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Communique
 
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Communique [Original recording remastered]

Dire Straits | Format: Audio CD
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
Price: £4.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
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Communique + Dire Straits + Love Over Gold
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Product details

  • Audio CD (3 Jun 1996)
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Format: Original recording remastered
  • Label: Mercury Records Ltd (London)
  • ASIN: B00000IHE3
  • Other Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,141 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

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Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s

Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or view the MP3 Album.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Samples
Song Title Time Price
Listen  1. Once Upon A Time In The West 5:24£0.89
Listen  2. News 4:13£0.89
Listen  3. Where Do You Think You're Going 3:49£0.89
Listen  4. Communique 5:49£0.89
Listen  5. Lady Writer 3:44£0.89
Listen  6. Angel Of Mercy 4:34£0.89
Listen  7. Portobello Belle 4:29£0.89
Listen  8. Single Handed Sailor 4:42£0.89
Listen  9. Follow Me Home 5:50£0.89

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

Recorded a mere nine months after their debut, Communique has often been written off as a mere carbon copy of the Dire Straits' first album featuring less compelling material. Recording took place in the Bahamas with top production team Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett and mixing at the famous Muscle Shoals studio; it consequently features a delicate and supremely balanced sound. Yet even Knopfler has said of this album that the tropical breezes made his song writing "lazy". Whilst being unnecessarily self-deprecating, this has an element of truth about it and at the same time is precisely what is so engaging about the album. It is true that Knopfler doesn't do as much to the songs he's written as on other albums--his guitar playing does not feature the same consistently bubbling energy of his work on the first album. But this gives a little more space for the rest of the band to shine. Pick Withers's drumming is especially hypnotic and David Knopfler's intuitive rhythm guitar interplay with his brother comes across well. Overall, the consistently dreamy atmosphere of the record is decidedly captivating, and the most fully realised tracks, particularly "Once Upon A Time In The West" and "Portobello Belle", are among their best-ever material. "Where Do You Think You're Going", a rather over-zealous attempt to imitate Bob Dylan, is the only song that seems somewhat out-of-place. This was the last album to feature the original Dire Straits line-up, with the departure of David Knopfler for a solo career shortly before the recording of Making Movies. --James Swift

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Dire Straits best 1 Mar 2007
By MelvinQ
Format:Audio CD
It was my parents who introduced me to this band, that is, I heard them all the time in the seventies, after the release of "Dire Straits". Of course, I got into all the 'famous' stuff they did; Sultans of swing, then Romeo and Juliet; Telegraph Road...then brothers in arms(most of the album). BUT something was overlooked. Something Dire Straits did went almost unnoticed at the time..though I secretly always liked it. Now, I personally regard Communique as the band's greatest album and I can barely listen to the rest. Take 'once upon a time in the west'. This song alone has enough atmosphere to extinguish most of their other work. The guitar playing on this album is measured; beautiful. Mark Knopfler does 'let rip' on occasion (Lady writer) but it needs no endless guitar solos to prove great guitar playing from a man who is inconcievably joined to his guitar as much as Hendrix called it 'an extension of the body'. Knopfler has a guitar in his hands all day but I feel that with this album he showed that he can allow a damned good band to speak too. Every good drumbeat, every rythmic strum from his long-forgotten brother, every nuance in every song is fully the effort of a band, not just one guy who can play guitar, but four blokes with instruments creating something very unique, very atmospheric. This is the only album on which Dire Straits played entirely equally as a band.
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By BD VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
Reading through previous reviews on Amazon, Communiqué has received some criticism for sounding too similar to the bands debut release. Personally I believe this criticism to be a little unfair. Let’s face it, Dire Straits were in a lose lose situation with Communiqué. If they had pursued a different musical direction entirely they would be criticized, and if they followed the same musical path they would be criticized for sounding to much like the debut. Dire Straits chose the 2nd option, which personally I am grateful for, as part of the appeal of Communiqué is that whilst it contains musical signatures of the debut, it is a less obviously commercial album than its predecessor. Dire Straits in my view were at their best when they were releasing material that was less commercial. This isn’t because of any musical snobbery but I feel and hear that when the music was less aimed at the mainstream, the feel of the music seems more relaxed and natural to the band. Communiqué is often over looked as a 2nd rate release compared to their fantastic debut, but I think if you take this album within it’s own context it is possibly one of their finest moments. Tracks like News, Once Upon a time in the West, Single Handed Sailor, Portobello Belle (surely a warm up for Romeo and Juliet) and Follow me Home are superb additions to the Dire Straits back catalogue, and it is these songs which provide the necessary link between the debut self titled album and the successor Making Movies. I often find myself listening to this album more than the debut, which says a great deal about Communiqué and its long term appeal. Give this album a few listens and like me you will find yourself returning to it time and time again. Enjoy.
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Amazing album!!!!!!!!! 19 July 2004
Format:Audio CD
Why communique has recieved such a bad press is beyond me. I am a hardcore dire straits and mark knopfler fan and to me this album is one of his best. I think one of the reasons it was not rated highly was due to the perfect first album being it's predecessor, how do you live upto the debut album of all debut albums?

