Love Over Gold was Dire Straits’ fourth album, and the only studio project to feature Mark Knopfler, John Illsley, Pick Withers, Alan Clark and Hal Lindes.
Lindes would go on to tour in support of the album, and was featured on the excellent live album Alchemy, but was later dismissed during the recording of the critically acclaimed 1985 bestseller, Brothers in Arms. Knopfler, as bandleader, vocalist, producer, guitarist and chief songwriter, was not shy about changing up the band. In fact, only the first two albums contained the same Dire Straits lineup.
Also of note is the addition of keyboardist Alan Clark. Clark, who joined the band for 1980’s Making Movies tour with Lindes, made a significant contribution to the sound of the band for the rest of his tenure.
Founding members John Illsley and Pick Withers take up their bass and drumming positions, respectively; however, Withers will soon exit after the recording sessions, succeeded by the great Terry Williams.
The feel of Love Over Gold is like no other Dire Straits album. It was recorded solely at the Power Station studio in New York, with Neil Dorfsman engineering for the first time. Dorfsman was nominated for a Grammy for this album, and later won for Brothers in Arms.
Mark Knopfler seemed to have a sense of freedom, as this was his first time acting as sole producer for his band. The song’s are vast and epic. Even the most light-hearted song, “Industrial Disease,” is based on a subject matter of ruin and economic decay.
Love Over Gold has 41 minutes of music, with only five songs. The standard is set by “Telegraph Road,” an opening epic that is bold in concept and brilliant in execution. Mark Knopfler starts with a plaintive National Steel guitar intro, which is quickly supported by Clark’s expressive grand piano and lush synth wash. John Illsley quickly enters with warm whole notes, followed by rim work from Withers. The song paints an expansive landscape, with Clark’s piano serving as the main protagonist and Knopfler’s electric guitar its foil.
“Telegraph Road” sees Knopfler flexing his arranging muscles, creating an almost prog-rock canvas, while providing space for Alan Clark to devise piano passages within the frame. Lyrically, the song seems focused on the downturn of the American auto industry but could have easily been a story about the entropy in the world. Fast forward a few decades, and it could have been about today, too.
Mark Knopfler provides five verses, at least three bridges and and number of turnarounds during the song’s 14 minutes. The crowning glory is the four-minute ending guitar solo, where Knopfler and Dire Straits race toward the end of the titular road. Love Over Gold has gotten off to perhaps a career-best start.
“Industrial Disease,” which was the second single from Love Over Gold, did not chart in America despite the fact that it was upbeat and rocking. The rhythmic foundation is based on a Wither’s tight snare and high-hat work, along with touches of synth drums. Clark employs his Hammond C-3 (yes a C-3) organ, piano and Farisfa-like synthesizer to propel “Industrial Disease.”
Knopfler doesn’t play a solo on the song, instead combining an Erelwine Automatic Electric Guitar and distortion with Lindes’ cleaner-sounding rhythm parts. The music swings with Illsley’s walking bass, adding an even higher level of craftsmanship. Like every other song on this album, “Industrial Disease” contains no harmony or backing vocals, but Knopfler’s delivery of the high quality of lyrics is on point.
The other single, “Private Investigations,” is an oddly brilliant song. Knopfler, ever the observer, tells a simple story of a private dick, but the music is anything but simple. Clark’s cello-like synthesizer opens the song and is accompanied by guest vibraphonist Mike Manieri. Mark Knopfler provides what may be his best acoustic guitar work, playing his Ovation six-string. The guitar dances around the melody with Clark’s acoustic piano, intertwined with touches of electric bass and high hat, add color.
If you listen closely, you can hear Lindes employing a volume pedal on his electric guitar, but not until midway into “Private Investigations.” Mark Knopfler does the heavy lifting. Then suddenly there’s a mood shift, as John Illsley’s plucked bass and Withers hit hat become more prominent as Knopfler sings “scarred for life, no compensation.” Knopfler then takes full flight with his acoustic, which is further supported by the vibraphone.
You hear a glass break then out of the blue, Lindes blasts forward with dramatic power cords as the mood shifts and the piano and drums enter in dramatic fashion. Just as soon as the chaos starts, it’s over and you can’t help but wonder if you were watching a crime drama.
Dire Strait’s title track, the fourth song in the album’s order, offers an introspective contrast to “Industrial Disease,” with Alan Clark’s elegant piano, Mark Knopfler’s Ovation classical guitar work and explosive drumming by Pick Withers. Bassist John Illsley utilizes an electric Wal fretless bass to compliment the jazzy feel, and touches of marimba and vibes from Mike Mainieri make “Love Over Gold” a Dire Straits classic deep cut on par with “Your Latest Trick” from Brothers in Arms. The song sounds deceptively simple, because of the arranging skill of Knopfler and the acumen of the band.
Of the five songs featured on Love Over Gold, the concluding “It Never Rains” is the weakest – yet even it is solid rock. The track starts in an almost Dylan-like fashion, as Knopfler uses his Schecter Stratocaster to great effect, picking out staccato leads over the top of more rim work by Withers. Then “It Never Rains” builds on Clark’s organ and piano, and Knopfler tells an unusually personal story of a failed romance.
As Dire Straits reaches the bridge on “It Never Rains,” they are in full flight. Withers and Illsley seem freed, with Clark digging even deeper into the groove as Knopfler sings “it’s a sad reminder when your organ grinder has to come to you for rent.” Knopfler then delivers another sardonic verse before stepping on his wah-wah pedal for an extended, flight-of-fancy solo. Simply brilliant!
By the time Love Over Gold is done, the album has fulfilled all of the promise found on “Telegraph Road,” perhaps the best-ever Dire Straits song. There are contenders for that crown on Making Movies, Dire Straits and maybe, Brothers in Arms. However, “Telegraph Road” is in the Top 3, and one of the reasons why Love Over Gold is one of my favorites.
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