Dire Straits leader/film score composer Mark Knopfler releases his debut solo LP, which displays Celtic, folk and country influences in a set of songs with an expansive, rootsy feel. Taking in everything from ferocious rockers to acoustic intimacy, Knopfler's songwriting has rarely been as expressive, his guitar playing so nuanced; the sonic quality of the album is, of course, impeccable. Guests include Vince Gill, Muscle Shoals pianist Barry Beckett and noted Irish musicians. First single: "Darling Pretty."