Scott 4

Just didn't click for me. Tried two listening sessions. It's the sound of the bad 70s to me.

4.2 - Beautiful and lush arrangements, pretty lines of poetry at stretches when you care to pay attention, and Walker’s croony, maudlin baritone. This one is his artistic triumph and it seems to get better with more listens. Lots of stunners, particularly the deeply atmospheric “Boy Child” and the Gainsbourg-funky “The Old Man’s Back Again.”

He's got a nice voice I guess. Best song: get behind me

Pretty nice really

4 stars for Scott 4

Too much stinky cheese.

The general sound is unique and sounds really good, and i like his voice a lot

Enjoyable sounding album, good singer

This is quality. It's a shame it was not more successful. Nonetheless, while it's very good, I wouldn't call it great. 3.5 stars, and while it's almost good enough to round up, I just don't feel like it belongs with most (all) of the other 4 star albums. Sorry, Scott. This is a very good album. Sorry it didn't garner more success.

My second time listening to this one on a greatest list. I really tried to enjoy this. I listened to this through a decent enough speaker. It wasn’t on as background music but instead actively listened to. I don’t get it.

3/5. While I had never heard of Scott Walker, I rather enjoyed his melancholy voice. “Hero of the War”, was my favorite song on this album. Like a 1969 Pop version of “One” by Metallica.

Vibez 🐍 Nah all jokes aside a really nice album to listen to. Amazing deserves nothing less than a 4

Every aspect of this album shines. Right from the beginning of the album I was hooked. The opening track ‘the seventh seal’ is one of the best songs I’ve heard. The album features beautiful production that had no flaws. Scott Walker’s singing is amazing. There is even so much to gain from the lyrics of the album, especially on songs like ‘the seventh seal’ and ‘hero of the war’. This is a great album, I strongly recommend giving it a listen if you haven’t heard it yet.

Scott Walker has a lovely voice and style. His songs are always pleasant to listen to, even though some of them are rather basic. But even then, I liked this album as a thing in the background, with Walkers very soothing vocal range. Really positive record.

What an album!

The bass was out for a walk during The Old Mans Back again. Pretty much the highlight for me on this.

Ok

It was interesting. 3*

you could point out that it’s a little on the nose here and there, but why would you? a richly textured masterpiece that speaks to and from the heart

Meh

Nice.

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

Scott a enfin décidé de laisser Jacques Brel tranquille et c'est bien tout ce qu'on lui demandait.

Tu nous as habitué à beaucoup mieux Scott, on comptait pourtant sur toi pour profiter un peu avant une heure atroce promise par Missy Eliott

Really enjoyed this album, how have I not heard this before

Snooze fest.

this ain't it chief

Boo this album boo

Really good!

Its just so consistently uninteresting

On the surface, it's crooner music by a guy who missed his era. But underneath that, you have a baroque pop artist making music with unconventional song structures. Tracks like "Boy Child" never resolve but keeps going with sparse strings that create an ambiance that reflect the emotion in Scott's voice. I wasn't a fan of Scott 2 because it sounded like it lacked innovation and was too derivative of the likes of Jacques Brel. But this branches out. It's still accessible and consistent, but aims at being unique with unpredictable techniques that work in context. It's not for everyone, and some tracks shine more than others. But he gives every track his all, and there's always something peculiar to keep me engaged. Favorites: Angels of Ash, The Old Man's Back Again

There is something about 60s/70s Brit-Singer-Songwriter schmaltz that just falls flat. Scott Walker is no different here. 3/5

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.

Not for me at all. 1.5/5

I tried to listen to it at work, as elevator music, but I got so nervous about this gooey, maudlin, sentimental crap that I had to stop. I've got a new name for my bookmark: The 1000 Albums You Can Easily Die Listening to 1% of.

Svelte.

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.

Not my bag baby. This is low budget Tom Jones without any personality or swinging songs.

An album and a singer that needs time. There is no-way this would have entertained any time on my turntable in my twenties and through to my forties. However listening and reading about the great voices of my generation and how they were influenced by him kind of peaks your interest. I started with this record, and now find myself playing it regularly.

