The Ragpicker's Dream
AS if Dire Straits never happened!
Mercifully adrift from all too comfortable heart of that particular outfit, Mark Knopfler returns to his Geordie roots with a flourish. In artistic, if not commercial terms, this is a joy to witness, as he cuts loose and starts to explore areas of stark R'n'B and storytelling folk, once synonymous with his beloved home city.
Knopfler's musical passions were initially aroused when, as a 15-year-old, he would drift through the city, gazing forlornly in guitar shop windows and soaking in scratchy blues sounds, via his bedroom Dansette.
That awestruck naivet returns with a vengeance here, through such joyfully simplistic songs as Why Aye Man and Fare Thee Well Northumberland. While those titles do little to dissolve the irritating Geordie stereotype, Knopfler strikes a careful balance between folksy narrative and spirited guitar work.
It's the sound of a man breaking free. Enjoy, before he scampers back to lucrative dullness.
Mick Middles
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article