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Mark Knopfler's debut non-soundtrack solo album, Golden Heart, was, in effect, the follow-up to the last Dire Straits studio album, On Every Street (1991). But it was also a compendium of the various musical endeavors in which Knopfler had engaged since emerging as a major figure in 1978. "Imelda" was cast in the mold of "Money for Nothing," with its trademark electric guitar riff and sardonic lyrics about Imelda Marcos, and other songs resembled Dire Straits songs, notably "Cannibals," which recalled "Walk of Life." But "A Night in Summer Long Ago" was presented in a Scots/Irish traditional folk style, complete with a lyric about a knight and a queen and would have fit nicely on Knopfler's soundtrack for The Princess Bride, and "Are We in Trouble Now" was a country ballad featuring pedal steel guitar and the piano playing of Nashville session ace Hargus "Pig" Robbins that would have been appropriate for Knopfler's duo album with Chet Atkins. For all that, there was little on the album that was new or striking, and Knopfler seemed to fall back on familiar guitar techniques while intoning often obscure lyrics. You get the feeling that there was a story behind each song, but except in the cases of "Rudiger," a character study of an autograph hunter, and "Done with Bonaparte," the lament of a 19th century French soldier on the retreat from Moscow, you might have to read Knopfler's interviews to find out what the songs were actually about. Knopfler hadn't used the opportunity of a solo album to challenge himself, and at the same time he had lost the group identity (however illusory) provided by the Dire Straits name. The result was listenable but secondhand.
© William Ruhlmann /TiVo
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Richard Bennett, Acoustic Guitar - Paul Brady, Whistle - Seán Keane, Violin - Mairtín O'Connor, Accordion - Michael Rhodes, Bass Guitar - MATT ROLLINGS, Piano - DENNY PURCELL, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Steve Nathan, Hammond Organ - GARY LEMEL, Contributor - Brian Masterson, Engineer - Mark Knopfler, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Eddie Bayers, Drums - CHUCK AINLAY, Producer, MixingEngineer - Donal Lunny, Bouzouki - Jonathan Russell, AssistantEngineer - Derek Bell, Harp - Graham Lewis, Engineer, Assistant Mix Engineer - Danny Cummings, Background Vocals - Guy Fletcher, Background Vocals
© 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London) ℗ 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London)
Richard Bennett, Acoustic Guitar - DENNY PURCELL, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Steve Nathan, Hammond Organ - Brian Masterson, Engineer - Glenn Worf, Bass Guitar - Mark Knopfler, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - CHUCK AINLAY, Producer, MixingEngineer - Jonathan Russell, AssistantEngineer - Graham Lewis, Engineer, Assistant Mix Engineer - Danny Cummings, Percussion, Background Vocals - Guy Fletcher, Background Vocals
© 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London) ℗ 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London)
Richard Bennett, Acoustic Guitar - DENNY PURCELL, MasteringEngineer - Steve Nathan, Keyboards - Chad Cromwell, Drums - Brian Masterson, Engineer - Glenn Worf, Bass Guitar - Mark Knopfler, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - CHUCK AINLAY, Producer, MixingEngineer - Jonathan Russell, AssistantEngineer - Graham Lewis, Engineer, Assistant Mix Engineer - Danny Cummings, Background Vocals - Guy Fletcher, Keyboards, Background Vocals
© 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London) ℗ 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London)
Richard Bennett, Acoustic Guitar - Brendan Croker, Background Vocals - DENNY PURCELL, MasteringEngineer - Steve Nathan, Keyboards - Chad Cromwell, Drums - Brian Masterson, Engineer - Glenn Worf, Bass - Mark Knopfler, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - CHUCK AINLAY, Producer, MixingEngineer - Jonathan Russell, AssistantEngineer - Graham Lewis, Engineer, Assistant Mix Engineer - Danny Cummings, Percussion, Background Vocals - Guy Fletcher, Keyboards, Background Vocals
© 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London) ℗ 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London)
Richard Bennett, Guitar - Michael Rhodes, Bass Guitar - MATT ROLLINGS, Piano - DENNY PURCELL, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Steve Nathan, Keyboards - Terry McMillan, Drums - Brian Masterson, Engineer - Mark Knopfler, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Eddie Bayers, Drums - CHUCK AINLAY, Producer, MixingEngineer - Jonathan Russell, AssistantEngineer - Graham Lewis, Engineer, Assistant Mix Engineer - Danny Cummings, Percussion - Guy Fletcher, Background Vocals
© 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London) ℗ 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London)
Richard Bennett, Guitar - Bill Cuomo, Hammond Organ - DENNY PURCELL, MasteringEngineer - Chad Cromwell, Drums - Brian Masterson, Engineer - Glenn Worf, Bass Guitar - Mark Knopfler, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - CHUCK AINLAY, Producer, MixingEngineer - Jonathan Russell, AssistantEngineer - Graham Lewis, Engineer, Assistant Mix Engineer - Danny Cummings, Background Vocals - Guy Fletcher, Background Vocals
© 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London) ℗ 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London)
Richard Bennett, Acoustic Guitar - Paul Brady, Whistle - Liam O'Flynn, Contributor - Seán Keane, Violin - Mairtín O'Connor, Accordion - DENNY PURCELL, MasteringEngineer - Brian Masterson, Engineer - Mark Knopfler, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Eddie Bayers, Drums - Paul Moore, Bass - CHUCK AINLAY, Producer, MixingEngineer - Donal Lunny, Bouzouki - Jonathan Russell, AssistantEngineer - Graham Lewis, Engineer, Assistant Mix Engineer
© 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London) ℗ 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London)
