Mark Knopfler....until he sings

[Hyfi]

On the way to work this morning, XPN was playing some kind of countdown of long songs.

I did not hear who they were about to play next and the song started.
Real nice layering, awesome guitar, and all around good sound. The guitar work finally told me it was Mark Knopfler and I thought maybe this song was something new.

Although I like Dire Straits a little and have a few disks, I was not a huge fan and certainly don't know all the music.

So after several minutes Mark started singing..........oye, same old limited monotone range of every song he sings.

Anyway, this song was a great example of good rock. A few verses, jam session, a few more verses, and a killer 5 minute ending jam, some 14+ minutes in all.

The song....Telegraph Road. WOW, what a great jamming song. I really like Mark as a guitar player, songwriter, composer and all around musician. I just can't stand his vocals.

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Anybody else feel this way about certain groups? Love the music-hate the vocals?

[ForeverAutumn]

Dire Straits is one of the best concerts that I've ever seen. Knopfler is a great guitar player and the entire band was extremely tight. A great, great show! As for his solo work, from what I've heard, the CD Sailing To Philadelphia is a great disk. I just love it. But I haven't enjoyed his other solo disks. The songs tend to be a little too mellow and monotone.

Monotone vocals can work for some groups if the songs are written appropriately for the vocals. Michael Stipe with REM and Brad Roberts with Crash Test Dummies are two that immediately come to mind.

As for bands I like with vocalists that I don't, I don't expect anyone here to know this band, but I recently bought a CD by a band called The Quiet Room. The music is some kick-ass prog metal, but the vocals make my ears hurt. No CMVs, all clean, just an annoyingly screechy voice IMO.

Generally, if I don't like the vocalist I won't listen to a band. The vocals play too big a role. The one exception to this might be Opeth. You can't understand what Akerfeldt is singing anyway (when he's growling) so it stops being vocals and just becomes another instrument to me at that point.

[3LB]

In the context of Dire Straits, Knopfler is fine. I can't imagine anyone else singing them. But in saying that, I never made it all the way through but one or two albums of theirs. I can only take his music in small doses. His last one, with Emmy Lou Harris singing, was alright.

[Dual-500]

The mix sounds like sh!t. Way over the top with guitar, barley hear drums and bass appears to be playing from the green room.

I must agree - Knopfler puts a little "Money for Nothing" in pretty much everything he sings.

Like all music and most things in life - you either like it or you don't.

[Hyfi]

The mix sounds like sh!t. Way over the top with guitar, barley hear drums and bass appears to be playing from the green room.

I must agree - Knopfler puts a little "Money for Nothing" in pretty much everything he sings.

Like all music and most things in life - you either like it or you don't.

That clip was not supposed to be anything more than the example of the song I heard on the radio.

[Dual-500]

That clip was not supposed to be anything more than the example of the song I heard on the radio.
Nobody said it was. My coments in no way were reflective of your choice for an example of Kopfler.

It's just a fact, that mix sucks real bad. And that is pointed towards the engineer that created it.

The recording blows and so does the song - it's crap.

With a good mix on the same song, the vocals would still have been what they are - doesn't matter a bit - that example was a fine choice to reinforce the point you are making.

Keep your chin tucked and relax my friend. :thumbsup:

I appreciate and concur with your comments!

[Jimmy B]

Check your local library for a straits album called Alchemy. released in 84.It's a live double album, very well worth the time to listen to it.
Jimmy B

[hifitommy]

dire's 'love over gold' is one of the best. the dynamic range is very wide and the tunes are all good-to me. i have always wanted them to release it as an SACD. it would easily outshine brothers in arms sonically.

its available as a vinyl release which is certainly an option for me. i DO have a good original vinyl so i am not anxious about it.