The Ragpicker's Dream

The Ragpicker's Dream is a collection of odes to itinerant men, expressed in original, tuneful folk ballads spiked with soft rock. Knopfler sings about migrant workers from "Geordieland", hobos, laborers, carnival freaks and the men who love them. He sings of their peripatetic lives, and their memories and dreams of a comfortable home with friends and family. He sings about their food and drink. He sings about their means of transportation - ferry boats, dilapidated muscle cars (a Road Runner, with homage to Wile E. Coyote), freight trains, and sturdy shoes.The songs are tributes, not lectures. One song, "You Don't Know You're Born", does give a working man voice to confront a man born to privilege and comfort. That song in particular might have wagged a scolding finger, but it does not. The message from the poor man to the rich man is only that the latter does not really know life, having never had to grapple with it. Throughout, Knopfler manages to navigate the dire straits of social commentary without ever bashing into the rocks of indignation or politics, nor floundering on the shoals of cloying sentimentality or pity. Obviously, he writes better metaphors than I do. "Although I'll go where the lady takes me, she'll never tell what's in her hand." Who is the lady? Fortuna, it would seem, Lady Luck. Mostly Knopfler shows rather than tells. That is what good writers do.But how does it sound? The music? Magnificent! But do not expect too much thumping dance music like Money For Nothing. This is music more for the head than the feet. Knopfler's voice has richness and presence. The melodies are simple but engaging, and the arrangements are top notch. You probably know already that Knopfler's guitar work is genius perfected.The mix is clear and clean. There are few dynamic spikes that could cause shouty compression effects on less-than-superb equipment. But the low end may be challenging. There are sub-sonics (computerized bass doubling, I suspect). They induce a somber feeling, if the system is capable of going that low. But easy does it. I discovered that my sub was not properly equalized. Before I fixed that, the low end just muddied things up rather badly, particularly on the first track. (If you can actually hear those ultra-lows, they are probably too loud.)

See title

This is an album that breaks all the rules and bends musical genres to the point of sheer irrelevance. Is it folk? Rock and roll? British songwriting with an American Delta Blues twist? Are these message songs? Do they reveal an all-embracing Celtic influence? Are they the work of a mad musical genius who no longer needs to worry about paying the rent? And who writes about a guy who sells shoes, anyway?Mark needs no one to answer for his choices. He’s past judgment. He’s free. From what, exactly? The pressures of celebrity? The need for an MTV music video or YouTube viral sensation? A top rating on Amazon or complimentary review in Rolling Stone? And who reads magazines like that anyway? Or has ever actually eaten a mulligan stew - with or without the added pigweed?All that “The Ragpicker’s Dream” really needs is more 5-star reviews on Amazon by customers who appreciate really great and enduring music – the crafted kind, not the commercially-made. The same kinds of people who seek out heirloom tomatoes at their local farmers’ market. The ones who will bid for a 1959 Cushman Super Eagle on eBay. The ones who will wait in line for concert tickets to see Mandolin Orange, not Madonna. The people who remember Taylor Swift when she still sang country.Are people like this even relevant on an online commerce platform as enormous as Amazon? It’s not like Mark needs the royalties anymore from an album he released in 2002. And surely Amazon makes more money on live streaming of music that doesn’t sound like this. No matter. Mark will keep playing regardless, and I for one will keep listening. And if you love real, honest, toe-tapping, heart-stopping, irrepressibly inspiring music by an acknowledged, aging master, so should you.

Best know what your getting if you buy this CD. It is not Dire Straits, with the epic sweep and long instrumental sections. What it is is Mark Knopfler's voice and storytelling at their best. I liked it on the first pass through. On the third pass I was riveted. The mastery of folk genres and acoustic instruments give the tracks a different kind of power to the music. Each track is so well crafted that it yields up new beauty every time I listen. If you are interested in playing music yourself, this is a wonderful collection of work learn from.

I have liked Mark Knopfler’s work since his Dire Straits days and still frequently listen to the music created back then. Since leaving Dire Straits Knopfler has produced quite a number of albums. His work since DS is mostly folk rock with a bit of a lean toward country rock on occasion. Knopfler is a great guitarist and wonderful story teller. While his music is less energetic these days it remains easy listening and worth paying attention to the lyrics. Those of us who enjoy his music benefit from Knopfler's productivity.

Without a doubt, one of Mark's finest outings. Packed full of tunes reminiscent of the music of the Great Depression, but don't get me wrong: these songs are anything but depressing. A couple of all-time favorites reside on this record, including "A Quality Shoe", a sales pitch from a singer who can only be described as a holistic shoe salesman. I admire Knopfler for both his picking and his writing, but this record shows off a very gentle and mellow baritone vocal range as well. I am hesitant to praise it more highly, because used Knopfler records already hold their value much better than those of other artists on Amazon. But even if you're not a Mark Knopfler fan, this record should be in your collection.

Mark Knopfler non ne sbaglia una, la sua musica ed i suoi brani sono belle poesie!

Arrived on time. Plays perfectly. Unbelievable value.

Laid back and beautifully presented.

Wieder ein wundervolles Album von Mark Knopfler für meine Sammlung. Die Musik einfach nur schön, diese meisterhafte Gitarre mit der sonoren Stimme von Mark, einfach nur schön.

Exactamente lo que necesitaba. Todo muy bien. Me gusto todo y lo recomendaria a todo el mundo. La descripcion es totalmente correcta. Todo bien.