Richard Bennett, Acoustic Guitar - Brendan Croker, Background Vocals - DENNY PURCELL, MasteringEngineer - Steve Nathan, Hammond Organ - Chad Cromwell, Drums - Brian Masterson, Engineer - Glenn Worf, Bass - Mark Knopfler, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - CHUCK AINLAY, Producer, MixingEngineer - Jonathan Russell, AssistantEngineer - Graham Lewis, Engineer, Assistant Mix Engineer - Danny Cummings, Background Vocals - Guy Fletcher, Keyboards, Background Vocals - Jo-El Sonnier, Accordion
© 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London) ℗ 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London)
Richard Bennett, Acoustic Guitar - Paul Brady, Whistle - Michael Rhodes, Bass Guitar - BARRY BECKETT, Piano - DENNY PURCELL, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Steve Nathan, Keyboards, Hammond Organ - Brian Masterson, Engineer - Mark Knopfler, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Eddie Bayers, Drums - CHUCK AINLAY, Producer, MixingEngineer - Jonathan Russell, AssistantEngineer - Graham Lewis, Engineer, Assistant Mix Engineer - Danny Cummings, Percussion
© 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London) ℗ 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London)
Richard Bennett, Guitar - Michael Rhodes, Bass Guitar - DENNY PURCELL, MasteringEngineer - Brian Masterson, Engineer - Mark Knopfler, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Eddie Bayers, Drums - CHUCK AINLAY, Producer, MixingEngineer - Jonathan Russell, AssistantEngineer - Billy Ware, Triangle - Michael Doucet, Fiddle - Graham Lewis, Engineer, Assistant Mix Engineer - Danny Cummings, Background Vocals - Sonny Landreth, Guitar, Background Vocals - Steve Conn, Accordion
© 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London) ℗ 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London)
Richard Bennett, Acoustic Guitar - Michael Rhodes, Bass Guitar - MATT ROLLINGS, Piano - DENNY PURCELL, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Steve Nathan, Keyboards - Brian Masterson, Engineer - Mark Knopfler, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Eddie Bayers, Drums - CHUCK AINLAY, Producer, MixingEngineer - Jonathan Russell, AssistantEngineer - Graham Lewis, Engineer, Assistant Mix Engineer - Danny Cummings, Percussion, Background Vocals - Heike BArthe, Background Vocals
© 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London) ℗ 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London)
Richard Bennett, Acoustic Guitar - Michael Rhodes, Bass Guitar - BARRY BECKETT, Piano - DENNY PURCELL, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Steve Nathan, Hammond Organ - Vince Gill, Background Vocals - Brian Masterson, Engineer - Mark Knopfler, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Eddie Bayers, Drums - CHUCK AINLAY, Producer, MixingEngineer - Jonathan Russell, AssistantEngineer - Graham Lewis, Engineer, Assistant Mix Engineer - Danny Cummings, Percussion - Guy Fletcher, Keyboards
© 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London) ℗ 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London)
Richard Bennett, Acoustic Guitar - Paul Brady, Whistle - Liam O'Flynn, Contributor - Seán Keane, Violin - Mairtín O'Connor, Accordion - DENNY PURCELL, MasteringEngineer - Steve Nathan, Hammond Organ - Brian Masterson, Engineer - Mark Knopfler, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Paul Moore, Bass Guitar - CHUCK AINLAY, Producer, MixingEngineer - Donal Lunny, Bouzouki - Jonathan Russell, AssistantEngineer - Graham Lewis, Engineer, Assistant Mix Engineer - Danny Cummings, Background Vocals - Robbie Casserley, Drums
© 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London) ℗ 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London)
Michael Rhodes, Bass Guitar - DENNY PURCELL, MasteringEngineer - Paul Franklin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Steve Nathan, Keyboards, Hammond Organ - Vince Gill, Background Vocals - Brian Masterson, Engineer - Mark Knopfler, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Eddie Bayers, Drums - CHUCK AINLAY, Producer, MixingEngineer - Don Potter, Acoustic Guitar - Jonathan Russell, AssistantEngineer - Graham Lewis, Engineer, Assistant Mix Engineer - Danny Cummings, Percussion - Hargus Robbins, Piano
© 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London) ℗ 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London)
Album review
Mark Knopfler's debut non-soundtrack solo album, Golden Heart, was, in effect, the follow-up to the last Dire Straits studio album, On Every Street (1991). But it was also a compendium of the various musical endeavors in which Knopfler had engaged since emerging as a major figure in 1978. "Imelda" was cast in the mold of "Money for Nothing," with its trademark electric guitar riff and sardonic lyrics about Imelda Marcos, and other songs resembled Dire Straits songs, notably "Cannibals," which recalled "Walk of Life." But "A Night in Summer Long Ago" was presented in a Scots/Irish traditional folk style, complete with a lyric about a knight and a queen and would have fit nicely on Knopfler's soundtrack for The Princess Bride, and "Are We in Trouble Now" was a country ballad featuring pedal steel guitar and the piano playing of Nashville session ace Hargus "Pig" Robbins that would have been appropriate for Knopfler's duo album with Chet Atkins. For all that, there was little on the album that was new or striking, and Knopfler seemed to fall back on familiar guitar techniques while intoning often obscure lyrics. You get the feeling that there was a story behind each song, but except in the cases of "Rudiger," a character study of an autograph hunter, and "Done with Bonaparte," the lament of a 19th century French soldier on the retreat from Moscow, you might have to read Knopfler's interviews to find out what the songs were actually about. Knopfler hadn't used the opportunity of a solo album to challenge himself, and at the same time he had lost the group identity (however illusory) provided by the Dire Straits name. The result was listenable but secondhand.
© William Ruhlmann /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 14 track(s)
- Total length: 01:10:18
- Main artists: Mark Knopfler
- Label: Warner Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London) ℗ 1996 Mercury Records Ltd. (London)
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