Too smooth, too dull.

Scott Walker is a good guy and does well on this album. There are stronger singers though and I think they could really do more by giving him less but more poignant instruments to sing too (even if that sounds counter-intuitive).

Different, liked his voice, but the songs themselves went in one ear and out the other

This was alright, I like these weird folk albums by people I've never heard of

I liked this quite a bit!

Blijkt dat tienerpop uit de jaren zestig niet echt mijn ding is

Okay

Walker really hits his stride as an artist on Scott 4. No Brel covers here (although those were great), but all he has learned from his influences delivers a self penned baroque pop classic full of lush arrangements (the bass on The Old Man's Back Again is sublime) and that beautiful voice. Endlessly rewarding. Transporting.

Michael Scott 4 The Cure

Inn um annað eyrað og út um hitt. Ekki minn tebolli.

Crroooooonneeerrr

Good voice but nah not it, not for me.

Such a classic sound. This is exactly what I want out of a lounge singer album. Such great tone, such great band, loved it.

Before today, I'd never heard of Scott Walker before. First thing that struck me was the nice, simple album title theme (Scott 4 being his fourth (not fifth as the review says) studio album). Scott sounds like a cross between Nick Cave (with the dark themes and baritone voice) and Leonard Cohen (with the odd bit of crooning thrown in). Scott's lyrics are very deep and dark, but beautiful (notably The Seventh Seal and Hero of the War). I would call this musical genre baroque pop or chamber folk perhaps. Overall, a pretty good album. Apparently this was quite the departure from his straight up pop music fare of previous albums. I think this is one of those albums not to listen to if you are depressed, because it will just make you more depressed. If you are in a good head space though, it is a beautiful record. Favourite songs: The Seventh Seal, Get Behind Me, The World's Strongest Man, Duchess, Rhymes of Goodbye, Hero of the War, The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime) Least favourite songs: Angels of Ashes 4/5

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.

Ugh. Why did I just listen to that whole thing? Total snooze fest. Dirge after dirge. The only good thing I can say is that it's mercifully short.

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.

Somewhere between Nick Drake and a crooner. I prefer Drake. But this isn't bad.

сначала вообще не зашёл, но потом ничего, прислушалась)

Not my jam. Nice smooth voice but .. meh

I can’t decide if I like this or not

Good voice but the songs are boring.

Lyrically dark in a Leonard Cohen way, but beautiful and lushly orchestrated. This is England-Gothic-Chamber-Folk-Music ...Completely a category of it's own.

This is a really cool and interesting record. It contains: dark, brooding 'Murder Ballads' with male vocal choirs adding atmosphere (The Seventh Seal); longing songs of heartbreak and self deprication (World's Strongest Man); country and folk infused songs of sadness (Duchess); lush singer songwriter pop (Get Behind Me); and a few examples of croonfest (On Your Own Again). All of it is held together by Walker's emotive baritone vocal, soaring strings and sad atmosphere. I really like this. Rating: 4.5/5 Playlist track: The Seventh Seal Date listened: 24/06/23

I thought the opening song was really interesting, both musically and lyrically. The rest of the album didn't hold my interest quite as much. Definitely unique, which is always appreciated.

This is great. As a fellow annoying whiner, I can always enjoy a nice old whiny album. Leonard Cohen but by a guy that looks like Han Solo. Gotta love it.

A little too "60s" for me

Eh. Snoozy

Meh.

Pleasant

-Retrospectively Reviewed on 17/06/23 (generated: 14/06/23)- BL: Never heard of Scott Walker before but interested to hear AL: very solid album. Loved the Ingmar Bergman reference at the start. Held pretty solid the whole way through. Excellent examples of 60s counterculture lyrical witticism. His voice is also excellent. My only problem with the album is the strings throughout, makes it feel quite overproduced when I think the album would’ve been stronger with a more acoustic sound. Enjoyed though. FT: “The Seventh Seal”, “Hero of the War”, “the old man’s back again” 4/5

This was alright, a little different. I did not mind listening to it, but I don't have a desire to listen to it again.

