Reviews (page 6 of 7)
Not sure why this is on the list, he’s a British version of John Denver.
Yet again another boring album
Bleh. Did not like. Didn't like his voice, the lyrics were boring and kinda just whatever. Really mid and not special at all.
can you be bland/boring, and over styled at the same time? why. is. this. on. the. list.
Não me encheu as medidas
I try really hard not to employ mono syllabic reviews for the albums on this site, but this was.... Bland.
Not my jam
A big orchestral sound from the late 60's which is fun to hear, but I can t get onboard with Scott's singing voice or choice of lyrics I can imagine this playing at a senior retirement home, so he's probably going for an older demographic than me
Some of the reviews compare him as superior to folks like Nick Drake and Leonard Cohen. Their views are worthy, but it doesn't work for me. Despite the terrific songs, his vocal style and the production is more Neil Diamond, and that's kind of a deal breaker.
This wasn't bad. Reminded me of something I would have loved when I was in high school. Scott's voice tends to get annoying after too long. Probably wouldn't return to this Liked Songs: "The Seventh Seal" , "Angels Of Ashes" , "Hero Of The War" , "The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated To The Neo-Stalinist Regime)" , "Rhymes Of Goodbye"
Scott Walker could sing, and write a song. He and his brother made some massive hits. Solo albums showcased his craft, unique nature and vision. But by 4, I feel like the shooting star was burning out. Just not quite as good. This one is a solo album that remained obscure for a reason.
Ret whatever. Men okay. Kan godt lide at hans første album hedder hhv Scott 1, 2, 3, 4 og alle er udgivet på den 1.
The Old Man's Back Again is a great song, can't say the same for the album. At least now i know baroque pop exists and it's NOT for me
Onneksi tämä albumi on lyhyt. Ei aivan hirveää mutta jotenkin rasittavaa. Ehkä johtui lauluäänestä tai siitä kuinka yhtä asiaa toistettiin sanoituksissa sata kertaa.
I didn't NOT like it, I just don't remember it the next day.
Interesting for sure. It almost sounds like a fake album in the sense that it’s trying to hard to be a period piece. This album is not something I would listen to again
Rätt trist men inte hemskt
Måste sätta lägre på något nån gång, det här var inte så spännande.
It was OK, no de mi gusto.
Sounds like the soundtrack to a movie even your Boomer mom doesn't remember because it didn't star anyone famous and is so mediocre and dated that it was never even released on VHS.
Kind of fascinating just because I can't imagine anyone unironically releasing anything that sounds remotely like the first five tracks after 1980.
Why is Scott Walker making his music our problem?? He and his music are so pretentious. I suffered through Scott 2, and I was scared this album would, too, be filled with tortured baroque pop. No! Walker still created baroque pop music but without the morose vibe. Scott 4 has personality, a beat, and interesting lyrics. Thank goodness this album wasn't the garbage that was Scott 2, but that doesn't mean I wasn't eagerly waiting for the end of the album. Like, why did he make the choice to scat?
When forced to endure "Scott 2", I worried that the day would come when I had to listen to another "Scott" album. And here we are. While I did find this one a bit more tolerable, it was really only just so; the problem was ultimately the same: it was a lot of baroque crooning and droning.
Listening to this album made me feel like I was trapped in the car with my dad doing mundane errands on an otherwise glorious afternoon. Not horrible, but my mind kept drifting off to better things.
I kinda forgot about it now, was ok? Will I listen to again: 1%
Scotin neljäs oma nimikkoalbumi on pöhkeää pöyhkeää...
Not for me
2,5
This sounds like the soundtrack to a forgotten movie from the 60s. This guy can barely hold a tune and all the songs are super generic.
Not my favorite. I had never heard of Scott Walker or the Walker Brothers. Had to google them. Scott Walker has a great voice and the music is nice and relaxing but it’s not for me.
I almost didn't bother to listen to the whole album and i am glad I ifishd it since from "hero of war" and "the old man", it was easier to listen to for me. I guess I was annoyed by the constant vioalins ? I had a look at the lyric and they're very poetic. I guess that where the value of this record is.
