Kill to Get Crimson :: Education by Design Store

Customer Reviews

Awesome!

2008-07-29
This is a Awesome CD by a Fantastic Artist! All of Mark Knopflers CD's are very good. But, This one is my personal favorite! I have always liked Artists who do there own thing. And, M.K. is definitely in that group. So, To Hell With The Critics!

Zzzzzzzzz

2008-07-03
I love Mark Knopfler music...I thought. What I love is his guitar, which apparently has been relegated to 40 seconds of low key filler at the end of each song.

The songs: pleasant to boring. Mark, for the love of Jesus, please find your guitar mojo and bring it back.

Etched

2008-05-29
I just heard the new album by The Dreaming called Etched in Blood and I think that if you like this CD you should for sure check it out. The Dreaming has a unique mix of punk, metal, and darkwave capturing emotional rock. It really is one of my favorite albums of 2008 so far. Check it out.

...y el rock???

2008-05-19
Mark es único...y su música tiene una sensibilidad especial, asi como su ejecución de la guitarra...solo quienes le seguimos extrañamos el rock en sus albumes recientes muy centrados en el folk y country.
La variedad musical de un disco como Sailing to Philadelphia no la ha vuelto a repetir, pero sabemos que lo hará en cualquier momento.
Este señor es sin lugar a dudas uno de los guitarristas más grandes de todos los tiempos.

Knopfler's Best!

2008-05-16
Within the very narrow corridors of the iTunes centric (music-as-disposable "content") recording industry, Mark Knopfler's Kill To Get Crimson is a welcome reminder of a not too distant past when complete "albums" were not just the medium but the message as well.

Knopfler's work on KTGC is nothing short of astonishing, vividly flowing together as a twelve title song cycle that strolls through the last three generations of British popular (and not so popular) culture - looking through the window of pawn brokers, failed artists, humbled actors, corporate sycophants and the occasional MILF. This is Britannic Tin Pan Alley and is easily the best work that Knopfler has ever done.

The shimmering production and fully realized artistic vision makes KTGC an essential and critical distraction from an era where rock stars are either invented on games shows or lamely masquerade as Disney Channel ingenues.

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

boring

2008-05-10
Building on last year’s Grammy®-nominated All The Roadrunning collaboration with Emmylou Harris, his highest charting non Dire Straits album to date Top 20 Pop, scanning 400,000 copies in the U.S. acclaimed singer-songwriter guitarist Mark Knopfler unveils his fifth solo album, Kill To Get Crimson. While certain to appeal to his loyal fan base, the album’s artful guitar rock will also entice new fans to Knopfler’s signature sound (he’s #27 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time), instantly recognizable vocals and smart lyrics. A multiple-Grammy winner who has sold more than 110 million albums worldwide, Knopfler remains one of rock’s most admired artists.

Mark Knopfler Photos

More from Mark Knopfler

All the Roadrunning

Shangri-La

The Ragpicker's Dream

Sailing to Philadelphia

Neck and Neck

One Take Radio Sessions [EP] [LIVE]

Real Live Roadrunning (with DVD) [LIVE]

Golden Heart

Screenplaying [SOUNDTRACK]

Private Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler

Night in London (1996)

Ragpicker's Dream [LIMITED EDITION] [ENHANCED] [EXTRA TRACKS] [IMPORT]

what a disappointment

2008-04-25
This is a huge anticlimax after All The Roadrunning. Undistinguished and dull songs for the most part. But what is unforgivable is that Knopfler has literally, passage-by-passage, copied from the Italian songwriter and performer, Paolo Conti. Did Knopfler really believe that noone would notice?

sleeping aid

2008-04-22
Knopfler is beginning to sound a lot like Burl Ives. Good music to snooze to.

Nobody's going to kill to get this one

2008-04-04
I really like most of Knopfler's solo works, but Kill To Get Crimson is just too bland. The lyrics tell some interesting stories, but musically, the tunes are neither catchy nor memorable, and the tempos are too homogenous (with the lone exception of the more upbeat "Punish The Monkey"). Perhaps more egregious is that none of the songs highlight Knopfler's uniquely stellar guitar skills, nor do any showcase his ability to rock. There's nothing outright bad on this disc, but it lacks spark. Nobody's going to kill to get Kill To Get Crimson.

Added Note: I saw Knopfler in concert recently (after posting the above review). He put on a fantastic show, and if anything, I'm even more convinced that this CD misses the mark. If you don't find this review helpful, go ahead, buy the CD and judge for yourself. But don't say nobody warned you.

Give it a chance

2008-03-29
So many negative reviews and comments about this CD. Yes, it's different from earlier works of his. But different doesn't necessarily mean bad. If you're accepting only a similar sound to a previous work, you shouldn't buy this CD. This CD definitely has its own sound. It is not a "rocking - turn up the volume" CD. It's a great CD simply to play. Perhaps it is the slightly mellowing Knopfler that turns away the hard-core rockers. Too bad if so.

I readily admit my first couple of plays through this CD were met with skepticism, as the songs and mood represented a change from earlier solo efforts. Being a huge fan of Sailing to Philadelphia and Shangri-La, I was hoping for more of the same, and took a step back at first. That said, I took the CD to my car to give it a solid week of listening while driving to/from work. If I wasn't going to like it, a week's listening would prove the point. That was months ago and it's still in the car.

I wouldn't expect anyone to stand up and claim to like every song on this CD, and indeed there are a few I don't care for. But how many CD's can make a claim that every song is great? Music strikes everyone in a unique way. If you are one of the people who borrowed this for one listen or two and gave up on it, I recommend you try again. Listen to it more than just a couple of times, and I would guess you'll come away with an appreciation for a lot of what's on this CD. I found many songs that not only grew on me, I can listen to them again and again as with previous Knopfler works. And there is plenty of excellent guitar work throughout this CD, both electric and acoustic. My preferences:

Behind with the Rent - to me this is vintage Knopfler. Outstanding music, great guitar, great story, and my personal favorite.

Punish the Monkey - the most rocking song on the CD, and worthy of increased volume. A fun listen. Possibly Enron's theme song (belated).

Madame Geneva's - a place we've all been, keeping demons away. The refrain will stick with you long after the song stops.

In the Sky - an acoustic gem. I continue to like this song more as I hear it. And a bit of sax adds an interesting sound to the ending.

True Love Will Never Fade - A bit of the "5:15 am" format from Shangri-La, as the song starts out quiet with not much more than Mark and his guitar and picks up from there. It's another song that sticks with you.

There are some great new sounds on a few songs. The Scaffolder's Wife has the unmistakable sound of Knopfler guitar, but adds a flute. I realize this might seem like a strange combination, but it works well. The Secondary Waltz is a sound all to itself, with an accordian waltz track throughout. The words bring some of us older folks back to the days of our youth, hesitant to learn dancing in the gym where (gasp) we might have to touch girls. Even my kids like to sing along with this song.

Overall, I've really grown to like this CD and am glad I have it. Yes, it's somewhat different for Mark Knopfler music. And yes, it's great. Just give it a chance.