WALKER BROTHERS Singles (BR Music) 2cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
In the mid-1960s the Walker Brothers scored a string of hits in the UK. An American trio (who weren't really brothers), their brooding, epic recordings appealed to the same crowd entranced by the Righteous Brothers. Scott Walker went on to become even more famous than the Walker Bros, with three solo albums that went to the Top 3. We try to always carry his solo albums, as they are classics that will never ever sound dated, and you should definitely give them a try. But if you are already in possession of those you might want to pick up this double cd collection. It's filled with all their hit singles, including the sublime "Make It Easy on Yourself". The second disc is a collector's delight, with selected solo tracks from all three Walker Bros' separate solo projects.
RealAudio clip: "Make It Easy on Yourself"
RealAudio clip: "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore"

WALKER, ERIK IAN / MARIT BROOK-KOTHLOW I Have Never Told You (Bottomfeeder) cd 11.98
I Have Never Told You is comprised of twenty tracks of haunting, contemplative compositions from the fine songwriting quill of one Mr. Erik Ian Walker. Together they form a somberly dramatic soundscape of constantly changing atmospheres. Walker's piano, hammond organ and vintage synthesizers (a Buchla and an Oberheim Matrix-12) entwine with a variety of guest musicians' strings, horns and woodwinds. Brief surfacings of Marit Brook-Kothlow's soulful forlorn vocals, occasional rhythmic outbursts and fleeting glimpses of ambient sounds like the whistling of a tea kettle or the percussive rattle of an old radiator punctuate the proceedings. A particularly stirring stretch comes in the tenth track "Castle Canyon" in which over the course of a few minutes a mere whisper of sound slowly builds, swelling to an absolute roar. Wonderful!
MPEG Stream: "Castle Canyon"
MPEG Stream: "Far From Here"

WALKER, JEFF UND DIE FLUFFERS Welcome To Carcass Cuntry (Fractured Transmitter) cd 17.98
Oh how the mighty have fallen. We were secretly psyched for this, a country solo record from ex-Carcass guitarist Jeff Walker. How cool would that be, Carcass country!! But the actual end product is not quite what we had hoped. In fact it's sort of embarrassing. The arrangements are pretty cool, a bunch of countrified covers of badass classic tunes, rock, country, whatever, but Walker is just not a very good vocalist. In fact we might go so far as to say he is really really bad. And since it's the vocals that are front and center, a lot of this is a bit tough to stomach. We almost wish he had sung these Carcass-style, a harsh raspy shriek over acoustic guitars and fiddle would have been pretty dang weird. But alas... Carcass freaks might just need to own this cuz it's Walker, but not sure who else we could recommend this to.
Killer Cherry Poptart cover art though, if you're into that...
MPEG Stream: "The Man Comes Around"
MPEG Stream: "I Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)"
MPEG Stream: "Rocky Mountaiin High"

WALKER, PETER Echo Of My Soul (Tompkins Square) cd 14.98
After an amazing tribute album and a recent statewide tour with Jack Rose, here is the first official cd release of new material in over 40 years from one of the more underated masters of acoustic guitar, Peter Walker. Best known for a couple of mid-'60s records on the Vanguard label, Walker was best known for a fusion of Eastern and Western, mixing raga with classical and jazz- inflected styles. On Echo Of My Soul, Walker explores his love of Flamenco as the original bridge of Eastern and Western music. A connector of Spanish and Arabic music developed from Kinartic Indian music which is arguably the world's oldest system of music, Walker handles the style well with a lot of inspired passion blowing the dust off the typical traditionalist notions of Flamenco music. This is no Carlos Montoya or Charo, so no puffy sleeves or rose in teeth. Instead Walker steers closer to the intuitive earthiness of the music's multifarious cultural origins, similar in spirit to how Sir Richard Bishop handles the genre. We'd still very much love to see Rainy Day Ragas reissued, but until then, this is a pretty nice listen.
MPEG Stream: "Sacromonte (Sacred Mountain)"
MPEG Stream: "Por Rosa (Song in E Major)"

WALKER, SCOTT 'Til The Band Comes In (Water) cd 15.98
Recorded right after his stellar quartet of numbered records 1-4, 'Til the Band Comes In, was in our opinion, unfairly panned upon its original release in 1970. Now the Water label gives us all a chance to re-evaluate. While not his outright best record ever (that would be Scott 2!), and definitely not the weirdest (The Drift), it's noteworthy for being the beginning of his more experimental later period, while at the same time adopting the old school variety-show schtick of his television show in full force. The record starts out with a couple of moments of anticipatory sounds, a low rumble, a bit of noisy shuffling that wouldn't sound out of place at the start of any metal record today before the sonic onslaught is unleashed, but instead here we get an orchestra swooping into the full wall-of-sound pop production of the first song "Little Things (That Keep Us Together)", that harkens back to the sublime pop of The Walker Brothers. Other songs like "Time Operator" use the recordings of the telephone time lady as a backdrop for a ballad of utter loneliness. Largely the songs are of the big war-time ballad variety that we love from his previous records, with some moments of baroque country and ecstatic pop, only occasionally drooping into some vaudevillian schmaltz that is fun but not quite as endearing. The last few songs go into some well-worn covers territory like Classics IV's "Stormy" and "What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life", which are performed well but seem to be reaching out to a different audience altogether. An admitted oddity in an already odd discography, this is still classic Scott Walker where hits and misses are pretty much relative to each listener.
MPEG Stream: "Little Things (That Keep Us Together)"
MPEG Stream: "Time Operator"
MPEG Stream: "Stormy"

WALKER, SCOTT And Who Shall Go To The Ball? And What Shall Go To The Ball? (4AD) cd ep 8.98
Last year's The Drift was a menacing fever dream, delving into dark sonic realms that wasn't for the weak of heart. Who knew that the same sort of staccato violin stabs, claustrophobic restraint and pounding rhythms would translate into a moving score for dance. Scott Walker, commissioned by the CandoCo Dance Company and Choreographer Rafael Bonachela, has composed 4 instrumental pieces for the dance piece "And Who Shall Go To The Ball, And What Shall Go To The Ball". In his own words, "the music is full of edgy and staccato shapes and cuts, reflecting how we cut up the world around us as a consequence of the shape of our bodies". While it may be a bit hard to fully appreciate the music removed from the realm of the resulting dance performance, a new Scott Walker release is pretty much always welcome in our books.
MPEG Stream: "Part 2"
MPEG Stream: "Part 4"

WALKER, SCOTT Climate Of Hunter (Virgin) cd 14.98

WALKER, SCOTT Pola X (Universal) cd 26.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Melodramatic orchestrations by deep-voiced mystery man Scott Walker scored for the film "Pola X" by Leos Carax. Includes original tracks from Smog and Sonic Youth.

WALKER, SCOTT Scott (Fontana) cd 16.98
Whether you are enamored of them or perplexed by them, there is nothing quite like Scott Walker's suite of solo records from the late sixties. Exquisitely produced with dizzyingly lush orchestrations to emphasize full pop dramatic effect, they are also literally dripping with visual and visceral lyricism, filled with vile and wonderous characters and sung in Walker's deeply mellifluent and over-the-top croon. Tortured torch songs, incendiary victory songs, pop fantasias, ghostly ballads, and folk pop are eccentrically intermixed through dynamic interpretations of popular songs, and as the records progress, uniquely original compositions. Each one a perfect piece on its own, yet as a whole suite offers a dazzling entry into an incomparably visual sound world like a rich confection that begs to be slowly consumed.
While we wholeheartedly recommend all four, for those looking for a good starting point, our favorites as whole records are Scott 2 and Scott 4. Recorded after the breakup of the Walker Brothers in 1967, the American born British resident Scott Walker (ne: Noel Scott Engel), embarked on these solo efforts to explore his fascination with European musical, literary, and theatrical forms: The creepy wonderment of classical composer Saint-Saens, The French Symbolist literature of Baudelaire and Huysmans, the political theatre of Brecht and Weill, the stark existentialism of Bergman, the theatrical whimsy of Anthony Newley, and most of all, the celebrated street urchin poetry of Flemish singer-songwriter, Jacques Brel, of whom Walker covers nine English versions of his songs throughout.
Seemingly out of step with his time, these records must have been too serious for the youthful psychedelic era, yet too odd for the older pop-vocal market. The first three enjoyed minimal success, enough to get a short-lived TV show, but the fourth (and one of the best) was a commercial flop (probably due to his attempt to release it under his given name; it was later changed to Scott 4). Yet, over the years, these records have developed an increasingly avid cult following, enough of one for Walker to come out of his reclusiveness and occasionally record a new album. Though what he's on about now makes these first solo albums seem like a ride at Disneyland, you have to respect an artist who explores his vision relentlessly and never looks back. Yet, as fans, we will always come back to these first four records, which amazingly have withstood the test of time and should be canonized amongst the most highly influential records ever! High Art or High Camp? Generous heapings of both, please.
Although comprised mostly of covers, Walker already began to show strong songwriting skills on his first solo record, Scott, especially with "Montague Terrace (In Blue)" where he describes unsavory neighbors in his tenement flat, one as a "bloated belching figure", and another "whose thighs are full of tales to tell of nights she's known". But it's "My Death", one of three Brel covers that is the album's centerpiece. Later covered by David Bowie in his Ziggy Stardust phase, Walker's version features such hypnotic orchestration, serpentine guitar passages and swelling stabbing strings that it almost feels like we're being brought to the threshold of death on a cloud of poisonous perfume.
Overall, a fine selection of songs that show his range of performance and promise for the records to come.
MPEG Stream: "Montague Terrace (In Blue)"
MPEG Stream: "My Death"
MPEG Stream: "Such A Small Love"

