New releases this week: Rock

Review: Few albums capture an era like Dire Straits' fifth album Brothers In Arms. Originally released in 1985, the album fused Mark Knopfler's understated songwriting with polished, atmospheric production, creating a landmark in both rock and the then-nascent CD format. Now, with its 40th anniversary triple CD deluxe edition, Brothers In Arms feels fresher and more essential than ever. Disc one has the original album, remastered to highlight the warmth of Knopfler's intricate guitar work and the spacious soundscapes. 'Money for Nothing' and 'Walk of Life' remain radio staples, but deeper cuts like 'Ride Across the River' and 'Why Worry' show the band's subtle craftsmanship. The real revelation is the newly unearthed Live in '85 concert (discs two and three), recorded in San Antonio during their mammoth tour. The energy is palpable; songs stretch out, Knopfler's guitar finding new corners of emotion and tension. Unlike the studio's smoothness, the live show pulses with raw vitality. Housed in handsome digi-sleeve packaging, complete with a detailed 28-page booklet featuring fresh interviews, this reissue honors both the intimacy and grandeur that made Brothers In Arms a phenomenon. It's a perfect way to revisit i or discover i an album that still resonates across generations.

Review: Few albums define the 80s quite like this one. The band's fifth and - by far - most successful release at that point it's now celebrating its 40th anniversary with a fresh vinyl reissue, ironic considering the millions of CD players sold using it as an advert for the new format the the time. Opening with 'So Far Away', the album establishes its signature polished sound, blending Mark Knopfler's emotive guitar work with smooth, melancholic melodies. But it's 'Money for Nothing' that cemented Brothers in Arms as an 80s icon. Featuring Sting on backing vocals and driven by Knopfler's famous riff, the song skewers MTV culture while paradoxically becoming one of the decade's defining anthems. 'Walk of Life' brings a contrasting brightness, its upbeat keyboard melody making it an enduring favorite. The album also shows Knopfler's gift for storytelling, particularly on 'Your Latest Trick' and 'Why Worry', which balance pop sensibility with emotional depth. But it's the title track, 'Brothers in Arms', that delivers the most haunting momentiits atmospheric, war-torn balladry elevated by one of Knopfler's most stirring solos. The 40th-anniversary vinyl pressing gives new life to the album's lush production. One of the first fully digital recordings, Brothers in Arms benefits from the warmth and depth this analogue reissue brings, bringing out the richness of Knopfler's guitar tones and the album's expansive soundscapes. Four decades on, it remains an essential listenitimeless in both its musicianship and its message.

Review: Either you weren't born, or Dire Straits' Brothers in Arms turning 40 this year will make you feel decidedly long in the tooth. It's an unquestionable landmark for one of the best-selling albums of all time. To mark the occasion, the London-formed band's fifth studio album is being reissued across a bunch of formats, with this five album box set including a full live set from their 1985 show in San Antonio, capturing Mark Knopfler, John Illsley, Alan Clark and Guy Fletcher in their stadium-filling prime. As for the album itself i well, the vastly emotive 'Brothers in Arms', fuzz guitar earworm 'Money for Nothing' and feelgood singalong 'Walk of Life' pretty much speak for themselves. Classic pop-rock, this is a must-have for Straits fans, and well worth a listen for anyone who happens to be uninitiated.