Early in 2018, Mark Knopfler’s Dire Straits celebrated their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame—without Knopfler, who decided to skip the ceremony. The guitarist behind FM radio classics like “Money or Nothing” and “Sultans of Swing” prefers to look forward: Down the Road Wherever, his ninth solo album, bursts with ideas. He can still spin a yarn with shimmering tales about his favourite haunts ("One Song At A Time”), misty-eyed reminiscence ("My Bacon Roll") and blues funk (“Nobody Does That”). After four decades of groovy licks, Knopfler hasn’t lost his cool.