(Columbia, LP & CD, 1990)
This album is the work of two of the great guitar masters of our day, and is an achievement that just about anyone with any sense of musical appreciation will find it hard to dislike. The late Chet Atkins (1924-2001) was a genius of the guitar, one of the greatest of all time. He won 14 Grammy Awards, along with a Lifetime Achievement Award, put out 88 studio albums of his own, played on innumerable others, and was a producer for many other major artists.
Mark Knopfler has a truckload of credits of his own, of course. He kicked off his music career as the lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of the great band Dire Straits. (There was a good article about the group and Knopfler in the June issue of Stereophile.) When the group disbanded in 1995 he began a solo career putting out his own albums, playing on and producing albums for other famous artists, and doing film scores. He has collected numerous awards, including 4 Grammies, and BTW he is also ranked high on the list of all-time greatest guitar players. He is known for the distinctive technique and style of his playing.
So – Neck and Neck was the result of two guitar giants getting together, jamming and having a good time. It was mostly recorded in Atkin’s home studio, and though the relaxed, casual banter between the two might suggest that this was a mere throw-away type of thing, it was anything but. Supporting musicians on some cuts include Mark O’Conner, Steve Wariner, and Vince Gill, among others. It was mastered by Doug Sax, a recording legend himself.
The melodies are beautiful and the skill of the two players craft them into engrossing and at time amazing sounds. Personal favorites include the album’s lead cut, “Poor Boy Blues,” in which the pair sets the tone and show off their interplay. “There Will Be Some Changes Made” is a memorable highlight, with humorous verbal jesting between the two. “Yakety Axe” is a happy showpiece of pickin’ and strummin’ with an Adkins vocal which should bring a smile to the face of the listener.
Fully half the ten cuts are purely instrumental, and though these are not exactly showstoppers they do display the talent of the principals in different ways. Of these, “Tahitian Skies,” a somewhat more upbeat cut, is my favorite.
“The Next Time I’m In Town” is a great closer for the album, the only song written by Knopfler. It’s an easy-flowing, feel-good number that will leave the listener feeling good and ready for the next opportunity to share this album.
All in all, this is an album that keeps on giving, keeps on impressing, one you might buy to give away to friends. The original CD version was released in 1990, and a good friend called it to my attention. I was also pleased to discover it as a 2012 Japanese Sony limited-release K2 HD+ CD, which raises the sonics more into audiophile territory. In 2014 the specialty Netherlands record label Music on Vinyl released a 180 g audiophile vinyl pressing that I could not resist, and... wow. It ups the audio quality further yet.
The LP delivers the audiophile goods – a deep, detailed, realistic sound with wonderful tone and soundstage. Discogs shows other LP pressings available from a few different foreign countries that can be had rather reasonably. But whether you might pop for an LP or CD, the music is the thing here. And the original CD is downright cheap.
There are no stygian depths or soaring high frequencies here, so this is not a hi-fi, blow-you-away spectacular type of listen. Rather this is something you put on, sit back (preferably with an adult beverage of your choice), are drawn into, and enjoy. Highly recommended.