Customer Reviews

Sailing to Philadelphia (CD & DVD Audio)

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I bought this because of my positive experience with the Dire Straits' "Brothers In Arms" 5.1 DVD that I bought (and reviewed) after years of being happy with the standard stereo version. The 5.1 rendition played through my home theater was a revelation, making the experience of hearing songs that I have known for years seem like the first time. The layers of instrumentation are more separate as the sounds come at you from so many angles, while still being unified as a whole.

Audio-wise, the "Sailing to Philedelphia" 5.1 DVD gave me the same revelation that I got from the "B.I.A." disc. You just hear so much more when it is not all compressed into two speakers. Knopfler's vocals really sound a lot better when they come out of their own speaker, and those little fills he does just hit you at various angles, making the music fresh. These DVDs will make you know that you were justified in upgrading to a digital sound system with speakers all over the room.

This Knopfler album has been improved over the "Brothers In Arms" release in a couple of ways. First, the B.I.A. album came as a single disc with both the stereo CD and the 5.1 DVD on opposite sides of that disc. This makes the disc vulnerable if you are inclined to lay it down since there is no "safe" painted side. The marking on those discs are very small, right along the hole, making me grab my reading glasses just to load the right side. The "Sailing to Philadelphia" set has corrected this flaw by issuing two discs, the standard stereo CD and a completely separate DVD, both with painted non-playing sides. So now you have a disc for your CD players, such as in the car and the DVD for your 5.1 surround sound system, which makes this a better deal over the previous set. Additionally, there is more on the DVD than just the audio tracks. There is a Knopfler semi-bio where he talks about his beginnings in Scotland and his evolution through his musical roots, including some guitar talk. While not really a performance type of presentation, he does do some noodling on a guitar to make points about some of the music.

The bottom line for me is that even though I have had the original CD from the day it came out, I bought this new version and not only feel it was worth it, but hope that Knopfler has plans to process all of his work into these 5.1 DVDs. I will gladly pay to replicate every one of my Dire Straits / Knopfler CDs if he does.

Sailing to Philadelphia is some of Mark Knopfler's best work. Can't hear enough of this CD, absolutely superb. Congrats, Mark. You're the best guitarist bar none, an unbelievably talented musician!

"Now hold your head up, Mason, see America lies there - the morning tide has raised the capes of Delaware" ... can you see it? Do you hear it in the way his guitar picks up its pace ever so subtly and takes on a lighter shade as he sings these lines?

"Sailing to Philadelphia" is a wonderful piece of storytelling, not only in Mark Knopfler's lyrics and vocals but, even more so, in the album's amazingly beautiful instrumentation. This is no record for those who are only into fast, harsh tunes; although in songs like "Baloney Again," "Junkie Doll," and "Silvertown Blues" Knopfler does take issue with modern society and its problems. More than anything, however, this album is a voyage -- through time and space, from ancient Scottish citadels to 19th and 20th century America, and through musical styles ranging from blues to rock to folk to country; shining in its understated style as only Mark Knopfler's music can.

While "What It Is," the first track on the CD, is obviously reminiscent of the early Dire Straits, Knopfler said during his 2001 tour in support of the album that the song's intro and theme were actually (at least partly subconsciously) inspired by one of the Scottish folk songs he used to hear as a little boy in Glasgow. And indeed, it is hard not to picture Blue Bonnets (Over the Border) when you hear him sing about that Scottish piper standing alone high up on the parapet and the highland drums that are beginning to roll, all the while the garrison sleeps in the citadel "and something from the past just comes and stares into my soul."

From the cold tollgates of Caledonia, Mark Knopfler takes us to Durham and Northumberland and the coaly Tyne (where his own family moved from Glasgow, too, when he was still very young), and introduces us to Pynchon's heroes, the "Geordie boy" Dixon and Mason, the "baker's boy from the west country." While in many respects the guitar play in this song is vintage Knopfler, you can almost hear the waves of the Delaware River flowing out of the instrument. James Taylor's vocals, of course, are an ideal embodiment of Mason's character, and they perfectly compliment Knopfler's own voice which, it almost seems, has never been better than now.

"Prairie Wedding," the only love song of the album, carries on the theme of "A Night In Summer Long Ago" from 1996's "Golden Heart" -- the poor medieval Scottish knight has become a 19th century farmer somewhere out on the American prairies, but he still takes his queen from the train station in the small town where she has arrived up the home trail, stunned by her beauty, embarrassed by the simplicity of his own circumstances and wondering, "Do you think that you could love me Mary? You think we got a chance of a life?" (Compare the last verse of " Night In Summer Long Ago:" "Then I did lead you from the hall and we did ride upon the hill, away beyond the city wall, and sure you are my lady still. A night in summer long ago the stars were falling from the sky and still, my heart, I have to know, why do you love me, Lady, why?")