As "dire straits" kicked off with some improvised guitar from knopfler so does communique in the form of "once upon a time in the west". The track is bluesy and concerns a wild west town and some of the goings on in this town. The track is very chilled out as is the rest of the album.

News is one of my favourite dire straits songs ever and start with just knopfler and his guitar. There are quiet moments and a very emotional fast guitar solo (one of his best). The track ends with pick withers one his own just drumming away, very groovy. KNopfler in the early Dire Straits days dedicated this track to John Lennon after he was murdered.

"Where do you think you're going" starts with acoustic guitar and builds upto a crescendo with a great solo from Mark. This song made the "money for nothing" compilation and it is easy to see why. It is reminiscent of "On Every Street" from the "On Every Street Album" in the sense it has a fast rythmic ending.

Communique is not a great song and is about Mark's journalism career. The song is actually an interesting arrangement but never really takes off. As this is the title song you'd expect it to be a classic and is perhaps one of the resons why communique got a bad press.

Lady writer certainly does take off, one of the best Knpofler tracks of all time. It is simiar to "Sultans of swing" with a very fast solo at the end with Illsey and D.Knopfler singing lady writer, very emotional and energizing.

Angel of Mercy is a good song but has never really done much for me. Remember I am talking about these songs in comparison with other dire straits songs, compared to any other song by any other artist this is pure class.

"Portobello Belle" is the "Romeo and Juliet" of the album and is slightly similar to "wild west end" in the sound of the guitar. It is a gorgeous song and uses quite a bit of piano, a sign of things to come with Makikng Movies.

Single handed sailor is so unique. The guitar is so melodic and full of rhythm and dynamics. It is a real privelidge to hear this song and is testament to the beauty of MK!

Follow me home is reflective of where the album was recorded, in the Bahamas. It is very tropical like and is beautifully writen.

I think one critism of the album is that the songs are all quite similar which I feel has some justification. Lady writer is Sultans of swing 2.

The lyrics are awesome, the guitaring very similar to the first album and put simply, it is one of the greatest albums of all time and went on to sell over 7 million world wide.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Communiquates
Love Over Gold was a masterpiece, Making Movies was one of the great contemporary efforts of 1980/1 but Communique takes you back to essential Dire Straits . Read more
Published 2 months ago by Michael Field
Dire strait's Second Album.
(Please note that this review may be slightly different to listed tracks).

1. Once Upon A Time In The West : It almost sounds reggae like. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Richie77777
Less Known Dire Straits Album Well Worth Hearing.
While Making Movies, Love Over Gold and Brothers In Arms may be their greatest albums, self titled Dire Straits and Communique should not be easily dismissed. Read more
Published 6 months ago by J. Thompson
Best Dire Straits, ambigous and disappointing re-master
"Where do you think you' re going?", a question like a cobra sting, a very beautiful song.
This album is the most balanced, the masterpiece of Dire Straits... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Lucazest
My Favourite. Takes me back......
I have my Sister to thank for my enduring love of Dire Straits. She is 4 years older than me, and had Alchemy - Dire Straits Live - Two CD Set when it came out. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Nick
Their Best!
Consistently strong songs, exceptional playing, fabulous mood - and the album I can always listen to, always enjoy and have done since it was first released when I bought it on... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Mr. A. Poolan
Excellent album - why did it get poor reviews?
Dire Straits' second album appeared at the end of the 70s, a time when punk and disco dominated the music charts, at least in the UK, and possibly for this reason it did not get... Read more
Published on 12 April 2010 by N. Wright
Shockingly good
Having not heard this album for twenty years, and then only a friend's copy, I was shocked at just how good it is. Read more
Published on 13 Mar 2008 by M. G. Wilson
Volume 2
Cut from a similar cloth to their debut, but with a more polished production, 'Communique' shows that Mark Knopfler's inspired songwriting was no fluke. Read more
Published on 27 Feb 2008 by D. J. H. Thorn
Trust your soul...and ears!
I'm among these who consider this alboum their best.It has a solid mood
throughout all songs :easy,bluesy,relaxed. Read more
Published on 2 Oct 2007 by I. S. K.
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