Mark Knopfler ‘One Deep River’ Review

The Dire Straits singer’s output has aged like fine wine

★★★★☆

There is a classic video of Mark Knopfler circling on YouTube shorts where Knopfler freestyles on the guitar intro of Dire Straits classic Money for Nothing. A second guitarist joins in, before Knopfler swings into the unforgettable riff.

The second guitarist just so happens to be Eric Clapton, who joined them for a concert at Knebworth, a reminder of the caliber of Knopfler as a legend among legends with a catalogue full of tracks that remain among the goats of guitar rock. Yet this was many decades ago, and Knopfler’s latest record seems him channel his old man river era, aging from bandana wearing rocker into crooning acoustics like fine wine.

Some of Knopfler’s previous records have failed to find their footing, 2015’s Tracker was an album of hits and misses, and 2018’s Down the Road Wherever was fairly unmemorable. One Deep River however feels completely on point. Knopfler’s songwriting feels at its best, combining his unmistakable feel for a pleasing chord change with a laid back rumble and shuffle of acoustic guitars and gentle rhythms.

While it is hard to distinguish the album completely from a similarly structured Knopfler record such as Tracker, something about this album feels free and unconcerned, a kind of resigned happiness that can only come from no longer having to impress anyone, like sitting in an armchair listening to an old friend tell stories over a drink. While this album doesn’t break ground on Knopfler’s solo style it feels as if he has finally found his comfort setting. The lyrics themselves seem to represent the sweet place the old troubadour has found for this beautifully arranged record:

You’re one deep river, old friend One deep river, amen