All the classics in one one stadium! (Alchemy - Dire Straits Live - Two Cd Set)

Member Name: Boonoiy

Product:	Alchemy - Dire Straits Live - Two Cd Set
Date:	21/06/02 (160 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great music, Brings back the memories if you've ever been lucky enough to see Dire Straits live, Stadium atmosphere

Disadvantages: 2 poor songs let it down ever so slightly

So, we're out of the world cup then? Depressing or what? Still, at least you're not at a Dire Straits concert, now that would be depressing. At least that's what I used to think a long long time ago - heard Brothers In Arms for the first time and nearly slit my wrists (harrowing times my pre-teen years....)

One day, and a happy day it was, I had a proper introduction to the Straits, in a car with Money for Nothing (the album, not the single) on the stereo and my Dad, aging rocker that he is, nodding happily along with each of the tracks - I was hooked.

All albums bought (Love Over Gold and Communiqué? The only disappointments out of the bunch but that's another story altogether), a great concert attended at Gateshead and a fan was made. The only fly in the ointment was that I didn't have their live album yet! Come Christmas, joy upon joy, there it was - a double CD set, attractively boxed up with great artwork on the covers and a host of songs from a concert played back in '84. What a great Christmas I had - the funny haired, headband wearing and let's face it, 80's icon was blasting out of my CD player for the whole street to hear.

"So what's all the fuss about Mr Boon"? I hear you all cry. Well, how about I give you a rundown of the CDs track by track?

OK, as I said it's a double album, 2 CDs totalling 11 songs, it would seem sensible to begin with CD 1 so here's the 2nd one first for you:

CD2:
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TWO YOUNG LOVERS
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We've got some Mel Collins join us on the Saxophone.....

And into the song we go - Rock and roll at its very, very best this lone. A swing style, rock and roll sounding, badly sung (as all of these songs are but it's not his fault) extravaganza. It's not the type of song that Dire Straits are known for at all and this makes it a very interesting addition to the playlist.
<
br>The story of a couple of young lovers and how they get together and to their wedding day. Lovely, touching and a great song. Great intro to the 2nd CD.

TUNNEL OF LOVE
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Taken from the Money for Nothing CD, a story of unrequited love in a fairground.

The song builds up from the Carousel Waltz (hideous tune) to a soft rock feel, nicely put together and some brilliant highs and lows throughout, one of those songs you'll want to learn all the words to and sing over and over.

TELEGRAPH ROAD
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Now we're cooking with (insert fuel of choice) - the longest song with an immense story - the development of a city from nothing (I don't quite know which, if any, city it's meant to be about but if anyone knows please let on) to a sprawling metropolis.

As with a lot of the Straits's songs it has a slow intro, building up the tempo throughout. I love this about this song, it really develops into a huge number.

"A long time ago, came a man on a track, walking 30 miles with a pack on his back....Makes his home in the wilderness" Sang slowly and somewhat mournfully - we move through a build up period to a huge middle instrumental break before the slow song begins again and we've got the whole city built. Not the most likely of subject maters for a song but it really works incredibly well.

SOLID ROCK
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Rock on.

Here's the heaviest of the tunes on this album - a strong, power-chord filled panorama but with little or no message to it. I've always liked this song but have never really known what it's all about - strength over weakness I suppose or standing up for yourself? Who knows?

GOING HOME
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Doo doo de doo doo, doo dee doodle doodle doo!

Yes, the encore for the evening is an instrumental - the theme from Local Hero (apparently - Scottish thing I th
ink).

Brilliant (if a bit too long), we've got another slow intro with some slight hints as to what's on the way (you know - half a bar from the tune itself thrown in) and then we go into the tune itself. A great piece of work from a great musician.

The band say goodnight......

CD1:
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Bet that shook you a bit eh? Bit skew whiff? It's all in fun :D

ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST
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If I remember rightly this song came from the Communiqué album - a measly collection of tunes with little redeeming features at all. Slow, maudlin and the worst start to any live set I've ever heard. The song is totally out of place on the album as it is crap - there's usually one or two on most albums.

EXPRESSO LOVE
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And then they return with a good one - similar to Solid Rock in that it's one I like, good heavy guitar throughout and some good bass moments but the song seems to have little reason for being. Fun to listen to but not one I go mad for.

ROMEO AND JULIET
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Along with Money For Nothing and Brothers In Arms, this is one of their most famous songs, Romeo singing to Juliet about his love for him and how sad he is that they've split up and how she's now treating him.

Again we've got a mellow intro, one that is instantly recognisable as a classic. There's a few heavier (if that's the right word?) bits in the chorus sections and the links between chorus and verse but on the whole it is a love song that would not be out of place at any romantic dinner.

Love it.

LOVE OVER GOLD
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And it's mind over matter....

So it is, a song about the value of love (obviously) from the Love Over gold album (probably even more obviously).

Heavy guitars throughout and a great tune to jump up and down to.
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br>PRIVATE INVESTIGATIONS
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This one is the Dire Straits holy grail or guitar players. Apparently one of the hardest tunes to play with lots of key and tempo changes, little singing parts and a strong melodic, acoustic song all in all.

I hate it.

Sorry to say that I don't like this one at all - I appreciate the quality of guitar playing but then again I appreciate the skill in playing a harp - I wouldn't choose to listen to it though (sorry for any offence caused to Harpists).

Crap song number 2!

SULTANS OF SWING
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End the 1st CD on a high.

Possibly my favourite song that the Straits have ever penned - a strummy/hummy intro - quick paced throughout and a great, great (oh go on, say it again) GREAT tune to lead up to what I've always thought of as the interval.

If you don't know it, you should seek it out and listen intently to this. Brilliance does not shine any brighter than this song.

The song follows the fortunes of a guitarist - he's in a band and he's (can I get away with "Shit hot"?) incredibly good. He's got the skills to pay the bills etc. The band plays a gig and wows the audience and they're proud to be what they are.

A great song for inspiring any would-be guitarist. It gets the feel of being up there on stage and the buzz you must feel when you're appreciated and it certainly galvanized me into changing from acoustic to electric guitar (I'm still no good at either!).

A Straits classic.

Overall:
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If you didn't get this from the above - I love this album. With it being a live one you get all the feeling of a concert in progress, nothing is totally perfect and the singing is, at best, sketchy. I love the band and I love this album - it really does bring back memories of a great concert at Gateshead.

Even though
there's a couple of poor songs on this I really cannot sing its praises enough. Great tunes, great atmosphere and a wonderful album of hits from one of the greatest bands out there.





FIN.

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