last toured in 1992 and Mark set off on a new path as a solo artist. In the ensuing years, Knopfler has released nine solo albums of sophisticated rootsy rock and has continued to sell out tours across the globe with his band, delighting audiences wherever he goes.
The 2009-2018 boxset includes the last four of the nine albums which are - Get Lucky (2009), Privateering (2012), Tracker (2015), and Knopfler’s most recent studio release, Down the Road Wherever (2018), plus Back in the Day: The Bonus Tracks 2009-2018, a collection of studio B-sides and bonus tracks from this collective timespan along with two previously unreleased songs, “Back in the Day” and ”Precious Voice From Heaven.”
The audio work of 2009-2018 has been overseen by original mastering engineer Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering, and the vinyl has been cut by Bernie Grundman.
These albums don't display much of Mark Knopfler's jaw-dropping rock guitar pyrotechnics, which were a Dire Straits' signature. That's not to say that the guitar work on these albums isn't fantastic; rather, it tends to be more subdued and shares the spotlight with his warm baritone and the accompanists who play instruments like the clarinet, flute, pennywhistle, uilleann pipes, fiddle, and cittern on these albums.
The majority of Knopfler's songs are character sketches and narrative songs, many of which are written in the first person, just like on his earlier albums. The albums feel cohesive, and the performances are consistently excellent despite the albums' varied subject matter and musical styles.
Mark Knopfler - Records are available now at The Revolver Club.
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