One Deep River
One Deep River is the tenth solo album by British musician Mark Knopfler. It was released on 12 April 2024. On 5 February, Knopfler released a behind-the-scenes video on YouTube of him and the band at work on the album. Guy Fletcher, John McCusker, Michael McGoldrick and Greg Leisz are shown to be part of the band.
The first three singles from the album released are "Ahead of the Game", "Watch Me Gone" and "Two Pairs of Hands".
The album was followed by a standalone EP for Record Store Day called The Boy, containing four exclusive songs around a common theme of fairgrounds and boxing.
Cover art
The album's cover art depicts the Tyne Bridge spanning the River Tyne, which passes through his hometown of Newcastle upon Tyne. To celebrate the album's release, Knopfler's website hosted a virtual Tyne Bridge for users to attach digital love lock messages onto.Critical reception
writer David Quantick defined the album as one of the best of Knopfler's career, finding "gorgeous songs" which "sounds like it's lived a life that's full".In a mixed review Robin Murray of Clash wrote that the album "display his guitar chops, and his honesty" with references to "blockbuster Dire Straits albums", pointing out that it is "rooted in classic American songwriting, it feels humble, and often moving". The writer found that "While the playing is never less than exceptional" the productions "can sometimes falter, a little dated, and rob the material of energy".
AllMusic critic Timothy Monger gave the album a positive review, stating that Mark Knopfler's "output as a singer/songwriter has remained remarkably consistent and uniquely his own". He went on to say that "Like its predecessor, 2018's Down [the Road Wherever], One Deep River doesn't necessarily break new ground for Knopfler, but it does add a clutch of well-written, impeccably played songs to his canon... These are the kind of smart slice-of-life lyrics Knopfler has built his career on and can still deliver with a craftsman's ease".
Track listing
Personnel
Musicians- Mark Knopfler – lead vocals, electric guitar
- Ian Thomas – drums
- Danny Cummings – percussion
- Guy Fletcher – synthesizer, Mellotron, harmonium
- Richard Bennett – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bouzouki
- Glenn Worf – bass guitar, upright bass
- Greg Leisz – lap steel guitar, acoustic guitar, pedal steel
- Jim Cox – digital piano, piano, organ, Wurlitzer electric piano, Hammond organ
- Emma Topolski – background vocals
- Tamsin Topolski – background vocals
- John McCusker – fiddle
- Mike McGoldrick – uilleann pipes, whistle
- Mark Knopfler – production
- Guy Fletcher – production, mixing |mixing], engineering
- Bob Ludwig – mastering
- Luie Stylianou – mixing assistance, engineering assistance
- Edie Delafield – engineering assistance
- Eve Morris – engineering assistance
- Rowan McIntosh – engineering assistance
- Tom Coath – engineering assistance
Charts