WALKER, SCOTT Scott (4 Men With Beards) lp 16.98
Whether you are enamored of them or perplexed by them, there is nothing quite like Scott Walker's suite of solo records from the late sixties. Exquisitely produced with dizzyingly lush orchestrations to emphasize full pop dramatic effect, they are also literally dripping with visual and visceral lyricism, filled with vile and wondrous characters and sung in Walker's deeply mellifluent and over-the-top croon. Tortured torch songs, incendiary victory songs, pop fantasias, ghostly ballads, and folk pop are eccentrically intermixed through dynamic interpretations of popular songs, and as the records progress, uniquely original compositions. Each one a perfect piece on its own, yet as a whole suite offers a dazzling entry into an incomparably visual sound world like a rich confection that begs to be slowly consumed. Finally reissued on vinyl, the way they were meant to be heard, we have fallen in love all over again. While we wholeheartedly recommend all four, for those looking for a good starting point, our favorites as whole records are Scott 2 and Scott 4. For those not blessed with record players, the cd versions are also available.
Recorded after the breakup of the Walker Brothers in 1967, the American born British resident Scott Walker (nee: Noel Scott Engel), embarked on these solo efforts to explore his fascination with European musical, literary, and theatrical forms: The creepy wonderment of classical composer Saint-Saens, The French Symbolist literature of Baudelaire and Huysmans, the political theater of Brecht and Weill, the stark existentialism of Bergman, the theatrical whimsy of Anthony Newley, and most of all, the celebrated street urchin poetry of Flemish singer-songwriter, Jacques Brel, of whom Walker covers nine English versions of his songs throughout.
Seemingly out of step with his time, these records must have been too serious for the youthful psychedelic era, yet too odd for the older pop-vocal market. The first three enjoyed minimal success, enough to get a short-lived TV show, but the fourth (and one of the best) was a commercial flop (probably due to his attempt to release it under his given name; it was later changed to Scott 4). Yet, over the years, these records have developed an increasingly avid cult following, enough of one for Walker to come out of his reclusiveness and occasionally record a new album. Though what he's on about now makes these first solo albums seem like a ride at Disneyland, you have to respect an artist who explores his vision relentlessly and never looks back. Yet, as fans, we will always come back to these first four records, which amazingly have withstood the test of time and should be canonized amongst the most highly influential records ever! High Art or High Camp? Generous heapings of both, please.
Although comprised mostly of covers, Walker already began to show strong songwriting skills on his first solo record, Scott, especially with "Montague Terrace (In Blue)" where he describes unsavory neighbors in his tenement flat, one as a "bloated belching figure", and another "whose thighs are full of tales to tell of nights she's known". But it's "My Death", one of three Brel covers that is the album's centerpiece. Later covered by David Bowie in his Ziggy Stardust phase, Walker's version features such hypnotic orchestration, serpentine guitar passages and swelling stabbing strings that it almost feels like we're being brought to the threshold of death on a cloud of poisonous perfume.
Overall, a fine selection of songs that show his range of performance and promise for the records to come.
MPEG Stream: "Montague Terrace (In Blue)"
MPEG Stream: "My Death"
MPEG Stream: "Such A Small Love"

WALKER, SCOTT Scott 2 (Fontana) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Whether you are enamored of them or perplexed by them, there is nothing quite like Scott Walker's suite of solo records from the late sixties. Exquisitely produced with dizzyingly lush orchestrations to emphasize full pop dramatic effect, they are also literally dripping with visual and visceral lyricism, filled with vile and wonderous characters and sung in Walker's deeply mellifluent and over-the-top croon. Tortured torch songs, incendiary victory songs, pop fantasias, ghostly ballads, and folk pop are eccentrically intermixed through dynamic interpretations of popular songs, and as the records progress, uniquely original compositions. Each one a perfect piece on its own, yet as a whole suite offers a dazzling entry into an incomparably visual sound world like a rich confection that begs to be slowly consumed.
While we wholeheartedly recommend all four, for those looking for a good starting point, our favorites as whole records are Scott 2 and Scott 4.
Recorded after the breakup of the Walker Brothers in 1967, the American born British resident Scott Walker (ne: Noel Scott Engel), embarked on these solo efforts to explore his fascination with European musical, literary, and theatrical forms: The creepy wonderment of classical composer Saint-Saens, The French Symbolist literature of Baudelaire and Huysmans, the political theatre of Brecht and Weill, the stark existentialism of Bergman, the theatrical whimsy of Anthony Newley, and most of all, the celebrated street urchin poetry of Flemish singer-songwriter, Jacques Brel, of whom Walker covers nine English versions of his songs throughout.
Seemingly out of step with his time, these records must have been too serious for the youthful psychedelic era, yet too odd for the older pop-vocal market. The first three enjoyed minimal success, enough to get a short-lived TV show, but the fourth (and one of the best) was a commercial flop (probably due to his attempt to release it under his given name; it was later changed to Scott 4). Yet, over the years, these records have developed an increasingly avid cult following, enough of one for Walker to come out of his reclusiveness and occasionally record a new album. Though what he's on about now makes these first solo albums seem like a ride at Disneyland, you have to respect an artist who explores his vision relentlessly and never looks back. Yet, as fans, we will always come back to these first four records, which amazingly have withstood the test of time and should be canonized amongst the most highly influential records ever! High Art or High Camp? Generous heapings of both, please.
Scott 2 is one of our favorites, not that it's necessarily different from the others but the choice of songs flows perfectly together. In fact the first side of Scott 2 is pure pop vocal perfection, beginning with the Brel cover "Jackie", whose enthusiastically fast delivery is mind-boggling (You-tube this!). Then the bitter torch of "Best of Both Worlds", the Tim Hardin cover, "Black Sheep Boy", the original "The Amorous Humphrey Plugg" about a man escaping from the claustrophobia of domestic life into a tragic fantasy. "Next" is next, one of Brel's most visceral and theatrical tunes about the dehumanizing experience of a military coming of age, which is then followed by Walker's companion sequel "Girls From The Streets" told by the same character as a man resigned to a life of bitterness and depravity. Yet the centerpiece is the fantasia "Plastic Palace People, which begins side 2. A dizzying dualistic fairy tale about a boy's embrace of his youthful innocence and a girl mourning the loss of hers. This kills!
MPEG Stream: "The Amorous Humphrey Plugg"
MPEG Stream: "Next"
MPEG Stream: "Plastic Palace People"

