Babies

Boy, what a bunch of babies. I'm referring to the the largely indifferent critical response to the new duet record from Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris. I guess the music intelligensia was collectively expecting All The Roadrunning to revolutionize duet records or something, because it has been greeted with a good deal of disappointment.

But All The Roadrunning is a pretty terrific album. Revolutionary? Uh, no. Entertaining, fun, poignant, occasionally transcendent? Yep, it's all of those things. Knopfler's songs are solid, and his vocals are impressive (I've never thought of him as much of a vocalist). The guitar playing is understated, and Emmy's vocals are of course a force to be reckoned with. Despite being recorded over several years, it has a casual, tossed-off vibe that creates convincing chemistry between the two artists.

I'm desperate for a new Emmylou record, but All The Roadrunning is nice treat in the meantime.