"He arrives from a place with a face of fast sun. Arrives from a space, his refuge overrun."
An oft-overlooked gem in Scott Walker's oeuvre, Climate of Hunter, a difficult and sumptuous paradox of a listening experience, is, in many ways, an extension of where Walker was heading with his shockingly groundbreaking work on the final Walker Brothers re-union album, Nite Flights. Lyrically, Walker has left behind the Brel-influenced existential flâneur narratives of his early solo albums, entering instead a more abstract realm that would give the album a sheen of artistic impenetrability if it wasn't for that familiar, burnished (yet now slightly unhinged) baritone. Musically Climate of Hunter is a strange and heady mix of classical arrangements, Prog-Rock excess, Post-Punk atmospherics, and synth-pop bloat, and yes, it sounds as strange as it reads. This was to be Walker's last album until his unanticipated experimental masterpiece Tilt 12 years later, but the groundwork for his ongoing deconstruction of the relationship between melody and lyric has its roots in this underrated project.
Climate of Hunter (2006 Remastered Edition)
1. Rawhide (3:56)
2. Dealer (5:12)
3. Track Three (3:46)
4. Sleepwalkers Woman (4:11)
5. Track 5 (3:36)
6. Track 6 (3:10)
7. Track 7 (3:43)
8. Blanket Roll Blues (3:10)
My God - you can hear the link with David Sylvian. I finally understand why Scott was such a major inspiration / influence for him. Sleepwalkers Woman being one excellent example.
ReplyDeleteWonderful orchestrations, as well.
Thanks!
Hi anon. thanks for being the first person to comment on this album; I was surprised no one has had anything to say about it. I totally agree with your David Sylvian connection. Many people dislike "Climate of Hunter," but I think its quite underrated, thanks again!
ReplyDeleteAnother connection: Sea Change by Beck. A number of people commented on the Scott Walker influence when it was first released - something that didn't register with me. Seems fairly obvious now.
ReplyDeleteyes, very interesting connection. For the next Walker post (#10), I'm putting together a great Jacques Brel post comprrised of 2 albums that makes it clear where Walker, Bowie and others found inspiration. It's quite fascinating stuff
ReplyDeleteThis got a remarkable amount of airplay on 96fm, the horribly mainstream FM rock station in Perth, Western Australia, when it was released. Someone there *really* liked "Track Three".
ReplyDeleteAnon. here in the States, it has probably still never been played over the airwaves (I'm exaggerating only a little)
ReplyDeleteI would say that this is My fav Scott lp. I first heard about it when Scott was interviewed on "The Tube" - pop show from the 80's. Being born in 68' and raised on BBC radio, I loved The Walker Bros and knew who Scott was and had heard some of Scott's solo work. Being just a kid with no money I did'nt buy a copy until 3 years after it was released in one of those clearout sales. I still have the cassatte and have since then got on LP and CD. At the time I remember thinking "This is strange". I want to live abroad for à year and I took it with me and started to really listen. I really did'nt understand it at all but I was really getting into it - the sound of it and the words cast a strong spell. Of course Scott's voice is amazing and was at one of it's peaks which also drew me in. While working in 1990/1991 I can across an article in Hot Press magazine which covered Scott's career from "Take it Easy" to "Scott 4" written by Joe Jackson and suddenly I could put COH into context even if I was not to hear those records for another year as I only had the "Boychild" comp. I traced down those records and of course I was amazed, but yet COH is the record I love the most. It really is "Scott 5" and it is only recently that it has recieved the aclaim that it deserves, in the same way that it wasn't until the mid 90's that "Scott 4" got it's due. I have my own views about what it's about, but long story short it's about Scott finding his way back after the '70's - a rebirth if you will. Without it "Tilt", "The Drift" and "Bish Bosch" might not have happened. Scott you are one of the greats.
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