Scott Walker
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Category: Other music related lounges
Forum Name: General Music Discussions
Forum Description: Discuss and create polls about all types of music
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=33216
Printed Date: July 19 2025 at 11:54
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Topic: Scott Walker
Posted By: Palmer Eldritch
Subject: Scott Walker
Date Posted: January 14 2007 at 15:08
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I haven't seen anything about him on site, but I think his last few albums are definitely progressive.
Any other Walker fans out there?
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Replies:
Posted By: Harkmark
Date Posted: January 14 2007 at 18:09
I only have a compilation cd (Boy Child 6-70), but have friends that are VERY into him.
I agree that the songs from the later albums (The Seventh Seal, The old man's back again are examples) have progressive elements. Great stuff. All of it. Crooner prog?  Moody Blues meets Frank Sinatra etc, or something like that (?) I also have heard "tilt" (90s album, I guess). Sounded very disturbed, as I remember it. Far out. Dissonance, darkness. |
Posted By: Bj-1
Date Posted: January 14 2007 at 18:23
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His newest one, "The Drift", is RIO/Avant, IMO. I haven't heard his other stuff though. ------------- RIO/AVANT/ZEUHL - The best thing you can get with yer pants on! |
Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: January 14 2007 at 18:36
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http://sidsmith.blogspot.com/2007/01/looking-back-on-2006-best-of.html For Krimson biographer Sid Smith Walker's The Drift was the album of 2006. ------------- The best eclectic music on the Web,8-11pm BST/GMT THURS. CLICK ON: http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php - http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php Host by PA's Dick Heath. |
Posted By: Asyte2c00
Date Posted: January 14 2007 at 18:45
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The oldest artist on 4AD.
I know of him threw listening to Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, and This Mortal Coil.
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Posted By: Bryan
Date Posted: January 14 2007 at 18:53
| His new album is one of the most messed up listening experiences I've ever had with music in general. It's really good, but EXTREMELY avant-garde. Maybe he is a candidate for inclusion under avant-prog. |
Posted By: Syzygy
Date Posted: January 14 2007 at 19:42
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There have been 3 intriguing solo albums in the last 25 years (he's not the most rolific of artists); Climate of Hunter, Tilt and The Drift. Definite avant prog influences, especially on the last 2, but perhaps a better candidate for prog related than for one of the main genres.
His late 60's quartet of solo albums are also worth checking out; Scott 1, 2 and 3 feature some brilliant interpretations of Jacques Brel songs alongside some intersting originals and a few other well chosen cover versions, while Scott 4 is best describe as avant lounge. ------------- 'Like so many of you I've got my doubts about how much to contribute to the already rich among us...' Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom |
Posted By: Palmer Eldritch
Date Posted: January 14 2007 at 19:43
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Climate of Hunter, Tilt and The Drift all have elements that I would consider progressive. Maybe "prog related." This gets me to thinking just who and what is "prog?" John Zorn? Julian Cope? I would definitely say they have progressive elements in some of their work. Zorn's piece, Bad Hawkwind, is tongue-in-cheek, but still shows an awareness of the genre. And we needn't speculate about Cope's interest in the genre (he's a big champion of Walker, btw.) I listen to a wide variety of music (I'm sure most of you do,) and I haven't really been too hung on labels for some time now, though they have their uses. I mean, I found this site by searching for "Krautrock."
And you know, I don't really have any idea where I'm going with this. A sign, perhaps, that I should leave it there.
I welcome any comments.
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Posted By: Syzygy
Date Posted: January 14 2007 at 19:47
------------- 'Like so many of you I've got my doubts about how much to contribute to the already rich among us...' Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom |
Palmer Eldritch wrote:Posted By: superprog
Date Posted: January 15 2007 at 02:41
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i think Cope has got better taste in music than has a music-maker generally hahaha...... but back to Scott, at best those 3 albums are prog-related at best, but hes hardly prog as we know and understand..... |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: January 15 2007 at 07:41
That would be the Julian Cope who once produced a compilation album called "The God-like Genius of Scott Walker" then!
I've only heard Walker's early Jacques Brel albums, which are very good. What a voice!
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Posted By: Drachen Theaker
Date Posted: March 09 2007 at 08:11
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I love his first four solo albums, and Till the Band Comes In from 1970 seems a bit neglected. It’s flawed with some out of place cover versions tacked on the end but it has some of his best self written numbers. Prologue/Little Things, Time Operator, Thanks for Chicago Mr James and the title track are all great and The War Is Over (one of Jarvis Cocker’s Desert Island Discs no less) is my favourite ever Walker track. He might not be prog but he’s definitely art rock.
I didn’t like Climate of Hunter at all. His voice seemed weaker, more of a quavery falsetto than the previous booming baritone, and the music was unstructured and devoid of much in the way of a tune to my ears. There was also a horrible fretless bass on it if I recall. ------------- "It's 1973, almost dinnertime and I'm 'aving 'oops!" - Gene Hunt |
Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: March 09 2007 at 12:19
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Just the discovered the original version of tune best known for Walker's interpretation, Tom Rush's No Regret - Rush is quite different but equally as good. ------------- The best eclectic music on the Web,8-11pm BST/GMT THURS. CLICK ON: http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php - http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php Host by PA's Dick Heath. |
Posted By: salmacis
Date Posted: February 23 2008 at 10:46
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Glad to find this thread; I've been listening to a lot of his stuff lately. I think I'm going to pass on 'Tilt', 'The Drift' and those recent soundtracks/collaborations based on that BBC4 documentary '30th Century Man'- they sound way too outre for my tastes (there were scenes from the sessions for one of these with a guy punching meat and a producer bemoaning the fact it took a year to find a sound of a mule!).
However, I enjoy those early Scott albums and 'Climate Of Hunter' is terrific, IMHO- although the production is of its time (gated drums, that aforementioned fretless bass sound, the occasional New Age-ish synth). Favourite tracks? Well, I love the melancholy of 'Sleepwalkers Woman' and 'It's Raining Today' in particular. Have to get hold of something with the chilling yet stunning 'The Electrician', too, though it seems the album from which it came- 'Nite Flights'- is out of print.
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Posted By: Avantgardehead
Date Posted: February 23 2008 at 18:06
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I just listened to "The Drift" all of the way through last night, and that has to be the weirdest, darkest thing I've ever heard... it was amazing!! His first four solo albums are pretty enjoyable still. Very pleasant baroque pop, but his newest works are definitely my favorites. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Avantgardian |
Posted By: Apsalar
Date Posted: February 23 2008 at 18:28
| Yes, like many others I was introduced to his works via 'The Drift', I heard it being played in a record store one day and was intrigued (haunted!). The record store own was quite fanatical 'bout the release. From here I ventured into his earlier solo works: 1, 2, 3 & 4, which I have enjoyed. Need to spend some more time with them tho', 3rd is probably my favourite. As to the progressiveness of his work, certain nods in avant directions, but a reasonable step away from prog. |