ON THIS DATE (44 YEARS AGO) June 15, 1979 – Dire Straits: Communiqué is released. # ALL THINGS MUSIC PLUS+ 4/5 # Allmusic 2.5/5 stars # Rolling Stone (see original review below) Communiqué is the second studio album by Dire Straits, released on June 15, 1979. It reached #11 on the Billboard 200 Top LPs chart and #5 on the UK Albums Chart. The single, “Lady Writer”, reached #45 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. After the Dire Straits Tour finished in Hitchin on 18 November 1978, Dire Straits set to work on recording their second album. The recording sessions for Communiqué took place from 28 November to 12 December 1978 at Compass Point Studios in Nassau. The album was mixed in January 1979 at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama. The album was produced by Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett, veteran producers from Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. Beckett (credited as B. Bear) also contributed keyboards to some of the album’s nine tracks. __________ REVIEW William Ruhlmann, allmusic Rushed out less than nine months after the surprise success of Dire Straits' self-titled debut album, the group's sophomore effort, Communiqué, seemed little more than a carbon copy of its predecessor with less compelling material. Mark Knopfler and co. had established a sound (derived largely from J.J. Cale) of laid-back shuffles and intricate, bluesy guitar playing, and Communiqué provided more examples of it. But there was no track as focused as "Sultans of Swing," even if "Lady Writer" (a lesser singles chart entry on both sides of the Atlantic) nearly duplicated its sound. As a result, Communiqué sold immediately to Dire Straits' established audience, but no more, and it did not fare as well critically as its predecessor or its follow-up. __________ TRACKS: All tracks are written by Mark Knopfler. Side one 1. "Once Upon a Time in the West" - 5:25 2. "News" - 4:14 3. "Where Do You Think You're Going?" - 3:49 4. "Communiqué" - 5:49 Side two 1. "Lady Writer" - 3:45 2. "Angel of Mercy" - 4:36 3. "Portobello Belle" - 4:29 4. "Single-Handed Sailor" - 4:42 5. "Follow Me Home" - 5:50 #direstraits #communique #markknopfler