Dire Straits - Dire Straits (2LP, Ultra Analog, Half-speed Mastering, 45 tours)
ORDER LIMITED TO ONE ITEM PER CUSTOMER
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Mark Knopfler – vocals, lead and rhythm guitars [see more vinyl featuring Mark Knopfler]
David Knopfler – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
John Illsley – bass guitar, backing vocals
Pick Withers – drums
Written by Mark Knopfler
2 LPs, gatefold sleeve
Limited numbered edition
Original analog Master tape : YES
Half-speed Mastering
Gain 2™ Ultra Analog
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 45RPM
Size : 12”
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : RTI
Label : MOFI
Original Label : Vertigo
Recorded in Basing St. Studios, London in February 1978
Engineered by Rhett Davies
Produced by Muff Winwood
Remastered by Krieg Wunderlich
Originally released in 1978
Reissued in 2019
Tracks:
Side A :
- Down to the Waterline
- Water of Love
Side B :
- Setting Me Up
- Six Blade Knife
- Southbound Again
Side C :
- Sultans of Swing
- In the Gallery
Side D :
- Wild West End
- Lions
Reviews :
"Dire Straits' minimalist interpretation of pub rock had already crystallized by the time they released their eponymous debut. Driven by Mark Knopfler's spare, tasteful guitar lines and his husky warbling, the album is a set of bluesy rockers. And while the bar band mentality of pub-rock is at the core of Dire Straits -- even the group's breakthrough single, "Sultans of Swing," offered a lament for a neglected pub rock band -- their music is already beyond the simple boogies and shuffles of their forefathers, occasionally dipping into jazz and country. Knopfler also shows an inclination toward Dylanesque imagery, which enhances the smoky, low-key atmosphere of the album. While a few of the songs fall flat, the album is remarkably accomplished for a debut, and Dire Straits had difficulty surpassing it throughout their career." AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Ultra Analog™ : The GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ Series stems from the use of the Gain 2 system, mastered at half speed from the original master tapes where possible, capturing and uncovering as before undiscovered sonic information.
Half-speed mastering. In half-speed mastering, the whole process is slowed down to half of the original speed. A typical 33 1/3 rpm record is cut at 16 2/3 rpm. The source material is also slowed down (reducing the pitch in the process) meaning the final record will still sound normal when played back. Slowing the whole process down allows more time, which means the end result sounds better and is more efficient — allowing engineering to minimize the effects of inherent limitations within the vinyl format. The result is a more accurate and more open high-frequency response in the half speed vinyl when compared with a normal speed recording.
Ratings :
AllMusic : 4 / 5 ; Discogs : 4,23 / 5