[Sordel]

Philodox, of you don't like Classics and Collectibles then you just don't like early Scott Walker. It's not a perfect compilation of his career - no "Montague Terrace in Blue", "The War is Over" or "Boy Child" (and that's just for starters) - but good enough to form an opinion. Walker fans tend to form their view of him based on his later reputation as an avant garde composer/vocalist, though, so the fact that a lot of his early material can be filed under Easy Listening is of diminishing significance.

Personally I like his early work a lot; the later stuff is a bit to scarey for my liking (although to return to the head of the thread, it does sound great through headphones).

 

[markl]

Philodox, the main purpose of Classics and Collectibles was to put onto CD for the first time a lot of Scott's late 60s/early 70s material that he had disowned. Scott went through a bad patch at that time where he was no longer in charge of his own material, but had to do as the record company asked, and so the material was nearly as adventurous, just crooner type stuff.

That song you quote with the line about gonorrhea is another Jacques Brel song from his classic (weird) early period. I love "Next" and all that early stuff, but I recognize it's really jarring the first time you hear it because it's not rock 'n roll and so unlike anything else you've likely heard.

 

[philodox]

Damn it... so I have to buy another album it seems.

Looks like Tilt is the one most recommended, good place to start?

 

[markl]

philodox, IMO, Tilt is still his masterpiece (The Drift is a close second), and beautifully recorded, a real headphone album. Save it for when you can devote your full attention (it ain't background music), turn the lights out and just kick back. It's scary as hell, and extremely abstract and out there, not for everyone. But it's a spine-tingler, totally gripping for the right person.

 

[Jubei]

I've been meaning to get some Scott Walker for some time. Where should I start? Would Tilt be a good choice or should I begin with his early works??

 

[markl]

Early Scott and later Scott are two very different animals. I can see liking one and not the other as many people do. For late period, start with Tilt, and see above, for earlier material start with Scott 4 or the Boy Child compilation of his early material, but make sure to get the remastered editions from 2000 (I believe it was 2000).

 

[donunus]

I Love the Old Scott Walker and Tilt is great too but I don't get the Drift. He seems to sing monotonic on the drift

...edit... several hours later, I'm not sure I like tilt anymore. His vocal is too weird and fatiguing to me. I'll try listening more this month before I decide on getting rid of it. I love the standard style of crooning on the old albums much better. Soothing stuff yet very cool lyrics

 

[donunus]

one year later... now really love scott walker.

Does anyone know which copy of scott 4 is a better remaster? I noticed two versions with different track sequencing.

EDIT: Whoops, it could just be an error in cddb. There are two scott 4 cds to choose from with different track sequencing when naming the cd in dbpoweramp

Anyway, I prefer listening to scott 1-4 than boy child by a huge margin.

 

[alan_g]

i really like scott's solo recordings, but im more of a walker brothers fan

 

[donunus]

Where should i go next? i have scott 1-4 and boy child. Where should i go next? Any more essential albums from him from the old scott era?

 

[markl]

Don, try to find a copy of Til the band Comes In. The earlier BGO release has better sound but is expensive. The newer Japan release is LOUD, but more available.

After Til the Band, he cut some midling covers records to try to sell him as a crooner. His contributions to the mid-70s Walker Bros. reunion albums (particularly Nite Flights) are also great, but he's starting to get into his later (even weirder) phase.

 

[donunus]

Thanks, I'll look out for that cd