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!!!

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.

Excellent

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.

This album has always surprised me as it was produced by Mark knopfler (Dire Straits). 1. Still on Fire 2. Just Like the USA 3. Head Is Happy (Heart's Insane) 4. Back Door to Heaven, The 5. All I Need Is Everything 6. Backwards and Forwards 7. Birth of the True, The 8. Knife 9. All I Need Is Everything [7" Edit] 10. Jump 11. 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)

This is the best album from Aztec Camera. Easily, one of the best ot the 80's. Many songs from this record are melted with some of my best moments in those years. They are beautiful pop jewels: All I need is everything, just like the USA, Still on fire, Knife, Backwards and Forwards (It's unbelievable that this last song is not incuded in "the best" album) ... Apart from the exceptional inspiration Roddy Frame delivers throughout the work, there are two things that I love and find almost unparalleled in any other pop cd from that decade: the sound of the guitars and the sense that this album is something more than a bunch of songs put together in a cd: there's a common feeling and sound behind the tracks that link them together, giving a unique sense to the work, making it whole and cohesive, and definitely more than the sum of its parts. Congratulations to the producer. It's for this reason that I don't agree with previous reviewers: the EP songs included only add up minutes. Quality, wholeness and integrity are mortally wounded.

there are times in your life when you know that something profound has happened to you, and thats how it was when i first heard this soul wrenching dictionary of emotion.I still get transported to another place by its timeless melodies like i did when a friend had it on as background music 17 years ago. Back then i understood that with its power i could change the world, and now that im older i feel like it has grown with me, and its aspirations have matured like mine.Now i just want to understand the world, these lyrics give me that ability. Buy this album and let its haunting beauty crawl all over you, i swear nothing will ever move you so surely