Didn’t really like
Salvado después de vencido David Bowie, Jarvis Cocker, Thom Yorke y Bat for Lashes entran a una catedral abandonada y se proponen convertirla en el nuevo atractivo turístico para que los hipsters y existencialistas tengan dónde conversar con efectos de eco dramáticos naturales. Después de tres álbumes solistas sin pena ni gloria, Scott Walker decide tirar una moneda más al aire. El azar no le da ni cara ni cruz, pero sí un futuro David Bowie que le va a sonreír. Él no lo sabe, pero su disco Scott 4, publicado bajo su verdadero nombre, Scott Engel, y retirado por falta de ventas, se convertirá en una obra de culto del folk barroco. Los latinoamericanos pensarán que Camilo Sesto es mejor, pero es porque no nos gusta movernos mucho de nuestras raíces. A Scott lo aceptamos porque, al menos, tiene una canción crítica al estalinismo. Walker se convierte en un bibliotecario que, con arreglos orquestales, existencialismo y crítica ácida, te guía por las estanterías de sus introspecciones. Como alguien que pasa la vida recomendando lo indicado a otros, pero necesita una invitación para dar rienda suelta a su propia historia. "The Seventh Seal" te va a hacer putear porque, por su culpa, se te derritieron los rocks del whisky mientras te distraías con la decadencia de la muerte anunciada sobre una guitarra folk. "The Old Man's Back Again" es el “acá nos deprimimos, bailamos, nos divertimos y aprendemos de geopolítica” del álbum. "Boy Child" es la excusa musical de Scott para que lo acompañes a tomar la decisión de empezar terapia. Y como gente comprensiva que somos, lo acompañamos. Scott va a ser ese conocido con el que, por h o por b, terminaste compartiendo cosas, y se transformó en el amigo que te manda audios sobre sus fijaciones medievalistas. Y vos estás bien con eso. Es el proceso de sentarte en una catedral vacía a ver cómo la luz se va moviendo por los vitrales. Este álbum se va a convertir en tu alma vieja amiga. Pero no alardees tanto de la amistad… que siga siendo algo de culto.
Ikke helt for mig
I almost got whiplash listening to this after Korn. And at first I was very pleased, but this is a bit dull of an album in itself, maybe too much of a course correct. I did like Duchess, it was compelling in its own quiet way.
Pleasant, but all in all forgettable and probably not one I'd go back to
like a parody of obnoxious 60s singer-songwriters
Reminds me a lot of Leonard Cohen... I don't like Leonard Cohen.
Lounge singer shoegaze
There was nothing for me on this one.
Some weird stuff starting to come through in the lyrics, but the music is still saccharine crooner shlock. Later albums much better.
There are many good folk albums not on this list, but somehow this is? 2 stars or D-.
j'ai retenu 2 bonnes chansons mais en vrai pas mon truc dsl
Why does this guy have ( at least) 2 albums on this list. It was indistinguishable from Scott 1 since I didn't notice when Spotify just played on after the album. There was nothing wrong with the music but Scott walker doesn't deserve multiple spots on this list
Reminds me of Marty Robbin’s era western but no where near as good. Not a fan of the soupy production.
This reminds me of Kirk Van Houten's breakout album "Can I Borrow a Feeling?" I definitely can say anything strongly worded about this album. It just doesn't invoke any sort of passionate response from me. Groovy bass in The Old Man is Back Again 2.49
Nearly 3 years ago, album #251 for me was Scott 2. I absolutely hated it and looking back at my review, I was in a very cutting emotional state. Whether I've mellowed since (this is album #824 for context) or not, I felt less violently/aggressively disinclined to Scott Walker. It's still bland tripe, and I still think it's incredibly narcissistic to name your first four albums after yourself (once is OK, two speaks to a lack of imagination, and four, well...) but the first track was alright, so that's something right? I'm feeling generous, so 2 stars it is
I didn't mind The Seventh Seal but after that, let's just say baroque pop isn't my jam. I get and I do hear how it influenced Bowie and Radiohead but it just doesn't work for me.
pass
Didn’t realise this guy had more than one album on this list. Why?
Un álbum de pop barroco (probablemente el primero que puede ser llamado como tal) bastante influyente por lo que leo. Muchas canciones parecen la banda sonora de una película de los 60, con instrumentación simple pero muy apasionada y orquestal, llena de cuerdas, que a ratos casi recuerda a Morricone. La voz de barítono es casi operística, pero cercana al folk. Las letras, poéticas y algo crípticas, son pesimistas y tristes en su mayoría, muy buenas. Pero la verdad es que me ha aburrido bastante. Me ha sonado anticuado y me he cansado bastante rápido de él. Scott Walker promete, pero en otra ocasión será.
Definitely hear the influence he had on Bowie but I just don’t like this as much as what Bowie did. The singing and songwriting is good but it just lacks that weirdness and fun that I need to draw me in, just some crooning.
I think someone summed it up perfectly: "The guy is a little bitch and let's it be known with his singing". Seriously though, there are a bit of cool parts in this one and I love the bass line on the track I listed as a stand out. 4/10.
This guy has strong "insufferable at parties" vibes. "Get Behind Me" wasn't bad though.
Scott Walker is boring.
The first song is kinda cunty wtf And his voice sounds different I dont love it but compared to some of the other stuff it’s alright The most random lyrics though
I was super excited with the Spanish guitar intro and then that excitement faded as the album went on. It’s really an ok album, but a lot of the songs sound extremely similar. It could do with a lot less string sections as well.
boo
This album has passion and production that sounds ahead of it's time, but honestly I couldn't get over the singing style.
I don't really get it. 'Get Behind Me' was the only track I remotely enjoyed. Hard for me to see where this fits in to what else was going on in 1969. Maybe there's more or better elsewhere in his catalog? Sounds like he was a pretty wild guy.
Woof. That was a hard listen. "It's like Vegas if it was run by Ned Flanders." "I didn't think he was going to do Moon River, but BAM! 2nd encore!"
