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April 2nd, 2006 by Jonathan Fletcher (Permalink)
Label: Virgin Year: 1984 Add Comments |
Virgin have just re-released this chapter from one of the strangest stories in rock. Scott Walker is often tagged as madman (by industry pundits who saw him as the next Sinatra) or genius (Julian Cope, Marc Almond etc) and clearly suffering from something or other as he dares to not spend gaps in between albums spouting media savvy nonsense. He speaks only when he has something to say, which in the music business probably is tantamount to some kind of madness. Or maybe, just maybe, this is a manifestation of that slippery mythical beast, integrity.
A whistle stop history: US pin up with a baritone croon, Scott fronts the Walker Brothers in the late 60’s, becomes briefly huge then ditches it all in favour of four albums of increasingly dwindling sales showing a fondness for Sartre over schmaltz and existentialism over ice-cream.
By the time of solo album no.5 ‘Til the Band Comes In’, nobody is listening and the boy child disappears in a mess of TV Show and covers albums. Then, suddenly, in 1977, the Walker Brothers reform and out pops ‘Nite Flites’. Scott is back, at last, but something has happened…Amidst more than passable rockier affairs like ‘No Regrets’ is ‘The Electrician’, a dark, difficult and different kind of treat. The lyrics seem to be hinting at eroticism until the horrifying realisation occurs that you’re probably hearing an account of torture. The ominous synth drone is the black sheep of Bowie and Eno’s family of electronics from the Berlin trilogy. This left-field peculiarity coupled with an even more refined dislike of media and spotlight, the comeback goes back. Scott vanishes. Again.
Then, out of the blue, ‘Climate of Hunter’ appears in 1984 with its bizarre cover photograph. ‘The Electrician’ is the blueprint of sorts and the opening line says everything: “This is how you disappear”. The master recluse has made his strangest move yet. There are eight tracks, only four with titles. The production hasn’t aged brilliantly (fretless bass unpleasantly evoking images of Paul Young) and not unsurprisingly, considering past performances, the album feels incomplete. It’s typical Scott- half-baked, moments of wonder but an imperfect whole.
But, my god, what moments. ‘Rawhide’ begins with a unsettling solitary cowbell. Then that voice, the rich baritone seems to hardly have aged although its certainly held in check, restrained. The lyrics are cryptic- uneasy and confusing, sublimely intriguing- poetry. As the beat kicks in, holds it’s won, an orchestra quietly, unexpectedly, appears like fog out of nowhere and keeps growing and it’s just so eerie. The strings are getting louder, Scott crooning subtly, desperately “Shutting down here” and then the darkness eases into a more inquiring warmth. We’re only a minute in.
‘Dealer’ is next and it occurs that all that silence, all that patience has led this man into a completely unique world. A truly personal vision. The ears of a singular artist. This is one of Scott’s masterpieces, these 5 minutes. Synth drones, an alarm-like motif reoccurring, creating melancholy tension. “Move a circuit/ on the white/ and he can’t/ feel a thing”. The lyrics, the voice, the space creeps and chills and all topped off with Evan Parker’s wandering sax.
‘Sleepwalkers Woman’ is ‘Boy Child’ from Scott 4 where seemingly Scott has been lost, until now. “For the first time/ unwoken/ I am returned”. Just the voice and an orchestra, just like the old days but of course it isn’t and it can’t be: The singer has aged, lived, existed.
There’s more (a completely bizarre appearance by Billy Ocean (yes really) and a sensitive one from Mark Knopfler (no, I’m not joking)) but I won’t say more. Imperfect it may be- half of it is very flawed but don’t let that put you off- the moments are just too powerful to ignore.
Back to our book then. Every chapter always feel like the last in this story but as it turns out, ‘Climate of Hunter’ is not even the penultimate chapter. Ten years would pass until ‘Tilt’- a full-blown, out and out masterpiece. Perfectly conceived and astoundingly executed. But, there’s more
Scott Walker releases a new album in a little over a month on 4AD.
What more could be said? Patience is a virtue.
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