Mark Knopfler: Sailing To Philadelphia : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Bob Dylan once said he liked Dire Straits because they sounded like one person. There was a certain single-mindedness to the Seventies band's sophisticated take on pub rock. In the Eighties, Dire Straits became even more of a one-man show -- singer-songwriter-producer and guitar god Mark Knopfler. So what's the difference between a Mark Knopfler album and a Dire Straits album? Arguably, not much besides bassist John Illsley and a few million sales. Like so much of Steely Dan's recent comeback, Knopfler's new album, Sailing to Philadelphia, is a welcome flashback. The first single, "What It Is," has the epic sound of "Sultans of Swing" and "Tunnel of Love," while the sly "Do America" -- one of many tracks that reflect the Brit Knopfler's interest in Americana -- is lively fun in the "Twisting by the Pool" tradition. Knopfler duets with James Taylor on the title track, which deftly explores the relationship between Mason and Dixon; Van Morrison trades lines on the soulful "The Last Laugh." With Sailing to Philadelphia, Knopfler has taken a break from the rootsy side projects and soundtrack work that have occupied him for the last seventeen years, and has evoked some of the grandeur of prime Dire Straits. (RS 852)

DAVID WILD