Max Hole, Chairman and CEO UMG International commented: "Mark has long been one of the most innovative and successful artists in music and we're thrilled he's decided to sign to Verve so that we are now working with him everywhere across the world."

The album is Knopfler's first double album of new music in his long recording career. Knopfler said, "I chose to make a double album this time just because of the sheer volume of material. I didn't want to separate songs into genres and I didn't want to leave too many songs on the shelf.