Mark Knopfler

Sailing To Philadelphia

Does Not Fulfill Its Promise

Review Score:

(6/10)
I don't know who said it, I'm sure it wasn't me, but there is something indefinable between goodness and greatness. Such is the case with "Sailing to Philadelphia".

I approached this album without any "Dire Straits" baggage and I heard it long before "The Ragpicker's Dream", nonetheless, it comes up short. Despite pairing Mark Knopfler with James Taylor on the title track and Van Morrison on " The Last Laugh", the album never hits greatness. This is not to say I am disappointed, I feel the album is worth its price, I just don't feel it is worth more than the sum of its parts.

The opening track sets expectations high, but the rest of the album fails to deliver. Yes, I love the title track and I'll listen to anything featuring Van Morrison, but the remainder of the album never lives up to the promise of the opening set. This is not to say the guitar stylings are weak, but the lyrics and vocals, except as already noted, just don't come across as strongly as they could.

As a Dire Straits fan, I enjoy Knopfler's guitar, but it never takes off like I'd expect it to. The lyrics just don't seem up to par, but don't ask me to explain why. It just all seems too commercial to be anything more than mediocre. "Sailing to Philadelphia" is a classic cut, no doubt about it, but what can you expect with a pairing like JT and MK? This is the one track where the lyrics paint such a lyrical picture. The rest is just too Impressionistic for my taste.

The album is worth the retail price, so don't worry about the cost. If your are a Knopfler fan, it's a worthy addition to your collection. If you are a follower of Dire Straits you may be disappointed. If you can, listen to it before you buy it. This will help you decide if it belongs in your permanent music collection.

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