Mark Knopfler - Local Hero (IEX)

Three years removed from crafting Dire Straits' third album, Making Movies, band leader Mark Knopfler elected to adhere to the record's title and try his hand at doing just that in an aural way. Written and performed to accompany the film Local Hero, the iconic guitarist's first soundtrack continues to serve as one of the decade's most prized scores. Seeking to expand beyond the parameters of his band, Knoplfer taps into a global economy of structures and sounds, and takes anyone with a sense of adventure along for the ride. And what a scenic trip it becomes via the broad palette of Celtic-themed effects, supplemental jazz accents, and folk inflections.Mastered from the original master tapes, Mobile Fidelity's numbered-edition hybrid SACD (limited to 2,500 numbered copies) give the beloved effort audiophile-grade sound on a par with the reference-quality sonics afforded Dire Straits' Mobile Fidelity reissues. In each arrangement, Knopfler's methodical guitar work emerges with supreme transparency and multi-hued textural detail. The intricate notes, finger-picked passages, and cosmopolitan lines come across as if they're transmitted just feet away. Knopfler's acoustically and electrically woven tapestries significantly benefit from the newfound airiness, openness, and balance. No matter the instrument or treatment, the music arrives with pinpoint imaging and vibrant liveliness. Close your eyes, and Local Hero projects movies in your head.