WALKER, SCOTT Scott 2 (4 Men With Beards) lp 16.98
Whether you are enamored of them or perplexed by them, there is nothing quite like Scott Walker's suite of solo records from the late sixties. Exquisitely produced with dizzyingly lush orchestrations to emphasize full pop dramatic effect, they are also literally dripping with visual and visceral lyricism, filled with vile and wonderous characters and sung in Walker's deeply mellifluent and over-the-top croon. Tortured torch songs, incendiary victory songs, pop fantasias, ghostly ballads, and folk pop are eccentrically intermixed through dynamic interpretations of popular songs, and as the records progress, uniquely original compositions. Each one a perfect piece on its own, yet as a whole suite offers a dazzling entry into an incomparably visual sound world like a rich confection that begs to be slowly consumed. Finally reissued on vinyl, the way they were meant to be heard, we have fallen in love all over again. While we wholeheartedly recommend all four, for those looking for a good starting point, our favorites as whole records are Scott 2 and Scott 4. For those not blessed with record players, the cd versions are also available.
Recorded after the breakup of the Walker Brothers in 1967, the American born British resident Scott Walker (ne: Noel Scott Engel), embarked on these solo efforts to explore his fascination with European musical, literary, and theatrical forms: The creepy wonderment of classical composer Saint-Saens, The French Symbolist literature of Baudelaire and Huysmans, the political theatre of Brecht and Weill, the stark existentialism of Bergman, the theatrical whimsy of Anthony Newley, and most of all, the celebrated street urchin poetry of Flemish singer-songwriter, Jacques Brel, of whom Walker covers nine English versions of his songs throughout.
Seemingly out of step with his time, these records must have been too serious for the youthful psychedelic era, yet too odd for the older pop-vocal market. The first three enjoyed minimal success, enough to get a short-lived TV show, but the fourth (and one of the best) was a commercial flop (probably due to his attempt to release it under his given name; it was later changed to Scott 4). Yet, over the years, these records have developed an increasingly avid cult following, enough of one for Walker to come out of his reclusiveness and occasionally record a new album. Though what he's on about now makes these first solo albums seem like a ride at Disneyland, you have to respect an artist who explores his vision relentlessly and never looks back. Yet, as fans, we will always come back to these first four records, which amazingly have withstood the test of time and should be canonized amongst the most highly influential records ever! High Art or High Camp? Generous heapings of both, please.
Scott 2 is one of our favorites, not that it's necessarily different from the others but the choice of songs flows perfectly together. In fact the first side of Scott 2 is pure pop vocal perfection, beginning with the Brel cover "Jackie", whose enthusiastically fast delivery is mind-boggling (Youtube this!). Then the bitter torch of "Best of Both Worlds", the Tim Hardin cover, "Black Sheep Boy", the original "The Amorous Humphrey Plugg" about a man escaping from the claustrophobia of domestic life into a tragic fantasy. "Next" is next, one of Brel's most visceral and theatrical tunes about the dehumanizing experience of a military coming of age, which is then followed by Walker's companion sequel "Girls From The Streets" told by the same character as a man resigned to a life of bitterness and depravity. Yet the centerpiece is the fantasia "Plastic Palace People", which begins side 2. A dizzying dualistic fairy tale about a boy's embrace of his youthful innocence and a girl mourning the loss of hers. This kills!
MPEG Stream: "The Amorous Humphrey Plugg"
MPEG Stream: "Next"
MPEG Stream: "Plastic Palace People"

WALKER, SCOTT Scott 3 (Fontana) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Whether you are enamored of them or perplexed by them, there is nothing quite like Scott Walker's suite of solo records from the late sixties. Exquisitely produced with dizzyingly lush orchestrations to emphasize full pop dramatic effect, they are also literally dripping with visual and visceral lyricism, filled with vile and wonderous characters and sung in Walker's deeply mellifluent and over-the-top croon. Tortured torch songs, incendiary victory songs, pop fantasias, ghostly ballads, and folk pop are eccentrically intermixed through dynamic interpretations of popular songs, and as the records progress, uniquely original compositions. Each one a perfect piece on its own, yet as a whole suite offers a dazzling entry into an incomparably visual sound world like a rich confection that begs to be slowly consumed.
While we wholeheartedly recommend all four, for those looking for a good starting point, our favorites as whole records are Scott 2 and Scott 4.
Recorded after the breakup of the Walker Brothers in 1967, the American born British resident Scott Walker (ne: Noel Scott Engel), embarked on these solo efforts to explore his fascination with European musical, literary, and theatrical forms: The creepy wonderment of classical composer Saint-Saens, The French Symbolist literature of Baudelaire and Huysmans, the political theatre of Brecht and Weill, the stark existentialism of Bergman, the theatrical whimsy of Anthony Newley, and most of all, the celebrated street urchin poetry of Flemish singer-songwriter, Jacques Brel, of whom Walker covers nine English versions of his songs throughout.
Seemingly out of step with his time, these records must have been too serious for the youthful psychedelic era, yet too odd for the older pop-vocal market. The first three enjoyed minimal success, enough to get a short-lived TV show, but the fourth (and one of the best) was a commercial flop (probably due to his attempt to release it under his given name; it was later changed to Scott 4). Yet, over the years, these records have developed an increasingly avid cult following, enough of one for Walker to come out of his reclusiveness and occasionally record a new album. Though what he's on about now makes these first solo albums seem like a ride at Disneyland, you have to respect an artist who explores his vision relentlessly and never looks back. Yet, as fans, we will always come back to these first four records, which amazingly have withstood the test of time and should be canonized amongst the most highly influential records ever! High Art or High Camp? Generous heapings of both, please.
Scott 3 has the best cover of the bunch. The others are pretty straight ahead portraits, but 3 is a close up of an eye with vibrantly purple eyelashes. Inside the pupil we see a melancholy Walker, which is apt, as Scott 3 is the most melancholy of the four records. The tempo is slower and apart from the Brel inspired original, "We Came Through" and the quirky acoustic tribute to Cryogenics of "30th Century Man" (featured on the soundtrack to Wes Anderson's "The Life Aquatic"), most of the tracks on Scott 3 are ballads to the ghosts of romance. Definitely a rainy day record, and probably not the best place to start for newbies.
MPEG Stream: "It's Raining Today"
MPEG Stream: "We Came Through"
MPEG Stream: "30th Century Man"

WALKER, SCOTT Scott 3 (4 Men With Beards) lp 16.98
Whether you are enamored of them or perplexed by them, there is nothing quite like Scott Walker's suite of solo records from the late sixties. Exquisitely produced with dizzyingly lush orchestrations to emphasize full pop dramatic effect, they are also literally dripping with visual and visceral lyricism, filled with vile and wonderous characters and sung in Walker's deeply mellifluent and over-the-top croon. Tortured torch songs, incendiary victory songs, pop fantasias, ghostly ballads, and folk pop are eccentrically intermixed through dynamic interpretations of popular songs, and as the records progress, uniquely original compositions. Each one a perfect piece on its own, yet as a whole suite offers a dazzling entry into an incomparably visual sound world like a rich confection that begs to be slowly consumed. Finally reissued on vinyl, the way they were meant to be heard, we have fallen in love all over again. While we wholeheartedly recommend all four, for those looking for a good starting point, our favorites as whole records are Scott 2 and Scott 4. For those not blessed with record players, the cd versions are also available.
Recorded after the breakup of the Walker Brothers in 1967, the American born British resident Scott Walker (ne: Noel Scott Engel), embarked on these solo efforts to explore his fascination with European musical, literary, and theatrical forms: The creepy wonderment of classical composer Saint-Saens, The French Symbolist literature of Baudelaire and Huysmans, the political theatre of Brecht and Weill, the stark existentialism of Bergman, the theatrical whimsy of Anthony Newley, and most of all, the celebrated street urchin poetry of Flemish singer-songwriter, Jacques Brel, of whom Walker covers nine English versions of his songs throughout.
Seemingly out of step with his time, these records must have been too serious for the youthful psychedelic era, yet too odd for the older pop-vocal market. The first three enjoyed minimal success, enough to get a short-lived TV show, but the fourth (and one of the best) was a commercial flop (probably due to his attempt to release it under his given name; it was later changed to Scott 4). Yet, over the years, these records have developed an increasingly avid cult following, enough of one for Walker to come out of his reclusiveness and occasionally record a new album. Though what he's on about now makes these first solo albums seem like a ride at Disneyland, you have to respect an artist who explores his vision relentlessly and never looks back. Yet, as fans, we will always come back to these first four records, which amazingly have withstood the test of time and should be canonized amongst the most highly influential records ever! High Art or High Camp? Generous heapings of both, please.
Scott 3 has the best cover art of the bunch. The others are pretty straight ahead portraits, but 3 is a close up of an eye with vibrantly purple eyelashes. Inside the pupil we see a melancholy Walker, which is apt, as Scott 3 is the most melancholy of the four records. The tempo is slower and apart from the Brel inspired original, "We Came Through" and the quirky acoustic tribute to Cryogenics of "30th Century Man" (featured on the soundtrack to Wes Anderson's "The Life Aquatic"), most of the tracks on Scott 3 are ballads to the ghosts of romance. Definitely a rainy day record, and probably not the best place to start for newbies.
MPEG Stream: "It's Raining Today"
MPEG Stream: "We Came Through"
MPEG Stream: "30th Century Man"

