Mark
Knopfler writes pop and rock tunes the way Hank Marvin writes instrumental
musicfull of irony, drama and plenty of lush and melodic pop
arrangementsmeaning
much more substance than style. The songs on the 2007 CD Kill To
Get Crimson is a testimony to Knopflers approach to guitar
song writing. Knopflers fifth solo, non-soundtrack release,
following 2004s Shangri-La, and Knopflers collaboration
with Emmylou Harris, All The Roadrunning, 2007s Kill
To Get Crimson also features accordionist Ian Lowthian,
with whom Knopfler collaborated on his brilliant soundtrack to the
2002 movie A Shot At Glory, as well as long time Knopfler band
mates Guy Fletcher and Chuck Ainlay. In addition to
the standout track, Let It All Go, track seven, Punish
The Monkey is a solid return to the imaginative sound of the
MTV years of the 80s. Commenting on the CD cover art, Knopfler
adds, For the cover, Ive chosen a picture painted in 1958,
it has a West Indian girl who wants to buy a red scooter. This is
pre-mod, and the L-plate hasnt changed to this day. Ive
got a red scooter, and its amazing, it looks pretty much exactly
the same. That time was very interesting from the point of view of
a musician, a kid at that time. A lot of the record is picking up
strands from there. www.markknopfler.com