Well, it's an extremely bland and unadventurous (not to mention incongruous) cover, and on first (and only) listen I found the album to mirror the cover. Given that here is the man who steered Dire Straits to worldwide fame and dominance over the course of thirty-odd years, and considering his “Local hero” solo single was just really good, I was expecting a whole lot more from the man with the strangely-spelled surname, who has given his name to a Strat, but on first listen I was very much underwhelmed. Let's check it out again and see if time has changed my opinion of this album.
Sailing to Philadelphia --- Mark Knopfler --- 2000 (Mercury)
Apparently the title is a tribute to the two explorers who established the Mason/Dixon line in the USA, the accepted border between Northern and Southern states in America, but I was definitely put off by the mixed message the sleeve conveys. I mean, why not have had a picture of a ship instead of an aircraft? Planes don't sail, except in literary description --- but if someone tells you “I'm sailing to wherever”, you expect them to be on the high seas. Anyway, it's not hugely important but it kind of put me on the back foot before I had even heard a note, which is never a good thing.
As you would expect, there's a lot of guitar on this album, and it's heavily in evidence on opener “What it is”, with, again as you might guess, something of a Dire Straits melody, but with some interesting violins from Aubrey Haynie differentiating it from the DS sound. Knopfler's guitar signature is of course recognisable and synonymous with the band with whom he made his name, so it's hard not to make the obvious comparison, but for what it is (hah!) he handles the guitar well on the first track, his trademark mutter clearly in evidence on the vocals.
There are the usual guest stars, some heavyweights, including James Taylor on the title track, which he co-wrote with Knopfler (the only one on which the Dire Straits frontman collaborates) and duets with him on the vocals. It's a folky ballad, with some nice acoustic guitar and piano, telling the story of Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon as they head off to Philadelphia to establish the famous border. It's a nice laidback song, perfect for travelling as long as you're on a slow boat or a train, something that allows you to take your time getting there. Nice little touches from Paul Franklin on the pedal steel gives the song a nice midwestern feel.
It's a bit more uptempo for “Who's your baby now”, strummed guitar meshing with Franklin's pedal steel and taking the song along at a nice lick, then “Baloney again” is a lazy, harmonica-led semi-ballad with, would you believe, cricket noises? The insect type, not the sport, idiot! Gives the song a real backwoods atmosphere, nice slide guitar adding its influence and great Hammond organ cutting in here and there, adding flourishes when needed. A nice, classic Straits guitar solo from Knopfler finishes things off nicely.
Another great (though not a favourite of mine, but then, you can't like everyone, can you?) lends his considerable expertise to “The last laugh”, and I think --- though I'm never sure what one sounds like --- that that is an autoharp playing. There's definitely one on the album, so it could be here. It's another semi-ballad, again quite country in its flavour, and personally I don't feel Van Morrison's vocals add much if anything to the song, but there you go, I'm bound to say that, aren't I? Nice keyboard work by Guy Fletcher, who has followed Knopfler from Dire Straits into his solo work and has been with him for most if not all of his solo albums.
“Do America” recalls the joyous uptempo rock of “Walk of life”, with more great keyswork from Fletcher, and a cool little guitar workout by the man. One trap Knopfler avoids is that of having songs that are overlong: there are only five of fourteen here that top the five minute mark, and most of the remainder clock in at around four. More star talent steps up for “Silvertown blues”, where Squeeze stalwarts Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford share vocals with Knopfler. It's a dark, dangerous little tune, with a dramatic air about it, the idea that something bad is in the wind. Fletcher's atmospheric keyboards help to create and maintain this air, as Knopfler relates the tale of a city which has been bled of its resources (I don't know which one he's referring to, though he does mention Canning Town?) and to whose inhabitants the only option left is emigration:
”And I can make out the words 'seven flights every day'/ Says six of those birds are bound for JFK.” Quite reminiscent in many ways of Dire Straits' epic “Telegraph Road”, even the guitar ending to fade.
Horns take “El macho” in, a low, broody, moody song played at mid-pace, nice use of trumpet and flugelhorn, followed by “Prairie wedding”, on which country stars and partners Gillian Welch and David Rawlings guest on vocals. It's another country/folk-styled laidback semi-ballad, and there's really little, so far, apart from “Do America”, to make the heart quicken a little or even get the fingers tapping. Very relaxed, almost acoustic album. Boring? Well, let's not say that just yet. We've another six tracks to go. Still, I have to admit, I almost fast-forwarded this track: this album is not lighting any fires underneath me!
“Wanderlust” does little to change that, another slow, steady song with guitar and keys and a drawled vocal from Knopfler which doesn't so much fill me with wanderlust as wonderlust, as in, wonder when this album will finally be over? There's a return for Welch and Rawlings on “Speedway at Nazareth”, along with the very welcome return of Aubrey Haynie's violin. It's the longest track on the album, just under six and a half minutes, and my heart sinks, but at least it's a more uptempo song, kind of bluegrass with some nice vocals from the country duo: hey, at least my foot's tappin' now! How long will that last, though? Good use of banjo here too, with the guitar then cutting in, and a great duet between the guitar and Haynie's violin. If more of the album was like this I probably would enjoy it more. As it is, this is something of a rarity, a track that makes you want to move, and for once, not your hand towards the forward slider!
The tempo remains relatively fast for “Junkie doll”, a kind of blues boogie with some nice stride guitar and bright piano, but the idea is a little limited and the song doesn't really end up going anywhere. “Sands of Nevada” is a dour ballad where Knopfler sings of wasted years and missed dreams, nice keyboard line backing him, but the song doesn't really leave any impression on me, and then the album closes on “One more matinee”, another folky ballad which is ok but it's not a very strong closer.
TRACKLISTING
1. What it is
2. Sailing to Philadelphia
3. Who's your baby now
4. Baloney again
5. The last laugh
6. Do America
7. Silvertown blues
8. El macho
9. Prairie wedding
10. Wanderlust
11. Speedway at Nazareth
12. Junkie doll
13. Sands of Nevada
14. One more matinee
So, having listened to the album for the second time, has my view changed? Not really. I don't think it's the crapfest I originally believed it to be, but it's no classic either. There are definitely more bad songs on it than good, and the whole flavour of it is so laidback that it really does border at times on boring. I've more than once reached for the forward slider, but managed to restrain myself, as I wanted to give every song a chance. But there are few positives to take out of this.
I'll be filing this away again after this review, and I really doubt that I'll be taking it out again any time soon. Sorry Mark, you've had your shot at the Last Chance Saloon, and I'm afraid it's a pine box for you!