NP: Scott Walker

[Spencer Thompson]

I came to Scott Walker through his late stuff, particularly the albums
"The Drift" and "Tilt", and saw this documentary, which led me to the
original solo work.

To be honest, "The Drift" has to be heard to be beleived. The first time
I heard the main progression  in track 5: "Cue" I actually fell over.
It's the darkest, most opressive sounding piece of music.
I suspect it has a lot technically in common with the Second Viennese
School: Schoenberg, Berg and Webern in it's bleak discordant sound.
Walker has stated he is working with blocks of sound as opposed to
traditional songwriting, but it is surprisingly catchy, especially track
1 "Cossacks Are".

In a way watching the documentary ruined the magic of the album for me,
finding out it wasn't recorded in hell, and that the sounds in the
mussolini track aren't bulletts hitting dead flesh (which is what they
sound like on the record), but someone punching a side of meat in the
studio.

What's amazing though is the career progression from, as you say,
"blue-eyed soul" through introspective & stately solo work, on to a icy
bowie-esque disco reformation of the Walker Brothers (1977's incredible
"Nite Flights") and then plumbing the depths of despair in his last two
albums.

If I sound like someone from his record label I apologise, but you've
really got to check out "the drift", coming at it from the angle of
someone who knows the Walker Brothers 60s material. I guarantee you'll 
be horrible offended!