Was ok, crooner type of thing. Very studio. Enjoyed the bass on The Old man’s Back Again. Some of the songs felt like they’d be at home in. Tarantino movie, but just weren’t quite cool enough to get there.
There’s a reason why Scott Walker is not a household name in this day & age
lmao no
Scott Walker’s music is really odd. I’m coming to realise this. It’s very film-score, whilst having lyrics that tell stories more than express feelings. When I put this album on in the car, my partner said it sounded like he was singing about Dungeons and Dragons. Maybe he was, who knows? Either way, I can appreciate the talent on display here, but it’s not really the music for me.
There is nothing to hate and nothing to love on this album. Just an o.k. listen. 2,5
Funnily enough, I have one song saved by Scott Walker so I thought I’d like this album. Unfortunately I couldn’t really take his voice seriously here, and it was tough to get through
Depressing and self indulgent cheese
Started out ok, but was a bit bland.
DNF.
Kinda boring, couldn't get through it. The main single was ok. 2/5
I don't even know what genre to call this. The guy takes himself too seriously and the songs are just OK
Just like “Scott 2” this was just boring and the same song over and over. Maybe a little better, but still not entertaining. 2/5
It was like a Nick Drake or Leonard Cohen. I wonder if this is will grow on me in the same way Nick Drake did, which got a 2 and then also got daily relistens after it had time to digest. But I doubt it.
This is such a dealers choice pick, knowing Scott 2 is already on this list like come on. Additions like this make me not wanna play ball - not because of this albums quality in a vacuum, but I yearn for variety and newer albums. “Boy Child” is very wondrous and tender all at once, it’s pretty good. “The Old Man’s Back Again” is my highlight of the record, as it encapsulates the clear direction Scott wanted to take this particular project in - it’s a bit of a western/classic/talltale ballad. Scott is still in galavanting, grandiose, slightly campy form; like he was for Scott 2, like I’m sure he was for Scott’s 1 and 3 as well. Take any of those albums for a spin, you’ll kinda get the point of all of them after you listen to just one of them
I don’t know this album was kind of confusing to me. I’m gonna chalk it up to a 5/10 Favorite track - get behind me
“Look at that, ‘My Way’ is popular! I can just copy Frank Sinatra, that’ll work for me!” “But wait, my voice isn’t nearly as good as his…” “Nah, nobody will notice the difference.”
Some alright instrumentation and some thick compositions. His voice causes me anxiety. This is too schmaltzy for me. I'm not convinced this guy should be singing scat.
This guy is whiny in the creepiest of ways. I don't like it.
ngl, this album is really boring 2/5
Completely fine background music in a bar or at a cook-out. Won't skip if it is on the radio, but it's not really my style of music. 5/10
Not really my type of music. It felt a too cinematic (in the wrong way) and grandiose, and a bit pompous and pretentious at times as well with the strings. Very much focus is put on his lyrical work, but Scott's depictions of his love life and heartaches is of very little interest to me.
First thought was that "Scott 4" sounds like a pretentious album unless it's jazz. Then I saw the first track was called "The Seventh Sail" which might take the prize for most pretentious title of the month. Anyway, it wasn't jazz but a bunch of ballads. Learning it wasn't from the 80s like I thought made it a bit better, but it still just felt kind of bland. The ballads are nice and all, but nothing really hooked me. He obviously has a nice voice but other than "Duchess" not much stuck with me.
there is only so much Scott Walker a person needs. Probably could have called it a day after 3.
Dramatic cinematic music and baritone crooning. Opens with a fun noir cowboy jazz track but then gets bogged down in a bunch of tedious slow-paced orchestral schmaltz. But the only way out is through: when the schmaltzy strings really slow down it becomes something interesting again, an ambient textural bedding for the vocals' existential anguish. Favorites: Seventh Seal, Old Man's Back
I didn’t really vibe with this
The orchestration and lyrics were a bit busy, clunky and disjointed. Nothing seemed to flow. A very talented artist, but this was disappointing effort.
Ayyy it's my ex governor. I had to look up who the hell this guy is and after a quick wiki search I think I might actually like this guys later stuff. This is still pretty early though. It's just not exciting. It doesn't do the thing I want music to do. There are a few little weird moments that make me think I'll like the Avante gaurde stuff he does later but scott 17 or whatever this one is ain't that. It's simple and not too hard to digest
Well, I can't say this one did much for me. Nothing objectionable. Just uninspiring in general. 2/5 Album 16/1001
old and basic becky. IDK. 2
Soundtrack album. Probably works for any movie.
Pleasant voice, but seemingly recorded this borefest standing in a railway tunnel? Clearly of its time. Added a point for writing all his own songs. Took one away for sounding like an American Cliff Richard. 2
bard
I just don’t get the appeal
2/5. Who TF listens to this music?
Super bland and forgettable. In fact this album is so forgettable, that I literally have nothing else to say about it, because it was that uninteresting.