As a writer, I prefer some of his contemporaries, like Cohen, Drake or Buckley

Classic stuff

Not 4 me!

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

s ok

Dated. Some of the tracks sounded like they were from the soundtrack of a Western movie.

Had always wanted to listen to some SW before...was interesting, especially for its time. Probably not something I would go back to however. 2.5/5

Strong voice, good storytelling. Still sounds like anglicised Brel.

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.

It’s like a less good English language version of the Arthur verocai album

A beautiful album that I appreciate more and more with each listen. I’d maybe put Scott 3 above it but they’re both 5-star albums at the end of the day

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.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seventh_Seal I guess he played the Scandinavian defense...

meh

Powerful vocals, poetic lyrics. Though the style is repetitive throughout. Probably deserves a second listen.

A solid star better than Scott 2. There were some very delectable songs mixed into here, though it's not a record I'd have a full meal of again.

A fine record, I think that it is quite concise, which saves it from a 2.

Interesting tone - I love that you can feel that the song is from this era. Not really to my taste, a bit slow but not terrible. 3/5

Scott Walker is recommended to me a lot by Spotify. He’s OK but there’s not a song of his that I really like. I was hoping for that to change with this album, but it didn’t. It’s more of what I expected from him. It’s fine, but I don’t really have anything to say about it.

Nice

Pop bem feito, não reconheci características para ser importante.

Ооооооооооооооuuiuuuuuuuu

Cheesy

Much respect.

It does take me to get used to Scott Walker. So relaxed but so sinister. The more I listen to him, the more I start realising that his understated genius

This is not the music I was anticipating, but it is interesting. On one hand, I think he has a good voice, the music is a good mix, but I also find it a bit too bland.

Really not my thing, kinda dull, slow and rather melancholy.

This album is so awesome I can’t believe how low it’s rated 5/5

- Not what I expected it would sound like - Great vocals and vibe, sounds very full - Favorite songs: The Seventh Seal, The World's Strongest Man

- 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

Feels like a soundtrack to a dream. Can see the influences on Nick Cave and Radiohead in places. A really beautiful record

4.25

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.

Nice rock. .

Drek. 1 star only bc I have to.

It was alright - nothing about the songwriting did all that much for me, but some great bass parts. I do appreciate that this is his first work to be fully written by him, as well as some film references that he worked in. But not sure this left enough of an impact for me to check it out again any time soon.

Very beautiful music, and very cool instrumentation, but for me there is such a thing as too many ballads. 3.5.

Holy mother of tortured ears.....Pretty sure I've pissed off some musical God because the last several albums have been just, well not very good to terrible. Is this church music? Music Satan plays in hell to torment lost souls? I'm going to to have visit the global reviews, because there is no way in hell somebody thought this was good. I'll be right back........Wow. Just shocking. A lot of 4 and 5's. Guess music is a lot like women. You love what you love and no one can or will convince you otherwise and why would they...... Did not like anything. Will not revisit. I hope there's not a Scott 3 through Scott 1 or at least we don't see on this list. -2

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.

Old man's back again is such a dope song, the rest of the album doesn't hit quite the same but still solid

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.

Very easy listening - not a criticism or a compliment, just an observation. His voice is wonderfully rich and smooth, but I'm not a huge fan of the songs themselves. One of the hardest to rate, for me, because I'm not quite sure what to make of it!

It’s good. Really liked Seventh Seal, Old Man’s Back, and Duchess. I would have given it four stars if all the same songs had been sung by Van Morrison

this is probably some of the most elegant music i've ever. i could use endless adjectives to describe how cinematic and grandiose this album is. and to think that walker would later be making insane experimental music is wild.

Really interesting

A cinematic exploration of folk and orchestration. Really wowed through the listen. Resonant with classic 60's music while also leading a clear path to future use of orchestration by bands like Radiohead and the Flaming Lips

Logically I should have hated this but I didn't find it completely terrible. Most of the songs are pretty boring and "old" but there was definitely something about it that was at least a little alluring. I really liked "Duchess" and sort of liked "The Old Man's Back Again" but otherwise nothing really stood out. Still not terrible to listen to and I assume if I enjoyed this kind of music more I would rate it higher. Way better than other artists of this genre but I just don't like the genre that much.

