Now: Henning – Galileo
Henning is mysterious band out of Sweden on the Graphais label that specializes in mid tempo atmospheric rock with liquid guitar lines and relaxed vocals. Their recent album, Galileo is addicting, and it is nearly impossible to listen to just once through.
The guitar leads are very reminiscent of Mark Knopfler’s work on the first few Dire Straits albums, with an incredibly relaxed, yet focused quality. Henning also makes use of masterful syncopated, slightly jazzy tempos. The whole thing oozes sophistication. Highly recommended.
Then: Dire Straits – Dire Straits
When Dire Straits released their debut album in 1978, they sounded like nobody else, and Mark Knopfler’s distinctive guitar playing and laid back vocals were a stunning breath of fresh air. Superb songwriting, and very sympathetic arrangements produced a world wide following. They continued with this vibe through several more albums including Communique, and their big breakthrough, Making Movies. Mark Knopfler later established an incredibly successful solo career and even his movie soundtracks are compelling.