Scott 4

Chato bagarai.

Ok.. ok... So, as a fan of Ingmar Bergman's works -- especially "The Seventh Seal" (side note: "The Virgin Spring" is also a particularly good movie of his.. I digress)-- the eponymous song on this album is SO tonally off sides from the movie that I'm curious if it wasn't intended as parody? It **sounds** like a Morricone western.. and just 'NO'. It's wrong. Strike one. The whole record reminds me of a soundtrack to some schmaltzy movie from the 60s. I always believed there was a gentleman's agreement with broader culture to just leave this type of music there. I guess I'm trying to say, 'Who would buy this'? Everything on it is boring to a fault. Strike two. I'm willing to argue the merits of this guy's voice. It's better than mine. I don't think he's special or great, and I definitely don't consider him 'essential'. The backing music on this? Yuck. It's just not that good. Strike three. Big skip on this album and a well deserved (1/5) for striking out. If he hadn't put the "Seventh Seal" on the album it would have been a boring '2'.

What's a Scott 4? For bad boring crooning, silly. 1/5

252. Scott 4 - Scott Walker (1969) 11.1.26 Variety: 2 Adequacy: 3 Listenability: 3 Uniqueness: 4 Emotionality: 3 = 3.0 "Through forgotten courtyards/ Where you used to search for youth/ Old gets a new life/ Reach out, you can touch, it's true" Scott Walker is one of those supposedly VERY influential musicians that I read a lot about before I ever was interested in checking him out. I think mostly in relation to his influence on David Bowie. I can't say for certain that I never heard a Walker Brothers song, but there's no way I would have recognized it or retained the memory. The first time I clearly remember hearing one of his songs was when I watched the Wes Anderson movie The life Aquatic With Steve Zisou, which had "30th Century Man" on the soundtrack. Anderson soundtracks were a pretty solid gateway for several musicians for me, and I immediately went out and looked for more stuff. This album was recommended in a lot of books and on several websites, so I gave it a spin and... I was less than impressed. I thought Walker had a good voice and he sounded pretty unique, but I appreciated him more than I liked him. The same went for his other stuff and I ended up saving a handful of songs, "30th Century Man" included. Great song, way too short. I then heard this in 2007 in an episode of Futurama, as covered by the Jigsaw Seen, which reminded me he existed and I think I checked out some Walker Brother stuff this time around and... it was ok. I got strong Righteous Brothers vibes from it, but I can see maybe why they exploded over in merry old England and not stateside, with all the competition they had. The next time I heard Walker was in the Tom Hardy movie Bronson, circa 2008 on dvd, which I must have gotten from Netflix when they were still in the physical media game. That song was "The Electrician" and it was FUCKING AAWESOME. I remember it more than I do the movie, though I don't think that was terrible or anything. It was weird and moody and full of a creepy, nightmare like atmosphere that hit me very hard and made me seek out his other stuff. If you appreciate stuff like Nick Cave or some of the weirder Leonard Cohen or weird arty pop at all, I highly recommend this track. Night Flites, the album it's on is technically a Walker Brother album, but it's from 1978. The album itself is a bit hit or miss, but I think far more entertaining than either of the picks for this list. Spoilers, sorry. Seriously, check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVwB1cjBs00&list=PLZLOThs6i8WBnY1wZnv85sVQjFez71FW6&index=4 I have the following Walker songs on my iPod still if that gives you any hints about what I think, having listened to the Walker box set 5 Easy Pieces: - "30th Century Man" (from Scott 3) - "In My Room" (from Portrait by the Walker Brothers) - "After the Lights Go Out" (single from After the Lights Go Out – The Best of 1965–1967) - "Rhymes of Goodbye" 9 from Scott 4) - "The Electrician" ( from Nite Flights) I can't say I'm looking forward to revisiting this one as I've done my time with Walker I think, and I know I MUCH prefer his more experimental stuff from Nite Flights on. But it might be nice to tie a bow on him once and for all. I'm most of the way dead, and I can sail through this and the next one and check them boxes off. And who knows, maybe 20 some years will have given me a newfound appreciation if his earlier work. Plus, I might squeeze me in a re-listen of Nite Flights while I'm at it. For anyone who wants to follow along: https://genius.com/albums/Scott-walker/Scott-4 THE TRACKS Side one "The Seventh Seal" - Walker opens the album with what could almost serve as the opening credits for some B-tier spaghetti western, with it's Latin vibes and it's heavy, dramatic strings. It's essentially a retelling of the Bergman film, and Walker is, as always, a very steady hand, but his voice is an acquired taste, and if you 're not o board with the whole Jacques Brel, chanson, baroque pop crooner schtick then there's really not much here for you. It's very cinematic in tone as well as content, and the chorus that comes in feels like Walker raided Ennio Morricone's notebooks. I dig it fine, but it doesn't blow me away or anything. "On Your Own Again" - I mentioned that I appreciate most earlier Walker stuff more than I like it, and this is a prime example. It's an ok song, and it's got some interesting stuff like the guitar more or less just provided an accent to the singing which is THE FOCUS. There's an interestingly complex take on a breakup song that feels like a brief thought, captured and sculpted into song form. But it's so goddamn short, and it feels like half an idea. "The World's Strongest Man" - This one was more of the same, and although Walker had a more traditional delivery on it, it didn't really feel like a step up