Rushed out less than nine months after the surprise success of Dire Straits' self-titled debut album, the group's sophomore effort, Communiqué, continues in the same vein. Mark Knopfler and co. had established a sound (derived largely from J.J. Cale) of laid-back shuffles and intricate, bluesy guitar playing, and Communiqué provides more examples of it. "Lady Writer" (a lesser singles chart entry on both sides of the Atlantic) nearly duplicated the sound of "Sultans of Swing," even if . Communiqué sold immediately to Dire ...
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Rushed out less than nine months after the surprise success of Dire Straits' self-titled debut album, the group's sophomore effort, Communiqué, continues in the same vein. Mark Knopfler and co. had established a sound (derived largely from J.J. Cale) of laid-back shuffles and intricate, bluesy guitar playing, and Communiqué provides more examples of it. "Lady Writer" (a lesser singles chart entry on both sides of the Atlantic) nearly duplicated the sound of "Sultans of Swing," even if . Communiqué sold immediately to Dire Straits' established audience, but no more, and it did not fare as well critically as its predecessor or its follow-up. ~ William Ruhlmann, Rovi
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Add this copy of Communique to cart. $7.69, good condition, Sold by Seattle Goodwill rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Seattle, WA, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by Warner Bros..
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All our items include the original disc(s) in the original case. Your purchase funds free job training and education in the greater Seattle area. Thank you for supporting Goodwill's nonprofit mission!
Add this copy of Communique to cart. $8.98, very good condition, Sold by Broadband ERA rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from BEAVERTON, OR, UNITED STATES, published 1990 by Warner Bros.
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Very good. NOTE: Writing on disc. Missing artwork, disc in slim jewel case (price reflects). Disc in excellent condition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed. Orders received before 3PM PT typically ship same day. All profits support the non-profit community.
Add this copy of Communique (Ger) (Remastered) to cart. $9.98, like new condition, Sold by Broadband ERA rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from BEAVERTON, OR, UNITED STATES, published 1999 by Polygram Uk.
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Fine. Disc, artwork and case in excellent condition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed. Orders received before 3PM PT typically ship same day. All profits support the non-profit community.
Add this copy of Communique to cart. $11.62, good condition, Sold by Goodwill Industries of S.W.FL. rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Fort Myers, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by Warner Bros..
Add this copy of Communique to cart. $12.99, like new condition, Sold by Streetlight_Records rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Santa Cruz, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by Warner Bros.
Add this copy of Communiqué to cart. $28.99, new condition, Sold by ARTPOPMEDIA rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from CARLSBAD, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2014 by Universal.
Add this copy of Communique to cart. $7.61, very good condition, Sold by HPB Inc. rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by Warner Bros.
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Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Communique (Ger) (Remastered) to cart. $7.99, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Diamond rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1999 by Polygram Uk.
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Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Communique to cart. $8.19, very good condition, Sold by HPB Inc. rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by Warner Bros.
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Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Usually, the second album of a group is a difficult one. Left overs from the first recordings have to be reconsidered hastily, for a rush release, especially if the debut was a success. At a first approach this record falls in this category, but after careful and repeated auditions, the persistent listener will be greatly rewarded. The tracks are superb, both music and lyrics, and the only downside is that this record didn't generate any great singles, such as "Sultans of swing", except from "Lady writer" that was actually released as a single in 1978, with, relatively, little success. The record contains songs that, more or less, deal with the same issues that their previous record did. What is great about them is that Mark Knopfler, has expanded his music vocabulary and with a different producer the results would probably be more evident. For example ,"Once upon a time in the west" is a great start and an instant classic as it is, but six years later at the live "Alchemy" record, it was transformed with great effect in a ten minute opus, with keyboards and lengthy guitar solos. Of course other songs, such as "Where do you think you're going?" with the bitter lyrics and fabulous guitar built up at the end, "Single handed sailor" with the magnificent guitar phrase, and the underrated "Follow me home", would not be complimented with a similar treatment and they are perfect examples of Mark Knopfler's song writing. The legendary producer Jerry Wexler, did a great job, by not overproducing the songs, giving to the whole recording a sense of intimacy, that suits like a glove to the songs.
Overshadowed by their debut, released just nine months before it, and by their follow up "Making movies", two years later, the album deserved better. The casual listener, seeking out hits, most likely will be disappointed. But since the four songs from this album, that resurface at their compilations and live recordings, are by no means indicative of the album and it's mood, Dire straits fans should get this record.