Dreary and not my cup of tea although I appreciate he had a lovely voice. A probably harsh 2*

It was so unremarkable that I'm going to give it a 1. This usually means I hated it - I didn't but also I can't give it a 2.

so great

The Seventh Seal - made me feel bad and almost give up on the whole album On Your Own Again - much better than the first one, makes me feel calm. A song that actually speaks with me - "I was so happy I didn't feel like me" The World's Strongest Man - I too am not the world's strongest man. Another song that speaks to me Hero of the War - Cool one! This album made me feel bad, and I have no other impression but that.

Klingt fast schon nach spanischem/mexikanischem Orchester x Oper. Stellenweise ganz nice, aber insg. nicht mein Ding.

J’ai vraiment aime le viobe et l’album en son entierete. 3.85

Majestic, old fashioned, eccentric. Surprisingly interesting melodies for someone who is accoladed by the wordsmiths.

This sounded like movie music, so fake? Idk. It wasn’t really my jam.

*wordless noisy moans of frustration and contempt*

Enjoyable instrumentation, voice a bit straight forward melodically. Clearly a Bergman fan.

Cool, distinctive in an interesting way

I know lots of people who think this is amazing but I just don't get it.

The voice pulls back in the orchestration, prefiguring Walker's upcoming work. Funny enough, the overt musical styling gets stereotypically American as the record concludes. Scott 4's lyrics are highly evocative, but they're understated, perhaps not the best introduction. As before, I find it nearly impossible to fairly rate it as a project standing alone. Are all four Scott x records perfect? Likely not, but I still think they provide a perfect gliding progression into the spiky later life.

All songs are close but idk something missing

I can't put a genre or a label on this, but he sings well.

This was better than Scott 2 that I listened to previously. Bit don’t know still didn’t really click with this album.

não é o pilgrim

Decent album but not super memorable. The lyrics/vocals were interesting, Mr. Walker is quite a storyteller.

Horrible

Very surprisingly pleasant listen, sophisticated late 60s singer-songwriter pop with good arrangements. The fearsome Scott lay ahead then.

Sudas

Interesting stuff, was released a lot earlier than I thought

The logical culmination of Walker's solo endeavours at the time. Heavily orchestrated, drawing different genres under its baroque umbrella. And while there is the quite fair share of love songs, this is heavy stuff, with the usual death obsession minced with anti-war messages. The apex of the pop Walker, he would move to much weirder territory with equally impressive, but never so touching results.

Tuneless, pretentious drivel.

Suffered trough this one even if it’s only 33 minutes

6/10 very mid

4/10. Scott

Interestingly theatrical. 7/10

Slow burn but grew on me

A pretty mild listen, nothing mind blowing, but really solid song writing and musicianship. I really enjoyed it, but I don't think I could realistically give this too high of a rating, mostly because it's almost too easy listening that it's kind of escaped me so soon. Good albums though. 3.5/5

Muy interesante

Scott 4 is the fifth solo album by British-American singer-songwriter Scott Engel/Walker. It failed to chart when he released it under his birth name Scott Engel, so the label deleted it and he re-released it with his stage name Scott Walker. This art pop album is considered one of Scott's best works, and it's his first to consist of only songs that he wrote himself. It also contains less orchestral arrangements than his previous albums, instead using a barebones folky sound with emphasis on the rhythm section. The music on this album didn't jump out to me as amazing, although I still appreciated it.

I normally don’t like folk rock much. But this was incredible. It had a very strong David Bowie feel to it. This is definitely going to be a highlight for me!

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!

What a wet blanket of an album…never heard of him, and won’t be listening again.

Side 1 is a bit stronger than side 2, but I thoroughly enjoyed every song

No. Just no. The way he sings on EVERY SINGLE SONG is equal to, or even surpasses, the cheesy schmaltzy way Tom Jones sings It's Not Unusual. The dude might be singing something profound, but I. Just. Can't. Hear. Past. The. Cheesy. Cheesy. Cheese.

