Shangri-La (Mark Knopfler album)

Template:Use dmy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: Template:Start date | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=The Ragpicker's Dream2002The Trawlerman's Song2005studioShangri-LaMK Shangri-La.jpgMark KnopflerTemplate:Start dateShangri-La Studios, Malibu,
February 2004Roots rock, country folk, bluesTemplate:DurationMercury
Warner Bros. Template:SmallMark Knopfler, Chuck Ainlayx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}} Shangri-La is the fourth solo studio album by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, released on 28 September 2004 by Mercury Records internationally and Warner Bros. Records in the United States.<ref name="allmusic-shangri-la">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Shangri-La received generally favorable reviews.<ref name="metacritic-shangri-la"/>

Background

In March 2003, Knopfler was involved in a motorbike crash in Grosvenor Road, Belgravia, and suffered a broken collarbone, broken shoulder blade, and seven broken ribs.<ref name="telegraph">Davies, H. "Rock star hurt in motorcycle crash", The Telegraph, 19 March 2003</ref> The planned Ragpicker's Dream Tour was subsequently cancelled. Knopfler spent seven months away from the guitar in physiotherapy,<ref name="allmusic-shangri-la"/> but eventually recovered and was able to return to the studio in 2004 for his fourth album and supporting tour the following year.

Recording

Shangri-La was recorded in February 2004 at Shangri-La Studios in Malibu, California.<ref name="gf">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Composition

The album features Knopfler's signature storytelling style of songwriting. The album's first single, "Boom, Like That", was inspired by Ray Kroc's autobiography, Grinding It Out, and the starting of McDonald's, using many of Mr. Kroc's exact words. "Song for Sonny Liston" is a song about the famous boxer, Sonny Liston. "Donegan's Gone" is about Scottish musician and singer Lonnie Donegan. "5.15 AM" tells the story of the 1967 "one-armed bandit murder". "Back to Tupelo" is about the life of Elvis Presley and his acting career. The album was released on LP, HDCD and in 5.1 Surround Sound on Super Audio CD (SACD) and DVD-Audio.

Touring

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Knopfler supported the release of Shangri-La with the Shangri-La Tour, which consisted of three legs: South Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand; Europe; and North America. The tour started on 28 February 2005 in Johannesburg, South Africa, and included 104 concerts in 95 cities, ending on 31 July 2005 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The tour included a five-night run at the Royal Albert Hall in London.<ref name="mk-info-slt">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The tour lineup included Mark Knopfler (guitar, vocals), Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Richard Bennett (guitar), Matt Rollings (piano), Glenn Worf (bass), and Chad Cromwell (drums).<ref name="mk-info-slt"/>

Critical reception

Template:Album ratings Shangri-La received generally favorable reviews.<ref name="metacritic-shangri-la">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In his review for AllMusic, James Christopher Monger gave the album three and a half out of five stars, noting that on this album, Knopfler abandoned the British folk and Celtic-influenced pop that populated his earlier solo albums and chose instead a "full-blown yet quiet and considerate collection of country-folk ballads and bluesy, midtempo dirges that revel in their uncharacteristic sparseness."<ref name="allmusic-shangri-la"/> Instead of writing about his brush with mortality—the wry "Don't Crash the Ambulance" aside—Knopfler uses his "warm baritone and effortless guitar work" to explore everything from the plight of the modern fisherman (on the beautiful and rustic "Trawlerman's Song"), to the entrepreneurial skills of McDonald's founder Ray Kroc (on "Boom, Like That").<ref name="allmusic-shangri-la"/> Monger concludes:

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In his review for The Music Box, John Metzger gave the album an "excellent" four out of five stars, writing that Knopfler has rarely sounded so relaxed and his arrangements so unassuming.<ref name="music-box">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Metzger continued:

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In his review for MusicTap, George Bennett gave the album four out of five stars, calling Knopfler's Shangri-La the "best album of his solo career".<ref name="musictap">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Bennett writes that Knopfler has produced "the most melodic, tasteful, laid-back yet wholly engrossing tunes" of his solo career. Bennett concluded that Shangri-La contains the best music and lyrics of Knopfler's solo career—the first album to "stand up solidly to anything Dire Straits did."<ref name="musictap"/>

Track listing

All songs were written by Mark Knopfler.<ref name="allmusic-shangri-la"/> Template:Track listing

Personnel

Music

• Mark Knopfler – vocals, guitars
• Richard Bennett – guitars
• Jim Cox – piano, organ, harmonica
• Guy Fletcher – piano, organ
• Glenn Worf – bass guitar
• Chad Cromwell – drums
• Paul Franklin – pedal steel guitar

Production

• Mark Knopfler – producer
• Chuck Ainlay – producer, engineer
• Guy Fletcher – engineer
• Rupert Coulson – assistant engineer
• Bob Ludwig – mastering<ref name="album-notes">Template:Cite AV media notes</ref>

Chart positions

Weekly charts

Chart (2004–2005)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref name="ARIA">Template:Cite Ryan</ref>	69
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Greek Albums (IFPI)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	28
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UK Physical Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	11
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Year-end charts

Chart (2004)	Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	85
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	81
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	48
French Albums (SNEP)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	198
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	96
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	82
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	89

External links

• Shangri-La at Mark Knopfler's official website