Bish Bosch

I just can't even

I am trying to find the words to describe the disarray of sounds that Scott Walker threw together and then had the nerve to charge money for. I may not understand what he is trying to do or convey with this installment and for his DIE HARD FANS – You can keep this and call this what ever you wish. One critic stated this had some nuggets…the only nugget that comes to mind from listening to this hodgepodge is the one that is consumed from some golden arches and then crapped out like this compilation of sounds with little to no meaning behind it…my dog and a keyboard could crank out some similar items like this "JOB DONE" album…Job is not done Scott…you missed the memo.

Maybe it's good, and I just don't get it. I find it unlistenable. And un-brilliant.

the Genius is still at work! Album of the Century.

As always Scott keeps pushing the limits of what music can be. Nothing like his last 2 albums but it can only be Scott Walker.

Hands down the Album Of The Year.

After Tilt, after The Drift, the indefatigably inimitable Scott Walker continues to push past the very avantest of avant garde to sonic terrain undreamed of: buy this album and have an experience of the ears and mind in cosmic darkness your subconscious will never forget. Love it, hate it--you will know you have known it. And come out the other side--a more cultured human animal, heaven forbid.

Never could it be said that "this is probably only for real fans…" Certainly it is hard, realistically, to write a review about Scott Walker; perhaps one really shouldn't. All I can say - about this album - is "just listen"; obviously a 'label' of avant-garde needs to be applied: perhaps the best/simplest comment I heard was "(like) Andy Williams reconstructed as Stockhausen." If you get that you(we) might get Scott Walker!? Personally I listen just to try and imagine what 'he' does. If I heard this straight/first I'm not sure I wouldn't just "run away…" but, with early 60's Walker Bros hits that simply still should bring tears-to-your-eyes, and his further Scott, ..2, ..3, solo exercises ever-more expanding his UK/Pop/Operatic productions (Boy Child, Plastic Palace People, and esp Montague Terrace, and the Jacques Brel interluding) it's hard not to wonder on his 'greatness'!? I think that his seeming reclusiveness - despite being championed by the early 80's Pulp/Julian Cope muses - adds to a seeming audio feast/famine saga. Just the expectation of what and when Scott Walker will release material is simply part of the experience. (I wonder why/whether he agrees to even include his name on releases!) Possibly, and intriguingly, it might be part of how/who the hell finances these recordings: a labor of (fan) love? If you include items in your collections like "Wild Man Fischer", "Frank Zappa", "Capt. Beefheart", "Tom Waits", "Radiohead", you might be interested. If you have subscribed (maybe not here) to John Cage, Morton Subotnick, John Adams, Terry Riley, you might be interested. If you swung to Jacques Brel, Serge Gainesbourg, Bobby Darin, Phil Spector (Wall of Sound), Brian Wilson, you might be interested.

I've been checking itunes monthly for this for the past couple years! The Drift was the most interesting album of the last decade. Walking my dogs at night to this is thrilling. Scott, you do something to me that no other music or horrifying thing can do. Thanks!

It's a very long record at over an hour. When considering attention spans, I would say listen to it half and half. It's a masterpiece, don't miss out!