This one not for those who don't embrace melodrama in their pop music. Stretching the baroque pop of the Walker Brothers to the extreme and adding orchestrations that add an experimental Avant Garde edge, Walker breaks new ground. He writes all of the songs for the first rime, adding a more evocative element. He subverts genres - Duchess is country, but there are touches of soul and soundtrack work as well. He even names a song after a Bergman film. I have to believe that Eno and Bryan Ferry were plating this quite a lot before forming Roxy Music.

Very 60s but a little too schmaltzy for me. I can see this as music used in a Quinten Tarantino soundtrack. I did enjoy the first track which was just a retelling of the plot of the seventh seal which I watched in my high school film class.

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

Not sure if I’d ever listen to it again, but I liked it & wouldn’t turn it off if it came on.

A talented singer - but just not for me. I need a little more range, variety and happiness.

Never heard of this guy before but this was interesting

This album kept getting worse as it went on.

Icky

Reminds me a bit of Neil Diamond. I enjoyed this album.

Not awful but a bit pretentious sounding

Not as bad as Nick Cave, but bad in the same ways (constipated and pretentious sounding)

Nice voice. Boring music

"Scott 4" is the fifth studio by Scott Walker. It was originally released under his birth name Scott Engel but later changed in reissues. It was his first album with his own self-penned songs. The music style is classified as art-pop and avant garde and was considered to have slightly less orchestral arrangements and more folk style songs than his previous releases. I'd agreed with that but there is a fair bit of baroque pop in a lot of these songs. The strength of this album is his strong vocals and the musical arrangements. A very enjoyable album to listen to. Mariachi horns kick off the first song "The Seventh Seal" which is based on the Ingmar Bergman film of the same name. Strings, drums and bells come in. A dramatic, interesting song. Scott's strong voice. The Swedish king comes home from the Crusades to face the plague and death. "The World's Strongest Man" is firmly in the baroque pop category with the strings. Continued excellent vocals as Scott wants his women back. The first side ends with the excellent "Boy Child." Just lovely musical arrangements. The second side begins with a more folk song in "The Hero of the War." Acoustic guitar and lighter on the strings. Kind of a contrast with the music and the tale of a man going to war and not coming back, like his father. "Duchess" is just a beautiful song with strings and a melancholy feel. I have no idea what he exactly he singing about but a duchess whom he loves and mentions the Persian Sea. The album ends with the majestic "Rhymes of Goodbye." Walker's voice soars. Continued imagery and comparisons of love to empires and cities. Some of these songs do have fantasy quality to the lyrics. Scoot Walker's music is always interesting to listen to in my experience. His earlier solo work is a lot more listenable for most people than his latter day experimental music (I like both) and "Scott 4" is up there with his best earlier music. A strong recommendation.

Honestly, as I was listening to this....I couldn't help but picture Bill Murray doing his lounge singer act on Saturday night live....

I've never been a huge fan of Scott Walker's music. But I will say this, I respect where Walker is coming from. He's a unique performer, with a distinctive, resonant vocal style and an ear for unusual arrangements. Although his lyrics can get a little murky, they can also be quite poetic. I had a hard time getting into the groove of this album, but I especially liked side 2. Fave Songs: The Old Man's Back Again, Duchess, Angels of Ashes, Get Behind Me, The Seventh Seal

J'aime beaucoup sa voix. The Seventh Seal est un de mes films préférés, alors ça m'a touchée. Pour le reste, j'ai aimé mon écoute sans en être particulièrement marquée

first listen fantastic and timeless, definitely makes me want to ride a horse in new mexico

fine. a bit on the bland side maybe?

Fake crooner music is the absolute worst. No soul to this music at all. The Seventh Seal was good, but every other song is pointless

Having a couple of Scott Walker's late career efforts (which are perfectly fine) I thought I knew how I'd feel about this album before listening to it. Personally, I found this record more charming and enjoyable than those I own.

