Scott Walker's "Scott 4" (1969)

Walker dropped out of the British Top Ten with his fourth album, but the result was probably his finest '60s LP. While the tension between the bloated production and his introspective, ambitious lyrics remains, much of the over-the-top bombast of the orchestral arrangements has been reined in, leaving a relatively stripped-down approach that complements his songs rather than smothering them. This is the first Walker album to feature entirely original material, and his songwriting is more lucid and cutting. Several of the tracks stand among his finest. "The Seventh Seal," based upon the classic film by Ingmar Bergman, features remarkably ambitious (and relatively successful) lyrics set against a haunting Ennio Morricone-style arrangement. "The Old Man's Back Again" also echoes Morricone, and tackles no less ambitious a lyrical palette; "dedicated to the neo-Stalinist regime," the "old man" of this song was supposedly Josef Stalin. "Hero of the War" is also one of Walker's better vignettes, serenading his war hero with a cryptic mix of tribute and irony. Other songs show engaging folk, country, and soul influences that were largely buried on his previous solo albums. -- AMG

http://s27.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2YF3 ... 3ZF9ZQM38A

I'm bumping this because I want to be able to find it when I get home.

this sounds very interesting.....dl'ing now.

Thx fellas... I'll be really interested in hearing your reviews on this. Definitely out-of-the-ordinary. For those on the fence, Scott Walker is David Bowie's idol. There you go.

For some odd reason, I've become a little obsessed with this album over the last 3 or 4 months; not to say that it's not deserving of a little obsession... maybe it's the sophisticated and calm 60's vibe, or perhaps that no one else can sing like this and get away with it, let alone make it really good.

I haven't heard much of his other stuff, any recommendations?

I love 'Scott' and 'Tilt'... Tilt is very dark and his last recording, done in 1995... He has a new one that comes out later this year. I also love a lot of the Walker Brothers stuff, esp. 'Nite Flights'... The Electrician is one of the greatest songs ever.

i love this guy....good stuff....

got into him after hearing his name brought up in tindersticks reviews

a very belated thank you. i downloaded this and finally listened to it. a great album.

i only heard a bit of stuff and it sounded too schmaltzy and orchestral. so this is not like that or is it like that but to a lesser degree?

bort

It is a lot less than his earlier stuff. I love the schmaltz though!

This album is genius.

The Seventh Seal is just so crazy that it works.

Get Behind Me is so rocking in that late Sixties/early Seventies let's grab our friends and run through the streets singing.

And he scats at the end of at least three songs! Love it. Thanks for the introduction.

Looks like YSI has some parameters now:

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it's always been like that, i thought?