Album of the Day

Mark Knopfler didn't always get “money for nothing”; after his divorce, he moved in with his brother David to save on rent, prompting a friend to dub their new band “Dire Straits.” They might not have had much cash, but they put what they did have to good use – it took all of £120 to record their first major label single, “Sultans Of Swing,” released on this day in 1978 (and eventually a Top 10 hit on both sides of the Atlantic). That ode to cool club combos may be the most famous of the nine tracks on DIRE STRAITS, but the album is filled with sharply sketched gems like “Water Of Love,” “Down To The Waterline” and “Wild West End.” Knopfler's lean guitar licks and Dylanesque delivery add a kick to the band's intoxicating blend of roots, jazz and pub rock sounds, and one listen to DIRE STRAITS makes clear that these sultans were headed for stardom.