Wishbones
In a blindfold test, one might still confuseDire Straitscofounder David Knopfler with hisolder brother. There are more than subtle differences, however. For starters, this Knopfler's vocal timbre is higher pitched. He also doesn't stick to an immediately identifiable signature guitar sound. In fact, onWishbones, Knopfler makes as much of an impression via his piano, vibes, and mandolin work. His music is often more downbeat and melancholic, with melodies that frequently drift closer to folk and jazz than to rock. A terrific cover ofJohn Martyn's "May You Never"--popularized byEric Clapton--and the stinging, Scottish-inflected "Shadowlands" are as upbeat as these tracks get. The main difference, though? Whereas Mark Knopfler has often been compared toBob Dylanin terms ofsound, David lyrically recalls the younger Dylan. He's openly political on songs like "A Clear Day (St. Swithon's Day)," "Jericho," and "The Bones." And "Karla Faye," a scathing indictment of George W. Bush, addresses the first execution of a woman in Texas since the Civil War.--Bill Holdship