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"With "The Ragpicker's Dream", Mark Knopfler finally dares to leave the field of rock and guitar solos to embark on another adventure."
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4/5
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In 2002, after the runaway success of "Sailing To Philadelpiha", Mark Knopfler presented his third solo album (excluding B.O.F) and continued to impress with the quality of his lyrics and musicality. "The Ragpicker's Dream", with its artwork as evocative of the artist's spirit as ever, mixes styles and reveals a certain freedom and a new-found thirst for creativity in the former leader of Dire Straits. Here, the barriers come down, with American Folk, Bluegrass, Irish and even Scottish Folk, Rhythm And Blues, Country, Swing, Jazz, and even a few influences of Progressive Rock hidden in the structure of the tracks.
Within this unpredictable framework, Mark Knopfler surprises. Both singer and poet, he tells us these stories, sometimes bitterly realistic, from the point of view of an average American, poor but dignified, combative and humble, in whom every man can find himself at some point in his life. It's hard to imagine a more authentic and captivating album in this guise, so much so that it exudes honesty and sharing. Acoustic, intimate and swinging, between the master's inimitable guitar-picking and a variety of violins and banjos, Mark Knopfler takes us on a journey.
Between Knoxville and Marbletown, Northumberland and the green hills of deepest America, the artist enchants us throughout these 12 tracks that are as homogeneous as they are seductive. Of course, there's the heady, shamanic 'Why Aye Man', which has since become a concert classic, the old jazzy 'Quality Shoes', 'Ragpicker's Dream' and 'Devil Baby', reminiscent of the Notting Hillbillies, 'You Don't Know Your Born', which is closer to Dire Straits, and the profound 'Rare Thee Well Northumberland', which moves like a tired old train (complete with percussion and harmonica) through the misty valleys.
Listening to this album, each track will have the merit of being your favourite, depending on your mood or the time of day, making this record undoubtedly one of his greatest solo successes to date. With "The Ragpicker's Dream", Mark Knopfler finally dares to leave the field of rock and guitar solos to embark on another adventure, and we now know that the future will prove him right. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. Why Aye Man – 06:14
02. Devil Baby – 04:05
03. Hill Farmer's Blues – 03:45
04. A Place Where We Used To Live – 04:34
05. Quality Shoe – 03:56
06. Rare Thee Well Northumberland – 06:29
07. Marbletown – 03:33
08. You Don't Know You're Born – 05:21
09. Coyote – 05:56
10. The Ragpicker's Dream – 04:20
11. Daddy's Gone To Knoxville – 02:48
12. Old Pigweed – 04:34
LINEUP:
Chad Cromwell: Batterie
Glenn Worf: Basse
Guy Fletcher: Chant / Claviers / String arrengements
Jim Cox: Claviers
Mark Knopfler: Chant / Guitares
Paul Franklin: Pedal Steel Guitar
Richard Bennett: Guitares / Bouzouki, tiple
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(0) MIND(S) FROM OUR READERS
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READERS
4/5 (1 view(s))
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STAFF:
4/5 (3 view(s))
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IN RELATION WITH MARK KNOPFLER
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