MARK KNOPFLER: One Deep River (ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

More than thirty years have passed since Dire Straits disbanded. Yet it's still hard to separate Mark Knopfler's name from that of the legendary 1980s band, even though "One Deep River" marks the Briton's tenth solo album. The line-up remains stable, and Mark continues his simplification process, delving ever deeper into his folk and blues roots.

"One Deep River" is a far cry from the elegant rock of Dire Straits. Mark's voice, discreet, nonchalant and sensitive, lends itself well to the exercise of this intimate music made between friends, whose complicity is obvious. There's an extremely masterful touch ('One Deep River'), in a deliberately retro setting typical of the style ('Before my Train Comes'), sometimes bordering on the scholastic ('Smart Money'), far from the virtuoso aspect of Dire Straits ('Watch me Gone'). The risk of returning to the past is to present tracks with a heavy air of déjà-entendu, and this record is no exception ('Janine').

Fortunately, the quality of the arrangements, though minimalist, lays the foundations for some very pleasant pieces: the contribution of female backing vocals ('Tunnel 13'), violin ('Ahead of the Game') or slide refines the whole, resulting in some pretty successes ('Two Pairs of Hands', 'Scavengers Yard' with its discreet ternary side) with a particularly sensitive authentic aspect (the intimate 'Sweeter Than the Rain').

In the 1970s, another artist released an album in the same folk-blues style: with his "Beaucoup of Blues", Ringo Starr baffled his fans at the time by leaving the pop-rock path in an album that has remained confidential. "One Deep River" leaves a similar impression. Obviously authentic and sincere, it nevertheless struggles to arouse the enthusiasm that Dire Straits in its day knew so well how to provoke. - Official website

MARK KNOPFLER

ONE DEEP RIVER

AUTOPRODUCTION

ROCK