WALKER, SCOTT Scott 4 (Fontana) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Whether you are enamored of them or perplexed by them, there is nothing quite like Scott Walker's suite of solo records from the late sixties. Exquisitely produced with dizzyingly lush orchestrations to emphasize full pop dramatic effect, they are also literally dripping with visual and visceral lyricism, filled with vile and wonderous characters and sung in Walker's deeply mellifluent and over-the-top croon. Tortured torch songs, incendiary victory songs, pop fantasias, ghostly ballads, and folk pop are eccentrically intermixed through dynamic interpretations of popular songs, and as the records progress, uniquely original compositions. Each one a perfect piece on its own, yet as a whole suite offers a dazzling entry into an incomparably visual sound world like a rich confection that begs to be slowly consumed. While we wholeheartedly recommend all four, for those looking for a good starting point, our favorites as whole records are Scott 2 and Scott 4.
Recorded after the breakup of the Walker Brothers in 1967, the American born British resident Scott Walker (ne: Noel Scott Engel), embarked on these solo efforts to explore his fascination with European musical, literary, and theatrical forms: The creepy wonderment of classical composer Saint-Saens, The French Symbolist literature of Baudelaire and Huysmans, the political theatre of Brecht and Weill, the stark existentialism of Bergman, the theatrical whimsy of Anthony Newley, and most of all, the celebrated street urchin poetry of Flemish singer-songwriter, Jacques Brel, of whom Walker covers nine English versions of his songs throughout.
Seemingly out of step with his time, these records must have been too serious for the youthful psychedelic era, yet too odd for the older pop-vocal market. The first three enjoyed minimal success, enough to get a short-lived TV show, but the fourth (and one of the best) was a commercial flop (probably due to his attempt to release it under his given name; it was later changed to Scott 4). Yet, over the years, these records have developed an increasingly avid cult following, enough of one for Walker to come out of his reclusiveness and occasionally record a new album. Though what he's on about now makes these first solo albums seem like a ride at Disneyland, you have to respect an artist who explores his vision relentlessly and never looks back. Yet, as fans, we will always come back to these first four records, which amazingly have withstood the test of time and should be canonized amongst the most highly influential records ever! High Art or High Camp? Generous heapings of both, please.
Scott 4 is definitely the most unique of the four. It's all original compositions for one thing, but also the arrangements are more upbeat, and while the orchestral elements are there, folk, rock and country elements of guitar and drums appear more than ever before. Still eccentric songwriting abounds. The opener, "The Seventh Seal", a flamenco pop tribute to the Bergman film of the same name about a medieval knight's chess game with Death is full of the pomp we love in Scott Walkers music. And while there are no Brel covers on 4, his influence can be heard on centerpiece "The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime)", as well as "Hero of the War". A sequel of sorts to "Plastic Palace People" on Scott 2 can be seen in "Boy Child", one of the most beautifully arranged ballads, while the strings in "The World's Strongest Man" brings tears every time. Yet, weirder still, the final three songs take a strange turn into lush country pop with slide guitar, and back-up vocals (for the first time!) that allude to the direction Walker persued unsuccessfully through the seventies. Still very Stellar!
MPEG Stream: "The Seventh Seal"
MPEG Stream: "World's Strongest Man"
MPEG Stream: "The Old Man's Back Again"

WALKER, SCOTT Scott 4 (Four Men With Beards) lp 16.98
Whether you are enamored of them or perplexed by them, there is nothing quite like Scott Walker's suite of solo records from the late sixties. Exquisitely produced with dizzyingly lush orchestrations to emphasize full pop dramatic effect, they are also literally dripping with visual and visceral lyricism, filled with vile and wonderous characters and sung in Walker's deeply mellifluent and over-the-top croon. Tortured torch songs, incendiary victory songs, pop fantasias, ghostly ballads, and folk pop are eccentrically intermixed through dynamic interpretations of popular songs, and as the records progress, uniquely original compositions. Each one a perfect piece on its own, yet as a whole suite offers a dazzling entry into an incomparably visual sound world like a rich confection that begs to be slowly consumed. Finally reissued on vinyl, the way they were meant to be heard, we have fallen in love all over again. While we wholeheartedly recommend all four, for those looking for a good starting point, our favorites as whole records are Scott 2 and Scott 4. For those not blessed with record players, the cd versions are also available.
Recorded after the breakup of the Walker Brothers in 1967, the American born British resident Scott Walker (ne: Noel Scott Engel), embarked on these solo efforts to explore his fascination with European musical, literary, and theatrical forms: The creepy wonderment of classical composer Saint-Saens, The French Symbolist literature of Baudelaire and Huysmans, the political theatre of Brecht and Weill, the stark existentialism of Bergman, the theatrical whimsy of Anthony Newley, and most of all, the celebrated street urchin poetry of Flemish singer-songwriter, Jacques Brel, of whom Walker covers nine English versions of his songs throughout.
Seemingly out of step with his time, these records must have been too serious for the youthful psychedelic era, yet too odd for the older pop-vocal market. The first three enjoyed minimal success, enough to get a short-lived TV show, but the fourth (and one of the best) was a commercial flop (probably due to his attempt to release it under his given name; it was later changed to Scott 4). Yet, over the years, these records have developed an increasingly avid cult following, enough of one for Walker to come out of his reclusiveness and occasionally record a new album. Though what he's on about now makes these first solo albums seem like a ride at Disneyland, you have to respect an artist who explores his vision relentlessly and never looks back. Yet, as fans, we will always come back to these first four records, which amazingly have withstood the test of time and should be canonized amongst the most highly influential records ever! High Art or High Camp? Generous heapings of both, please.
Scott 4 is definitely the most unique of the four. It's all original compositions for one thing, but also the arrangements are more upbeat, and while the orchestral elements are there, folk, rock and country elements of guitar and drums appear more than ever before. Still eccentric songwriting abounds. The opener, "The Seventh Seal", a flamenco pop tribute to the Bergman film of the same name about a medieval knight's chess game with Death is full of the pomp we love in Scott Walkers music. And while there are no Brel covers on 4, his influence can be heard on centerpiece "The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime)", as well as "Hero of the War". A sequel of sorts to "Plastic Palace People" on Scott 2 can be seen in "Boy Child", one of the most beautifully arranged ballads, while the strings in "The World's Strongest Man" brings tears every time. Yet, weirder still, the final three songs take a strange turn into lush country pop with slide guitar, and back-up vocals (for the first time!) that allude to the direction Walker persued unsuccessfully through the seventies. Still very Stellar!
MPEG Stream: "The Seventh Seal"
MPEG Stream: "World's Strongest Man"
MPEG Stream: "The Old Man's Back Again"

WALKER, SCOTT Sings Jacques Brel (Fontana) cd 19.98

WALKER, SCOTT The Drift (4AD) cd 14.98
Whoa! Scott Walker has certainly never been about meeting audience expectations, but we never expected hime to go in a direction this extreme, a lyrical and musical excursion so far out it's a little disconcerting. The Drift, his first release in 11 years has got to be some of the darkest and intensely uneasy soul-baring music we have heard lately, which is saying a lot for us. Visceral and highly visual, Walker seems to be channeling the decadent symbolist literature of Rimbaud, Verlaine or J.K. Huysmans as well as the surrealist existentialism of T. S. Eliot or Georges Bataille, as he takes us on a poisoned delirious absinthe-induced journey through the seasons of hell. Walker's voice recalls a strange mutation of Antony's (from Antony and the Johnsons) operatic theatrics and Jandek's sorrowful moans as it plays against orchestral arrangements that sound like Arvo Part, Morricone and Penderecki caught in a purgatorial bar-room brawl. Punctuated by deep resonant strings, concrete blocks pounding on wood, sounds of donkeys braying, and snippets of shortwave radio, Walker's arrangements vary from oppressive ambience to brutal stabs of orchestrated noise, as they cover a wide gamut of themes, characters and moods, from the reproachful condemnation of power to the painful humanity of love. The saving moment comes at the end with A Lover Loves, a spare but melodic ballad of voice and acoustic guitar that is the albums only peek back to the Scott Walker of old (in particular, Scott 4), and it kills!
Good, great, amazing, none of those are really useful superlatives in the case of The Drift, although it is all of those things and then some, as it definitely will not appeal to everyone, especially fans of Walker's first four solo records from the late sixties. But viewed as a work of art, with all the genuine brilliance and pretension that that may entail, this is extraordinary and astonishing uneasy listening!
MPEG Stream: "Cossacks Are"
MPEG Stream: "Hand Me Ups"
MPEG Stream: "A Lover Loves"