Scott Walker grew up in Ohio, but became a British pop star in the 60s. He was a member of the Walker Brothers - not brothers, or really named Walker - that had a few successful singles and albums. Scott 4 is Walker's fifth solo album. It was originally released under "Scott Engel," and this is one of the reasons given to suggest why it was a commercial failure. The album is filled with original songs, and was celebrated for it. This was a departure from much of Walker's career, who most frequently recorded covers and songs for soundtracks. These songs all sound like they belong in a musical theater production: overly orchestrated and histrionic. "This morning I played chess with death" is hard to take seriously.
Most eh album I’ve ever heard before haha. Nice strings and backing instruments but his vocals are hella annoying
Just a mediocre album, doesn't go anywhere. Is nothing.
Scott wished this album was a 4
His voice is extremely annoying. This is horrible. The second half saves it from a 1 by having more "rock" vibes.
This guy is an annoying crooner.
Scott Walker < The Beatles
Some nice orchestral arrangements. Couple decent songs but nothing amazing
His albums are ok - but I do think a bit overrated at times...
Dull, melodic, smooth Art Pop.
This isn't the sort of thing I would normally listen to - it almost reminds me of a swanky lounge singer sort of music. I suppose that it is good for what it is, but I'm not a big fan.
Not sure I can take a note of this after yesterday. Add strings ( when were swelling strings ever acceptable?) and then aaargghh I'm out.
I like the idea of Scott Walker more than the reality. The music was often quite good, but just like yesterday's album, American Gothic, the lyrics were pretentious and un-poetic. Like, the first song, he's just recounting the plot of a Bergman movie.
Man I listen to this and my biggest thought is what a genius Bob Dylan is. It's probably not fair to compare the two but when "Hero of the War" came on all I could think is Dylan's "Master of War" (6 years earlier than Scott) and "John Brown" (7 years earlier) was way more profound lyrically and musically. But why compare? (B/C I can't stop thinking about A Complete Unknown) I just can't relate to this sound.
The guy has a great voice, the intro is pretty OK with its western/Morricone influence, then the first half of the album is pretty boring with dull background music. The second half is a bit more upbeat and better.
Was ok
I don't know if I'm missing out on valuable context by not experiencing the original Scott trilogy, but this was not my thing. There's some parts that definitely approached a good song, but every time I started enjoying it he returned to the whitest White-Man scatting I've ever heard, and I was immediately brought out of it again. This is the sort of thing that might have been progressive sixty years ago, but now it's just... Bad. Also, I can't stop thinking that, especially the first traco, that Nick Cave probably really likes this album.
Not for me
2.5 rounded down his voice is very nice, but otherwise this was unremarkable highlights: on your own again, the world’s strongest man, rhymes of goodbye (mar 27 2026)
Eh. Fine 60s music, but nothing special. Would be interesting to know why it's on the list.
Not my cup of tea, but dude's voice is amazing.
This album felt like listening to 30 straight minutes of every worst Disney song. Boring as hell.
Weird…all I can say
1. zeventh - 2.5 2. again - 1.5 3. man - 1 4. angelz - 1.5 5. boy - 1 6. hero - 1 7. old man - 1 8. duchezz - 1.5 9. behind - 1 10. goodbye - 0
Boring
Okay vocals, unusual lyrics
Crap
1.6 2x not sure why i listened twice, but it was short
Well, this is an improvement over Scott 2, but it's still very much not something I'm super into. This seemed closer to someone like Neil Diamond. Probably won't ever choose to listen to it again. 2.4/5
This didn't do much for me, a sort of croony folk rock, reminded me a lot of Elvis even if the wiki doesn't appear to think so. The song about being a war hero was alright, a bit wry, but in general not a fan.
Didn't know of Scott Walker before this and this hasn't inspired me to want to hear more. All a bit dull and dated sounding. Not terrible though. Sorry Scott
This is #day70 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... could this be where Radiohead's orchestral strings find their roots? I can hear echoes of "How To Disappear Completely," "Spectre," and much of "A Moon-Shaped Pool" woven in. No surprise, as the band has praised this album themselves. The music is interesting for its time, though I'm not particularly moved by the vocals. What pulled me away was that last verse of "The Old Man's Back Again," seemingly told from the perspective of an invading russian soldier... With my homeland invaded by russia for almost three years now, I don't give a fuck about that perspective. Invaders must die. It's a 2 out of 5 this time. Looking forward to #day71.
One album from this guy would have been more than enough. Two Albums on a list of 1000 great albums is fucking excessive.
15/10/24 I appreciate the voice but my God this album was boring.
All a bit too meh really
Not really bad, but just nothing that caught my interest
It felt a bit like Sinatra but without the "it" factor. Didn't really do much for me.
This is absolutely awful. Will Farrell doing his Robert Goulet impersonation in real life.
Ooh no, this is not good at all. His vocals are really weird, somewhere just above talk singing and with grating pitch changes all over the shop, it ain’t pretty. Just to add to the confusion it’s kinda croonery over the top of Ennio Morriconi style western music. That really doesn’t work either. The blurb says this didn’t sell because he used his real non Walker name. I’m going to beg to differ and just say it was because it was an experiment that went horribly wrong.
