Knife

This is maybe the best album that came out in 1983. The lyrics are incisive and excellent. The band is amazing, and Roddy Frame is a terrific writer.It takes me back in time every time. Also, I have to say, I wish there was video of the band during that period. They were amazing.I know that the band is really just Roddy and whoever he hired that month, but this particular outfit was great.

Gorgeously packaged in a hard cover book style package, with new liner notes and comments, this album is a definitive must for collectors! The album has a lovely tone that sets a mood throughout. Highlights include Backwards and Forwards, The Birth of the True, All I Need Is Everything and the title track; Knife. the Bonus disc is chock full of rarities, B-Sides, such as a cover of Van Halen's Jump, plus a live set from the Dominion theater. Awesome edition!!!

Excellent

his voice is so monotone and there is no soul there at all. i bought this based on a re view...mistake

The cliche is that many musicians spent their lives before being discovered writing their first album. They lived the songs, took them apart, examined the, rejected them, hated them, loved them and, like a child, send themout to the world. The second child is often the problem one. All of those expectations are created by how well that first child sounded, acted and performed. Being a second child is no picnic and they face a tougher tme. Such was the case with Aztec Camera's second album "Knife"--the public gave it a tougher time knowing what had cme before but hindsight reveals what's unique, fascinating and often powerful about Roddy Frame's second album of songs.Frame benefits from producer Mark Knopfler's tasteful use of keyboards on this R&B inflected collection of songs. There are at least a handful of songs here that compare favorably (and take a step away from the pop sheen of their debut) and the remainder are quite good having their own unique charm.The elephant in the room is the title track which meanders like a lost dog looking for home but never quite finding it. It's here that Knopfler (no stranger to ambitious, long songs) could have come in handy suggesting ideas to make it work as a shorter piece and filling out the rest of the album with either two covers or an interesting collaboration with Knopfler's.The remaster has plenty of bonus tracks (they could have thrown their acoustic version of Van Halen's "Jump" on the album and it did become a minor hit making Up for the misstep of the title track of the album). The mastering is pretty good here as well.

This album has always surprised me as it was produced by Mark knopfler (Dire Straits).1. Still on Fire2. Just Like the USA3. Head Is Happy (Heart's Insane)4. Back Door to Heaven, The5. All I Need Is Everything6. Backwards and Forwards7. Birth of the True, The8. Knife9. All I Need Is Everything [7" Edit]10. Jump11. All I Need Is Everything - (remix)12. Jump [Loaded Version]13. Mattress of Wire [Live at the Dominion Theatre, 16th October 1984] - (live)14. Walk Out to Winter [Live at the Dominion Theatre, 16th October 1984] - (live)15. Bugle Sounds Again [Live at the Dominion Theatre, 16th October 1984], The - (live)16. Backwards and Forwards [Live at the Dominion Theatre, 16th October 1984] - (live)17. Birth of the True [Live at the Dominion Theatre, 16th October 1984], The - (live)

I originally bought "Knife" on CD back in 1986, listened to it initially, and put it away without much thought. It's not that I did not like the album; I just was not enamored with it. Recently, I dug it out of storage and gave it a fresh listen and have completely changed my mind. Roddy Frame's sophomore effort as front man/songwriter/guitarist/singer of Aztec Camera is truly a wonderful work. Frame's songwriting is more complex than on his debut "High Land, Hard Rain" and the songs benefit greatly from Mark Knopfler's production. The addition of keyboards to fun, upbeat tracks like "Still On Fire," "Just Like The USA," and "All I Need Is Everything" do not detract from Frame's playful guitar work, nor does the trumpet work on "Head Is Happy". The other tracks are on the mellow side but are well written and a pleasure to listen to. Most importantly, this CD is timeless. It does not sound dated in any respect. I am glad I rediscovered this CD think you'll find it a strong effort.

i'm completely convinced at this point. this album is a five star gem. i give him a big atta boy for putting this together after the success of his big debut lp. recently got a bunch of aztec on the cheap. knew high land was a great album. how pleased i am to find this better. haven't fully traversed the transition to adult contemporary roddy made after this. this seems to be the transition to that space. in between highland and love and i'm stuck here for now. the songwriting skill reminds me of dylan.very different though. i can't say this album really sounds like anything else and it's just good old fashioned songwriting so i'm puzzled. listened to it 5 times today and can't figure it out, why it's so different. why i like it so much. maybe it's just the talent. talent like this is rare. roddy the prodigy.