Mark Knopfler's voice is a strange concoction of the classic melodies of Johnny Cash married with the unharmonious rants of William Shatner.
Unfortunately for those who have heard Shatner's latest album, "Has Been," this combo isn't necessarily a good thing.
Mark Knopfler, a four-time Grammy winner and the voice and guitarist of Dire Straits, has released his latest album, "Shangri-La."
"Shangri-La" is Knopfler's follow-up to "The Ragpickers Dream," a banjo-strumming country album heralded on top ten lists in the UK.
Knopfler, diverging from his recent success, jumps ship to a different genre, leaping from country to tunes reminiscent of plain old cold, hard, rock and roll.
His atypical vocals add something new to the often hackneyed and sometimes stale pool of the rock genre. His lyrics, rather than sung, are ranted, which give his stories bite. Knopfler's vocals are the only rap suitable for an old folk's home.
Younger generations may find themselves out of touch with Knopfler's storytelling. He often relays stories about 55-year-old experiences. They certainly do not, however, detract from his richly creative and unique lyrics.
In "Boom Like That," he rants about the 1950s McDonald's entrepreneur, Ray Krok.
"That's Krok with a 'K'/ Like 'crocodile'/ But not spelled that way, now/ It's dog eat dog/ Rat eat rat/ Kroc-style/ Boom, like that."
He also makes references to the icons of his age including Marlon Brando, Elvis Presley and Sonny Liston. He even throws a curveball to his listeners with suggestive political commentary in the track "Don't Crash the Ambulance."
"The big enchilada/ Stealing elections/ Had to go down there/ Trash collection/ Got his cojones/ On my desk in there/ Made into a souvenir/ Not so fast junior/ Listen to your pa/ Here son/ I'm handing over to you/ Don't crash the ambulance."
"Shangri-La" is definitely suitable for a Cash/Shatner fan, or just a hardcore Knopfler fan. But for the rest, Knopfler's nebulous storytelling and slow-paced rhythms would only befit its listeners as a sedative.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
