 |  | Pretty music over so so lyrics |  |
I find the music on this CD very nice, but can't really get into most of the song lyrics. Best example of this is Telegraph Road - very nice guitar with piano and other things thrown in, but the lyrics aren't anything to write home about. I like Industrial Disease the best on here - fun and lively. Safe to skip this in favor of Making Movies or another better Dire Straits disk.
September 8, 2008| | | Solid but a little indulgent... | |
After the amazing "Making Movies", the band returned a year and a half later with "Love Over Gold", an album that had their fewest tracks yet (only 5), featuring the ambitious 14-minute "Telegraph Road". The storytelling of the big number is a bit over the top, and even the usually precise Knopfler's solo is muddy and the production seems out of control as the song seems to build like a tornado towards a dramatic ending that never appears. "Private Investigations" is a 4 minute song that adds an extra 3 minutes comprised of little more than a plucked bass line. The remainder of the album is better; "Industrial Disease" reveals a playful side of Knopfler set to a catchy danceable number; and the album's concluding track, "It Never Rains", is a strong number reminiscent of "Making Movies". All in all...it's not a bad effort, but considering it's sandwiched in time between Dire Straits' two masterpieces, it's tough to rate it highly. Knopfler's lofty ambitions would have to wait three more years...
March 5, 2008 | | Powerful, passionate, and ambitious....Dire Straits' best album... | |
This is my favorite Dire Straits album with good reason. It's easily their most ambitious album, and the musicianship is pretty damn awesome. Who says there was no good music in the 1980's? This was also the last time they were experimental, as their next album, Brothers in Arms, was a monster hit and they pretty much fell apart after that (only one more studio album came out from them). Many people like to talk about the length of the first song, Telegraph Road, without mentioning the actual song. The song is a majestic epic, almost like a mini rock opera symphony. The last 5 minutes or so are some of the most intense playing that these guys ever did. The 2nd song, Private Investigations, is atmospheric and moody, but it's not a favorite. I love the Industrial Disease song, with its still timely lyrics and its bouncy beat (god, that sounds corny). The title track is similar in tone to Private Investigations. It's OK. It Never Rains, as many have said, has a major Dylanesque vibe to it, and it's a great song to close the album with.
It's a shame Dire Straits broke up. Knopfler just released his first solo album in a very long time, and honestly, it's not very good. I heard it at work, and I nearly fell asleep. But we still have this album, one of the most adventurous albums that Dire Straits ever made, and, in my opinion, their best album.
December 14, 2007I personally think this is the best Dire Straits album that was made. The song "Telegraph Road" reminds me a lot of where I grew up and always brings back memories. Industrial Disease is just a great, amusing song.
September 14, 2007...from one of my favorite bands of all time.Incredibly played and recorded.A must!
June 19, 2007More reviews at Amazon.com ...
(108 reviews)