One Take Radio Sessions

1	The Trawlerman's Song 5:13
2	Back to Tupelo 4:32
3	Song for Sonny Liston 5:30
4	Rüdiger 6:07
5	Boom, Like That 4:35
6	Everybody Pays 6:10
7	Donegan's Gone 2:59
8	Stand Up Guy 4:29

Barnes & Noble

It's a bit disingenuous to call this eight-song collection a live album, seeing as it was recorded in a studio, but it nonetheless makes good on Mark Knopfler's promise to eschew do-overs and present his tunes in completely unadorned form. Given his ability to conjure up guitar mojo at will, it's a rewarding if not particularly risky blend of smarts and passion. Knopfler and his backing quartet -- augmented on three cuts by multi-instrumentalist Doug Pettibone -- stick mostly to material from 2004's Shangri-La disc, putting a little extra spring in the step of some songs (such as "Boom Like That") and honing the sinew of others (like "Song for Sonny Liston"). While Knopfler's certainly the focus of the set, he's a generous enough leader to allow his mates some time in the spotlight, as Pettibone underscores with the mandolin parts he daubs onto "Stand Up Guy." The sole foray into Knopfler's back catalog -- the poignant character sketch "Rudiger," which dates back to his first solo disc -- rounds things out nicely, serving as a nod to longtime listeners and a link to the singer-guitarist's prodigious back-story. David Sprague

All Music Guide

Singer/songwriter/guitarist Mark Knopfler may still be recovering from the motorcycle accident that nearly killed him in 2003, but it's no excuse for this flaccid EP of "live in the studio" recordings. Released in 2004, Shangri-La was a bare-bones affair that found the legendary Dire Straits leader assuming a more contemplative and fatalistic persona than in previous efforts, resulting in one of his moodiest -- but not altogether unpleasant -- solo outings. That Shangri-La was recorded with little or no overdubs makes this eight-song performance somewhat redundant. Nothing new is brought to the table except the inclusion of "Rüdiger" from 1996's Golden Heart, and even that track is the same as the original recording -- minus the strings this time around. As expected, however, the playing is top-notch, the recording impeccable, and the tunes are strong. Reverend Lee Power