Good

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

I was expecting a different sound for this for some reason, even though I’ve never heard of this guy or this album. Pretty boring and cheesy and if I’m being honest, I think I was a bit too generous with ratings here. Probably should have been more one-star ratings. Oh well. At least it’s a relatively short album with shortish songs. I do like his voice at times, mainly in angels of ashes, but the songs are just not it. I don’t really like singer songwriter stuff.

Cool lyrics nice instrumentals

Slow. Crooning. Pure Scott. Moments of brilliance. Mostly monotonous. Stand out tracks: The World's Strongest Man, The Seventh Seal.

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.

Not my style

When an album starts with a musical retelling of Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal, an eclectic listen is at hand. Not every song is a winner, but Walker was a gifted writer who knew his way around a turn of phrase.

How fancy! Scott has a knack for compositions that showcase how much more pop music can be. Great voice for it too.

9/10, enjoyed the hell out of this

Not my cuppa

It's... I mean, it's okay. Kinda cheesy and plastic for an album from '69 but not offensively so. The biggest issue is the off-brand, Bowie-esque vocals. Not great, bud. I don't know. I didn't hate it or love it. It just... Was a thing I listened to. Not sure why it's on the list but it was fine, I guess.

Background music, not my favorite voice either. Not actively bad but easily forgettable for me.

Considerably better than 2 (just removing half the schmaltzy orchestration did the trick [classic addition by subtraction]). But it still feels a touch too dramatic and too earnestly artistic (see the vesper-y backing vocals). Lyrics are poetic tending to the maudlin. Singing seems better suited to the subject matter (including the song about Stalin, which features a brief bit of pretty effective scatting [more of that please]). “Get Behind Me” is almost a proper rock song – another suggestion of what might have been. Maybe it’s justifiably influential, but one’s not convinced and isn’t motivated enough by the music to explore and validate the hypothesis on one’s own.

Fine album. It doesn't feel as old as some reviewers talked about because of some of the experimental sounds. Best Songs: The Seventh Seal, The Old Man's Back Again, Get Behind Me Worst Songs: Boy Child

Tranquille.

IDK what this is, but I don't like it.

Solid

Awful. Just awful.

At least he wasn't the governor of Wisconsin. Maybe it'd be better if he was...

At first, I couldn't tell whether this was very ordinary or very weird. I very very soon got sucked into the first track, a precise retelling of the plot of the dark, gloomy, medieval-set film "The Seventh Seal" done in a very jaunty 1969 easy listening style, sung in his smooth, lush voice, of the sort that you just don't hear anymore. (I love this voice!) Then came "On Your Own Again" which made me feel like I was in a soft-focus film montage documenting my journey from old pains into a new life. But always behind the music were interesting songs! A lament of the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia with the lyric, "And they queue all day like dragons of disgust" backed with a groovy electric bass and Eastern bloc men's choir. Wow! What an introduction to a musician I must now learn more about!

I think that this bus just passed me by. The quality of his voice is nice, but the lyrics and melodies inspired me not at all today.

Well. The first track is a re-telling of Ingmar Bergman's film The Seventh Seal which sounds a bit like the opening of a late 60s/early 70s TV show that reminds us each week of the show's premise (à la Gilligan's Island, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Brady Bunch). That just seemed a little strange to me. The rest is less weird and very much of its time. Walker's voice and the orchestrations are lounge-singer cheesy throughout. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. The music definitely evokes an era and gets better with multiple listens. Walker's wikipedia page is fascinating and I am interested in hearing something that would cause a reviewer to say "imagine Andy Williams reinventing himself as Stockhausen."

Yet another album I went into totally blind… Instantly love the cinematic opening track! A song based on “The Seventh Seal”?! SOLD! The rest of the album? I LOVE IT! The crooning… the orchestrations… the subject matter… such a great 60s experience. Has there ever been such a jazzy indictment of war as “Hero of the War”? I see a lot of commutes on the Scott Engel/Walker train in my future!

Great album, delicate and strong

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.

I was pleasantly surprised with this one. I didn't listen actively to it, it doesn't really as the soundtrack for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2, but it managed to captivate me enough that I'll definitely check it out again! 4/5

I could not get into this album AT ALL. I recognize that he has a great voice, but the songs themselves just felt overwrought. 1.5/5 stars

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.

