Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 09/19/2000
Run Time: 54:40
Brothers in Arms brought the atmospheric,
jazz-rock inclinations of
Love Over Gold into a
pop setting, resulting in a surprise international best-seller. Of course, the success of
Brothers in Arms was helped considerably by the clever computer-animated video for
"Money for Nothing," a sardonic attack on
MTV. But what kept the record selling was
Mark Knopfler's increased sense of
pop songcraft --
"Money for Nothing" had an indelible guitar riff,
"Walk of Life" is a catchy up-tempo
boogie variation on
"Sultans of Swing," and the melodies of the bluesy
"So Far Away" and the down-tempo,
Everly Brothers-style
"Why Worry" were wistful and lovely.
Dire Straits had never been so concise or
pop-oriented, and it wore well on them. Though they couldn't maintain that consistency through the rest of the album -- only the jazzy
"Your Latest Trick" and the flinty
"Ride Across the River" make an impact --
Brothers in Arms remains one of their most focused and accomplished albums, and in its succinct
pop sense, it's distinctive within their catalog. [In 2005
Mercury released a 20th anniversary limited edition version of
Brothers in Arms in the Hybrid/SACD format.]
~Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
;)
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