This solid collection is a compelling career overview of one of rock's most distinctive groups. Led by Mark Knopfler, whose deadpan vocal style and stunning guitar technique characterise the band's sound, Dire Straits burst on the scene in 1978 with "Sultans of Swing". This VERY BEST OF begins there (even amid the ensemble's later hits, the lead-off track's clean shuffle rhythm and minor-key melody still dazzles) and continues all the way to cuts from the group's 1991 release, ON EVERY STREET, and their 1993 live outing, ON THE NIGHT.
The Dylan-esque narrative of "Romeo and Juliet", from MAKING MOVIES, is one of the early highlights here. At the collection's heart are the tracks from the 1985 blockbuster BROTHERS IN ARMS, including the lamenting "So Far Away", bopping "Walk of Life", and the irrepressible "Money for Nothing". Beyond showcasing Knopfler's excellent songwriting, this album is graced by his light, technically precise guitar technique (he finger-picks all of his electric leads). More comprehensive than their previous greatest-hits package, MONEY FOR NOTHING, SULTANS OF SWING is an excellent introduction to Dire Straits.|

Rovi