One Deep River

by Mark Knopfler

Overview

U.K. journeyman Mark Knopfler returns after a six-year gap with 2024's One Deep River, his tenth solo record. Since retiring Dire Straits in the mid-'90s, his output as a singer/songwriter has remained remarkably consistent and uniquely his own. Within his refined roots rock mélange is a multitude of layers; bits of blues, country, and funky R&B rub elbows with Celtic, jazz, folk, and the brand of smooth guitar rock he pioneered with his former band. He is his own establishment, reliable, and at this point in his career, comfortable. Like its predecessor, 2018's Down the Road Wherever, One Deep River doesn't necessarily break new ground for Knopfler, but it does add a clutch of well-written, impeccably played songs to his canon. The breezy, shuffling "Ahead of the Game" is an instant classic with a memorable riff and lyrics describing a road band's itinerant lifestyle: "it was nothing but the hits in a room downtown, they're noisy as hell, but nice." These are the kind of smart slice-of-life lyrics Knopfler has built his career on and can still deliver with a craftsman's ease. He gets down and dirty on the rugged "Scavenger's Yard" and wrestles with past regrets on the gentle "Watch Me Go." There are charismatic story songs detailing robberies ("Tunnel 13") and dusty boomtowns ("Janine"), but Knopfler is often at his best when he allows himself to be sentimental. The river referred to in the album's title (and pictured on its cover) is the Tyne, the major artery of Newcastle in Northeast England where he grew up. One Deep River closes with its poignant title track, a paean to an enduring landmark he has no doubt crossed countless times in a life well spent as a traveling musician. ~ Timothy Monger

Product Details

Release Date:	04/12/2024
Label:	Blue Note / Emi Records
UPC:	0602445525577
Rank:	1512

Tracks

1. Two Pairs of Hands
2. Ahead of the Game
3. Smart Money
4. Scavengers Yard
5. Black Tie Jobs
6. Tunnel 13
7. Janine
8. Watch Me Gone
9. Sweeter Than the Rain
10. Before My Train Comes
11. This One's Not Going to End Well
12. One Deep River

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Mark Knopfler   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Ian Thomas   Drums
Emma Topolski   Vocals (Background)
Tasmin Topolski   Vocals (Background)
John McCusker   Fiddle
Greg Leisz   Guitar,Pedal Steel,Lap Steel Guitar
Richard Bennett   Guitar
Glenn Worf   Bass (Upright),Bass (Electric)
Danny Cummings   Percussion
Jim Cox   Piano,Keyboards
Mike McGoldrick   Flute

Technical Credits

Guy Fletcher   Producer,Engineer
Eve Morris   Assistant
Glenn Saggers   Guitar Technician
Tom Coath   Assistant
Luie Stylianou   Assistant
Edie Delafield   Assistant
Murdo McLead   Photography
Bob Ludwig   Mastering
Mark Knopfler   Composer,Producer
Rowan McIntosh   Assistant