Upon leaving Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler deliberately decided his path lay in a different direction to his previous music. His Celtic inspired folk tunes come naturally to him and the songs support his storybook and character-driven style.

He sings of truck drivers, itinerant workers, guitar makers and sailors, among others, painting a portrait of working life in the British Isles in days gone by. His songs incorporate pennywhistle, piano and strings and his conversational singing style, like his fingerpicking guitar playing, sits like a soothing glass of port followed by a cigar.