scott walker

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The Dr
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scott walker

Post by The Dr »

an article about the development of the great scott walker


http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicb ... ott-walker
“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!”
angelsighs
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Re: scott walker

Post by angelsighs »

hmm I know they are trying to cover his whole career (and I must admit ignorance of most of the avant-garde stuff), but I only agree with a few of those- Plastic Palace People, Epizootics, and maybe Archangel.
mine would go something like this:-

Stay With Me Baby (I love this song, it's as huge as something off LICD!)
Montague Terrace (In Blue)
The Plague (a total gem hidden on a B side)
It's Raining Today
Big Louise (the first Scott I ever heard, on a free CD with a magazine)
On Your Own Again (short and brutal)
Boy Child
Duchess
Epizootics!
runaway
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Re: scott walker

Post by runaway »

How about his cover of Dylan's I Threw It All Away. Just staggering-
The Dr
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Re: scott walker

Post by The Dr »

angelsighs wrote:hmm I know they are trying to cover his whole career (and I must admit ignorance of most of the avant-garde stuff), but I only agree with a few of those- Plastic Palace People, Epizootics, and maybe Archangel.
mine would go something like this:-

Stay With Me Baby (I love this song, it's as huge as something off LICD!)
Montague Terrace (In Blue)
The Plague (a total gem hidden on a B side)
It's Raining Today
Big Louise (the first Scott I ever heard, on a free CD with a magazine)
On Your Own Again (short and brutal)
Boy Child
Duchess
Epizootics!
yeah, i prefer his jacques brel inspired stuff to his latter work. it's very good (haven't listened to bish bosh yet admittedly)

my ten s.w songs would be (again, this is impossible)

(my favourite)




we came through
seventh seal
cossaks are
Montague Terrace (In Blue) (the scent of secrets fills the air- wow!)
sons of
the bridge
the girls from the street
Two Ragged Soldiers"
The Lady Came from Baltimore
only myself to blame


anyone instested i can upload a scott walker comp i made for myself? (mostly his earlier solo work)
i cannot stress how great he is, and yes that is a beautiful version of 'i threw it all away' thanks! :D
“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!”
Laz69
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Re: scott walker

Post by Laz69 »

I'd be interested in your comp Dr... i've only heard bits and bobs...
angelsighs
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Re: scott walker

Post by angelsighs »

I've not heard that Dylan cover before either.. wow!
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Re: scott walker

Post by RoboHobo »

I'd have to include this, Farmer in the City. Brooding, foreboding.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... en3dfr3FiU
The Dr
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Re: scott walker

Post by The Dr »

Laz69 wrote:I'd be interested in your comp Dr... i've only heard bits and bobs...
i just made a new one to give a wider picture (and to add the dylan song which i just found in a folder of s.w rareities i haven't been through yet)


http://www.sendspace.com/file/vgx70q


let me know what you think! :D
“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!”
Laz69
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Re: scott walker

Post by Laz69 »

Thanks... i will.
TheWarmth
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Re: scott walker

Post by TheWarmth »

Scott 1 - Scott 4 are absolutely essential in my opinion. I can't recommend these albums highly enough. Everybody should own them. I, too, struggle with the more avante garde material he has released over the past 15 years or so. There is some great stuff on Bish-Bosh, but overall I find it too difficult of a listen. Rarely are there any melodies and, while the production is usually outrageously awesome, his vocals are too droney for my taste.
angelsighs
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Re: scott walker

Post by angelsighs »

I reckon Scott 4 is the one, it's a total classic. not coincidentally, the first of all non-covers. that's not to say I don't enjoy many of his covers- I like a lot of the Brel stuff and the Tim Hardin ones. it's just that some of them can be a bit syrupy- Scott 3 in particular, trails off a bit at the end.

I'd also recommend the compilation Boy Child. this is unusual for me as I don't usually recommend 'best of's'. but it's full of lot of his self written stuff from the Scott albums as well as choice cuts from Til The Band Comes In, and it's also got The Plague!

agree about the avant garde stuff, too. I totally respect the art of it, and the production of Bisch Bosh in particular is incredible- you can listen and almost just get off on the guitar tones :) just don't tend to find myself putting it on that often.
I will single out Epizootics, though- it's got a groove to it, it's almost funky! and the last song, The Day The Conducator Died is also surprisingly melodic.
The Dr
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Re: scott walker

Post by The Dr »

[quote="angelsighs"]I reckon Scott 4 is the one, it's a total classic. not coincidentally, the first of all non-covers. that's not to say I don't enjoy many of his covers- I like a lot of the Brel stuff and the Tim Hardin ones. it's just that some of them can be a bit syrupy- Scott 3 in particular, trails off a bit at the end.

I'd also recommend the compilation Boy Child. this is unusual for me as I don't usually recommend 'best of's'. but it's full of lot of his self written stuff from the Scott albums as well as choice cuts from Til The Band Comes In, and it's also got The Plague!
/quote]


the plague is on my comp :wink: my favourite is scott three which he wrote except for the last three tracks (brel covers). for me that album is where he becomes a mature songwriter in his own right. at first he was the american brel (i always think of s.w as being english!) but he had beautiful songs like mont in blue but by scott three his albums have gotten darker, but saying that the sun ain't... was a walker brothers song that he wrote and that is pretty serious stuff 'loneliness is a cloak that you wear...'- especially if you consider that they were a boy band. he, is for me, in the second tier of lyricist, brilliant but not quite

have you seen 3oth century man film? i think it is brilliant. also now he always wears a baseball cap and you can tell his comfort levels by how high the cap peak is!
“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!”
gassjack
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Re: scott walker

Post by gassjack »

I agree that Scott 1 - 4 are perfection. However I also adore Tilt and Bish Bosch. I'm still trying to get my head around The Drift - the screaming donkey and pork percussion gives me the fear.

