Album of the Day

COMMUNIQUE means an official announcement, and the message that Dire Straits' 1979 album sent was that the success of the quartet's eponymous debut was no fluke. Cut in the Bahamas with veteran producers Barry Beckett and Jerry Wexler at the helm, the Warner Bros. collection offers nine lean, laid-back originals brimming with thoughtful lyrics and Mark Knopfler's intricate guitar lines. Opener “Once Upon a Time in the West,” “Portobello Belle” and minor hit single “Lady Writer” may be the first tracks to grab your attention, but the set's consistent quality ensures you'll find new favorites with each spin. The gold-certified COMMUNIQUE hit the Top 10 in the band's native U.K., and just missed it in the U.S., and we'll cue it up now to wish Knopfler a happy 70th birthday.