Ask anyone and they'll tell you that Brothers in Arms was THE revolution of 1985. More than just a commercial tidal wave propelled by the group's five cult hits—the famous "Money for Nothing" with Sting, "So Far Away," "Walk of Life," "Your Latest Trick" and "Brothers in Arms"—the album marked an unprecedented milestone for music production. Already at the peak of their career with four popular blues albums and well-known for the demanding studio work of their guitar hero Mark Knopfler, Dire Straits were chosen by Philips to propel the CD, the newfound device holding the promise of high-quality listening, into the mainstream.

From November 1984 to February 1985, the British band holed up in George Martin's small AIR Studios in Montserrat. Under the direction of Neil Dorfsman and Mark Knopfler, they recorded their masterpiece, striving for the perfected sound of ZZ Top and elevating it to a whole new level. Any inaccuracy was discarded, with drummer Terry Williams replaced by jazz-fusionist Omar Hakim, who brought the desired rhythmic feel and rerecorded all initial drum takes (apart from on the "Brothers in Arms" intro) in just three days. At the same time, experimentation was warmly welcomed; Knopfler's Synclavier helped refine the complex intro to "So Far Away." Accidents play a role, too, like the misplaced mics on the Laney amp which capture Knopfler's Les Paul Junior in its entirety. Driven by Knopfler's vision, Brothers in Arms became the first album to be recorded, mixed and mastered exclusively in digital format. Unsurprisingly, it won the Grammy for Best Engineered Album the following year.

Where once only available digitally in CD quality, Brothers in Arms can now be listened to in prestigious Hi-Res. Alongside the 55-minute remastered CD version—widely favoured over the vinyl release on which many tracks were shortened—listeners are treated to a full live concert recording from the Municipal Auditorium in San Antonio, Texas, on August 16, 1985. We hear the fever of a band at the height of their craft, joined by Chris White on saxophone, a willingly talkative Mark Knopfler, endless solos and a "Tunnel of Love" lasting over 19 minutes. This reissue is a gem for fans and audiophiles alike.

© Charlotte Saintoin/Qobuz

CD 01 (9 / 55:15)
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01 - So Far Away (Full Version) [5:12]
02 - Money For Nothing [8:27]
03 - Walk Of Life [4:13]
04 - Your Latest Trick [6:34]
05 - Why Worry [8:31]
06 - Ride Across The River [6:59]
07 - The Man's Too Strong [4:41]
08 - One World [3:40]
09 - Brothers In Arms [7:01]

CD 02 (15 / 2:03:58)
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01 - Ride Across The River (San Antonio Live In 85) [10:31]
02 - Expresso Love (San Antonio Live In 85) [6:44]
03 - One World (San Antonio Live In 85) [5:07]
04 - Romeo And Juliet (San Antonio Live In 85) [10:31]
05 - Private Investigations (San Antonio Live In 85) [8:12]
06 - Sultans Of Swing (San Antonio Live In 85) [13:18]
07 - Why Worry (San Antonio Live In 85) [5:07]
08 - Walk Of Life (San Antonio Live In 85) [4:24]
09 - Two Young Lovers (San Antonio Live In 85) [5:01]
10 - Money For Nothing (San Antonio Live In 85) [8:02]
11 - Wild West End (San Antonio Live In 85) [9:17]
12 - Tunnel Of Love (San Antonio Live In 85) [19:27]
13 - Brothers In Arms (San Antonio Live In 85) [8:37]
14 - Solid Rock (San Antonio Live In 85) [4:37]
15 - Going Home (San Antonio Live In 85) [5:11]