Private Investigations - The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler

From clean-edged guitar romps to expansive cinematic pieces, Mark Knopfler has explored an exceptionally wide swath of creative terrain. Private Investigations brings coherence to his forays into rock, blues, folk and symphonic modes. It would’ve been easy for this collection to linger on his early Dire Straits releases – certainly the run from the irresistible “Sultans of Swing” to the era-defining “Money for Nothing” could yield over a dozen worthy tracks. Instead, it detours into Knopfler’s film soundtrack contributions (“Going Home,” “The Long Road”) to help provide a bridge into his ‘90s solo output. The rootsy “Why Aye Man” and the wry “Boom, Like That” give evidence to the singer/ guitarist’s continued 21st-century relevance. Private Investigations serves as a fine survey of Knopfler’s growth as a songwriter, capturing his insinuating wit and bedrock compassion. But it may be best enjoyed as a showcase for his protean guitar skills, at once tradition-based and sleekly modern in sound. Track for track, this is the best summation of his catalog available.