The Daily Deep Cut

The editors at JamsBio like to think of ourselves as music fans first, not critics, and that’s the sensibility we strive for at JamsBio and that we seek in other sites as well. That’s why we’re so jazzed about Damn Fine Day, a site that each day profiles a deep album cut that’s been overlooked, but deserves a place in everybody’s collection. In the name of spreading the gospel about great music, we present “The Daily Deep Cut,” where we add our two cents about the songs featured on Damn Fine Day. Once you read our unique take, we’ll send you over to Damn Fine Day so you can stream the full track and download it if you like. Sometimes we might even suggest another deep track from the same album or present some other novel twist on what their hawking.

Mark Knopfler has a Springsteen-esque ambition about him, one that infuses his epic songs with a sense of high drama and emotion. It’s a brave way to approach pop music, one that only the best artists can achieve. Indeed, there’s a mighty fine line between the Boss and Meat Loaf. On the title track from Dire Strait’s 1982 album, Love Over Gold, Knopfler and crew walk the tightrope, teetering ominously between sublimity and cheese. Thankfully, the band’s technical skill and tasteful execution tilt the balance to the former, making “Love Over Gold” a challenging, but wholly rewarding listen. The gently plucked Spanish guitar and melodious piano lines nicely frame Knopfler’s poetic ode to a woman on the edge. The song ebbs and flows throughout its six-plus minutes, adding keyboard flourishes, slide guitar, drums, and vibraphone. There’s a proggy feel to the instrumentation and tempo shifts, a welcome twist on the muscular blues rock the band had been known for up to this point. Of course this sound would be short lived, as Dire Strait’s studio follow-up was the Top 10 smash hit, Brothers in Arms. Nevertheless, Love Over Gold proved to be a refreshing left turn for the band and one that has stood the test of time. It’s not Dire Straits’ greatest achievement, but it just might be their most interesting.

Take a listen to “Love Over Gold” at Damn Fine Day and let me know if you feel Dire Straits’ ambition was acheived.

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