at all. Some interesting hooks, lyrics, but no memorable melodies. Less a breakup song than an "I miss you " song, this one was also a little bit basic. "Angels of Ashes" - This one lacked any of the dynamics that the others at least had, and felt like a string of platitudes that really amounted to nothing more than a generic bit of motivational crooning. Only four songs in and I'm starting to lose the thread. The instrumentation was pretty calming though. "Boy Child" - This one had a lot of promise immediately on the weird plucked sting opening and almost dreamy, ambient strings. I think it's an ode to reconnecting to youth and your inner child or something or another. It felt subtle and sparse and pushed all my weirdo strange music buttons, and felt a lot more like some of the later stuff we would get. The arrangement felt strikingly modern, and I could see someone like Beck or David Bowie covering this. This was great. A+. Side two "Hero of the War" - A great bouncy and energetic rhythm on this very scathing anti-war song that puts the focus on the micro level with a story of a woman who has head her husband and now her son ( at least his ability to care for himself) taken by Jingoistic policies and who seems to be able to compartmentalize whatever conflicted feelings she has about her son's situation. The instrumentation on this is great, and I found myself wanting to go back and listen again, which is a good sign. "The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime)" - Some very funky bass gets added into the mix here, and Walker delivers some very solid vocal hooks in this takedown of cold war Soviet-era Eastern European strongmen and their universally sociopathic tendencies. It's nothing special, and negative points for the pretentious song title. "Duchess" - We got some country vibes on this one and Walker even puts on his nice normal singing voice for it. This was pretty and pleasant and ... possibly other nice "P" words. Peachy? I could listen to a whole album of this sort of thing, and the strings I think pull it up into the higher tier. "Get Behind Me" - Gospelly backup singers and some almost rocking guitar work can't really pull this one up though, and despite teh cool moment when the chorus hits, the rest of the song kind of leaves me felling pretty neutral. "Rhymes of Goodbye" - The only track I had previously saved from this album, it's a another country western tinged bit of folk, and it's pretty well done, with some very tasteful strings, an shuffling cowboy beat, and what sounds like some judicious use of a pedal steel guitar. It's lush and pretty and full of a sort of hopeful feeling. HIGHLIGHTS - "Boy Child" - "Hero of the War" - "Duchess" - "Rhymes of Goodbye" MIDLIGHTS - "The Seventh Seal" - "On Your Own Again" - "The World's Strongest Man" - "Get Behind Me" LOWLIGHTS - "Angels of Ashes" FINAL THOUGHTS Overall, this was a pretty mixed bag. With early Walker I find that for every song I love, there are two or three that leave me cold or indifferent. His voice I think is the biggest hurdle for people to get over and could easily be dismissed as pure schmaltzy Barry Manilowness, but I think this would be discounting his more thoughtful approach to the whole crooner thing. The romantic and emotionally driven string-heavy orchestral/ baroque pop style I think is the second hurdle to get over, and man is this album dependent on it. It's got a showy, not quite Broadway feel to it. The final hurdle I think is that so many of these songs feel like tonal exercises, and lack a lot of good hooks or memorable melodies. Walker is far more concerned with getting across a feeling, and doing it with some strong atmosphere. So I get why this would bounce hard off of people. It's not my favorite kid of thing either, but I can see the artistry in it, and how unique it must have felt at the time. A lot of my favorite musicians adore this guy, and I can see it. He's just not quite there for me yet though. He really needed that 10 or so years extra time in the weirdo oven to really bake in the avant-garde impulses and come out the other side wanting to go full freak. We've got one more Walker album on the list, and while I'm pretty sure I'll have a similar reaction to it, I at least hope to find a couple of more gems that I might have previously dismissed. "Boy Child" off this one, for example, might possibly make it to my 5-star playlist after a few more listens. It's always a good sign when a song has me scouring Youtube for cover versions. Possible turn-Offs might include: - very dramatic chanson and baroque pop sounds - a lack of concern with delivering anything resembling a standard pop song - a very emotive baritone crooner voice that is not everyone's cup of tea, and might feel to some like a put on You Might enjoy this if you: - like a slight bit of weirdness in your baroque pop - are curious about what all these guys like Bowie and Nick Cave and Beck are talking about - are ok sacrificing catchiness for moodiness and atmosphere PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Just the highlights please FURTHER LISTENING Precursors: - Baby Doll film score by Kenyon Hopkins – - September of My Years by Frank Sinatra - The Very Best of The Righteous Brothers: Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers - I Put a Spell on You by Nina Simone - Ces Gens-Là by Jacques Brel - Tim Hardin by Tim Hardin - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly film score by Ennio Morricone Contemporaries: - Songs from a Room by Leonard Cohen - Songs of Experience by David Axelrod - On the Threshold of a Dream by The Moody Blues - The Soft Parade by the Doors - Moondog by Moondog Descendants: - Low by David Bowie - Nite Flights by the Walker Brothers - Tilt by Scott Walker - Wilder by The Teardrop Explodes - Vienna by Ultravox - This Is Hardcore by Pulp - Let Love In by Nick Cave - Casanova by the Divine Comedy - Mutations by Beck

Imagine it being 1969 and choosing to listen to this.

Brilliant Vocals and interesting songs. You can hardly go wrong with Scott Walker

1 estrella

This works well as music for a Value Village

평범한 느낌의 앨범이었다. It was an album that felt rather ordinary.

This being considered “Pop” is rather interesting to say the least. Unfortunately, it will not rank high in praises from me. A 2 for effort

Angels or Ashes, Get Behind Me, Duchess, Rhymes of Goodbye. Vocals walked so Nick Cave could RUN

One of these days I’m gonna become completely obsessed with Scott Walker. I wish that day would come sooner. Favorite track: The Old Man’s Back Again 3.5/5

Not my cup of tea, but pretty good

Don't think there needed to be 2 Scott Walker albums in the book. The orchestral elements are nice enough and some of the songs have a theatrical / soundtrack type of feel. I didn't find it very memorable though

Generally like music like this. Very sweeping and peaceful Didn’t appreciate this album too much the lyrics were a bit awkward and overly brooding

I liked this! Very slow and peaceful with nice lyrics and strings. His voice was also pretty pleasant to listen to. I didn’t pay as much attention as I would like bc I was doing work but I think that I would definitely listen again to pay more attention to what the lyrics were saying bc I think they are a big part of the songs. Overall 3.8991/5

Agradable

weird. lullabies and talking about witches and 'she takes you in deep'. curious, but not great.

I'm lucky because I really like Scott Walker's voice, and his extremely esoteric later works. If I wasn't, I could absolutely see why someone would hate this. He's like the stuck-up kid in high school who got all the lead roles in theater. More often than not, the songs are less about the music itself and more about /him/ and his words. I wanna write more but I'm really tired. Long day at work. With my girlfriend right now, she's probably already sleeping. I love her so much. And hey she's actually a Scott Walker fan. I showed her a song from Bish Bosch on our third date. Ain't that something.

Not as daring as some of his other work, but still a nice listen

nice enough

Had never heard of Scott Walker before, but seeing that he'd influenced the likes of Bowie and Nick Cave had me slightly intrigued. Immediate impression was that this sounded like Mike Muir from Suicidal Tendencies had made a lounge album, and the rest of the album did little to shake that description. While I found his speak-crooning lacking, the instrumentation and composition showed flashes of quality, and I settled into the album feeling far less repulsed than I'd initially anticipated. That said, it's a 2.5/5 that rounds up only due to my surprise at not hating it.

Heard lots about Scott Walker (or at least namedropped in LCD's Losing My Edge) So short I could hardly complain regardless of what the album is, but luckily this contains some nice croonery orchestral pop. I feel like latter-career Arctic Monkeys was really influenced by this, a lot of the same loungey vocal stylings. Added to my list of albums in Apple Music in hopes of more fully "getting it" Probably a sign that I should get around to watching The Seventh Seal now that I've now heard the 5 minute audio adaptation too

Very beautiful and grandiose, but I didn’t really feel like it went anywhere Also felt like all of the vocals were recorded for different songs than what they were played over 2.5

It didn't move the needle for me. I respect it though. But I don't see me going back for it anytime soon.

What a surprising and captivating album. Scott Walker wasn't on my radar at all, so going in with low expectations made Scott 4 all the more impressive. You can instantly trace his influence on so many artists who followed. I don't always lean toward singer-songwriter records, but putting this on over Halloween weekend hit the spot, his voice carries a deeply haunting, theatrical darkness. It might not enter my daily rotation, but it's a solid record that I'll gladly leave on whenever the mood strikes.

Country… hab ich nix mit am Hut. Aber super Country

Good voice and some quite listenable songs but again very much of its era. 1.6/5

Snore! The last couple of songs were almost enjoyable but the last one kamikaze'd the album.

I really wanted to like this but I won't be playing again... Rating: 1.5

I've neglected Scott Walker way too long, this is good stuff!

Good voice and good references

Good

is this Nick Cave's biggest inspiration? some are saying...

Really unfortunate that this is regarded as his best album, because it really didn't move the needle for me, I was kinda happy that it was over more than anything.

I know nothing about Scott Walker, but his music makes me think of 40 year old musicians who only date 17 year old girls.

it's good enough

What are there 2 of these on here? This was music for squares and the olds when it was released.

Tho I miss the Tim Hardin covers he touts on the first two Scotts, I have to agree w/ the majority that considers Walker's fourth Scott to be his v best. Over-the-top, yes, & that's part of not only the fun but the realness of his baroque stylings. 'City after city, granite gray as mornin' / Heroes died in subways left behind / Far behind like our love.' That's fantastic lyricism, a delicious amalgam of Jacques Brel, Cole Porter, & Paul Simon. But it's his voice that stuns most consistently, not exactly surprising since his work w/ The Walker Brothers portends that gift. Many days, nothing will do but this baritone perfection. 'I can recommend angels / I've watched as they made a man strong / Oh so strong.' It's like the only Christmas music I really love.

At least it was short enough that I could finish it. "Get Behind Me" is a decent track. Other than that this was very much not my jam, although it felt reasonably well-produced. 2.3

Did not chart...

I like this guy … but I dunno. This album did nothing for me. Maybe I just like the hits? 🤷

not as bad as others but...

I want to give this 4 cuz it was totally unique and I enjoyed listening the whole time. But something is slightly holding me back. Still good though. Good on ya, Scott.

Pleasant and unexpected. :)

Proto-Nick Cave. I love Nick Cave.

This album sounds of its time. If I listen to this more, I might rate it higher - it sounds well produced and well written.

Had heard about Walker and tried listening but never to a whole album. Did this after many whiskys at a listening bar in Tokyo. Slapped on headphones in bed and it was incredible.

Dunno man. It just sounded nice

folk rock, country, 1969 -> 2

Oh FFS not another Scott. I already know that I don’t like him and after hearing the first few songs it’s pretty much exactly the same as the last one. 2 stars because it’s not horrible, there’s some value to it, but I just can’t listen.

Förklara för mig varför detta är med på listan

Bra arr men fan så trök, fel stämning den dagen

Snygga arrangemang!

Enjoyed bits of this, but overall it's not for me. I can see why people enjoy it and why it deserves a spot on the list. I'm glad I listened to it but not one I'll be coming back to

Not my style. ★★

Solid album, didn't stick out. 6.1/10

Great album. Loved the vibe.

Meh

Remember high school? Most people listened to the radio? Some kids were really into specific genres. Some kids had a really deep knowledge for a teenager. And then there was that kid who heard one song once and decided that that band was the big thing. He was desperate to come across as cool, desperate to be seen as a tastemaker. Maybe he got on the street team for the Deadlights or Pushmonkey or something. And he would absolutely insist that this thing he found was really great. But in reality he just found a thing that he thought he could get in on the ground floor of a bandwagon, only to find out the bandwagon was heading underground. You cannot convince me that the first dude to re-evaluate Scott Walker was not that kid in High School. Walker sounds a bit like Bernie Sanders’ vocal-training brother. His work is, on the surface, feels like a more maudlin torch-singer, a Manilow devotee maybe if Manilow hadn't been signed the same year as Scott 4. It's only the lyrics that make this feel any different from something your grandmother would listen to. But in his later career, Walker went avant garde in a way that definitely in no way felt forced and dishonest, not a bit no way. It's certainly hard to know how serious an avant gardener is about tending his freak field. Walker's most notable choice was punching a side of pork for a percussion track. Make your own judgment there. And so the art world re-embraced him in some sectors. And that led to a re-evaluation of his oeuvre which, I have no doubt, is linked to his inclusion here. Because no one wants to hear Bish Bosh twice, right? But this does have its own crepuscular charm. It's not like overwrought crooners were not wildly popular in the day. Walker gives the whole thing a certain glow-down, which is refreshing given how banal and populist the genre can be. A song like The Seventh Seal or Angels of Ashes would probably be too soporific for the genre's normal crowd, not necessarily because they are particularly dark or deep, but because they feel gloomy compared to the oldies station. This was never a style that was gonna take off for him, but he commits to it, and an earnest contrarian has his charm. Consider how non-patriotic, how obsessed with death and loss, he delivers “Hero of the War”. It's hard to know if he knows what he is doing, but he is definitely making Lounge in Opposition. And that slight turn makes this a grower album, to be fair. By “Get Behind Me,” you do start feeling like you get what Walker is doing here, though i do feel it's a bit in spite of himself. I think the world could have gone on just fine without bringing this guy into the Canon, but it's gonna be spun again as a light enjoyment at some point. Overrated doesnt always mean bad. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

whoever gave me this in oktober thank you! it is a spooky fall listen with insane production

The first song is odd. I gets better after that, but it’s not something I would choose to listen to again. It’s just a bit too croony.

This dude is crazy and hilarious. 4

Super surprised, beautiful

Walker isn't a crooner per se but there's both a power and a distinctive note of amateur oddness in his voice; he sounds like someone tried to make him into a crooner and then just *stopped* about eighty percent of the way through. And that's basically what Walker is up to artistically also: trying to meld the pre-rock early Sixties and the flower-power era into a coherent whole. His success at this endeavor is inconsistent, mostly because doing more of the latter leads him to bad lyrical tendencies; "Angels of Ashes" is pretty enough but goes on too long, and the same is true of "Boy Child," which wanders off into hippy-dippy paths and can't find its way back. He's better when he's more concrete - "Hero of the War" is cheerfully searing, and the plainspoken "On Your Own Again" leaves you wanting more. "Wasn't it a good year?" Walker asks, channeling Sinatra at his most contemplative. Likewise, "Duchess" feels both classy and erotic, all shimmering dresses and candlelight. And the Guess Who-esque "Get Behind Me" figures out how to get away with more flower-child musing by marrying it with Biblical allusion (smart) and a strategic electric riff (smarter). It's hit and miss but more hit than miss - there will be at least a couple songs on this that you'll wonder how you managed to miss out on before now. Bonus points for not falling victim to the tankie temptation that ensared so many of Walker's peers (the anti-Communist "The Old Man's Back Again").

This started slow but what an incredible album.

Cool-Western bad-boy music. I'd never heard of Scott Walker, this is the stuff that should be on the list. Influences Bowie? I can actually see it. That full-bodied voice carries itself through the music. The fact that this is all original work is pretty cool. Might grab it on vinyl for cheap, otherwise I won't really look for this one again. It's dated, but fun. Goes well with Tarantino visuals, probabably because of the Christopher Walken cadence. 3.2/5

неплохо.

Oh, dear. The tragedy of Scott Walker continues, even in this book. Not only did the editors pass over Scott 3, the best of the four numbered albums he released after the Walker Brothers split, but they also completely ignored everything he did from the ’80s onward. It’s a shame, because most casual listeners won’t realize that he was so much more than a romantic ’60s crooner. In fact, he could easily be considered one of the most daring composers of all time. So, OK, we’re stuck with Scott 2 and this one, Scott 4. Let’s start with the positives. A lot of his experimental tendencies are starting to show here, particularly on “The Seventh Seal”, a cinematic epic inspired by Bergman’s film (one of my favorite arthouse movies ever). Haunting strings, choirs and imagery: dark and fantastic! “The Old Man’s Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime)”, written in response to the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, is one of his greatest tracks ever, with a groovy bassline, sinister choral singing and wicked lyrics about how totalitarian regimes always find a way to return. It’s a theme he’d explore further on albums like The Drift. “On Your Own Again” is mysterious and memorable in its brevity, while “Angels of Ashes” and “Duchess” are pretty and nostalgic, with ethereal string arrangements set against melancholy themes. “Boy Child” is just as ethereal and feels almost autobiographical (Walker was an only child, introverted and often alone). The rest? Fine, if a bit forgettable. I love the sensitive themes he brings to the table (as on “The World’s Strongest Man”), but not always the music and arrangements, which at times border on schmaltz and throwaway blue-eyed soul (and I say this as a truly devoted Walker fan). It’s sad, because this was the first album he wrote entirely by himself, and it flopped. One theory is that it failed because he released it under his real name, Scott Engel, instead of “Walker”. Either way, it vanished from the shelves almost immediately (2 weeks, according to the book), and after grinding out a series of horrible albums in the ’70s to fulfil his contract, so did he. That is, until the Walker Brothers’ Nite Flights in 1978, and he returned for real with Climate of Hunter in 1984. THOSE albums, along with Tilt, The Drift, Bish Bosch and, of course, Soused, his collaboration with Sunn O))), should all have been in this book, IF the editors had had the balls. It’s some of the most amazing, complex, perplexing and disturbing music ever made. I love those records to pieces. So I’ll just accept that they picked two of Scott’s weaker albums, and give them decent scores anyway, because he was a truly talented individual. An original if ever there was one. It hurts, but this only gets a 3 from me. His later albums mentioned above? 5s across the board. If you’re intrigued, give them a listen. They’re a ride unlike any other artist’s catalogue in history.

Scott Walker is cool. But if you’ve heard one album you’ve heard them all.

2.5

2.5

jestermaxxing in the taverns

A ballad heavy album. It was ok! Listened in the wee hours of the morning

Meh. Kinda budget crooner.

I know the critics loved him and The Walker Brothers but it's a no for me.

Banger.

Surprised by this one. Almost a 4 but not quite.

Feels very personal & melancholic. The songs are on point, and I'd love to find more time to get into the lyrics some more. Also, thanks to this album I've learned that one of my favorite Neko Case songs is a cover of a Scott Walker's song.

It bored me (I'm bored). Boring!

