The new Mark Knopfler (and Emmylou)

Has anyone else listened to this? I've had this CD for a few weeks and am still trying to sort out how I'm feeling about it. I realize that I have very few critical faculties when it comes to MK. Knopfler's been a musical paramour of mine since I was 10 (I know, I know...) and I have a hard time not liking anything he does. However, this one's taking some effort. And, I wonder if I'm being harder on this album because I don't think it's fair that Emmylou gets to hang out with MK _and_ Daniel Lanois? (and, while I'm at it, would it hurt MK or DL to collaborate with librarians once and a while??) It took me a while to really appreciate Shangri-La but once I listened to it carefully and at length, I think it's one of his best. I have to thank a faulty CD drive for that-- my copy of Shangri-La lodged itself so thoroughly in my laptop that I had to have it surgically removed. Any thoughts? (About MK not my poor laptop who still has a shard of Shangri La rattling about its insides). Anyway, off to cheer the good and virtuous Oilers onto victory.