WALKER, SCOTT The Drift (4AD) 2lp 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Whoa! Scott Walker has certainly never been about meeting audience expectations, but we never expected hime to go in a direction this extreme, a lyrical and musical excursion so far out it's a little disconcerting. The Drift, his first release in 11 years has got to be some of the darkest and intensely uneasy soul-baring music we have heard lately, which is saying a lot for us. Visceral and highly visual, Walker seems to be channeling the decadent symbolist literature of Rimbaud, Verlaine or J.K. Huysmans as well as the surrealist existentialism of T. S. Eliot or Georges Bataille, as he takes us on a poisoned delirious absinthe-induced journey through the seasons of hell. Walker's voice recalls a strange mutation of Antony's (from Antony and the Johnsons) operatic theatrics and Jandek's sorrowful moans as it plays against orchestral arrangements that sound like Arvo Part, Morricone and Penderecki caught in a purgatorial bar-room brawl. Punctuated by deep resonant strings, concrete blocks pounding on wood, sounds of donkeys braying, and snippets of shortwave radio, Walker's arrangements vary from oppressive ambience to brutal stabs of orchestrated noise, as they cover a wide gamut of themes, characters and moods, from the reproachful condemnation of power to the painful humanity of love. The saving moment comes at the end with A Lover Loves, a spare but melodic ballad of voice and acoustic guitar that is the albums only peek back to the Scott Walker of old (in particular, Scott 4), and it kills!
Good, great, amazing, none of those are really useful superlatives in the case of The Drift, although it is all of those things and then some, as it definitely will not appeal to everyone, especially fans of Walker's first four solo records from the late sixties. But viewed as a work of art, with all the genuine brilliance and pretension that that may entail, this is extraordinary and astonishing uneasy listening!
MPEG Stream: "Cossacks Are"
MPEG Stream: "Hand Me Ups"
MPEG Stream: "A Lover Loves"

WALKER, SCOTT & THE WALKER BROTHERS The Best Of: The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore (Universal) cd 37.00
Damn expensive import! But, really, these songs are maybe worth it!

WALKING TIMEBOMBS (Charnel Music) cd 11.98
Ex-Pain Teen Scott Ayer's solo project, tape loops and guitar noise and distorted vocals and all that. In other words, the Pain Teens w/o Bliss Blood.

WALKING TIMEBOMBS, THE Sapsucker (Anomie Records) cd 9.98
Guitar (and sample) slinging Texan Scott Ayers's Walking Timebombs make a return to the fucked up industrial/goth/experimental rock of his previous outfit, the late great Pain Teens. The Walking Timebombs are not only a full-fledged guitar/bass/drums band now, they also got themselves a female singer a la Pain Teens. But while Scott's heavy duty guitar, loops, and samples haven't changed much from the Pain Teens days, new singer Sarah Evans is no Bliss Blood. Her singing is just too forced and affected, in that Alanis Morrisette style. Or like a female Layne Staley, even. Alanis Morrisette fronting the Pain Teens? Hmm. None of the danger of Blood, indeed a few tracks like "Good Thoughts" could maybe be played on modern rock radio. Ugh. What's with that? Pain Teens wrote some "pop" songs too ("RU486") but not like this. Still, some of this certainly does bring back memories of Pain Teens' heyday, and might get you dragging out your old "Stimulation Festival" or "Born In Blood" discs, 'cause while "Sapsucker" has its enjoyable moments, for this most part this new stuff is just too safe. The Pain Teens we remember had much more of an edge, this is just kinda hokey; the 'disturbing' bits just aren't convincing even when the music is fairly heavy. Of course, it's NOT the Pain Teens, so maybe we're not being fair. But Scott and Co. have to expect comparisons... so give it a listen yourself.
RealAudio clip: "Parasite"
RealAudio clip: "Fallen"

WALKMEN Pussy Cats (Record Collection) cd+dvd 16.98
Oh those beloved Walkmen, they've been up to some fine goings-on. 'Twas just a few months ago when their latest album proper A Hundred Miles Off was released, and it is a dandy that's grown on us more and more with each listen. Now they've taken a break from their own tunesmithery to issue forth this complete remake of Harry Nilsson and John Lennon's legendary album Pussy Cats. It's clearly a work that the band knows and loves wholeheartedly. The offbeat original was recorded back in '74 during Lennon's infamous months-long "lost weekend" (Unfamiliar with the tale? Well, it's far to much to get into here, you'll just have to do your own research!), and The Walkmen's was recorded during the Hundred Miles Off sessions. Joining the band in this incredibly faithful re-creation of the album are the Make Up's Ian Svenonius (popping in to deliver some of his unmistakable vocals) and Quentin Stoltzfus from Azusa Plane (adding his two-bits worth on "Mucho Mongo / Mt. Elga"). It's unquestionably well executed, if somewhat restrained and downright safe at times. Might not win them new fans, but it'll prolly please their existing ones and maybe bring some new ears to the original album.
MPEG Stream: "All My Life"
MPEG Stream: "Save The Last Dance For Me"

WALKMEN, THE A Hundred Miles Off (Record Collection) cd 14.98
From the sounds of the vocals on The Walkmen's latest full length, Hamilton Leithauser must've taken a giant Bob Dylan / Tom Petty pill. Just kidding, sorta, but his heartclutchingly emotive delivery does bear more than a passing wheezin' resemblance. The band kicks off A Hundred Miles Off with "Louisiana" a breezy tropical number which reminds us of one of Michael Nesmith's post-Monkees offbeat oceanside styled numbers.
After that unexpected greeting, it's back to their more familiar rock sounds from the lovely descent of "Emma, Bring Me A Lemon" to the punchy insistence of "Don't Get Me Down (Come On Over Here)". There's lots of terrific swelling jangly guitars throughout the dozen songs which get progressively looser and almost brashly punky as the album progresses. Perhaps that's the subtle influence of producer engineer Don Zientara who's manned the recording board for the likes of Minor Threat, Dag Nasty, Lungfish and Fugazi? Anyhoo, this might seem like a bit of a departure from the tried and true of past Walkmen releases, but heck this is only the second day that we've had the cd here at AQ. In that brief period we've played it three times and with each spin it's hooks have sunken in a little deeper.
MPEG Stream: "Louisiana"
MPEG Stream: "Emma, Get Me A Lemon"

WALKMEN, THE Bows & Arrows (Record Collection) cd 14.98
This new disc from NYC's The Walkmen has been selling quite well here at AQ, and it's no surprise really 'cause, well, Bows & Arrows sounds very much like another popular NYC band you may have heard of...The Strokes! To be fair, perhaps these two The Somethings bands have similar influences and the success of The Strokes led the way for The Walkmen to get a deal. So, presumably you've heard the Strokes. Like 'em? Like a hint of Bob Dylan in the singers voice too? Like well crafted, catchy, tried-and-true pop rock n' roll songsmithery? Well then chances are you'll like this album from The Walkmen! (and, even if you're like Andee who claims *not* to like The Strokes, you may still fall for The Walkmen, 'cuz Andee does like them.)
MPEG Stream: "What's In It For Me"
MPEG Stream: "The Rat"

WALL OF SLEEP Overlook The All (psycheDOOMelic) cd 11.98
All right, psycheDOOMelic is the new doom metal label run by Hegedus Mark, the Hungarian doom/psych freak responsible for the excellent doom-oriented Psychedelic fanzine. Wall Of Sleep's debut ep (four songs, 22 minutes) is one of the label's first releases. WOS feature two ex-members of Hungarian Sabbath-worshippers Mood, and pretty much sound just like what you'd expect! Nothing less, nothing more. Chugging massive doom riffage and Ozzy-possessed vocals (albeit with a wee bit of a Hungarian accent that might take some getting used to -- this becomes particularily noticable on their cover of Sabbath's "The Wizard", the last track here, complete with harmonica!). Did you know that "The Wizard" is the song that converted Allan into a raving Black Sabbath/metal fan back in his college days? So he has to give this the thumbs up, and recommends Wall Of Sleep to all hungry (and/or Hungarian) Sabbath/Sleep/Vitus/Obsessed obsessives out there...
MPEG Stream: "Overlook The All"

