1. So Far Away
2. Money For Nothing
3. Walk Of Life
4. Your Latest Trick
5. Why Worry
6. Ride Across The River
7. Man's Too Strong
8. One World
9. Brothers In Arms

amazon
Propelled by Mark Knopfler's literate songs, gruff vocals, and spidery guitar work, Dire Straits had overcome initial skepticism for their resistance to '70s new wave accents in favor of a rootsy traditionalism. This 1985 album captures the band consolidating a far more epic style than the concise shuffles and ballads that the original scrappy quartet had reeled off, their ambitions fueled by the larger canvas afforded by the CD. One of the first albums to exploit the format's longer playing time, Brothers in Arms was initially released in separate versions for CD/cassette and edited LP, and the band became digital poster boys on a world tour sponsored by CD hardware interests. Critics that had once warmed to the band sniffed at the marketing, but the album remains their best known, noteworthy for the MTV staple "Money for Nothing" and the breezy rock shuffle "Walk of Life," as well as for the wistful "So Far Away," the plot-driven narratives of "Ride Across the River," and the title song.
All Music Guide
Brothers in Arms brought the atmospheric, jazz-rock inclinations of Love Over Gold into a pop setting, resulting in a surprise international best-seller. Of course, the success of Brothers in Arms was helped considerably by the clever computer-animated video for "Money for Nothing," a sardonic attack on MTV. But what kept the record selling was Knopfler's increased sense of pop songcraft — "Money for Nothing" had an indelible guitar riff, "Walk of Life" is a catchy up-tempo boogie variation on "Sultans of Swing," and the melodies of the bluesy "So Far Away," and the downtempo, Everly Brothers-style "Why Worry," were wistful and lovely. Dire Straits had never been so concise or pop-oriented, and it wore well on them. Though they couldn't maintain that consistency through the rest of the album — only the jazzy "Your Latest Trick," and the flinty "Ride Across the River" make an impact — Brothers in Arms remains one of their most focused and accomplished albums and, in its succinct pop sense, it is distinctive within their catalog 4/5
Audioholics
Everyone of the 9 songs on this album sound incredibly dynamic, spacious and real. "Money for Nothing" is a great song to test your systems capabilities. It really lets you know just how competently your system can handle deep bass and sonic textures of many musical instruments playing simultaneously. "Your Latest Trick" and "Why Worry" get you in touch with how intimately your system can play the subtle nuances of cymbals, high hats, and electric guitar. You can't help but turn the volume up louder as it only sounds better when you do. Not only does this CD sound great, but it is one of a select few of its era with an incredibly low noise floor. During the quietest passages, it amazed me how clean and noise free this CD remained throughout. Many CD's from this time frame tend to be bright or harsh sounding and thin in the bass department. " Brothers in Arms " never suffered from these undesirable sound characteristics . Instead, it remained to be a sonic heaven of sound. I highly recommend this CD as it will make a worthy addition to your collection. In addition, your ears will thank you for it!
In The 80'S
Mark Knopfler is one of Rock's best composers and it shows. recorded with talents such as Omar Hakim, Sting, and Eric Clapton, the album is the most danceable catharsis on record. The first side is an embittered commentary on Rock and Roll, whereas the second side is one long anti-war ode. This was recorded in the same studio as Sychronicity and Seargeant Pepper so it is well worth it. Unlike many other albums, it does not rely on gimmicks and succeeds ( hence "Money for Nothing", "Walk of Life", and "ride across the river".
10 /10
Q
1985's Brothers In Arms was the band's commercial and artistic culmination. A global 15 million unit shifting hit (the biggest ever seller in Britain, it included top-notch boppers Money For Nothing and Walk Of Life), repeated listening reveals it as singularly melancholic collection - see the memorable guitar slashing of The Man's Too Strong and the title track, where joy is as sharp as sorrow
Rolling Stone
Except for their swell debut hit single, "Sultans of Swing," in 1979, the British band Dire Straits has never come as much of a surprise. And, then, what caught you off guard was how much the singer sounded like Dylan. Brothers in Arms, their first studio album since Love over Gold three years ago, offers more of their winsomely rocking tunes. The band is augmented by bassist Tony Levin, Weather Report drummer Omar Hakim, a horn section, which includes the Brecker Brothers, and some thirteen different keyboards that are used to explore orchestral textures. Carefully crafted instead of raucous, pretty rather than booming, and occasionally affecting, the record is beautifully produced, with Mark Knopfler's terrific guitar work catching the best light. The lyrics are literate, but the scenarios aren't as interesting as they used to be on records like Making Movies, still the band's most solid LP.

Side one has the most driving songs: the bouncy "Walk of Life," a Fifties rock & roll song about cool Fifties rock & roll songs that features a cheesy organ sound, and "So Far Away," a missive from a distant town, with a catchy bass line rumbling underneath it. After a grandiose introduction, "Money for Nothing" shows what a guy who moves refrigerators for a living thinks of the rock stars on MTV. "See the little faggot with the earring and the makeup/Yeah buddy that's his own hair/That little faggot got his own jet airplane/That little faggot he's a millionaire," the guy mutters, while Knopfler's guitar grinds out his irritation. The guitar turns delicate for the gentle "Why Worry," a song that's as soft as a sigh.

Side two, made up of four songs about men and war, is more ambitious and less successful. Knopfler practically whispers the lyric to "Brothers in Arms" but never turns out images that catch your eye; the music's lovely, though, with the electric guitar cutting patterns in a soft-toned background. But no telling metaphors are found in this quartet of songs, and the music lacks the ache that made Knopfler's recent soundtracks for Comfort and Joy and Cal so powerful. (RS 451) 4/5