#9161 2026-03-09 23:20:37

MarkW

Member

Registered: 2024-11-03

Posts: 451

Re: What are you listening to right now?

Controversial take; Knopfler can't sing IMO, but his music (and that of the band) is worth it for his guitar playing.

Lots of singers can't sing pretty, Mark is fairly benign in that regard (Donald Fagen, I'm looking at you). The edict is "if you want to stand out in rock, you need to sound different." Hence Stevie Nicks over Christine McVee, though Christy (IMO) has the smoothest voice in rock history.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abticFB … rt_radio=1

Janis Joplin, Rod Stewart, Kim Carnes, Bob Seger, Peter Gabriel, voices like wet sandpaper. Roger Waters, how does that voice even work in a song? Somehow, it does.

That's a good question hhh. I think Mark's voice works for a lot of his songs, like this one;

It Never Rains

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF6xf7YrbCk

I think with singers like Rod and Kim Carnes the roughness of their voices is the whole point; it enables them to express emotion and vulnerabilty in a way that more polished singers couldn't (must admit I'm biased because I like Rod's early work).

Janis Joplin? Someone once said she had a voice like a steam engine, which I think is pretty accurate. There's never been anyone remotely like her since.

Not heard that much of Bob Seger's work but what I have heard, such as "Main Street" and "Night Moves", I've liked a lot.

I see your Mark Knopfler and raise you one Tom Verlaine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsOYZcP9o-4

Döbbie03

Resident Metalhead

From: New Zealand

Registered: 2015-09-29

Posts: 4,079

Re: What are you listening to right now?

Controversial take; Knopfler can't sing IMO, but his music (and that of the band) is worth it for his guitar playing.

My opinion is that Mark's voice is perfect for Dire Straits.  I personally love his voice.

---

"All we are is dust in the wind, dude"
                                       - Theodore "Ted" Logan
"Led Zeppelin didn't write tunes that everybody liked, they left that to the Bee Gees."
                                       - Wayne Campbell

Colonel Panic

Member

Registered: 2018-11-13

Posts: 1,590

Re: What are you listening to right now?

Controversial take; Knopfler can't sing IMO, but his music (and that of the band) is worth it for his guitar playing.

My opinion is that Mark's voice is perfect for Dire Straits.  I personally love his voice.

I can see I'm outvoted here Mark's voice isn't offensive, just a bit limited, and I like his guitar playing so I can live with it.

Another track;

Tunnel Of Love

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HUfFtCHEzk

(Listening to the rest of "Making Movies now", "Hand In Hand" is on at the moment. It's not my favourite album of theirs but it's still a good one.)

Last edited by Colonel Panic (2026-03-10 19:47:14)

Döbbie03

Resident Metalhead

From: New Zealand

Registered: 2015-09-29

Posts: 4,079

Re: What are you listening to right now?

A very limited range but the good thing is, the music is probably written for his voice.

---

"All we are is dust in the wind, dude"
                                       - Theodore "Ted" Logan
"Led Zeppelin didn't write tunes that everybody liked, they left that to the Bee Gees."
                                       - Wayne Campbell

Colonel Panic

Member

Registered: 2018-11-13

Posts: 1,590

Re: What are you listening to right now?

I think that may be true.

More generally, I think very few people in music have the full complement of abilities that go to make up a great song - singing ability, melodic sense and a talent for writing lyrics - maybe Simon and Garfunkel did on songs like "Sounds of Silence", or the Beatles with "Yesterday".

Last edited by Colonel Panic (Yesterday 07:39:54)

hhh

Gaucho

From: High in the Custerdome

Registered: 2015-09-17

Posts: 16,768

Website

Re: What are you listening to right now?

^ Stevie Wonder, Sting, Joni Mitchell, Pete Townshend, Annie Lennox, for just a few more. I'd say Elton John, but Bernie Taupin writes his lyrics, and they suck (If I was a poet... but then again, no... or a...) Dare I say K.D. Lang with the album Ingénue (1992)?

It's hard to name any pop artists after 2010 (2000?), because the sound becomes so homogeneous and the songs aren't written by the artists, though there are many exceptions. CeeLo Green with Crazy comes to mind, Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga seem to be keeping the tradition alive.

Gnarls Barkley - Crazy (2006, live on Letterman)...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VzM7CE3VoE

Bright Lights Bigger City, live at Daryl's House (Crazy is on this set as well)...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rN9fqC … oUw&t=183s

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I don't care what you do at home. Would you care to explain?

hhh

Gaucho

From: High in the Custerdome

Registered: 2015-09-17

Posts: 16,768

Website

Re: What are you listening to right now?

Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars - Die With a Smile (live, 2025)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnPxkuF … nPxkuFIA48

It took me awhile to come around, but Gaga sold me doing Sting for Sting...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEedn0GXp30

Specifically, the transition from full-on screaming gospel-preaching to the breakdown voice near the end, that takes amazing control. She has plenty of breath left.

---

I don't care what you do at home. Would you care to explain?

Colonel Panic

Member

Registered: 2018-11-13

Posts: 1,590

Re: What are you listening to right now?

Mark Knopfler - One Deep River;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyjiwtUATvQ