Scott 4

Great voice, I need to spend more time listening to lyrics.

Wow, I really like Scott's voice. I don't think this is necessarily an album I would come back to a lot, but I found it pleasant to listen to.

I can tell that this is on here because it influenced other meh albums on this list. He can sing though, so credit for that. 2.4.

Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5

4/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/scott-engel/scott-4/ Pretty great, will listen to this more and probably rate higher. Also, hello Alex Turner? Last Shadow Puppets and TBHC/The Car influence is pretty clear.

Surprised myself with this one, ended up loving this style of music, there's something cinematic about it. The Seventh Seal was my fav song and first listen. The World's Strongest Man and Get Behind Me were my other highlights

The songs all have a very similar style and sound to them. It works very well on some tracks, and considerably less well on others. It's not really my thing.

Decent symphonic pop album that doesn't overstay it's welcome. Solid breadth of musical diversity, but lacking a true standout track that grabbed me. Inoffensive and overall okay. Top tracks: Angel Of Ashes, The Old Man's Back Again, Get Behind Me

Didn't really love this or understand its significance. I think if I read the lyrics one by one, I might connect more with their poetry.

la verdadera pija

Not even gonna listen I struggled my ass through scott 2

5,50/10 Bueno para tener de fondo, pero hasta ahi, medio sosas las canciones, les falta algo, es un ritmo tranquilo que no distrae, pero no me termina de cerrar

1960s crooning?

Why does Scott Walker’s music always feel like deep cuts? I was blown away by this, but like nobody except people who are REALLY into music ever talk about him. A musician’s musician, I guess.

Not a fan. He has a great song The Sun Won't Shine Anymore as a member of the Walker brothers but as a solo he sounds like a Vegas lounge singer.

This was a nice trip to the 60s. I didn't love it, but I liked it. Three stars.

This was okay. Enjoyed his voice, but was pretty repetitive and sounds dated.

The first Scott Walker record on this list didn't impress me much. I will pass on this one.

6/10

The best part about this album was making fun of how pretentious and self important one has to be to name his first 5 albums “Scott”, as well as his BBC TV Series. I mean seriously. He deleted this album after it released because he released it under his real name and not his stage name?? Even the background context of this album is boring. I think you can make the case that true indifference is worse than just being outright bad with this album. Sure, it’s fine. He sings fine. I don't particularly love his voice, so it was always going to be tough getting into this on a personal level, but my God am I bored to death with this album. I won’t be remembering anything from Scott 4 after today, what is often cited as his “best album”, and Scott 2 is also lurking somewhere on the bot and has an even lower rating. This is Day 2 in a row of criticizing the creators of this book for making terrible additions. When an albums biggest accolade on Wikipedia is that it’s featured in this book and that it was a commercial failure, you know you’ve likely rolled some Grade A traaaaaaaash. This is definitely one of those times. After a mound of exceptionally mid British albums, this is the representation America gets?? Quite frankly I feel cheated and somewhat offended even. I suppose I have to give a favorite out, so I'll give it to "The Old Man's Back Again", the chanting in the background of that one is kind of cool, I guess. Not much more to say about this album. It really just wasn't very good. Never been a big fan of the crooning type, but I wasn't in misery listening to this one, so it's at least a 2. I would never return to it though under any circumstance, so it's for sure not getting a 3 either. Sorry Scott, can't really say I'm a fan. Maybe next time, but I doubt it, especially if this is the best of what he had to offer. Oh well, after a long streak of fantastic albums, rolling something like this just makes me more critical as a whole. Maybe if I didn't just roll a bunch of heat I'd give this a 3. Hoping to break this new trend of mediocrity before I start another streak of bad albums. We're on 2 in a row now where I just didn't care for them. Let's see if the weekend album can fix that.

I only know Scott Walker from 'The Old Man's Back Again' which featured on a shit show (End of the Fucking World) which happened to have a really really good soundtrack. I was quite surprised he got a place on this book... ...and I was bored as fuck by song 3. Holy shit listening to this was like watching paint dry. Boy Child made me want to rip my fucking eyes out. This bloke sounds like one of those people who thinks they can sing so make it their entire personality to sing as much as possible to everyone else's annoyance. You can tell he asked to have as little instrumentals as possible so his annoying ass voice could 'shine' through. tldr 2 good songs (Old Man, Get Behind Me) everything else is annoying slop

It's fine. I listened to this a couple of times and then returned after a week to write this and realised the only song I remeber was The Old Man's Back Again and that the opening track was about The Seventh Seal but I couldn't remember how it went. Scott Walker has a lovely but this album was pretty boring. I have heard his stuff before with the Walker Brothers but I was pretty unimpressed with this album.

but dont give up until

Bien

I liked the first 3 songs a lot, but didn't care for the middle. I'm gonna have to come up with what I call this lazy mopey 60s lyrical style

Nice blend of 60’s and 70’s styles. Definitely a bridge album between those decades. Scott’s crooning borders on the comical but it works. May listen to more of his discography.

I like that he wrote all of the songs on this one, but still meh for me. Probably 2.5 but gets a bump for originality and the last 2 songs picking up.

Ik heb hier zo goed als niks over te zeggen. Als ik m'n rating van Scott 2 teruglees vond ik deze minder irritant. De eerste keer dat ik dacht 'Hey, dit nummer klinkt wel leuk' bleek dat het album al was afgelopen en dat Spotify zelf met een Captain Beefheart track aan kwam zetten, dus aan dit album zelf is me echt helemaal niks opgevallen wat ik kan navertellen. Ik ga hem ietwat zuur op 2 sterren zetten omdat dit echt de overtreffende trap van vergeetbaar is.

The crooner vocals were not my favorite, esp on the first half of the record. The second half was much better and Get Behind Me was actually a pretty good track. Hero of the War was ok, as was The Old Man and Rhymes of Goodbye. I'd be fine if I never heard this again but was glad for one listen.

Just feels a bit too samey to Scott 2 IMO. 3.5 bumped up to 4.

I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll bump up to a 4. Scott Walker’s vocals are as good as they were on “Scott 2”, albeit with a little less of a Disney vibe in there. The production work shares much of the same; not as bombastic as the ‘Disney baroque’ of before, but the slightly emphatic folksy lean still has a good sense of gravitas behind it. This album doesn’t really have any bad tracks either; frankly, I liked most of them. What exactly is it that has me at a 3.5 bumped up to a 4? It’s the lyrics. OK, well, it’s not JUST the lyrics, but for the most part, it’s the lyrics. I know lyricism doesn’t matter as much, but at least for me, I like gathering a sense of what each track is about, to better understand the emotional pull of it all. This album succeeds at finding emotion, but with the lyricism as flowery as it tends to be, it feels like the equivalent of a… well, a Disney movie that you’re just not as into, I guess. I hesitate to say ‘forced’, but I was never as sold on these tracks as much as I think Scott was intending here. It’s really prevalent by the last 2 tracks, which especially could use some additional clarity, but the vast majority of the album mildly suffers from a sort of expository curse in its writing – Scott describes these things with a sense of grandeur, and his delivery & the production matches that, but since it’s so hard to parse, it’s just never that effective. Beyond that, even though this is a 32 minute album, I just have a pile of little nitpicks that comprise the ‘not JUST’ of it all – a few tracks are a little too bare instrumentally, some of them aren’t super compelling, & some feel slowly paced in a way that creates a sort of ‘first minute’-ish effect. It’s only 32 minutes, but it feels longer than that, and that’s not really a good sign, I think. Ultimately, it’s a remarkably technically sound album, and one that I did enjoy, but its shortcomings build up in ways that stop it from gelling together as a full project. That “emphatic folksy lean” does start to feel a little similar by the end of it, and Scott’s vocals don’t feel as shiny as they did at the start. Hence, a 3.5 that I’ll bump up to a 4, if only because my enjoyment & the lack of a truly bad moment here feels like it keeps this thing afloat. I do wish I could leave it at a 3.5 though.

"Scott 4" is Scott Walker’s fifth solo studio album. The "missing" record in the sequence, "Scott: Scott Walker Sings Songs from his T.V. Series" (released in June 1969), sits chronologically between "Scott 3" and "Scott 4". Even for its time, Walker’s solo output was distinctly out of step with contemporary pop music. Musically, "Scott 4" begins to pare back the singer’s rich baritone vocals and the lush, baroque orchestration that defined his first three albums. Whilst I personally prefer the heightened drama and bombast of those earlier records, this remains a very high-quality release. The standout track is undoubtedly 'The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime)', which pointedly references the 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia. The more traditional, romantic 'Duchess' is a very close second. 'Get Behind Me' is a fine enough track but sounds a little out of step with the other tracks on the album. Four stars. Side one 1 "The Seventh Seal" (5/5) 2 "On Your Own Again" (4/5) 3 "The World's Strongest Man" (4/5) 4 "Angels of Ashes" (5/5) 5 "Boy Child" (5/5) Side two 1 "Hero of the War" (3/5) 2 "The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime)" (5/5) 3 "Duchess" (5/5) 4 "Get Behind Me" (3/5) 5 "Rhymes of Goodbye" (4/5) Total - 43 Average - 4.3 287/1001 153/287 albums reviewed were new to me

A bit boring. A lot of the songs sounded the same. However I did like one song. Get Behind Me.

Kolejna płyta, która gdzieś się rozmywa i nie zostaje w pamięci. Przyjemny wokal, ale nie jestem w stanie nic więcej powiedzieć. Gdyby beżowy nagrał album to brzmiałby właśnie tak. 6/10

Not my jam, but decent music.

this was cool!

That voice, the lyrics.

This album gives off major "washed-up lounge singer" vibes. Some songs verge on okay, but then there's "Hero of the War". Holy crap that one tries so hard to be emotional, but just comes off as laughable.

The only thing I took away from this ... was that his fifth album is called Scott 4?

Yeh, not for me at all. Sounds like a wdding singer doing an impression of a Vegas crooner

I didn't expect much at all. It's not astounding, but it's alright. Some songs are really good, like 'The Seventh Seal' (I haven't seen it mentioned that much) and 'The Old Man's Back Again,' while others are lacking. Well, that's my impression at least. I assumed I was going to enjoy this more after the first track, but it wasn't meant to be. There is some really forgettable stuff on here; the voice is good, though. The album is clearly not half as bad as some people make it seem in the reviews. My opinion, by the way.

I didn't hate it

Liked it on first listen, loved it on second. Never heard of him before but I can see this is a launching point for many of the moody/existential pop artistry I already love.

not my jam

Holy hell this was bad. At one point I had to confirm with others that this was as bad as I was experiencing. The consensus was unanimous. Terrible.

He might have a great voice, but when the songs are as dull and uninteresting as these, it doesn’t matter. Boring, even though he songs with emotion. The Old Man’s Back Again and Duchess bring some quality and variation to the album, but on the while, it can’t be saved

8/10 – Very Good

Really boring and gay except for one song that sounded awesome!

Fine listen with no major stand outs but enjoyable.

Mucho gusto

For anyone who logically assumed this was Scott Walker's fourth solo album, I hasten to disappoint you — it's his fifth. The oddities don't end there. Listeners and critics of the late 1960s misunderstood the juxtaposition of a pop baritone with lush, cinematic orchestral arrangements and ignored the album to such an extent that the label decided not to reprint it (the first reissue wouldn't be released until 1992). Yet the record still managed to reach the right audience, as echoes of its mysterious atmosphere can be felt in Pulp, Suede and Nick Cave, as well as in some works by Alex Turner and Brendon Urie. Walker, however, continued to pursue increasingly avant-garde experiments right up until the very end, beating raw meat with a hammer and clanking machete blades during studio recordings, and even released a collaborative album with Sunn O))). However, that's another topic.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Det här var en överraskning. Har aldrig hört talat om albumet tidigare men gillar det skarpt och det växer med antal lyssningar. Det är lite åt crooner hållet men ändå inte. Påminner om mycket senare Jens Lekman. Gissar att den mycket yngre svensken lyssnat en hel del på Scott Walker. Det är berättande med dramatisk sång och ambitiösa arrangemang, till och med mariachi i öppningsspåret. Ändå är produktionen laid back och drömsk. Detta är ett album som jag gärna hade haft en fyskisk kopia av (förmodlignen dyr och svår att få tag på). Helt klart ett album att sätta på för att slappna av och drömma sig bort. Storheten ligger nog i albumet som helhet snarare än enskilda spår. Kanske är det att jag är exalterad över att hitta något nytt och intressant och inte vill glömma bort det som talar när jag ska sätta betyg. Kanske kommer jag omvärdera det senare men just nu blir det en 5a. The seventh seal, The World's strongest man, Boy child, Duchess, Rymes of goodby

Weird, not terrible, very descriptive story telling. Worth a listen

He's got a lovely voice . Several tracks are a bit 'film soundtrack ish' , I can imagine Alan Bates and Julie Christie on screen . Not more than a hair's breadth between Duchess and Dylan's Lay Lady Lay . Will need to check which one came first . Ok but wouldn't listen again .

Maybe it's because it's a beautiful sunny spring morning but I quite like this.

Bien aimé!

Quite the cacophony. Dogs in the neighborhood howled. Neighbors grabbed their pitchforks. What is that racket?! Please no more Scott Walker albums.

He’s the new Neil Hannon

Short and sweet. I knew several Scott Walker songs before this. From this album The Old Man Is Back Again and Duchess, which were still the stand out songs. Everything is good though. A classic.

Duchess is on my play list of liked songs but some of this gets a bit wonky

Kinda sleepy lounge singer album, with enough of that 60's era orchestral accompaniment to make it feel dated. His voice isn't something that is so good that I'd find myself needing to listen to it on repeat, though it does have a unique quality to it

es 0 mi rollo, ya lo siento

Good for what it is, short and sweet. Nothing particularly memorable

Favorite Track: The Old Man's Back Again

The best album

I love the seventh seal. Gothic like baroque pop, unfortunately the rest of the album drops off without the same epic sound and goes more easy listening.

this wasnt bad, but like alot of other reviewers mention, i don't see it standing out amongst artists like Nick Cave or Chris Issac

I like this less than Leonard Cohen, but it scratches the same itch.

i found this quite pleasant!

well, he's got a nice voice at least. not sure why this is required listening though. i liked it more than a lot of the other singer-songwriters on this list with their awful voices and uninteresting ballads, but not enough to listen more than twice. this is a 3.5 for me, but it's not a 7/10, y'know? favorites: the seventh seal, on your own again, hero of the war, the old man's back again, duchess

Sublime. I knew some of this, but lovely to play the full album end to end.

I know I'm supposed to like this. But I find it dull. No soul, no excitement. It's self-indulgent with lyrics that pass right over me. It's the sound of eating offal.

Pretty damn good Have heard of him and know a few Walker Bros songs but not solo stuff Will have a listen to his other stuff now

Generally regarded as the best of his albums

Not that great - I tried.

Excellente surprise. Honnêtement, l'album avait pas l'air incroyable mais passé les premieres impressions, l'album m'a vite enthousiasmé. Premièrement, je trouve l'intro vraiment efficace, quo présente bien le style de l'album, plutôt calme avec une ambiance country très... Brune, un peu comme la pochette. Par ailleurs, ce que j'ai trouvé vraiment bien est aussi le fait que l'album puisse se montrer plus energétique. La guitare et les cuivres de Seventh Seal l'annonce d'ailleurs aussi mais l'album peut en effet se montrer bien plus dansant comme avec les choeurs de "Get Behind Me" ou l'ambiance du son final "Rhymes of Goodbye". En résumé, un album vraiment sympa, très efficace et vraiment surprenant, exactement ce que j'attends d'un album de la liste

More hippies

#876. Yep, that sure is music. 2/5: meh

True story I was listening to this on full blast when someone walked into the room and I had to explain to them that a website is making me listen to this bad music and it's not actually what I listen to for fun

Needs more Jacques Brel covers IMO...

++: On Your Own Again, Angels of Ashes, Boy Child, The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime), Get Behind Me +: The World's Strongest Man, Duchess, Rhymes of Goodbye +-: The Seventh Seal, Hero of the War 7,3/10

Inoffensive music. Smooth voice. Some nice ballads. The World's Strongest Man, Angel of Ashes, Get Behind Me, Perfect for background music on a Sunday afternoon

- I was very pleasantly surprised by this! - He has a really velvety baritone that fits the songs really well. - Definitely can hear that Bowie was influenced by this. - The orchestral instrumentation is great - the strings are a nice touch, and everything is expansive but also restrained. And, the bass is great, throughout. - Interesting and varied lyrics, too. - This feels pretty fresh, I wouldn't have known it was from the (very late) 60s! - Will definitely look up more of his music.

What is there to say… Scott 4 is one of my all-time favourite albums and has been in my top 10 for nearly forty years. I love every bit of it. 10/10

Strangely enjoyable 3.5

Bastante disfrutable, se puede ver por que inspiró a la música que vino después, no parece un álbum de los 60s

My first time hearing Scott Walker. His music was pleasant enough- he has a powerful voice and the songs are emotional (if not bordering on maudlin at times). Overall- decent album

красивая музыка. в наушниках так вообще кайф. много интересных пространственных решений. некоторые песни скот волкер будто в затылок поёт. любопытные ощущения. альбом понравился. ровненький. перед сном самое то.

Not a crooner kinda guy. All showmanship, and really didn't like the style. The description says this was regarded as his best work, so here's hoping it's the only one of his on the list

Day787 - scott walker is well represented on the list for some reason. it’s just strange enough to be tolerable. he was probably pretty influential cause he does give nick cave vibes

Art pop, baroque pop, avant-garde.

Too arty to be pop. Too poppy to be art. The album is an outcast.

Fairly basic stuff. Favorite Track: Get Behind Me

Oh lord. An album you need to hear before you die, but probably just so death doesn't seem so bad. The guy has a baritone like honey and then uses it to sing lyrics torn from the pages of a sensitive 17 year old's secret diary, set against overwrought orchestral backing with formless, directionless melodies. 10 songs in 30 minutes, so at least it's short. But it still outstays its welcome.

Apologies Mr. Walker but this is booooooooooring Best Song: The 7th Seal Rating: 4.5/10 Stars: 2/5

It's Scott.

nah this album fucks. ive decided scott walker is cool and based actually. like scott 2 but weirder and fresher, without really any songs that dont do *something* neat. shout out to the bloodborne choir putting in work. favorite song is The Old Man's Back Again or The World's Strongest Man

Rating: 7/10 Now this Scott Walker album is definitely a lot more accessible and simultaneously a good amount better than the last one I got, Scott 2. It actually made me go back and listen to a few Scott 2 songs which I thought were both interesting and strange in its theatrics, that is one that will be due a re-evaluation down the line. As far as Scott 4 goes, it's a good collection of nicely composed traditional pop songs. Not much to complain about at all, and honestly feels very influential to a lot of modern stuff of this variety.

I kind of like it. Pretty interesting and unconventional. The Seventh Seal best song 5.9/10

Sounds a lot like he's doing a Nick Cave impersonation. Or maybe Nick Cave is doing an impersonation of Scott Walker? Either way, this album wasn't good. It was boring and weird (in the bad way) and mostly annoying in how stupid the guy sounds. 2/5

Not heard any of Walker’s stuff before, and I quite liked it. Great baritone voice, lush strings and some great bass (especially on The Old Man’s Back Again). Looking forward to maybe hearing more of his stuff down the line

Incredibly cheesy vocals and orchestration.

Nearing the end of this project, I’ve enjoyed every Scott Walker album but I’m not sure I’ve given any of them 5 stars. With all of the albums and artists I’ve been introduced throughout this whole thing, it’s clear that Scott was one of the greats. This album is amazing and seems to get better and better throughout.

Just what I needed.

The first song is great with its Spanish guitar and lyrics that scream I want to sound intelligent and wistful but the rest doesn’t carry that same energy

You know what it was a good pop 60's listen.

THIS IS SO BAD. WOW.

brodie needs to stop naming albums after himself

god this killed me

Pretty average

Okay.

Decent but I think the influence is better than the material itself

Interesting music but doesn't necessarily grab me

No. 108 No strong feelings about this one, not bad tho.

this guy is wild. I love his insanity. Not as good as the other one on the list, but I dig it.

Didn’t care much for his style of singing but it was a fine album.

It got better towards the end, but I didn't love it.

Always coin-toss between 4 and Scott 3 for my favourite.

Hmmm... Ok ...

Somehow haven’t heard much Scott Walker before, even though he’s cited as a huge influence for a lot of bands I like. This was good! A little downtrodden so I’d have to be in the right mood for it, but there’s some great stuff here.

This album goes from really interesting proto-butt rock/hard rock stuff (The Old Man's Back Again - like its not those at all, but its got the chutzpah. Reminds me of 80's hard rock bands that do a dark ballad), to some really "its perfectly fine" songs. One of those albums where I don't really know where I stand with it. But I think I'll settle on a 3.

I like the first track and I thought it was a Spanish flamenco album at first. I like his vocals very soothing and the guitar licks were nice 3.5/5

Track one: Bergman! Bergman! Bergmaaaan! Track two: It’s the mythical quest of captain Jack Sparrow, la la la la, sail the seven seas! It’s a mythical quest to the isle of Tortuga! This whole town’s a pussy just waiting to get fucked! Man, that Scott Walker sure is a cinephile.

Scott 4 < 3

2.5 The old man is back again is a bit of burner, rest of it meh

NFM

Scott Cooper: 30th Century Man is a documentary that I saw a decade ago. I've finally found a reason to listen to one of his albums.

Somewhere between Nick Cave and Cohen. The first half is very calm while the second feels a bit more alive. Might enjoy this more in 20 years or so !

Good album and he seems to be quite an interesting artist to delve into. Didn't fall in love with any of this album though.

I didn’t understand the lyrics but musically, there were multiple songs that I enjoyed. This, and recently listening to David Bowie has made me more eager to learn the meanings of song lyrics.

First song got me excited. Next one lost my interest. There were good songs and there were songs. Too many albums set the bar way too high with the first track. This is one of them.

There is nothing really exceptional about this album. I don't hate it, it's just not what I would choose to listen to ever.

2 or a 3, I dunno

Can't stand that voice. It was awful.

No private session used for Spotify. I was listening to this thinking this would have been more pertinent in the 60's then checked and it came out in 69. Overly dramatic. I listened to this album twice, the first time it was playing in the background and I forgot about it. The second time I make more of an effort to listen to it and it annoyed me. The chess analogy in the first track kind of intrigued me, but not enough to dig into.

Wasn't offensively bad, but in my opinion really didn't have anything going for it.

I just don’t know what to make of this. Good voice though, so maybe I liked it.

I get that he’s a great crooner, and I think if I’d have grown up with the Walker brothers, I might’ve liked him more, I did listen to it all.

His voice isn't suited to this sort of music. Can't deny strong good voice. More suited to stage musicals.

Some had a nice backing, But his voice didn't fit, This album was lacking, A little bit shit. Not fully shit though. It's just doesn't work especially well. Some tracks, like Get Behind Me, would be good if they were better. I know what I mean... Interesting that the songs after on Spotify were a really random mix of 60s and 70s. I think he broke the algorithm.

Yeah not my thing and objectively didmt find anything that struck me as outstanding.

All hail the dark lord.

Self indulgent music.

No.

He's got a good voice but the songs just weren't right for him.

It’s no Scott 2 but it’s still pretty bloody great

This is tremendous, and on my shelves. 'The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime)' is just superb. Heard before ✅️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ✅️ Old ★★★★☆ (7/10) Total reviewed : 213 Already owned : 48 Purchased : 10 To buy list : 4 Nope : 151

No strong positive feelings about this one, not bad tho

Scott loves a scat. I enjoyed the random scatting in some songs halfway through the album, it was almost as if he got bored of the ballads and thought 'fuck it let's show the people what I can do' which you have to respect. Quite a nice voice to listen to overall, first half was a bit bland but I enjoyed the rest, particularly hero of the war, the old man's back again and get behind me.

My daughter had a HS teacher named Scott Walker I might despise this guy just as much as she despised him.

Good grief. No, this is not an enjoyable album.

This album was, how should I say this, not good.

Fantastisk

Amazing voice...not sure about the lyrics

What Jan would listen to at a dinner party, when no one else is dancing. A poor mans Hunter Album

I don't know why we're getting any Scott Walker

I'm not sure we really needed more than one Scott Walker album, although I suppose it's nice to get some of his original compositions rather than just Jacques Brel covers. I don't particularly enjoy his style, so there wasn't all that much that grabbed me, although the political critiques in "Hero of the war" and "The old man's back again" were surprisingly interesting. And a shame that the album was "deleted" from the label's catalog a few weeks after it was released, due to abysmal sales, sending him into a reclusive life for many years; it didn't seem *that* bad of an album....

He's got a great voice, just don't like his songs.

I had never heard of Scott Walker and I don’t think I ever would have decided to listen to his work but I’m so glad I did. From the second it kicked off it really reminded me of Nick Cave and then it became Nick Cave crossed with an old crooner and turns out I really like that!! Thoroughly enjoyed the whole album in particular ‘Rhymes of Goodbye’ which seemed like a pretty lose to perfect way to end a record. I’ve since listened to his album ‘Scott Walker sings Jacques Brel’ (who I’d also not heard of) and adored that album too.

My first time listening to this album and I love it. Keep your Buckleys and Wainwrights and give me Walker's rich romantic voice and captivating compositions.

Scott 4 is an interesting list of well crafted songs. No filler. Great songs and lovely production.

After looking at other reviews of this recording, it has become clear I’m using the wrong drugs. How anyone could find the SHLOCH anything but a torturous assault on the cranium is beyond me. Thankfully we are all free to speak our minds, I just wonder if some have minds? (Perhaps he got a bunch of friends together to mess with our minds).

Mixed feelings on this. Had similarities to Leonard Cohen and to Stephin Merritt but I just couldn't quite love it

Sparse, ominous, and beautiful baroque pop with amazing vocal performances. Classic!! 8/10

60’s Pop ⭐️On Your Own Again

This was so boring up until the last part when they remembered that it was the 60s

Too deep for me to have any idea what he's talking about, but I dig it.

Sure were some songs that I sure did experience.

I liked this a lot. Listened to it twice back to back and will be listening again.

A little too crooner for my tastes but I like the production and the songwriting. A record I always knew about but had never listened to. Overall a good discovery

Man had a sound

The Seventh Seal 3.8 On Your Own Again 3.7 The World's Strongest Man 3.5 Angels of Ashes 3.5 Boy Child 3 Hero of the War 3.2 The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime) 3.8 Duchess 3.4 Get Behind Me 3.5 Rhymes of Goodbye 3.3 Score: 3.47

nope.

Pretty good but something about the crooner voice just made it feel disingenuous

This album was kind of forgettable, but it also wasn’t that bad. The album also moved fast since it was barely a half an hour.

Don’t love his voice

Achei que ia gostar mais

First I’ve heard of this guy. Feeling really quite dramatic and over earnest as I start it (the album cover doesn’t too much to make me think otherwise either!!) let’s go… Oh I’m finding it a bit sickly. A bit too much and a bit too heartfelt. Just chill man, it’s all good. Go have some fun. Maybe the first song (outside of the country) dedicated to the neo-Stalinist regime?! This guy sounds like a hoot. Can’t wait for this to finish and not even half way through. It’s like a personal musical and I don’t often care for them as it is. Good riddance, won’t be listening again

No way this guy should be as good as he is. He's essentially cut from the same cloth as your standard teenage pop sensations of the 50s and early 60s. But once you listen to this album, you get it almost instantly. It's like Leonard Cohen-esque poetry mixed with a Frank Sinatra sense of grand and lush approach, but minus being pigeonholed in the confines of being a baby of the industry. His sound is fresh, with his poetry shining through on The Seventh Seal and Hero of The War, sometimes making me forget it was released in 1969. It might sound kitsch and pasty on love songs like Duchess, but honestly, who doesn't love a bit of love-jerking in their albums. Plus, it's a nice mirror to those more introspective pieces like On Your Own Again, The World's Strongest Man and Boy Child. Really a shame his shyness and the choice of going down the "potential stardom" pathway really held his talent back. This album was supposed to be a start of a fertile decade for Scott, yet that never materialized.

Just not a Scott Walker guy

I'd never heard of this! It's really good

Makes me wish I was smoking weed

I've always loved Scott Walker's voice, be it in the Walker Brothers or his solo efforts. Scott 4 has always been the most acclaimed work he did. These are quite poignant and melancholy concepts dealing with quite serious themes but he also can add a breeziness at times that do make it easy to listen to. His voice is the best of a similar style that were popular in psychedelic circles in the late 60s (Love, Grass Roots) but unlike them the music is cinematic, baroque and haunting, with a hint of gospel and country at times. The album is atmospherically cohesive keeping to a similar theme throughout but different enough to have variety. Highlights for me would be The Seventh Seal, the brief but moving On Your Own Again, whilst Hero of the War is low-key one of the best Vietnam songs. It's all really good but obviously one to sit or lie down and listen to rather than a driving album or one for the gym. I'd probably go 9/10 but will round it up.

Pretty chill. Sensual. Sort of nostalgic.

A weird and sort of unsettling album, but I liked a lot of it. It’s like a croony pop record (a la Sinatra), but damn it’s dark and weirdly cold, with some really poetic and stark lyrics that no 60s pop crooner would ever sing. And the grooves on some of these songs, hot damn. “The Old Man’s Back Again” felt like it belonged in a Vince Gilligan TV show soundtrack during some climactic moment.

Hey all, Scott's here! Scott Walker is a name that I've only vaguely heard a few times, so I didn't really know what to expect going into Scott 4 today. Turns out, this album's really good! I enjoyed this quite a bit. Scott's vocals are solid. I can definitely hear how he influence Nick Cave, which is not a bad thing considering my enjoyment of his work as well. Of course, that's not the only thing that the two artists have in common, as I would also say that they're both good songwriters. The songs on Scott 4 are pretty great, to be honest. I didn't think any of them sucked, so that's good! "The Seventh Seal" is a nice opener. "The Old Man's Back" is a pretty cool historical song with a killer bass part! I'm not sure as to who's responsible for this album's instrumental parts, but whoever it is has got some serious talent, as the compositions here are great as well. I like the string parts that are consistent throughout the album. I'm a sucker for good string sections, so this album really appeals to me for that. Overall, I think this album's pretty cool. It feels both timeless and ahead of its time. I'm glad I listened to this. High 4/5.

This was a pretty nice album! He has a great 'crooner' voice and has put together some lovely instrumentation. Not sure I'd go out of my way to seek out more, but happy to have listened to it once before I died :) 7/10

1969, really?

Kinda sick of baroque pop overall...

Coool

Not for me, sounds like song my man would listen to, story heavy but not really going anywhere

No. 339/1001 The Seventh Seal 3/5 On Your Own Again 3/5 The World's Strongest Man 4/5 Angels of Ashes 3/5 Boy Child 3/5 Hero Of The War 3/5 The Old Man‘s Back Again 3/5 Duchess 3/5 Get Behind Me 3/5 Rhymes of Goodbye 3/5 Average: 3,1 Nice arrangements & voice. Aside from that not much more on this record. Overall mediocre album.

Very strange. Weird vocal. Couldn't really get in to it.

An earlier Hozier

Listened previous few as well, nuxe ti have on vinyl

I had no idea what to expect. Seemed like a mix of Elvis and Bubblegum country? I guess not horrible.

nope

Scott Walker should be on this list and this album is probably his best of the 4 good albums he released in the 60’s. I like his voice, the arrangements and the lack of fat. It is a downer and listening on the first day of a new year made me a little sleepy. He is an artist I need to delve more into, I think I’ll give his entire discography a listen this year. I do think his late career experimentation should absolutely be included on the list as well, perhaps The Drift instead of 2.

A truth seeker with a golden voice. Interesting lyrical themes that reflect the alternative narratives of the late 60s, at times fantastical and at other times filled with longing for what seems out of reach

This is like a deranged cross between Neil Diamond, David Bowie, and Jacques Brel...but a lot less interesting than that sounds. His vocal delivery is very formal and is a powerful instrument...but the lyrics and music just aren't that interesting. The first song is just a plot synopsis of "The Seventh Seal " Other songs are better and some quite beautiful...but his vocal delivery and dramatic persona leave me cold

Not sure what to make of this one.. that Glenn Campbell/Elvis act grows tiring pretty quickly. And whats up with the first song, literally just describing the plot of The Seventh Seal? Did he think he was making like a Bond theme? Lyrically unique but just didnt enjoy at all really

Didn’t know what to expect, but actually enjoyed this quite a bit!

Pretty monotone and samey through. The Old Man’s Back Again was the only highlight.

Nice. Ten songs and under forty minutes. I’m tired of bloated albums. The Seventh Seal is a very strong opening—baroque and darkly dramatic. His voice goes along with the theme very well, though they do feel slightly out of place in the mix. The ending is also rather sudden for such a dramatic song, but the flow into the melancholy opening of On Your Own Again is quite good. On Your Own Again has some beautiful arrangements, and the vocals are quite strong. It’s pretty short—as are the next few songs, which are gentle piano ballads with Cohen-esque lyrics. The lullabies of the first half take a complete turn during Hero of War, which is upbeat, with some down-to-earth, political lyrics. The shift does certainly add some more excitement to the album—right as it was about to gently lull you off to sleep, it wakes you up with a grisly description of a man who’s been ruined by violence. The Old Man’s Back Again continues the violence and politics, and its more down-to-earth lyrics paired with dramatic arrangements make for some fantastic songs—I’m just not sure why he’s scatting. Duchess is a beautiful song, with amazing lyricism and a fantastic arrangement. It’s timeless. Get Behind Me picks up the tempo once more. The bass and vocals are particularly good on this song…at least until the scatting… Rhymes of Goodbye is a perfect ending, with amazing lyricism and, dare I say, even a bit of a country twang? The way the melody finishes out on this song is an absolutely perfect closing. 10/10. While this album has its flaws, its highs are much higher than its lows, with gorgeous instrumentals, beautiful lyricism, and a sound that influenced the likes of Blur, Bowie, Radiohead, Pulp, The Smiths, and Nick Cave, which is why I’m giving it a 4/5.

Wow; That was weird Like a British Glenn Campbell.

Music to drive your car off of a cliff to. Every track sounded like they should be played during the opening credits of a spaghetti western or some schmaltzy late 60s arthouse movie.

I made it through the whole album. I wouldn't listen again but I can't say I hated it, so I'll be generous.

It’s pretty good I enjoyed it

I don’t hate the music at all, but the voice is a little hard to take seriously. This isn’t awful, but it’s inclusion here is a real head scratcher. 3/5

Scott walker is always fun

So not my thing. A depressed existential crooner - perfect for the beatniks in smoky coffeehouses, but did not age well.

The Seventh Seal The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime) Duchess

Just as boring as the last Scott Walker album on this list.

I can understand why this didn't chart. It's fine enough musically and his voice is fine, but this kind of music wasn't super popular in 1969

Unremarkable in my opinion.

Certainly an interesting vibe, at times slow.

Nothing exciting.

Eh. It's a high 2, but can't get it up to 3 in my world. Music meant for a dentist's office.

Yesterday I didn't know who Scott Walker was and now I'm obsessed. Such a sad album. Love it.

Um disco interessante, com canções bonitas. Destaque para "Get Behind Me" que traz uma proposta do som eletrificado, mais interessante do que o conteúdo acústico predominante.

This was good I guess. It's just such a weird album to be on the list. I see where Bryan Ferry's signing style came from.

Richard hawleyesque in parts. A little melodramatic and sweeping for my taste

overall really fun! might cop this on vinyl

This album is what happens when a 40s crooner makes a 60s folk album with cinematic, Old Western overtones.

Ballad-y folk take on avante garde pop but with lots of string orchestral arrangements that add to the sound without being distracting. Standouts are the back to back "Hero of War" and "The Old Man's Back Again".

WTF

Huh

Interesting history about this guy, but this one falls into the category of many that would have been more interesting to me at the time of their release.

Not for me

Never heard of this dude. British? - Seventh seal: I like how this is starting. Ooh, strings. Next couple not improving And getting worse… - Hero of the war: feel like this is the reason this is on the list, god awful though - again: at least a bit more upbeat - get behind me: finally a decent rocker - rhymes of goodbye: ok melody Picked up a bit toward the end, but overall not some I enjoyed or will return to

W-what time is it? Did I fall asleep? The album is over and I don't think I missed anything

Goofy ass voice. These are the albums that make this whole thing so tedious sometimes. There are far better, more deserving albums that should be here instead.

Maybe there was a time and place for this music at some point. For me, that time is not now.

New listen for me & quite enjoyable 🎶

Meh

At first I wasn't sure if I like the album but it started to grow on me quickly. I love the melancholy and sadness of it all and it's excellently produced. Perhaps it isn't as melodic as some other albums in the genre but it works so well as an album, and it doesn't overstay its welcome with barely 30 minutes. Great album.

Scott 4 feels like the soundtrack to a film that was never made. Scott Walker blends large, Morricone-esque orchestral arrangements with his deep, dramatic vocals, creating something dark, grand, and surprisingly timeless. “The Old Man’s Back Again” stands out as the clear highlight, a track that practically begs to be used in a Tarantino montage. The funky bassline, the political edge, and Walker’s cool, detached delivery make it one of his finest moments. “The Seventh Seal” and “Boy Child” also show his ability to paint vivid scenes in sound: bigger than pop, more theatrical than rock. The album can be heavy and solemn, and Walker is definitely an acquired taste, but when it hits, it hits hard. Scott 4 is a distinctive, cinematic, and daring record that still sounds like nothing else, a kind of lyrical Morricone for listeners who like drama in their music. 4/5

I’m not against sweeping and swooning velvet, dramatic tones, but in the end this was just all too boring for me

Love Scott's voice and the epic tone of the record. Favorite track: The Seventh Seal

It dawned on me about two or three songs from the end of this album, I don’t think any of the lyrics rhyme. Even the song with the word rhyme in its title didn’t rhyme. I’ve no desire to listen to this album again to confirm. As a member of the Walker Brothers he had some hits I appreciated…nothing on this album. One of the other “brothers” must not have been rhyming challenged. Or could at least recognize a song written by others that contained some rhymes.

Nice background as I read The Bean Trees

If you only buy 1 Scott Walker recording then this is it. Worth it for the bass line in the 'Old man's back' alone

Started off strong, and Scott has a wonderful voice, but the album quickly faded into something I probably wouldn't listen to again

The biggest smile appeared on my face when I saw this this morning. I guess I'm one of the biggest Scott fans here, so I'm going to chat a bit before giving this incredible thing a 5. For me, the Scott series is an incredible example of a growing artist. Scott 1 is a beautiful set of renditions by Scott, some lovely arrangements that allows him to shine as an interpreter. 2 is more out there, and while less acclaimed, I love the sence of exploration and doubt on it. Each original there is a gem. Scott 3 might be my personal favorite. The arrangements are stunning, the voice is as good it can be, but especially, the songs. Man.. unbelievable songwriting. The Jacques Brel covers are perfect. 4 the purest form Scott from this era. Only originals for the first time. More cohesive sound. I think i might like 3 just a little more because 4 is so clean. But it's scott at his best. If you didn't listen to this albums before, please do it. And prepare yourselves to an amazing journey with this one of a kind artist. RIP master

Maybe it makes me a bad Scott Walker fan but as soon as he drops the experimental/avant-garde stuff and just makes a straightforward pop album, I think it’s one of the best albums of the 60s.

No more Scott please

Not this guy again. Marginally better than his other album. I can appreciate an artist in their genre but I’m not into this kind of stuff.

That’s Scott 2 and Scott 4 been in this 1000 best albums. If another Scott album appears I’m going to be convinced he’s given whoever made this a lot of money. Same pish as last time from Scotty boy and the fact he has 2 albums in here is crazy

One time is funny, two times is fucking annoying - Vaas Montenegro

Same comments as last time….album very similar.

Surprisingly chilled and easy listening, perfect for listening to while doing tasks or working but undeserving of a place in too 1001 5/10

Scott has struck again

Scott be Walkin

I know this is one of those 'cult' albums: ignored at the time but rediscovered and endlessly praised and mentioned as influence by more recent artists. I don't immediately see what's so special about it. It's very European - Morriccone, Brel etc - with lots of dramatic strings. I guess it's supposed to sweep me away but it doesn't. It feels a bit too studied and detached. My favourite bits of the album are probably the songs where the bass player gets to do his/her thing, like on The Old Man's Back Again and Get Behind Me. Actually, the second half is quite nice in general. It all gets a bit 'sexier' towards the end...

Best Song: Get Behind Me This was better than Scott 2 but not as good as 90% of albums that are on this list in the 60s. This would have gotten a 1 if it weren't for Get Behind Me which isn't a bad song. 2/5.

The cover isn't interesting and the music sure as hell ain't better. 1/5

I only heard of him by Radiohead saying Creep was their Scott Walker song. I can sort of hear that here. It was ok but I didn't find it very interesting.

Incredibly groovy, fun and pleasant. For what it is and tries to be, this record deserves a 5.

It’s like Frank Sinatra, but if he was a dweeb who drank decaffeinated coffee and eat gluten free vegan cookies instead of drinking booze and smoking cigarettes.

It's not bad...dude has a good voice, and I like the orchestra (orchestration?). Also you can listen to the track "The Seventh Seal" for a pretty good summary of the flick. Go that route and save yourself 96 boob-less minutes.

Snooze

These whiny strings annoy me a bit, but other than that, this albums is pretty good. Better instruments than most pop, and the atmosphere is decent. Nothing really out of the ordinary, but enjoyable nonetheless. 7/10

It's like a mix of crooner albums and 60s pop, but without a lot of the appeal of either.

I have no idea how I’ve never heard of Scott Walker in my whole life. The dude has got PIPES. Like his voice is the definition of caramel. It’s so rich and creamy, he might have one of the greatest singing voices I’ve ever heard. The production is also smooth and serene like butter. There are not enough food comparisons I can make here, the album is a total masterpiece. The only thing stoping this from being a five is that I didn’t connect with every song, there were a few that didn’t hold my attention because they are so slow/sad, which I always struggle with. But this album is so good that I hope there are more of his albums on the horizon.

Vaguely musical singing. It sounds closer to some guy making shit up on the fly than a written, thought-out album. "Ay, more strings! Put a bunch of gregorian chanters in the background too while I go OOOooooOAAAAoooooaaaaaa" and bitch and moan. This sucked and I am disappointed by it and by the people who said they were influenced by it. At least some of them made way better music than whatever this is.

Sucks

Interesting sort of dramatic work, some highs, some duller moments, the best songs are the ones where he busts out the full backing choir and it takes on its own unique feeling, but otherwise there's a lot to the album that doesn't quite sound fresh enough to inspire me too much

If anybody's music was desperately in need of some cocaine, it was this guy. A bit of urgency and tempo, just for a change periodically, wouldn't have killed him, would it? This is fine, but there’s better examples in the genre. Dig the orchestral performances, and the album is well produced and recorded, but it as dull and boring as it gets. An even worse version of Nick Cave and I didn't think that was possible. At many times it doesn't even feel like Scott Walker is connecting with his own material. As if he is just going through the motions. I can hear why I wasn't familiar with his work. Love pop, particularly from this era, but this was not my cup of tea. Now I am going to go listen to some Tom Jones THE LEAD AND HOW TO SWING IT or maybe even some Lawrence Welk to cleanse my palette of Scott Walker. Having heard both of his albums on this list, I am convinced that he doesn't belong on this list.

Highly influential pop star turned crooner, david Bowie looked up to him. A world away from his avant garde concept song cycles in his later career. A really distinctive voice

Too many crooners

ah, ok, mal was ruhiges! aber wie werde ich heute wach?

Schöne Lieder

I can see why it didn’t chart

Fine. Not much else to say. Simpsons: No

Bored me.

It was an alright album to listen to on a Saturday morning.

Fuck it, love me some Scott Walker. It's different and fun as anything. Great stuff.

This is a new album for me. I'm familiar with a few Scott Walker songs, but none from this album. This album isn't bad, but it makes me wonder why it had to be included on the 1001 albums list.

The Wikipedia summary of this album: “Scott 4 is Scott Walker's fifth solo album. It was released in late 1969 under his birth name, Scott Engel, and failed to chart. Reissues have been released under his stage name. It has since received praise as one of Walker's best works.“ ... is proof that absolutely nobody cared about this until they found out the guy was already famous. He’s no Engelbert Humperdinck, but I’m willing to bet Scott Walker was one of the few singers Morrissey listened to as a child. Hopefully that suggests everything you need to know about Scott's style of misanthropic crooning and I can spare us both the essay length review.

I’ve never listened to him before. Not really my vibe but also didn’t dislike listening to it at all. Very unique flavor.

I’d forgotten just how good Scott Walker is. So pleased this album came up as songs like “The Seventh Seal” and “Hero of the War” are amazing lyrically and great to listen to. On my second listen and loving it, and will be going in to a Scott Walker listening hole this afternoon I feel :)

A really pleasant suprise - not heard this before maybe a little slow/sad but enjoyed it a lot

I remember little of this. It wasn't bad but it did nothing to grab me.

His voice is a little too nasally for my liking

Scott Walker is a real poet and writes some beautiful songs here. Hero of the War, The Old Man's back again and Get Behind Me are some of my favorites, but I love every song here. This was in his phase were he was still rooted in a pop song structure, unlike later albums of his. His voice is a joy to listen to, very clear sounding on the record and very dramatic without exaggeration. I like the background choirs, the strings, the drama and everything here. The album isn't long, but thankfully it's the 4th in a sequence of similarly great albums.

This album does NOTHING for me. It’s not that it’s horrible, there are good elements, but I just don’t like Scott’s voice.

281122 19:33 5

Scott: 4.

Songs are nice, but toooo mellow for my taste :(

I fully expected to hear, "I gave my love a cherry..." 32 minutes that felt like 32 hours. Where is Bluto when you need him?

He's got a good voice and the music is performed well. As a whole it is a thing of its time, but you can hear the influence it has had on others in this list. Unfortunately its just not for me, but wirth a 3 any day.

Middle of the road crooning business? Not for me thank you very much.

Mmmmm the legend that is Scott Walker. I really wanted to like this, but I found his vocal delivery too cringy to ever want to listen to it again. I didn't mind the last couple of songs, but it was all a bit Typical Righteous Brothersesque. Is that a word?

1.8

Umm why?

This sucked. I got a lot of nick cave the past month which has been awful and it seems like this guy kinda inspired him. Total garbage

Okay

slightly better than the other scott walker album i heard, but still pretty boring imo

Not my tempo. I guess you could say Scott 4 was not "4" ME, lololololol

It was fine nothing groundbreaking