Sounds like John Hartford doing a little bit of Marty Robbins with a hint of Bob Dylan or Pink Floyd. Didn't strike me that hard as something I will want to revisit, but I can see it being influential at the time. Feels like Charlie Chaplin movies, I think people have built on the stuff so it's no longer funny to me, but its kinda wild to think they pioneered it back then.
It felt a lot like Neil Diamond to me, but with less groove to it. The first half of the album, it felt like there was no BRIDGE to any of the songs. It was just A-A-A-A. Very repetitive and tiring. I read that Walker does a lot of experimental stuff later on in his career. I don't know if that is the thing that should have been on this list. Either way, it just did not interest me. NEXT.
What was it about the late ‘60s vocal jazz sounding like a Bond Movie? Scott Walker had a good voice made for Broadway (respect) but this album started intriguing and got old, buried under a 6’ layer of sodden melodrama. Key track was the Old Man’s Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist regime). I don’t regret listening to this one but will be relegating this to the history books and not the personal collection.
De nuevo me pasa lo mismo, no me termina de gustar como canta. Y el algún es demasiado edulcorado para mi gusto. Lo escuché todo, pero gracias
There is great (sometimes cheesy) production here, but this is not the kind of music I dig.
Oh. Mir etwas zu schnulzig.
Album releases and fails to chart, radar goes off at 1001 HQ “looks like we found another contender”. Not quite Tom Waits but close enough. We are so close to the end of this list and yet we keep getting stinkers. I can’t wait till this is done to math out the percentage of this list that shouldn’t be on here.
Not so much fun
It was okay I guess. Didn't really resonate with me.
For some reason, I thought it sounded like he is trying to copy Sir Tom Jones in a way. I don't know if that makes any sense, it's just my thought. And I didn't like it.
Not my thing at all. While I can appreciate the musical talent I'm not captured by the stories or the overall mood. This one on the list doesn't inspire me to investigate Scott Walker. I'd rather listen to David Silvian in this space......
Why? There were about 2 songs that were bearable which gets it to 1.6 stars. Rounded up.
This was a slog to get through but mercifully short. I can't stand Scott Walker's voice or singing style. Blegh.
2/5
Scott 4 is an intersting album. The production of the music and arrangements are of top quality however the vocals and lyrics aren't. I tried to appreciate however to me it seems like a rough draft that the artist never went back to refine. It's almost parody-like.
Too weird for me
I like Scott Walker's voice. I don't really like this music. It's just sort of...lame. There’s a song of his here and there that I like, but none from this album. The singer/songwriter genre is not one I've ever really liked much. And this is especially cheesy. Nothing else to say, I won't be listening to this again. 2/5
Another boring Scott record. Scott 4 is indiscernible from Scott 2 to me. Meh.
Rating: 4/10 Nah.
Didn't like it.
I will never listen to it again, but thankfully it was better than Scott 2.
decent production but I didn’t get much from this. Not something I would listen to again
This is supposed to be his best album and I just... cant.
Not really my thing.
Great voice, but I'm not a fan of this.
this guy has a crazy voice
Scott Walker was a really boring governor of Wisconsin. Except for his political stances and union busting while in office. Those weren’t boring, but they sucked. Scott Walker was also a singer, but he was actually Noel Scott Engel. But he was also boring. “Scott 4” only gets interesting with “Hero of the War” and “The Old Man’s Back Again.”
Better than Scott 2. That is the only positive thing I can say.
I wanted to like this more than I did. I like the cheesiness of it and the lounge singer style — he’s got a great voice — but I didn’t connect with many of the songs. There weren’t enough upbeat song to draw me in. I liked the swinging drama of “The Old Man’s Back Again” but there weren’t many more like it on this album.
Good singer but the voice really sounds dated. Perhaps it can be appreciated by those who enjoy the lyrical content but the music isn't for me 2/5
didn’t chart for a reason
Enough with the Scott albums.
it wasnt ~~that~~ bad I didnt mind it being on but I didnt like a single moment of it
This is the 4th album with the name Scott by Scott Walker. Definitely cut from the same cloth as Neil Diamond (or at least a similar pattern). It's an ok album I guess, nothing too exciting start to finish.
This guy has a great voice and the skill to use it - but the writing is crap, the music not much better. Sounds like music for housewives waiting for the valium to kick in. Seriously, Seventh Seal - a chess match with death - was a brilliant film but.....
I’m pretty bored.
This album would be a fantastic example of baroque pop, if only it was as good as it's trying to be. Every song in this album has good bones, but Walker's voice and singing abilities are plainly lacking.
unsettling
Not particularly enjoyable. The definition of vanilla.
fine but too slow and not my thing
This album cover looks like poor Scott just had a Depends accident on the city bus. "All kinds of ridiculous" was a phrase I used in thinking about our previous Walker album "Scott 2" and doesn't apply quite as much here, even if it starts off like a 50s western. ...idk, I kind of liked Scott 2 but overall this one just seems extra maudlin and dull, and even though I know the maudlin is kind of the point - and it's actually refreshing coming off a crappy Pixies (redundant) offshoot - I'm not gonna be listening to it again. I'd probably give it a 3 or 4 for effort and actual talent but personally a 2. 5/10 2 stars.
A bit boring.
