Mark Knopfler One Take Radio Sessions CD

Personnel: Mark Knopfler (vocals, guitar); Mark Knopfler; Doug Pettibone (electric guitar, mandolin); Glenn Worf (bass guitar); Richard Bennett (guitar); Jim Cox, Matt Rollings (keyboards); Chad Cromwell (drums).
Audio Mixer: Chuck Ainlay.
Recording information: Shangri-la Studios, Malibu, CA.
Singer/songwriter/guitarist Mark Knopfler may still be recovering from the motorcycle accident that nearly killed him in 2003, but it's no excuse for this flaccid EP of "live in the studio" recordings. Released in 2004, Shangri-La was a bare-bones affair that found the legendary Dire Straits leader assuming a more contemplative and fatalistic persona than in previous efforts, resulting in one of his moodiest -- but not altogether unpleasant -- solo outings. That Shangri-La was recorded with little or no overdubs makes this eight-song performance somewhat redundant. Nothing new is brought to the table except the inclusion of "Rüdiger" from 1996's Golden Heart, and even that track is the same as the original recording -- minus the strings this time around. As expected, however, the playing is top-notch, the recording impeccable, and the tunes are strong. ~ James Christopher Monger
As guitar gods go, Mark Knopfler is a guy whose mellow music-making approach is at odds with the over-the-top images generally associated with the aforementioned tag. That notwithstanding, Knopfler demonstrates on LIVE FROM SHANGRI-LA that his kind of subtle instrumental skill and deft wielding of musical textures make any kind of six-string histrionics moot. Drawing the bulk of material from this set's 2004 studio predecessor SHANGRI-LA means there's a rich trove of storytelling fare for Knopfler and his compatriots to trot out. "Boom, Like That," a nod to Ray Kroc sung in the McDonald's founder's voice, benefits from a snappy reading while "Donegan's Gone," Knopfler's homage to his skiffle idol, has a twangy charm that points at the influence of Chet Atkins as much as it does of Donegan. And like Bruce Springsteen and Paul Simon, the Scottish string-bender has his own song about a boxer in the shape of the fuzz-guitar blues of "Song for Sonny Liston." The only deviation from the all-SHANGRI-LA track list is "Rudiger," a song from Knopfler's first solo album with a moody nuance and understated guitar playing that hearkens back to the Dire Straits founder's LOVE OVER GOLD days.