Album of the Day

For those who only know Dire Straits from swinging sultans or computer-animated workers on MTV, the British quintet's fourth album should be mandatory listening. LOVE OVER GOLD displays all the musical ambition and instrumental proficiency that enamored the band to both critics and fans on both sides of the Atlantic. From the 14-minute epic, “Telegraph Road,” that opens the set, Dire Straits blaze a path through blues-based rock and progressive atmospherics, and the remaining songs (the title track, “It Never Rains” and singles “Private Investigations” and “Industrial Disease”) are equally rewarding.  Of all Dire Straits albums, LOVE OVER GOLD may be the one that best displays guitar virtuoso Mark Knopfler's fine fretwork, so we'll give the gold-certified collection another spin in honor of the man's birthday.