Felt like I should have really liked this, it has all the elements of something I would like, but to my horror as I was listening to it I mostly just found myself being bored. Upsetting. I do really enjoy the character of his voice, it’s so distinctive and striking it almost feels like someone doing a parody of a sultry singer. Second act montage needle drop in my biopic: “The Old Man’s Back Again”

This album feels like the kind of album the phantom from the phantom of the Opera would drop if he was just some guy probably from new jersey or Pennsylvania, once the album was over a perfect approximation of a country song came on by him and I was rattled to my core but deeply intrigued...... The song was good btw. He's like Cindy sherman to me Loved the first song but on the whole the album wasn't too memorable other than the fact that I really did like this one and thought it was so neat, I was very happy to listen to it. He really creates a whole specific vibe. Another one that is really hard to choose between three and four but it didn't stand out quite enough to me.

weird! first listen i really didn't dig it but i think I'm on my way to liking this , one that i feel like i should like because it has elements that i enjoy but the end product just doesnt hit the way I'd hoped. i love how much of a freak this dude is though and the old man's back again is a great song

I've never heard of Scott Walker, but am immediately intrigued. From the opening notes of "The Seventh Seal" I get a Ennio Morricone-esque spaghetti western feel. And I enjoy that immensely. That's not to say I enjoy all of the songs on this album, I found "Boy Child" to be relatively boring. Overall, I really enjoyed this album, and will go looking for more.

I almost can't believe something this sonically cinematic released in 1969. Granted, I'm sure some remastering was done for streaming service needs but the overall sound of the project is really lush and layered. There are haunting moments fueled by Scott's voice and lyrical talents taking center stage. I really enjoyed this one.

4/5

The arrangements and production really gave this an easy listening feel that just prevented it from connecting with me.

Ok 2/5

My previous album was one by Echo and the Bunnymen, this was more like Bunnyman and the Echo. I’m not sure what to think about it.

Beautiful haunting voice. A very 1969 album. War was on the mind

Super! Esta muy lindo :D

Scott Walker was quite pragmatic in naming his albums. This sounds a lot like Nick Drake, with soulful, sad songs. Top tracks: "On Your Own Again," "The Seventh Seal," "The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime)"

Greg was right!

--The Seventh Seal...bless you, you beautiful weirdo --On Your Own Again...atmospheric and contemplative. nice strings --The World's Strongest Man...a continuation of "On Your Own" of sorts. more nice strings --Angels of Ashes...ethereal. beautiful --Boy Child...slow ballad. maybe more of a collage. again, very atmospheric --Hero of the War...we keep the lush arrangement but up the tempo. it's got a nice swing to it --The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime)...this is the song that got me into Scott Walker. I remember thinking to myself, "this sounds like my kind of oddball". DWEE-DOBBA-DUP DWEE-DOBBA-DUP DWEE-DOBBA-DUP DWEE-DOBBA-DUP --Duchess...perhaps a bit basic relative to other tracks but it's quite pleasant. relaxing --Get Behind Me...we got some bass! feel good rocker --Rhymes of Goodbye...this one's a little melodramatic

Another "fine" album. Not really my thing, but easy to listen to.

Better than I expected. Walker is a strong singer and a couple of tracks really worked for me. Best tracks were The Seventh Seal, The Old Man Is Back, and Get Behind Me.

Poor man's Neil Diamond

It can be a little schmaltzy for me. Kind of feels like he’s mocking my me maybe. Then every now and then one like Duchess lands well. Not bad!

Now this one snuck up on me!! I was not expecting to like this as much as I did. The writing was great, the music was even better. And I should’ve known it would be good because brother just named it after himself, he said there wasn’t else that needed to be explained.

A nice collection of songs. I don't recall if this is our first album by this artist, but I like it. Dad mentioned not liking his voice, but I don't mind it as much. If anything, it's more the dragging cadence of his singing than the tone of voice that might bother me a little. I don't love the slow songs, but they are also executed in a way that strikes me as the right way to do it: a very full instrumental that includes a grandiose string section. The melodies are well written. I think we all agreed that Hero of the War was the best track, and a very good one at that. The track after that has a great bass line panned all the way to the left, and Get Behind Me has a catchy chorus. I'm feeling a strong 3 to a light 4