Mostly boring
Very symphonic, not great?
A pleasant voice singing songs. Aside from that, I’m not sure what it is about this album I had to hear before I die. Although I do appreciate the plot summary of The Seventh Seal. Watched that movie in college and wasn’t really able to understand it very well. So, thanks for that, Scott.
I don't know, this is tough the day after Ozomamtli. Nothing terribly special or memorable.
Fiercely mediocre at first, mildly annoying by the time you're done with it. He's a decent enough singer, but his lyrics are kinda bad and odd. "The dragon of disgust"? Plus, his scataly-boppity-do nonsense at the end of a bunch of songs just sucks.
Not my jam
Great voice, but didn’t care for the songs.
Scott 1-3 shit. Scott 4 slightly less shit? You know an album is pretty unknown when the Wikipedia excerpt is 4 lines. This album was just slow ballads of irrelevance. The guy is a decent singer but for 1969 this is pretty low on the talent list. 4.2/10
No
I can see why Bowie liked Scott Walker - it's his baritone voice and his delivery. "Hero of the War" and "The Old Man's Back Again" are the best tracks on this album, but the others drag it down.
What a load of pretentious bullshit. Duchess was OK, otherwise this would be a 1.
not great
I suspect if I heard this album in the late 60’s, I might have enjoyed it more. I didn’t really enjoy it. Don’t know exactly why it made it to the list.
Boring
Nicht meine Richtung
4eme album éponyme !! 🍈 ?? Un peu mieux que le n°2, mais pas beaucoup plus emballé.
Moody broody dark Orchestral swelling big notes Smoky masculine
His voice is great. I like the orchestration. Overall I wanted to like this. Listened to it twice and nothing stuck. His group The Walker Brothers had some cool stuff though.
The Seventh Seal is a promising start. But the devolution into wannabe crooner music is so stark from there. Really, really boring album that is high off its own farts. You can't follow a checklist to make a masterpiece--a masterpiece just happens when you work through it
I don't like chanson.
I didn't like his singing, he sounded like a lounge act. The music wasn't very good either. Maybe 1 song was actually listenable
mostly forgettable. Most interesting when he lets the backing singers and band get funky/bluesy. Best song: The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated To the Neo-Stalinist Regime)
There were a couple of interesting songs, the Seventh Seal and Get Behind Me, but overall it was a pretty boring affair.
Weird. Like it Prince Charming from Shrek 2 decided to write and record an album
Wikipedia says the release of this failed to chart. I'm not surprised. There were a lot of great albums from that year. This was not one of them. Why is it in this list?
The first track really set me up to dislike this one. Most of the tracks dragged, I didn't hate Hero of the War but it was a slog otherwise.
Honestly i listened to it and it was over before i even. noticed any songs, i should probably listen to it again
BOOORRRINNNGGGG. 3/10
was okay.
I don't have much to offer for this one. Kind of a "nothing" album. Didn't have much to offer or that I found unique in any capacity. Fav tracks: N/A
Didn't want to listen to this. Like a walk in someone else's dark, slightly frightening forest. You probably shouldn't be there alone. Very 'adult contemporary' without being catchy. No contrast, everything is of a piece. Nothing to anchor the listener in a context. Seems to me like he is trying to write popular (1960's UK) music but with some kind of anti-war thread, but I could be completely wrong. I found this hard to understand in an unpleasant and confusing way, the point of view in any given song was not clear. But a lot of the best music is hard to "get" on first listen. Maybe I'll listen again to try to figure it out. Probably not, though.
Un dels cantautors maleïts preferits dels crítics i de totes les llistes. El pòsit orquestral i la seva poderosa veu malenconiosa continuen sent el seu principal què, a més d'unes lletres que qui no tingui l'anglès com a llengua vehicular passaran força desapercebudes
His voice reminds me of a guy who is trying to do an impression of Tom Jones singing. Not great but hey, at least the torture was over in about 30 minutes. 4/10.
Pidän tämän suureellisuudesta, jonka avausraidan western kuuluttaa sisään. Ei ole vaisu, toisaalta yllättävästi ei mieleenpainuva.
Sorry really not a fan
Painfully dull.
Not a fan
Pretty boring to be honest. Definitely it picked up a little bit at the end but as a whole I was not very engaged listening to it. I liked The Seventh Seal and Rhymes of Goodbye the most.
Meh, he can clearly sing but it's missing something. Like bond ballads that never get there.
I liked the Scott Walker song on the soundtrack of The Life Aquatic, but everything else I've heard is so different. This album is just a bunch of vocal show-offyness with bland lyrics that are all about "a maAaAaAan" or "the LaAaAadyYy" or "the boy child" and everything is described as "naked".
A good album, with a progressive feel - ahead of its time for '69. Not neccessarily to my taste, right now I am not into 'crooner' or post-crooner (?) music. I appreciate it but I doubt I'll return to it oftern. I have friends who idolise Scott Walker and I know he has an extensive catalogue so I am certainly open to exploring his music further to see if his music grows on me.Knowing nothing about the man, I feel there is a complex story there given how passionately people feel about him.