WALL OF SLEEP Slow But Not Dead (psycheDOOMelic Records) cd 13.98
Following up their 4-song cd ep debut from last year, Hungarian doomanoids Wall Of Sleep return with a full-length. You get straight up Sabbath-worshipping old school heavy doom metal here, from ex-members of Mood (doom spelled backwards, y'know) who were Hungary's leading proponents of the Sab sound themselves, previous to Wall of Sleep's formation. So you know what you're getting here. The vocalist does his best Ozzy -- which, we have to say, isn't much like Ozzy's best Ozzy (you can tell that English ain't his first language, indeed his accent will require some getting used to). There's some nice usage of acoustic guitars and/or keyboards amid the monster riff-outs, as these guys are definitely of the song-writing, not just pure sludge, school of doom metal craftsmanship.
MPEG Stream: "Soil"
MPEG Stream: "Inside Garden"

WALL, JOHN Constructions I-IV (Utterpsalm) cd 21.00
John Wall's "Constructions" are highly digitized collages of sonic fragments culled from the jazz-themed improvizations from John Edwards' double bass and Mark Sanders' spartan drum kit skitter within a sea of spliced samples originating from Xenakis, Ryoji Ikeda, Evan Parker, Penderecki, Beautyon, Luigi Nono, and Put Put (amongst others). Beautifully packaged in a cloth-bound book.

WALL, JOHN Constructions V-VII (Utterpsalm) cd 13.98
John Wall's compositions employ aesthetic strategies that pull sounds from the most sterile of digital glitch techniques as well as from the tense start-stop-silence approach from academic circles of free jazz. Wall may announce where all of his samples originate (Xenakis, Evan Parker, Luigi Nono, Fennesz, Pita, Otomo Yoshihide, Sachiko M, etc.), but he is very careful to obliterate any references to which compositions they may come from. He succeeds in pushing these references to speak outside of their original contexts and within his own vocabulary which is often very dry, with lumbering chunks of deep low end rumble topped off with agitated (if glistening) high end frequencies. The last piece on "Constructions V-VII" features the most direct evidence of what each sound may have been. Wall directed his furrowed-brow jazz trio of John Edwards (bass), Mark Sanders (percussion), and Andrew Sparling (clarinet) to sputter through a succession of spartanly placed patterns, which Wall later cut up and stretched out. Certainly fans of Evan Parker and Ryoji Ikeda should take note!

WALL, JOHN Fractuur (Utterpsalm) cd 21.00
John Wall's "Fractuur" is a high density composition for digital fragments culled from both recordings and live improvisation meant for this work. Sampled sources include Evan Parker, John Zorn, Giacinto Scelsi, John Cage, Disinformation, The Hafler Trio, Penderecki, Mauricio Kagel, David Toop, Stockhausen, Xenakis, and Luigi Nono among others. In addition, there's use of "live fragments" played on violin, double bass, bass clarinet, and cello. Not unlike an even more austere Oval deconstructing European jazz (i.e. ECM stuff). Beautifully packaged in a deluxe cloth-bound book.

WALL, PAUL The Peoples Champ (Atlantic) cd 17.98

WALLA, CHRIS Field Manual (Barsuk) cd 14.98
Undeniably best known for his indie pop and rock studio prowess and for being the guitarist of Death Cab For Cutie, Chris Walla steps out of the latter's shadow and does mighty fine at this music making biz all by his lonesome. Mind you his vocal delivery frequently strikes a... how should we put it?... Gibbardian tone? Really it's not surprising though, and we're not complaining or pointing any fingers! Walla's been making music on his own for years (under the moniker Martin Youth Auxiliary). It just hasn't been released until now! In fact, he nestles himself in perfectly at the crossroads of Death Cab For Cutie, Built To Spill and Gin Blossoms. The latter comes across in Field Manual's broadly appealing, 'end of the school year' teen movie quality. Sweetly earnest and boyishly charming, heck, we'll stop just short of saying this is adorable!
Will probably please fans of Nada Surf and Weakerthans too!
MPEG Stream: "Two Fifty"
MPEG Stream: "Everybody On"

WALLACE, EDGAR Best of Edgar Wallace (Cinesoundz) cd 16.98
Not actually recordings by Edgar Wallce, but recordings from the cult thrillers based on his stories. The music on this disk is from such notable film music composers as Peter Thomas, Martin Bottcher and Nora Orlandi.

WALLY, DJ Genetic Flaw (Liquid Sky/Home Entertainment) cd 14.98
NYC jungle DJ on a full-length.

WALLY, DJ, & SWINGSETT Dog Leg Left (Ubiquity) cd 13.98
Highly Recommended. Described by the label as "avant garde trip hop from NYC's underground" and possessing "Knitting Factory-style beats", Wally & Swingsett come up with weirdly delicious, mellow rhythmning, as good as DJ Shadow or the Ninjatune posse. Light and fun with really smart touches.

WALTER, WEASEL / FRED LONBERG-HOLM / JIM O'ROURKE Tribute To Masayuki Takayanagi (Grob) cd 16.98
Three notorious Chicago musicians, led by Flying Luttenbachers drummer Weasel Walter (also of Hatewave, Lake of Dracula, To Live And Shave In LA, etc. infamy), decide to record their tribute to the late legendary Japanese free jazz guitarist Masayuki Takayangi. Dunno if Masayuji would entirely have enjoyed this, as while his music was definitely noisy (noisier than what's on here, sometimes!) there was also a beauty and restraint that's not explored on this disc. Nor would we imagine that such song titles as "Endless Corridor Of Roasted Babies", "Give Me head 'Til You're Dead", or "Slitted Tit" would appeal to him. And the Masayuki Takayanagi connection/concept here seems to have become secondary to a black metal derived aesthetic, anyway: the three musicians are pictured in corpsepaint, with evil-sounding stage names (Jim O'Rourke is dubbed "Lycanthrovampyr"), and the last track, "Triumph of Death", is a Weasel semi-ambient solo piece that sounds more influenced by Burzum than Mr. Takayanagi. Regardless, fans of over-the-top drums/cello/guitar skree (or "infernal improvised music", as these guys put it) should dig this immensely. After the first 30 minutes of "For Jojo/Freebasing Styrofoam" some will be exhausted, but that's a mere warm-up for the rest of the disc. The back-cover motto "play loud and die" sums it up.

WALTER, WEASEL / KEVIN DRUMM / FRED LONBERG-HOLM Eruption (Grob) cd 15.98
Hrmm. What d'you think you're gonna get if you put these three Chicagoan (or ex-Chicagoan in the case of Flying Luttenbachers drummer Weasel Walter, who has relocated to San Francisco) noisenik/improv types together and call it Eruption? Yes that's right, hecka noisy claptrap! Weasel's drums spasticate all over the 40 short tracks on this hour-long album, while Drumm's electric guitar, synth, tapes, pedals, and other electronic appliances get equally excited. Sawing away alongside those two maniacs, the cello of Lonberg-Holm adds a contrasting touch of 'classical' class, when you can hear it amid the blasts of near-white noise distortion and frenzied drum pummel. Basically the avant-garde version of grindcore (with song titles in the typical grindcore wise-ass/gross-out vein). Eruption is one of those over-the-top improv exercises sure to annoy most folks, except for the select few who live for this stuff. Definitely NOT easy listening. But those with a high threshold of noise enjoyment will indeed enjoy this threshing...I did!
MPEG Stream: "Blood - Saliva Sprinkler"
MPEG Stream: "Blood - Fluid-Filled Lung Sack"

