There is a comforting familiarity that inhabits the bountyof Mark Knopfler’s solo albums; one that continues to emanate from both his prolificcreativity and reliable intentions. Onhis latest, Down the Road Wherever, theguitarist and singer-songwriter once again seems to display no interest in, orneed for, reinvention. Yet, with hisever sharp writer’s eye for observation, he offers plenty of new motifs andvignettes to keep things interesting. It’s a healthy journey, trafficking in enough clever wordplay andexpeditious vocal phrasing to draw 16 pleasant postcards, and more than amplemusicianship to color them in vividly.
The peaceful intro of the lead track, “Trapper Man,” getsturned upside-down with party-crashing drums, signaling from the outset thatKnopfler has not quenched his thirst for rock-and-roll. That trademark tone, like the coal of amaster blacksmith, smolders and glows immortally, even when cycling keyboardspoke through the hedge of guitars, as on “Back on the Dance Floor.” And his unembellished vocal, lifted here andthere by pollen-like background support from Imelda May, still pours out likethe finest liquor. Nods of appreciation, too, go to his longtime collaborator,co-producer, and keyboardist Guy Fletcher for providing exquisite sonic claritywithin the counterpoint arrangements.
Knopfler’s breadth of topics is wide, but there are someadjoining thematic threads. He comparespast and present visions of the Western U.S., singing of Stetsons and bordellosone minute; designer blinds and juicers the next. An after-midnight cocktail trio of “When YouLeave,” “Floating Away,” and “Slow Learner” echoes three decades back to hisDire Straits days of “Your Latest Trick.” Then, there is the cheeky funk of “Nobody Does That” and the ‘60s loungejazz of “Rear View Mirror,” with retro vibes so strong one can almost smell theperfume of the shimmying Go-Go girls.
Bits of autobiography are scattered about, as well. On “Just a Boy Away From Home,” Knopflerdetails his father’s hospital stay pairing it with jaunty New Orleans deltablues and bottleneck slide. For the finale,he tells his own tale, recalling a hitchhike long, long ago on “MatchstickMan.” If Knopfler is to stop here andnever make another record, this last track is a lovely career travelogue and send-off. Though the safe bet is, like many timesbefore, there are still notes left in that guitar and ink left in that pen.ocked0 Med
