Alchemy - Dire Straits

''Brothers in Arms'' might have been their commercial high-point.. But to get the real feel of the the guitaring Genius of Mark Knopfler, the explosive pace and quality of William's drumming, the timeless instrumentals, the delicate melodies and the unforgettable improvisations on stage - this is The Album for you!

There I was on a lazy Saturday afternoon, swapping channels abd thinking I have listened to all thats worth listening to by Dire Straits... Thats when ''Alchemy - Live'' was played.. and.. WOW..

Some background info about this album : It was released before ''Brothers in Arms'' -their biggest hit. The band wasnt exactly roaring with success and they decided to release a live album to kind of consolidate their position.. Drummer Terry Williams had replaced Carl Withers and it was the first major live appearance for him.

What really strikes you in this album is that almost every one of their numbers are at their improvised best in this album. The drumming of Terry Williams (Probably the quickest drummer i've seen) really brings their music to life and Knopfler is at his guitaring best..

The highlights:

These are the ones that stand out, in my opinion..

Tunnel Of Love: This is much pacier than the original number. While the vocals arent that great, what stands out is the haunting leads by Knoppfler and the rolls by Williams, all leading to an amazing finish.

Telegraph Road: My personal favourite. A moving number with superb variations in tempo, this 12 minute number ends in a dramatic Guitar-Drum solo.. A masterpiece

Sultans of Swing: To be frank, ''Sultans of Swing'' studio version is not one of my favourites.. and I didnt really expect much from the live version either.. how wrong I was! Its easily the highlight of the show.. starts off as usual (as in studio version).. Knopffler doesnt even play the leads initially. The first thing that struck me was that I couldnt even see Williams hands while playing the rolls - no, no eye problems I assure you, but he was that fast! And then when Knopffler joins, the leads are simply amazing! To an onlooker who's not listening, its almost as if he is just holding the guitar and not playing anything.. but he comes up with beautiful melodies, very complicated notes all at an electrifying pace.. The last 5 minutes or so - one of the most memorable instrumentals i've heard!

The rest of the numbers are all superb.. To get a proper experience, do make sure you have a ''good'' sound system!

In short - One of the best Live Albums ever. A must listen for all those who love rock instrumentals!

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