Dire Straits – Dire Straits : 2021 (180g Vinyl LP)

Dire Straits’ self-titled debut arrived in the midst of punk’s reign but couldn’t have been further removed from the era’s slash-and-burn style. Here is tasteful, jazz-inflected rock, all smoothly skating on virtuoso guitarist Mark Knopfler’s winding guitar lines and the band’s laidback rhythms. Equally drawing from country, roots, and folk influences, the British quartet’s stripped-down music knew no peers in the 70s, and has never been matched to this day.

Part of the reason for the band’s uniqueness owes to its clean, vibrant sound. Just as Knopfler’s narratives reflect poetic and surrealist texts, the group’s arrangements–an intoxicating combination of easygoing shuffles, bluesy boogies, and pop-honed ballads–mirror the old-fashioned soulfulness and spaciousness inherent in the classic recordings of the late 50s and early 60s. It’s no wonder why Dire Straits has long been a favorite of audiophiles the world over. When it comes to sonic purity, transparent soundstages, and rich tonalities, few, if any bands sound better.

And now, thanks to the meticulous efforts of Warner Bros., Dire Straits’ 1978 breakthrough debut can be experienced like never before. Remastered and cut from the original analog tapes and pressed on high-quality 180g vinyl, Dire Straits is simply out-of-this-world good. Knopfler’s mesmerizing guitar textures and cool vocals appear as if they’re right in front of you. Details, imaging, and presence are on a level associated with the finest audiophile recordings.

As it’s proven for the last few years, Warner Bros. treats vinyl with the ultimate respect, and this must-have Dire Straits record is no exception. Listeners with original copies of the LP, or Simply Vinyl’s pressing, will be absolutely stunned upon hearing the improvements. And the rest of us can simply rejoice in knowing that low-key songs such as “Sultans of Swing” and “Southbound Again” resonate with an airiness, openness, and palpability they’ve never claimed prior. A five-star pressing!

Dire Straits Dire Straits Track Listing:

1. Down to the Waterline
2. Water of Love
3. Setting Me Up
4. Six Blade Knife
5. Southbound Again
6. Sultans of Swing
7. In the Gallery
8. Wild West End
9. Lions