Sounds like he made music just to say he's a musician

In the hunt for a climate where his muses can be indulged without question and judgment, before he tilted down the drift where mediocrity reigned, the final album in the Scott tetralogy sees the Boy Genius start paving the road that would lead down to what would become wicked, demented and all together unlikely brilliant. War heroes, European art films and invasions of countries coalesce in an album that sees the 30 Century Man operate at his finest. A fine album to understand who Scott was and who he would become. Favorites: The Seventh Seal, On Your Own Again, The World's Strongest Man, Boy Child, Hero of the War, The Old Man's Back Again, Get Behind Me.

It's not bad at all, it's slow and boring but kind of haunting at points? I liked it.

Solid album, however I think it lacks in the melody department significantly. It consists mostly of ballads, with a few jauntier tunes sprinkled between. Not bad, but not fabulous.

Pop viejuno. Ni fu ni fa.

I enjoyed this album very much on first listen and I feel it warrants a deep dive. Stylistically very different from my usual fare as he definitely has the voice and sensibilities of a crooner. But the arrangements grabbed even on the first listen and make me want to get to know them. 4 🌟

Kind of weird, didn’t wow me

I'm not sure what kind of music this is? Jazz, classical, rock, rumba, something else entirely? Either way, I'm digging it. Scott's got some pipes!

Slow and cheesy. Feels like a load of submissions for the pulp fiction soundtrack that never made the cut. 1/5

This was a rough listen and sounded like dork music.

Beautiful voice. And I'm adding an extra star just for "The Old Man's Back again".

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.

Lovely baritone voice

Really enjoyable. I had no idea what to expect. What a treat. Seriously. I can't think of anything else to write. Added and going to explore his solo work, and The Walker Brothers.

The front half is fantastic. Very melodic and calm. The warm smooth baritone of Engel/Walker's voice is so satisfying. "The Seventh Seal" finds a groove that I didn't expect from the intro to it. The bass manages to drive the song while not drawing undue attention to it in the mix of so much else. It is such a complex track that feels like it belongs in a old movie as a main characters theme. Which makes a lot of sense reading about what it was based on. "Angel of Ashes" is another very peaceful somewhat ethereal track. I really liked the song "Boy Child", my mom has called me that since I was young. The lyrics are pretty strange though for that connection. The back half starts off strange. "Hero of the War" is a complete shift in style. "The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime)" fall somewhere between the sound of the first half and the energy of the opening to the B-side. That track has fantastic bass on it. "Get Behind Me" is another great bass driven track. Though I don't love his scatting on the outro. "Rhymes of Goodbye" was a good but nothing too special outro track. I am conflicted on what to give this album. I love the way the album is mixed. The vocals for the most part are smooth and easy to listen to. The bass work on the album is fantastic as well. There is so much to pick out and dissect that I will need to listen to a few more times to grasp fully. I however don't love the back half as much. It jumps around and is a completely different mood to the front half. It still contains good songs, but the mood shift is a bit harsh. I think I do need to give it a 5 star rating. I love most of the album and certainly will listen to it again.

Proto Nick Cave

Bland, dated, inoffensive pap

Gorgeous. 7/10

Standard.

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?).

easy to listening, enjoyable album 5,5/10

absurdo

Did not enjoy

It's like rock never happened. Soaring orchestral epics, rolling melodies, opaque lyrics and tangential historical and movie references. Scott Walker, king of croons.

Had some charm to it. Never heard before, a pleasant pop-ish album. Nice music composition.

W sumie nie wiem, bardzo krotkie i takie nijakie

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.

Po trzykrotnym przesłuchaniu, nadal nie wiem co o tym sądzić. Z jednej strony podczas samego słuchania kilka kawałków mi się całkiem podobało, jednak nie potrafię sobie przypomnieć nawet jak leciały. Muzycznie całkiem ciekawe, lirycznie specjalnie do mnie nie dotarł.