WANDER s/t (Small Voices) cd 15.98
In 2000, Frans de Waard and Freek Kinkelaar made a conscious decision that their stalwart project Beequeen would cease to be a drone-based project and concentrate their output as atumnal soundtrackish song; but the lure of the drone has proven to be far too great for the Dutch experimentalists to simply leave it behind. Hence, they began Wander to satisfy this lust for the drone. Perhaps it took a bit of separation from the production of holy minimalism, but whatever the cause, Wander has fabricated a series of drones, ambience, and atmospheric vibrations that easily surpass that which Beequeen produced many moons ago. Using a whole bunch of analogue synthesizers and an old chord organ, de Waard and Kinkelaar conjure a shimmering tranquilizer references the academic drones of Eliane Radigue and Charlemagne Palestine but also has plenty of impressionist movements that would make fans of Mirror, Troum, and Jonathan Coleclough happy. Limited to 600 copies.
MPEG Stream: "track 1"
MPEG Stream: "track 3"

WANDERING MIDGET, THE I Am The Gate (Eyes Like Snow / Northern Silence) cd 11.98
Okay, how bad ass is the name The Wandering Midget for a band name? Well, okay, maybe not BAD ASS, but what a great name. Freaky, weird, certainly might not have you imagining some awesome classic doom outfit, but that's precisely what The Wandering Midget are, classic true doom from Finland. So that's pretty much all pluses across the board, insane band name, true doom, and they're from Finland. And as if that weren't enough they have an amazing vocalist, who sounds like a weird super dramatic Ozzy doppelganger, the vocals so over the top they sound almost campy, yet they fit the music perfectly, especially when they slip into a menacing grrrrrowl.
The sound is super live, the drums way up in the mix, the guitars thick and crunchy, the vocals WAY out in front, the riffs are killer too, that sort of slithery Sabbathy groove, mix in some Pentagram, some Electric Wizard, and you're in total druggy stoner doom heaven!
All the tracks are pretty kick ass, but stick around for the nearly 18 minute closer "Wasteland Shrine", a super slow, lurching doom crawl, with some killer leads, and the vocalist wailing so dramatically, the main riff all killer slow motion Sabbath, complete with a weird ambient interlude part way through, the sounds of what can only be a dungeon, dripping water, footsteps, distant rumbles, the guitar slowly creeping up from the murk, all spidery and minimal, before the band kicks in and launches back into their doomy groove, a majestic lumbering jam overlaid with increasingly maniacal vocals, pounding away, through clouds of effects, until the very end.
MPEG Stream: "Urk The Conqueror"
MPEG Stream: "Wolfslayer"

WANT, THE Greatest Hits Vol. 5 (Southern Lord) cd 13.98
From a label known for supreme downer doom dirge comes this surprise debut by a group of happy, heavy, hot-rockin' throwbacks called The Want, from Jersey. Playing it in the store had amazed customers asking if this was an obscure '70s hard rock reissue. It's not just the tunage that's retro, but the production is authentic '70s sounding too. Amazing. Channelled directly from the likes of Zep, Budgie, Captain Beyond, Free... Great stuff, recommended (despite their violation of two of Allan's many pet peeves: an album title like "Greatest Hits vol. 5", and the unnecessary use of the Greek alphabet on the packaging).
RealAudio clip: "Pass It On"
RealAudio clip: "Slight Of Hand"

WARA El Inca (Revista) cd 17.98
Wow! Progressive Rock from Bolivia? Who knew?
Wara's first album from 1972 (the liner notes say they have recorded 16 albums as of 2004, but this is the first we have heard of them) is a strange hybrid of South American psych with classical symphonic elements, Andean native musical structures, soaring harmonies and boogie rhythms.
Incorporating a classical string section with flute and oboe alongside the shredding fuzz guitar, simmering organ and drum breaks, this is unlike any South American psych we've heard in awhile. While Wara is more of a psych band than a prog outfit, they lean towards '70s proto metal vocal theatrics and Beethoven rather than the Beatles, using long songs with varied passages of loud and soft dynamics. Killer!
MPEG Stream: "Realidad"
MPEG Stream: "Wara"

WARD 21 Mentally Disturbed (Greensleeves) cd 15.98
At last we've got our paws on a dancehall album that we can recommend from start to finish. Jamaica's highly fertile music scene still seems geared towards the single and the majority of dancehall that we've been excited about in the past has been in the form of 7"s, which rules out the majority of the music buying public here (who apparently no longer even own record players tsk, tsk). What's more, those singles that we've been most enthused about are not even the original mixes, but "hip hop" remixes in which dancehall a cappellas are mixed in with the current Timbaland hits or other popular hip hop track*. But like we said, here is a dancehall record with practically NO DUDS (and it's available on cd for you folks with no record player).
Ward 21 is unlike most of the dancehall acts coming out of Jamaica in that they are a group and not an individual. Apprenticing under the legendary King Jammy, the group exists as a collection of four producers -and- d.j.'s who have made their mark on the Jamaican music industry by producing tracks and albums for some of the island's top vocalists like Elephant Man (who makes a guest appearance on this album) and Beenie Man, and creating some of the most popular rhythms in dancehall. After working behind the scenes for years the group has finally pooled their engineering and producing prowess to put together 22 tracks of insane dancehall. Along with being consistently top notch in the production department throughout, the vocals on "Mentally Disturbed" are a case study in how to sing dancehall right.... in the humble opinion of AQ's dancehall heads. For the most part the lyrics are grumbled, not sung, in gruff voice -- almost forced into a lower octave than the singer's range -- and the lyrics themselves are long winded, stream of conscious like rants. This stuff is crazy. Relentless repeated rhythms hammer away while the vocalists growl about sushi and Kurt Cobain and 'Hoochieland' and assorted other weirdness. Catchy and funky and funny and if you have a boomin' system in your ride this is way more suitable for window rattling than whatever Miami Bass or MTV flavor of the moment you happen to be listening to. The hip hop vibe is definitely present, in some of the beats, and some of the toasting is definitely practically rapping, but this is dancehall through and through. Byram and Andee have been listening to this non stop for a week now. No higher recommendation than that (well, at least until Allan starts playing it, taking up otherwise valuable Slough Feg listening time!).
*** By doing an Exact Keyword Search on the Aquarius website for "hip hop remix" (without quotes) you'll see a list of all such 7" singles we've stocked and cataloged to date with the rhythms that they use.
RealAudio clip: "Da Pum (Brain Damage)"
RealAudio clip: "President Hoochie Land"
RealAudio clip: "The Illness"

WARD 21 Mentally Disturbed (Greensleeves) 2lp 16.98
At last we've got our paws on a dancehall album that we can recommend from start to finish. Jamaica's highly fertile music scene still seems geared towards the single and the majority of dancehall that we've been excited about in the past has been in the form of 7"s, which rules out the majority of the music buying public here (who apparently no longer even own record players tsk, tsk). What's more, those singles that we've been most enthused about are not even the original mixes, but "hip hop" remixes in which dancehall a cappellas are mixed in with the current Timbaland hits or other popular hip hop track*. But like we said, here is a dancehall record with practically NO DUDS (and it's available on cd for you folks with no record player).
Ward 21 is unlike most of the dancehall acts coming out of Jamaica in that they are a group and not an individual. Apprenticing under the legendary King Jammy, the group exists as a collection of four producers -and- d.j.'s who have made their mark on the Jamaican music industry by producing tracks and albums for some of the island's top vocalists like Elephant Man (who makes a guest appearance on this album) and Beenie Man, and creating some of the most popular rhythms in dancehall. After working behind the scenes for years the group has finally pooled their engineering and producing prowess to put together 22 tracks of insane dancehall. Along with being consistently top notch in the production department throughout, the vocals on "Mentally Disturbed" are a case study in how to sing dancehall right.... in the humble opinion of AQ's dancehall heads. For the most part the lyrics are grumbled, not sung, in gruff voice -- almost forced into a lower octave than the singer's range -- and the lyrics themselves are long winded, stream of conscious like rants. This stuff is crazy. Relentless repeated rhythms hammer away while the vocalists growl about sushi and Kurt Cobain and 'Hoochieland' and assorted other weirdness. Catchy and funky and funny and if you have a boomin' system in your ride this is way more suitable for window rattling than whatever Miami Bass or MTV flavor of the moment you happen to be listening to. The hip hop vibe is definitely present, in some of the beats, and some of the toasting is definitely practically rapping, but this is dancehall through and through. Byram and Andee have been listening to this non stop for a week now. No higher recommendation than that (well, at least until Allan starts playing it, taking up otherwise valuable Slough Feg listening time!).
*** By doing an Exact Keyword Search on the Aquarius website for "hip hop remix" (without quotes) you'll see a list of all such 7" singles we've stocked and cataloged to date with the rhythms that they use.

