DIRE STRAITS Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Few albums define the 80s quite like this one. The band's fifth and - by far - most successful release at that point it's now celebrating its 40th anniversary with a fresh vinyl reissue, ironic considering the millions of CD players sold using it as an advert for the new format the the time. Opening with 'So Far Away', the album establishes its signature polished sound, blending Mark Knopfler's emotive guitar work with smooth, melancholic melodies. But it's 'Money for Nothing' that cemented Brothers in Arms as an 80s icon. Featuring Sting on backing vocals and driven by Knopfler's famous riff, the song skewers MTV culture while paradoxically becoming one of the decade's defining anthems. 'Walk of Life' brings a contrasting brightness, its upbeat keyboard melody making it an enduring favorite. The album also shows Knopfler's gift for storytelling, particularly on 'Your Latest Trick' and 'Why Worry', which balance pop sensibility with emotional depth. But it's the title track, 'Brothers in Arms', that delivers the most haunting momentiits atmospheric, war-torn balladry elevated by one of Knopfler's most stirring solos. The 40th-anniversary vinyl pressing gives new life to the album's lush production. One of the first fully digital recordings, Brothers in Arms benefits from the warmth and depth this analogue reissue brings, bringing out the richness of Knopfler's guitar tones and the album's expansive soundscapes. Four decades on, it remains an essential listenitimeless in both its musicianship and its message.

Review: This 1992 live album captures the iconic UK rockers as they toured their final album On Every Street, wielding a setlist that balances hits and deep cuts. Side-A kicks off with the iconic early breakthrough hit 'Sultans of Swing', instantly impressing listeners in Mark Knopfler's signature fingerpicking guitar work. The energy continues with the ever-joyful 'Walk of Life', its infectious rhythm bringing an undeniable feel-good vibe. 'Heavy Fuel' rounds out the first side with its gritty, tongue-in-cheek take on rock star excess. Side-B opens with the smooth jazz-inflected 'Your Latest Trick', complete with haunting saxophone melodies that add emotional depth to the performance. The epic 'Telegraph Road' follows, serving as a masterclass in dynamic storytelling through music, with Knopfler's guitar work shining throughout its extended runtime. The album closes with 'Solid Rock', a fittingly energetic finale that evidently leaves the 65,000-strong audience at the Bedfordshire stately home wanting more. As the years go by, Dire Straits set themselves aside as one of the most talented, versatile and different bands in rock music.

Review: On Every Street was the final album recorded by Dire Straits in 1991 before they finally disbanded. It had already been more than six years since their landmark Brothers In Arms, but Mark Knopfler and co. had one more salvo of songs to gift to the world. It's a sentimental record in that Dire Straits way, not least on the title track, but there's also some mesmerising grooves to lose yourself in such as in the extended run of 'Calling Elvis'. This reissue comes courtesy of Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, who have pressed the album up on double vinyl mastered from the original sources and sounding frankly immaculate - an edition for the audiophiles to nod approvingly to.

Review: Dire Straits bowed out in style when they released On Every Street in 1991. They'd taken their time since the knockout success of Brothers In Arms, waiting six years to deliver a follow-up which would satisfy fans of their inimitable sound. Mark Knopfler's dusky tones weave many a tale, and there's that pervading sentimental mood hanging over the record like a Dire Straits album should have, but there's also some of those Southern boogie rhythm sections to lock onto, not least on the drawn out splendour of 'Calling Elvis'. Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab are going all-out on the reissue treatment for this edition, presented in a gatefold sleeve on Super Audio CD.

Review: The brilliantly ironically titled Money For Nothing album from Dire Straits was their great hits album from back in 1998. It came off the back of their hugely success 1985 long player Brotehrs in Arms and featured plenty of tracks from that record as well as the four others before that. 'Sultans of Swing', 'Romeo and Juliet', 'Private Investigations' and three of the five singles from 'Brothers in Arms' all feature and this special vinyl edition also has 'Telegraph Road (Live Remix)' which in the past was only issued on CD. 'Portobello Belle (Live)' is here too as a brand new mix.