Nic nie pamiętam już z tego albumu, a słuchałem go dzisiaj. Ale słuchało się całkiem przyjemnie, taka niekontrowersyjna muzyczka, ładny głos ale nie jakiś wybitny... Słaba trójka

The Old Man's back again! The last in a line of straight forward classic solo albums by Scott. Baroque chamber pop with elegant arrangements and Walker's amazing voice - hugely influential on many artists. The Seventh Seal and On Your Own Again are a fantastic one-two kick off, The Old Man's Back Again is drama in song and Rhymes of Goodbye end on a bittersweet note.

Will try second album be called Scott 8?

I think the word that best sums this up is, interesting.

Blergh. This album is pretty boring.

Really enjoyed it for the type of music it is. It's like Perry Como or Andy Williams - people that are good, but I don't often listen to. Every song on the album quickly felt familiar and comfortable to me. I enjoyed it. 4/5.

Nothing to write home about. Great baritone, good run time, but there is nothing to be amazed about.

The definition of a 3, not bad but neither remarkable or memorable

Ok, vecchiotto

Nope.

Growing on me

Alright, not a bad listen but also not something I'd probably revisit. Though I did somewhat like his voice, felt quite powerful.

What the hell is this crap? I imagine the Taliban might play this to extract information from their prisoners. Make it stop.

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.

This was the LP album equivalent of a self published vanity book. While the lyrics were generally pleasant story telling, the vocals strained to find what key the song should be in. I can't be sure why this was an album I should listen to unless to serve as a base line for low end.

02/22/2022 Sounds old as shit and is super boring. Get outta here with this.

He's a legend. Rip man.

I was not a fan of this. Didn't like his voice. I had to stop about 3/4 of the way through.

Fair

3.5/5 What a great voice he has and his songs are like small stories in the way he sings them. Not really special but still quite enjoyable. Favourite songs: - Hero of the war - The old man’s back again - Get behind me

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.

Lots of really good vocals.

Moving further away from the Scott Walker we all knew and loved and nearer to the Scott Walker that the musically adventurous of us know and love even more.

On the surface this is pretty standard 60s pop music, but there’s a weird, dark beauty lying underneath that makes it really cool.

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.

Masterpiece

To me a Scott 3

Your grandma probably masterbated to this guy if not to this album. I have no idea how else to describe this

Scott walker has to have had the most interesting musical progression of all time

I have so many questions. I assume there was Scott 1, 2 & 3 albums - or was Scott 1 just Scott or did he assume success & follow up albums? And why does every song sound like it was made for a Spaghetti Western? And who would think "this is one of the greatest albums of all time" under any circumstance, even if they like it? Which, oddly I do. When the sun is out, and no-one is around I could quite imagine myself blasting this out and singing along to it with a large whisk(e)y. 3.5/5

Love the vivid lyrics, particularly the ones weaving the tale of the legendary movie "The Seventh Seal". 5/10

Pleasant background music.

Stunning voice - probably better on the big hits of the Walker Bros tbh, but that's because as an uneducated luddite, I rather enjoy pop hits vs "this is music to MAKE YOU THINK"

I loved the first song but the rest was just meh

This dude just names is albums after his regular ass first name and followed by a number plus he scats. Worth a listen just for that.

Verrassend leuk

Nice vocals. The string arrangements behind the songs I could do without.

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.

lagna senza senso

I like this a lot. It's very brooding and European sounding, like a soundtrack to an imaginary film. His voice takes a bit of getting used to (you might say it's an acquired taste).

Not for everyone, perhaps. But overwrought songs about depression and foreign films are pretty much my jam.

surprisingly enjoyable even though didn't know any tune nodded along all the way, could hear this being played at Christmas. 3.8

Boring.

Goede achtergrond muziek

large arrangements, lyrically smooth, veering on the side of easy listening. Incredile production for its time.

Nice sound

Oh I fucking love this.

Dobar je skot(pasiji), super glas, koji kak u kojoj pijesmi pase/ne pase.. malo mi smeta patetika u pola albuma, ali me boy child bas dionica odusevila (y)

Scott's Tots part. 4. Jako topao album, a sama pjesma The World's Strongest Man je bjutiful, a uz nju mi je najdraža i Boy Child. Duchess je također tu među favoritima.