I'm guessing the people who love Leonard Cohen love Scott Walker. that person aint me.
Better than Scott Kelly
Good voice, boring songs
Just didn't click for me. Tried two listening sessions. It's the sound of the bad 70s to me.
Too much stinky cheese.
The bass was out for a walk during The Old Mans Back again. Pretty much the highlight for me on this.
Meh
Slow and boring. I think the lyrics are poignant, but delivered so dully it makes it hard to enjoy them. 2/5 Won't listen again
Snooze fest.
The first song was fun but it went down quickly. It becomes this strange forced muddle of unlovable boredom. His lyrics seem very odd in a way I can't pin down. It reminds of mid-70s Joni Mitchell, and I detest mid-70s Joni Mitchell.
While there are moments and glimpses of something special, the album ultimately fell flat for me. The track "Get Behind Me" is exactly what I'm talking about. This easy-listening crooner album, packed with its dense lyrics and layered arrangements feels like it's trying really hard to be something. Ultimately though the authenticity just doesn't carry through.
Too smooth, too dull.
Blijkt dat tienerpop uit de jaren zestig niet echt mijn ding is
Crroooooonneeerrr
Scott 2 was the first Scott Walker album I listened to for the list and I now I get to review Scott 4. Well, I can honestly say that Scott 4 is not twice as bad as Scott 2 and that Walker's musical stylings are only rivaled by his creativity for naming albums.
This one is hard to get into. Voice sounds like a white Gil Scott-Heron but with less compelling songwriting. Overall the lyrics are pretty meandering. The backing music saves this album but doesn't do enough to elevate it to something that bears repeated listening.
Another artist from that British folk scene of the late-60s to early-70s. Nothing really stood out to me here. Sounds like a precursor to Nick Cave, who I do not enjoy.
Not my jam. Nice smooth voice but .. meh
Good voice but the songs are boring.
Eh. Snoozy
Meh.
It's easy to pan this and there are elements that could grate but after 54 years we're still listening (albeit under duress in some cases). He has a good voice but little variation in theme or style. Good for a melancholy afternoon in October before moving onto other things.
Just ok. Singer / songwriter standard stuff goin on. On occasion shines through. best tracks: The Seventh Seal
Dated. Some of the tracks sounded like they were from the soundtrack of a Western movie.
The name of the album, the album cover; as the first song gets underway I kind of can't believe this guy is serious yet I think he is. Great voice, but I can't shake my feeling of ironic detachment and find it all slightly amusing. I'm not really the ironic detachment type, I'm all about throwing myself into things without reservation. Which is to say, the album is pleasant enough but it failed to engage me.
I tried to put myself in the Tim this album came out… didn’t help
Remember that guy in your English class who was “really into philosophy?” If that guy recorded a very self-indulgent album, it’d probably sound a lot like this. The lyrics often rise to Jim Morrison levels of cheese, even retelling the plot to Bergman’s The Seventh Seal at one point.
meh
Pop bem feito, não reconheci características para ser importante.
Cheesy
Really not my thing, kinda dull, slow and rather melancholy.
- Something I might play at a fancy restaurant, or dinner party - Interesting, broad operatic voice - Doesn’t really do anything for me - Decent storyteller
Just okay, kind of boring too me
2.5/5 An average album that isn't bad but doesn't stand out to me. I enjoyed the sound of it though as it was rather unique. Just not something I'd go out of my way to listen to.
Soo close.. This is so close to something I would listen to all the time. The pieces are all there but I know that I'm not going to remember this in 2 days time. Maybe its pacing is off because it didn't feel like it got going until the second half. Especially after a pretty solid opening. It tripped at the starting line. It really only grabbed my attention again during The Old Man's Back Again which was a nice tempo boost right before slamming on the brakes. Idk pretty lame over all. 2 max
2 Never heard of the guy, but it seems he transitioned from being a teen pop sensation to this - for better or for worse. I appreciate his musical evolution and the introspective nature this album offers, but a lot of the time it came across to me as overdramatic and pretentious, and despite only being 32 minutes, I was pretty bored about halfway through. It also sounds just like that Divine Comedy album we had despite the 30 year gap between the two releases. In either case, they feel like strings-heavy, second-rate Frank Sinatra albums, though this one is probably just a touch stronger lyrically than A Short Album About Love. I liked the Western-influenced opening track The Seventh Seal but not much else.
Just can't get into this; one feels the ship has sailed on M. Walker, he's got a variety show voice and a delivery/intonation far too dramatic (not to mention the penchant for syrupy strings and overly sentimental arrangements) for the age of irony. If Scott 1-3 didn't work (and they didn't), one wonders how he ever got to 4. Maybe anybody not named Led Zeppelin should be less presumptuous in naming their records.
2/5
This album is sweeping in an almost cinematic way. However, there’s something here that feels forced. Scott Walker’s voice is lovely and the orchestration is scaled down compared to his past work, but it is still just too much and takes itself too seriously. This is reflected in the lyrics as well.
Wouldn't be an album I'd reach for, but if it was on I'd be ok with it.
