Mark Knopfler 11: Tracker

The listener’s contract with a favorite artist is that we must follow their trail, even if the artist doesn’t excite us as much anymore. We know what to expect from a Mark Knopfler album, but we keep listening in case something wows us. It’s happened with other people, but Tracker fills his end of the bargain by being competent.

“Laughs And Jokes And Drinks And Smokes” threatens jazz before being overtaken by Irish folk, and as has become usual, the lyrics—this time a reverie about a time long past—don’t meld with the backing. A much more effective reminiscence is “Basil”, which details his early job at a newspaper in the company of a poet who clearly wished he was elsewhere. “River Towns” is slow and ordinary, except that the saxophone reminds us of Clarence Clemons at his most restrained; think “Secret Garden”. A highlight is “Skydiver”, which clops along for a while, but manages to soar when the extra harmony from Ruth Moody kicks in, and especially when the chords change slightly towards the end. “Mighty Man” fades in like a foggy Irish ballad, and sports Chieftains-style chanting on the chorus, but the incessantly handclap rhythm of “Broken Bones” will make you feel as if your own palms hurt. Besides, the pseudo-funk arrangement wasn’t much better on “Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)”.

Ms. Moody features again on “Long Cool Girl”, one of his stronger love songs, but “Lights Of Taormina” sounds like we’ve heard it before. That said, we do smile when he rhymes the title with “if anyone has seen her.” “Silver Eagle” is a lulling reverie from a musician on the road that manages to build despite its simplicity. “Beryl” pays tribute to another obscure writer, but the cheesy organ seems an extremely odd touch, and while the rockin’ beat is a nice change, it merely takes up space. It’s a particularly strange palate-cleanser before “Wherever I Go”, a gorgeous duet with Ms. Moody with unnecessary sax solos.

As had become common, an hour-long album wasn’t enough to contain all his creativity, so various bonus tracks appeared in a variety of territories and permutations. These include the bluegrass-tinged “.38 Special”, the truck driver’s monologue in “My Heart Has Never Changed”, the traditional-sounding “Heart Of Oak” and “Time Will End All Sorrow” (both superior to many songs on the album), and “Oklahoma Ponies”, which begins with a welcome blast of feedback. The best is “Terminal Of Tribute To”, one of the more intricate songs he’s done in years, and a caustic portrait of a never-was—worse than a has-been—stuck on the cover band treadmill. Could this be a snipe at former Dire Straits bandmates on the tribute band circuit, as one of our intrepid correspondents has pointed out? Either way, this definitely should have made the main album.

What can we say about this album that we haven’t said already? Tracker is not offensive, and it would be a lot better if he cut some of the tracks. Quantity is not always quality, but at last he’s got a level that’s maintained. If anything, we’re going to keep our ears out for Ruth Moody, so thanks for that.

Mark Knopfler Tracker (2015)—3