WARD 21 U Know How We Roll (Greensleeves) cd 15.98
They're back! Aquarius' favorite nut-ball dancehall crew Ward 21 return with another great album. The producer crew (studying under King Jammy) turned, err... don't know how you'd call it... "dancehall group"(?) pretty much took us by storm with their first full length release way back at the beginning of 2001. Their fusion of hip hop and hardcore dancehall was seamless, and their production values kick ass, so you can imagine how excited we were to find out they'd just released a new record. And it seems like the hip hop world is starting to take notice to their talents as well. They were not only interviewed in the most recent issue of Murder Dog, but grace the cover as well. So it was a bit of a shock to read that they still see themselves intimitely connected to hip hop, 'cos they have moved their production back to a more strictly dancehall sound. But fear not fans of Mentally Disturbed, their newest release is equally great, if not even more rock solid. While their rhythms are indeed like old school dancehall, they're tweaked to the highest intensity by the crew. What may sound tinny and crippled in more incapable hands, sounds heavy and pummeling in theirs. For one thing, they just can't go wrong with that fucking backwards bass line they always use, the one that goes WoooOOOp WoooOOOp and feels like someone beating you silly with a monster truck inner-tube filled with glue. Then there's their vocals: the deep baritone murmuring paired up with the tenor mile-a-minute motormouth. You just can't go wrong. But what probably gives them such a great overall album batting average is due to the fact that they never attempt the faux-soul slow jam crap that destroys so many dancehall albums. Along with 19 new tracks, there's the awesome "Petrol" cut which we creamed over this last summer in our Nice Up The Dance: Two Worlds Collide review. Highly recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Petrol"
MPEG Stream: "Nah Climb"
MPEG Stream: "Badda Than Dat"

WARD 21 U Know How We Roll (Greensleeves) 2lp 16.98
They're back! Aquarius' favorite nut-ball dancehall crew Ward 21 return with another great album. The producer crew (studying under King Jammy) turned, err... don't know how you'd call it... "dancehall group"(?) pretty much took us by storm with their first full length release way back at the beginning of 2001. Their fusion of hip hop and hardcore dancehall was seamless, and their production values kick ass, so you can imagine how excited we were to find out they'd just released a new record. And it seems like the hip hop world is starting to take notice to their talents as well. They were not only interviewed in the most recent issue of Murder Dog, but grace the cover as well. So it was a bit of a shock to read that they still see themselves intimitely connected to hip hop, 'cos they have moved their production back to a more strictly dancehall sound. But fear not fans of Mentally Disturbed, their newest release is equally great, if not even more rock solid. While their rhythms are indeed like old school dancehall, they're tweaked to the highest intensity by the crew. What may sound tinny and crippled in more incapable hands, sounds heavy and pummeling in theirs. For one thing, they just can't go wrong with that fucking backwards bass line they always use, the one that goes WoooOOOp WoooOOOp and feels like someone beating you silly with a monster truck inner-tube filled with glue. Then there's their vocals: the deep baritone murmuring paired up with the tenor mile-a-minute motormouth. You just can't go wrong. But what probably gives them such a great overall album batting average is due to the fact that they never attempt the faux-soul slow jam crap that destroys so many dancehall albums. Along with 19 new tracks, there's the awesome "Petrol" cut which we creamed over this last summer in our Nice Up The Dance: Two Worlds Collide review. Highly recommended!

WARD, M. Duet For Guitars #2 (Ow Om) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Joining M. Ward's latest album Transfiguration Of Vincent on the AQ shelves is an earlier, more obscure release of his. This wonderful album actually predates his 'debut' full length End Of Amnesia from a couple years ago which we loved so well. Duet For Guitars #2 was recorded in 1997, but not released until 2000 on Howe Gelb's label... quite the perfect place for it to be! Seems Mr. Gelb was absolutely overcome by Ward's music, and chose it to be the first non-Giant Sand release on his label. Perhaps, it'll have the same effect on you! If you like the somber, gruff deep voiced Americana beauty of Gelb's band Giant Sand or that of Tom Waits, M. Ward is definitely not to be missed. Nevertheless, we'd recommend starting with the abovementioned sophomore full length first though.

WARD, M. Duet For Guitars #2 (Merge) cd 12.98
Some releases go in and out of print with remarkable and frustrating frequency. Such was the case with the early M. Ward album Duet For Guitars #2. It was first released in 1999 by Co-Dependent Records. Then Howe Gelb took a shine to it and re-released it on his own Ow Om label in 2000. 'Twas quite the perfect place for it to be! Seems Mr. Gelb was absolutely overcome by Ward's music, and chose Duets For Guitars #2 to be the first non-Giant Sand release on his label. Perhaps, it'll have the same effect on you!
Now pretty much a decade since it was originally recorded, Mr. Ward has settled into the comfy label home of Merge Records. This early album is getting its re-re-release into a stable environment to an eager, adoring and ever-growing legion of fans.
To get y'all caught up... yes, this wonderful album actually predated M. Ward's 2001 'debut' full length End Of Amnesia which we loved so much. Duet For Guitars #2 was a set of instrumentals and vocal numbers which he recorded back in 1997. If you like the somber, gruff deep voiced Americana beauty of Gelb's band Giant Sand or that of Tom Waits, Neil Young or Bob Dylan even, well then, M. Ward is definitely not to be missed.
MPEG Stream: "Duet For Guitars #2"
MPEG Stream: "Beautiful Car"

WARD, M. End of Amnesia (Future Farmer) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Talented Portlander M. Ward croons in a hoarse whisper over hushed acoustic guitar, slide guitar (giving the music an eerie Court & Spark-style twang), cracklings, shaken bells, and piano. The fingerpicked guitar is pretty impressive, god this guy must practice a lot. It's all sort of *barely there* in the exact same way that the music of Howe Gelb / Giant Sand / Fuck / Sparklehorse is -- natural and effortless, as if it's the true unhurried expression of someone who was meant to do this. And Howe Gelb of Giant Sand likes Ward's music so much he wrote a poem about him:
"Theres a young feller up Portland way,
who managed to wrangle some display
Of a juxtaposition of songs in a pseudo-stunning way
So inclined then was I, to help flip this heap up
So others might lap that toss
and have some brand new tasty pup."
RealAudio clip: "From a Pirate Radio Sermon, 1989"
RealAudio clip: "Carolina"

WARD, M. Post-War (Merge) cd 13.98
Always such a welcome sight and sound! On the opening song, M. Ward comes drifting back on his somber raft of haunting, heavy-hearted Americana. Post-War is his much anticipated follow-up to his excellent album Transistor Radio. Ward picks right up where he left off and even rollicks things up a bit. There's an increased sense of both immediacy and intimacy to these recordings. His mood, atmosphere and energy meters are all set to 'full'. The album slips in comfortably right between My Morning Jacket's At Dawn album and Sparklehorse's Good Morning Spider. Listening to all three in a row is a supreme pleasure. Don't believe us? Try it for your yourself! Adding a nice surprise touch, Neko Case slips in to add some unmistakable backing vocals to his great cover of Daniel Johnston's "To Go Home". Ah Mr. Ward, you just get better and better and better.
MPEG Stream: "Poison Cup"
MPEG Stream: "Chinese Translation"
MPEG Stream: "To Go Home"

WARD, M. Post-War (Merge) lp 14.98
Also on vinyl. Between this new album from M. Ward and those from Jason Molina and Lambchop, whoa, this is quite the week for country rock excellence!
Always such a welcome sight and sound! On the opening song, M. Ward comes drifting back on his somber raft of haunting, heavy-hearted Americana. Post-War is his much anticipated follow-up to his excellent album Transistor Radio. Ward picks right up where he left off and even rollicks things up a bit. There's an increased sense of both immediacy and intimacy to these recordings. His mood, atmosphere and energy meters are all set to 'full'. The album slips in comfortably right between My Morning Jacket's At Dawn album and Sparklehorse's Good Morning Spider. Listening to all three in a row is a supreme pleasure. Don't believe us? Try it for your yourself! Adding a nice surprise touch, Neko Case slips in to add some unmistakable backing vocals to his great cover of Daniel Johnston's "To Go Home". Ah Mr. Ward, you just get better and better and better.
MPEG Stream: "Poison Cup"
MPEG Stream: "Chinese Translation"
MPEG Stream: "To Go Home"