Interesting album, easy listening, a bit theatrical but not his most eccentric by far!
Orchestra rarely improves the minimalist, intimate folk. It makes it sound pompous, cheesy, and even more boring.
Well listen to this morose motherfucker right here. The album isn't terrible. Sounds a bit like the soundtrack to a 70s film. Could be worse.
Dreary and not my cup of tea although I appreciate he had a lovely voice. A probably harsh 2*
Klingt fast schon nach spanischem/mexikanischem Orchester x Oper. Stellenweise ganz nice, aber insg. nicht mein Ding.
All songs are close but idk something missing
não é o pilgrim
Decent album but not super memorable. The lyrics/vocals were interesting, Mr. Walker is quite a storyteller.
4/10. Scott
Scott 4 is quite frankly too many works from this guy, who has an okay voice and occasionally draws you in but mostly bores you. 2.
Didn't do an awful lot for me, this. Mostly washed over me, occasionally caught me with an interesting lyric or two but musically it's pretty bland. 2/5.
What a weird album. I'm not sure why anyone would say that everyone should hear it, other than to say to others "check out this weird ass album". It's not bad, per se, the music is OK - It's just weird as hell. 2/5
Because of way too many cultural inferences and references throughout the years, and through no fault of the artist whose music is on this album, it all sounded farcical to me. Sorry, Mr. Walker!
So very, very dull. Objectively it isn't THAT bad but nothing really stands out. It's just a bowl of oatmeal, no sugar, no fruit. Nuthin'. It's so freaking overrated I considered giving it a 1 out of spite. A 2 because it never annoyed me as much as other 1s I've given and it had a relatively short length
This album kept getting worse as it went on.
Not awful but a bit pretentious sounding
Not as bad as Nick Cave, but bad in the same ways (constipated and pretentious sounding)
Just another random songwriter album that fill the thousand albums. It’s nothing special, I’m not sure why it’s on the list, but it’s not bad or anything. Just a resounding meh
2/5. Lyrics are quite interesting and unique songwriting, but I would never listen to this album regularly. Makes me feel so out of place. Some songs I might listen to again but never the whole album.
Another Scott? How many Scotts do we have on this list? Well, I didn't get why one more album from the same artist in this case, since they are pretty similar among them. Some artists change many of their styles or lyricism from album to album, but this is not the case. It's just another Scott.
Background music, not my favorite voice either. Not actively bad but easily forgettable for me.
At least he wasn't the governor of Wisconsin. Maybe it'd be better if he was...
Properly old fashioned music this. Can appreciate it as background music for a tarantino scene but this nostalgia only takes it so far. Also noteworthy is the atrocious lyricism.
This is a deeply personal rating: something about Scott Walker's voice irks me (at least on this album, haven't heard other work of his). The music isn't innovative and not all that engaging to me either, and I find the texts not all that deep either. Still it is not entirely unpleasant to listen to and I can see why someone would enjoy this; however, for me all combined it is a 2/5.
I don't like this guy's style, but he's penned some decent lyrics. Best track: The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime)
I seem to have missed Scotts 1 through 3 and did not expect the album to open with a mariachi band? This wasn't completely terrible, but I didn't love it.
Kind of weird, didn’t wow me
This was a rough listen and sounded like dork music.
My mom probably would have liked this. That late 60s/early 70s melancholy, dramatic, deep sort of artist, like Gordon Lightfoot. Not so much for me though. 2 stars.
Going retro is a legitimate move (especially if, as in this particular case, it means going back to the recent past). However, as an album, it’s a bit of an overdose (overkill?).
Facet z całkiem niezłym głosem śpiewa w rytm sztampowej muzyki i to chyba tyle. Kojarzy mi się z eleganckimi restauracjami i występami na żywo mających umilić kolację, ewentualnie z płytą wyszukaną gdzieś na półce na strychu przez ojca w celu rozbudzenia w mamie dawnych emocji. Absolutnie nic mi nie zapadło w pamięć, wszystko do bólu poprawne. W obecnych czasach Pan Scott świetnie sprawdziłby się w radiu, coverując kolędy i piosenki świąteczne.
Blergh. This album is pretty boring.
Lekker rustige muziek op de achtergrond. Ik ben echter niet meteen overtuigd van het stemgeluid van Scott. **
I feel like I must be missing something. The production seems as over-the-top and campy as on his earlier records, and not nearly as arresting as his other contemporary singers were doing.
I was not a fan of this. Didn't like his voice. I had to stop about 3/4 of the way through.
Fair
More dated ballads. I'm sure I got another Scott Walker album (Scott 2 I think) about a month ago which honestly was pretty much interchangeable with this one. Nice voice, very inoffensive. Dull.
I accidentally listened to a full song. This album is wack. 2 starz.
I was a little intrigued, but in the end couldn't get over his voice.
Your grandma probably masterbated to this guy if not to this album. I have no idea how else to describe this
Verrassend leuk
At its best - a bit like Moody Blues meets Bowie or TomJones, Leonard Cohen. At its worst? Reminds me of Shatner lounge act. Hey, at least there’s that song about a movie that’s in the Criterion Collection.