Artist: Scott Walker
Album: Scott 4
Year: 1969
How on Earth is this guy not a household name? Seriously. He is becoming my favorite male vocalist of all-time.
On Scott 2, Walker ripped through spirited renditions of Jacques Brel tunes and comfortable folk songs like Tim Hardin's "Black Sheep Boy." It's one of those albums that you'll know in the first 10 seconds whether it's for you or not. For me, it definitely clicked.
Scott 4 leaves the Brel covers behind, featuring only Walker originals. This is such a relaxed, assured album, full of tremendously memorable songs: "The Seventh Seal," the over-the-top "Get Behind Me," and "Boy Child" in particular are fantastic, but really, there's not a weak link here.
Apparently this album was a flop upon its release, with revisionist history smiling upon it many years later as it was revealed to be influential upon such artists as David Bowie and Nick Cave. Why it wasn't popular in the first place is a mystery to me. Great voice + great songs = masterpiece.
Rating: Indispensable
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