Dire Straits - Communique - Vinyl LP

Originally released in 1979

The performances on Dire Straits' Communiqué are so smooth and effortless, they were originally criticized for replicating the blueprints of the band's breakout debut. Time, however, has a way of changing perspectives and exposing the truth. More than 35 years after its original release in June 1979, Communiqué rightfully takes its place as the group's most underrated record — a nine-track set spiked with engaging storytelling, relaxed vibes, and deceiving simplicity.

Recorded in the Bahamas by Muscle Shoals veterans Barry Beckett and Jerry Wexler, the songs benefit from a laidback approach that makes guitarist/vocalist Mark Knopfler and company's stellar playing seem even more fluent. Knopfler's penchant for sketching cynical characters is further developed on moody tracks like "Where Do You Think You're Going" and "News," while Wexler's presence at the boards ensures the band keeps the rhythms extra tight. The quartet's low-key blues and swampy, Southern-styled grooves turn every song into an exercise in understated virtuosity.

Refusing to give into excess, magnetic tunes such as "Lady Writer" and "Angel of Mercy" split a fine line between insinuating and insisting. The group shows off a combination of control, virtuosity, and tunefulness that harkens back to a rock n' roll's classic period while also pointing the way ahead.