In modern-day America, Knopfler takes up the themes of black migrant workers in "Baloney Again," of a race car driver's tour from Indie track to Indie track and from accident to accident ("but at the Speedway At Nazareth I made no mistake"), and of the "tables haunted by the ghosts of Las Vegas" and the "Sands of Nevada [which] go drifting away." And as always, the song's instrumentation and Knopfler's dark and coarse rendition of the lyrics are a masterful portrayal of the desolation of a Nevada ghost town and a gambler who has met his fate there ("in a wasteland of cut glass my dreams have all crumbled, and I've paid with whatever I had left for a soul.")

The album was released in three different versions, with only the British version containing all fourteen songs Knopfler intended to include on it. ("One More Matinee" was considered inappropriate for the American market, "Do America" omitted on the version published in continental Europe.) Thus true fans are well-advised to make a point of obtaining the album's British edition. Yet, regardless which version you buy: This is Mark Knopfler at his best, featuring guest appearances not only by James Taylor but also by Van Morrison (in "The Last Laugh"), Gillian Welch (in "Prairie Wedding" and "Speedway At Nazareth") and many other artists; including, of course, "honorary 96er" Paul Franklin.

Since the release of "Sailing to Philadelphia," Mark Knopfler has geared down again and changed pace for his more recent solo albums, "Ragpicker's Dream" and "Shangri-La," both diamonds in the rough in their own right; thus proving yet again his versatility and his aversion to being type-cast. But regardless which aspect of Knopfler's amazing musical talent you appreciate most: This album will doubtlessly continue to shine as one of the brightest stars in the firmament of his creativity.

Also recommended:

Alchemy: Dire Straits Live

On the Night

Dire Straits

Night in London

Local Hero (1983 Film)

What can one say about Mark Knopfler that hasnt already been said? A master musician, a guitar god, one of the most revered songwriters of our time.....all these aptly describe his attributes as a craftsman weaving tapestries from imagery so vivid, and a soundtrack so poignant - Sailing to Philadelphia wonderfully bridges the gap between the "Delta and the Tyne", and the end result is a masterpiece.

Not that he really needs any more accolades and acclaim, but it would seem a travesty that this was not nominated for a Grammy. If you enjoy the finer things in life, you owe it to yourself to listen to this CD on your best sounding equipment. From the epic title track to the evocative Prairie Wedding, each song tells a story and draws you in - the fact that this is now available in 5.1 surround sound makes the experience all the more enjoyable. Subtleties are now just a tad more present, vocals and guitars all the more crisp and clear.

This record is the genuine article, and it comes highly recommended - even to non Dire Straits fans!

I am not rating the music (which is great), but rather the DVD-Audio portion of this 2 disc set. If you enjoy this album and have a decent DVD-Audio set-up, this is the format to get! Buy it now before it is out of print.

I am listening to this disc as I write this review, right from the first track this album gives you a glimpse as to what is coming the gravely voice and super smooth Guitar just highlight the Geneius of the man.

The second track a duet with James Taylor is a standout track the harmony of these two magicians backed with the guitar work of Mark is a pleasure to listen to over and over.

This album just doesn't dissappoint in any aspect it's Knopfler at what he does best, it's well recorded a pleasure to listen to and rarely leaves my cd player mix.

On a top flight system you would swear you had a personal concert with the man, highly recommended.

Knopfler at his best in a great quality recording. The hi res 5.1 puts you right in the studio. I also liked the video interview showing his studio and his amazing collection of guitars.

EXCELLENT!!! MARK IN GREAT, HE IS AN EXCELLENT VOCALIST AND GUITARIST!!!

THIS CD CONTAINS GUEST PERFORMANCES BY VAN MORRISON AND JAMES TAYLOR!!!

IT CONSISTS OF 13 SONGS. ALL ARE GREAT, BUT SOME HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDES: "WHAT IT IS", "SAILING TO PHILADELPHIA", "DO AMERICA", "WHO'S YOUR BABY NOW", "WANDERLUST", "SPEEDWAY TO NAZARETH", "SILVERTOWN BLUES" AND "SANDS OF NEVADA".

THIS IS A GREAT ONE, AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!!!