Mark Knopfler
(Reprise)
Well along in his prodigious solo career, Mark Knopfler has finally shaken off the freewheeling shuffle of Dire Straits in favor of traditional folk finesse, a sound that hangs on solemn yet sweeping arrangements, mournful pipes and wistful yet reflective narratives. Knopfler's visited these realms before, particularly in his soundtrack excursions, but at this point in his trajectory he's draping himself in a Celtic calling. In fact, Get Lucky could just as easily be titled Get Soulful, given the predominance of gentle, rolling ballads.
That makes the inclusion of a jaunty, bluesy romp like "You Can't Beat the House" seem something of an anomaly here, cast in the midst of this old country mélange. What's most striking, however, is the gorgeous aura of idyllic imagery and elegiac grace that accompanies songs such as "Hard Shoulder," "Monteleone," "Get Lucky," "Before Gas and TV," and "Piper to the End," lovely, resolute melodies that cast Knopfler in the role of a tireless, timeless troubadour. These rugged narratives give Get Lucky an august quality and a luminescence all its own.
Standout tracks: "Get Lucky," "Before Gas and TV," "Hard Shoulder" LEE ZIMMERMAN
