Scott Walker - should I fork out for 1 and 2?

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I bought Tilt years ago. It sits in my mind like Clarke's lunar sentinel. Nothing comes close, just the thought of it raises the hairs on my neck. Finally got round to snaring Climate of Hunter. Amazing. Then Scott 4, different but still wonderful. Most recently I've bought 3 and I'm underwhelmed. Is it worth trying 2 and 1?

― 11V (11V), Thursday, 17 November 2005 08:52 (twenty years ago)

Well, if you've gone this far down the Scott Walker track you may as go all the way. I don't think your Scott experience can be truly complete without Montague Terrace or The Amorous Humphrey Plugg. Scotts 1 & 2 are more over-the-top orchestral pop than 3 & 4 though.

Personally I think Scott 3 is a more considered, cohesive work than 4, which though wonderful is a bit all over the place. And the Bergman song is not so good either.

― jz, Thursday, 17 November 2005 09:22 (twenty years ago)

Also, you're missing what I think is Scott Walker's finest hour, "The Electrician". You need the four Scott Walker tracks from Nite Flights, the Ute Lemper tracks, and Til the Band Comes In.

― jz, Thursday, 17 November 2005 09:25 (twenty years ago)

although when the band is patchy. but the good stuff on it is up there.

but yeah if you loved climate and tilt the next logical step is nite flights.

― mullygrubbr (bulbs), Thursday, 17 November 2005 09:52 (twenty years ago)

If you're not into 3 you're not gonna like 1 and 2, but I think if you spend enough time with them you will come around.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Thursday, 17 November 2005 13:58 (twenty years ago)

And you WILL come around.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 17 November 2005 14:03 (twenty years ago)

I bought Tilt years ago. It sits in my mind like Clarke's lunar sentinel. Nothing comes close, just the thought of it raises the hairs on my neck.

Well if this is the case, then you should definitely get the two long tracks he did with Ute Lemper, Scope J and Lullabye, because they are the female version of Tilt.

― Jacques Buried Her, Thursday, 17 November 2005 14:09 (twenty years ago)

ha - I even like the Gary and John songs on Nite Flights! Not *as much* as Scott's, but they're still grebt.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Thursday, 17 November 2005 14:10 (twenty years ago)

Is that Ute Lemper record the one where she covers Nick Cave, Divine Comedy etc? If so it is indeed fantastic and she looks pretty darn hot on the cover too.

I don't hear a great deal of stylistic variation between 1 and 4, though 3 is probably the most easy listening of the four. Agreed that Nite flights is the way to go, patchy but immaculate in parts.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 17 November 2005 14:10 (twenty years ago)

Is that Ute Lemper record the one where she covers Nick Cave, Divine Comedy etc?

Yes, that's the one, it has Scope J on it. Lullabye was a bonus track, now available on the Scott Walker box set, but you can probably find it on Soulseek or something.

My inside sources at 4AD tell me that the new Scott album is finished except for recording the vocals. Apparently scheduled for March 2006 release. Apparently being the key word.

― Jacques Buried Her, Thursday, 17 November 2005 14:16 (twenty years ago)

awww man, i cant wait for the new one. i was listening to scott 1 last night, and also remembering to myself how long it's been since ive heard tilt.

my thoughts on the first four are that 4 > 3 = 1 > 2. that said, having them all is the best idea. plus, theyre not that expensive, hard to find, etc.

i never understood the hate for "the seventh seal." i mean, its very different from the rest of the album, but i always thought it made for a bracing beginning. i understand im gonna fight a losing battle if i try to argue for it around here, but i still love it. "get behind me" is the closest thing to a throw-away, as far as im concerned.

― petesmith (plsmith), Thursday, 17 November 2005 14:41 (twenty years ago)

You won't fight a battle at all, if I have anything to do with it, Pete. Nice meeting you a few weeks back, btw...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Thursday, 17 November 2005 22:49 (twenty years ago)

My inside sources at 4AD tell me that the new Scott album is finished except for recording the vocals. Apparently scheduled for March 2006 release. Apparently being the key word.

not key at all.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 17 November 2005 23:01 (twenty years ago)

I don't so much like that song. It's just seems, i dunno, corny. And it's not like I'm not a HUGE fan of the most melodramatic stuff, I just don't like that song so much.

Now Get Behind Me I love! It's like his rocking soul number!

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Thursday, 17 November 2005 23:23 (twenty years ago)

"get behind me" is fucking awesome. tho, there's not many scott songs i don't like (incl. "the seventh seal" which is great imo).

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 17 November 2005 23:25 (twenty years ago)

Thanks for all the advice, guys. I think I'll hang fire on 1 and 2 and see if 3 grows on me. I'll add the Niteflight and Ute Lemper tracks to my wishlist. I wonder what the hell the new one's going to be like. It'd be disappointing if it was more Tilt. Where the hell does he go from there? Pola X wasn't exactly essential. Just listened yet again to 4, some of those songs just blow me away.

― 11V (11V), Friday, 18 November 2005 15:54 (twenty years ago)

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