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Title: Inessential
Review: Interesting to see so much love for this; I find it sluggish, derivative of the debut, inessential, a sophomore slump. Still, it sounds pretty good and can be a pleasant listen if one doesn't concentrate too hard. "Once Upon a Time in the West" is a promising start, one of the better tracks, with Knopfler's sardonic writing in force, "Sitting on the fence, that's a dangerous course/ You could even catch a bullet from the peace-keeping force," but "News" stutters and "Where Do You Think You're Going" gets going only in the last minute. From "Communique", the album mellows a bit, and with a hint of flamenco and a hint of funk and the title track is a nice tune, though far from truly vital. The single, "Lady Writer" is rehashed Sultans of Swing, but a catchy song for all that, and so on...the songs taken on their own are just fine, but the sum is considerably less than its parts.
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