Knopfler is Great

I bought this CD cause I heard the "Don't crash the ambulance" song on radioparadise.com (great station, bought a lot of CDs cause of them). One of the very few CDs where you buy a CD for a great song and find out most of the other songs are GREATER. You cannot go wrong with this CD- people of all ages would enjoy.

Mark Knopfler - Shangri La

Takes awhile to become familiar withs the selections but the stories are all interesting, especially after you hear them a few times. Liked "Lonnie Donnigan" the most.

Growing up

As one who grew up in the UK with Dire Straits and still regards them as one of the best rock bands ever, I wasn't disppointed in Shangri-la at all. As Mark Knopfler and I have aged over the years, we've both mellowed, changed moods and tastes and it's as if he knows where I am in my own aging process. It's his lyrics, always thoughtful, often surprising and that familiar guitar sound, that gives much to enjoy on this album. It's not over-produced and leaves behind haunting melodies to carry around. Mark Knopfler has a way of making you "see" his music. "5:15 a.m." becomes a story that you can visualize: you can see the Jag driving up the Great North Road and the working men's clubs. Kudos to Mark for paying hommage to both the late, great Elvis and Lonnie! Even if your political views don't quite mesh, "Don't Crash the Ambulance" is a not only well written but prescient. It's a song that doesn't pull any punches, with guitar and harmonica work that seems out of place with the lyrics but somehow fits so perfectly. Add: "Everybody Pays," Shangri-la," "Whoop de Doo," "5:15 a.m.," "All that Matters," and the catchy "Postcards from Paraguay," and you have my favorites.