I was so surprised by Epizootics - it's almost a pop song if you compare it to anything else of the last trilogy of albums. Makes me wonder what he will do next.

I love The Walker Brothers as well - okay some of it slides into quite bad cheesy pop but stuff like 'Deadlier Than The Male' is genius, particularly if you've seen the film - Leonard Rossiter gets thrown over a balcony and a wig explodes - if you're not already convinced then there's nowt more I can say...

A good friend of mine choreographed a piece for him when he curated the Meltdown Festival a few years ago. He said that Scott is intense and has a very clear vision of what he wants but he's extremely friendly and unpretentious. I tried to get to meet the great man but it didn't happen.
and through wax seals and padlocks...a hand through my ribcage...past the choking I saw palms and fingers grasping shoulders...collarbone...crushing...I imagined myself hacking desperately at a sea of appendages...freeing myself like a butcher...
The Dr
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Re: scott walker

Post by The Dr »

A huge fan of film, and always visually minded when working with sounds, Walker says that for many of the songs, he is almost trying to create the aural equivalent of Swiss surrealist artist HR Giger's sci-fi Gothic drawings for the original Alien film. "A sort of glossy black and grey sound,” he says, "with occasional flashes of white.”


http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan13/a ... walker.htm
“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!”
angelsighs
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Re: scott walker

Post by angelsighs »

The Dr wrote:
A huge fan of film, and always visually minded when working with sounds, Walker says that for many of the songs, he is almost trying to create the aural equivalent of Swiss surrealist artist HR Giger's sci-fi Gothic drawings for the original Alien film. "A sort of glossy black and grey sound,” he says, "with occasional flashes of white.”


http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan13/a ... walker.htm
thanks for that, gonna have a read of this tonight! this website is good for articles that look more on the technical side of things
The Dr
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Re: scott walker

Post by The Dr »

Brace yourself. 4AD have just tweeted a link to this website, solely hosting the above image and the label's logo, paving the way for a mighty, mighty, mighty collaboration between Scott Walker and Sunn O))).

Confirming the project, a source at the label told us: "They're working together and there is a record coming later in the year", but wouldn't be pressed on more details. For now, behold.
“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!”
James T
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Re: scott walker

Post by James T »

Memories of Loutallica
runaway
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Re: scott walker

Post by runaway »

Should be interesting, at the very least. The problem with Lulu had everything to do with the fact that Metallica suck.
semisynthetic
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Re: scott walker

Post by semisynthetic »

To date, my collection of Scott Walker is simply pitiful. A few VERY early European 45 discs w/ PS.
I have heard only good things, and I trust and share similar tastes in music with many of you, so I will have to do something about the empty space in my little "Arkiv".
"Everything is a Poison; it is the amount or degree that separates one Poison from another"
Paracelsus
runaway
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Re: scott walker

Post by runaway »

Scott 4
Scott 3
Scott
Scott 2

In that order (the first two being absolutely essential).

His recent solo work (Tilt, The Drift, et al) is very dark and dense. Like a difficult novel you keep coming back to in hopes of one day finishing. Certainly not to be dismissed but also not for the faint of heart.
Gruff
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Re: scott walker

Post by Gruff »

I have to be honest, I never really like his versions of the Jaques Brel stuff. Translations are, quite frankly, shite (imo).

Love Scott though-just not the Brel stuff.
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sunray
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Re: scott walker

Post by sunray »

The album with Sunn O))) has leaked.
Not had a chance to listen yet as the weather is far too nice to put myself through that experience :wink:
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Zapruder
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Re: scott walker

Post by Zapruder »

Had a repeat listening session to "Soused" last night, it's really growing on me...not that it wouldn't have anyway; I'm a huge fan of both Walker and O))) so it was a match made in heaven from the get go.
TheWarmth
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Re: scott walker

Post by TheWarmth »

I'm nervous about this one. I enjoyed bits of Bisch Bosch, but mostly I find it impenetrable, much like his previous two offerings. Maybe I should just pass on it.
The Dr
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Re: scott walker

Post by The Dr »

i can't find it. anyone got a link please?
“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!”
angelsighs
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Re: scott walker

Post by angelsighs »

heard snippets of the new one and don't know if just it's my shitty laptop speakers, but Scott's voice sounded far too out front in the mix, like they were recorded in separate continents or something. I'm not a big Sunn fan really but will check it out. I'm sure for many avant-rock fans it's a dream team.

Bisch Bosch is rather impenetrable but isn't that kind of the point? I still think there are some strangely accessible moments on there- Epizootics and The Day The Conducator Died spring to mind.

read a good book recently- No Regrets: Writings on Scott Walker. collection of writers from Wire magazine covering his entire career. as to be expected, there is some rather pretentious guff in there but also some fantastic stuff on the Walker Brothers years and even a spirited defense of the 'wilderness' years where he was phoning in country rock covers.
runaway
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Re: scott walker

Post by runaway »

I'll get it and save it for when there's a blizzard and we're snowbound this winter.
natty
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Re: scott walker

Post by natty »

Got "Soused" today. Really, really enjoying it.

Sunn O))) have come a long way from the Earth tribute act they started out as. They're so good at generating atmosphere these days. Still heavy as plutonium, mind.
The Dr
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Re: scott walker

Post by The Dr »

“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!”
angelsighs
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Re: scott walker

Post by angelsighs »

wow. who would have thought we would get so many Scott albums of some description over the past few years.

I'm assuming this will be all instrumental/orchestral. Not sure it will be my thing as a bit part of Scott is that voice for me. even when he is using the voice in a much more avant garde way.
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