Mark Knopfler is the exception to the rule: a songwriter who has improved with age. He has a great sense of history, an eye for detail, and clear sympathy for the struggles of outsiders and working people. And, of course, he has always been a wonderful musician.
His new record, “Down the Road Wherever,” is consistent with its predecessors, with two notable exceptions. First of all, it is more musically adventurous; it has about as many horns as guitars, and features, among other things, piano jazz and a song that sounds like something Steely Dan recorded in the seventies. (It’s true–I’m not kidding.) Not all of these experiments are successful, largely due to his vocal limitations, but he’s entitled to credit for trying. Second, some of the lyrics aren’t as sharp as usual; two of the verses on “One Song at a Time” don’t work for me, and the irascible old guy in “Bacon Roll” sounds like the character in “Mighty Man,” but without the pathos that made the latter song so effective.
Still, it’s well worth a listen. The highlight is “Back on the Dance Floor,” which would have been a big hit 30 years ago. Unfortunately, the music world has moved on, and hardly anyone will notice today.