So, you wanna get into Scott Walker? Here is a short guide with one song from every relevant album. (1/12)

To begin we have the song Montague Terrace (In Blue). The only Walker original on his first self titled album. Bombastic, huge, melancholy and melodramatic with only a kiss from nightmare dreams. (2/12) https://open.spotify.com/track/0X7N5udP0MTvfsikLHfHrR?si=8Bq_Ew2USF2l1-rYrOgP4Q

Next we have a complete masterpiece. Plastic Palace People. Another Walker original. We are completely transported to his dreamlike artscape but not yet introduced to just how dark it is there. (3/12) https://open.spotify.com/track/3qR7j0Z0bT0uI7BADp79M9?si=04ur5tPAQTir5W-_PYrP5g

The opening violins to this track and this album evoke a hint of the dark and ugly hidden beneath the picturesque and welcoming. This juxtaposition becomes key to his style from here on. (4/12) https://open.spotify.com/track/1QtdHvQeFgSE7R7AuLPccZ?si=BIy4C0KsQfmsJVeat-k2Uw

The chord progressions, dynamics and mixing in this track still hit me like the first time I heard it. Boy Child may not be the most memorable track on Scott 4, but how much it hints at what’s coming with Tilt made it hard to pass up. (5/12) https://open.spotify.com/track/4GjXCrEcG59a6CG8PUowil?si=1WW62JmsRBSkrL8o41jA7A

So full disclosure this might be my favorite song of all time. I could write essays on it. I won’t. Just listen to it. (6/12) https://open.spotify.com/track/1xD44zf2m2Ww06kZFRmeEc?si=KtMye7czSG2liWRTNNB08g

The final solo album before late era full nightmare Walker, Climate of Hunter is such an amazing record and Dealer is what I would consider a perfect song. (7/12) https://open.spotify.com/track/3oayCW6w8wsgwUpEuWb4oJ?si=libeSWTqRLyg4ScJnZ3ntQ

TILT. Fucking TILT. What an utter masterpiece of outsider and dark art. I feel really weird taking any song out of the context of the album here so please listen to the whole thing. But take this as a hint of what’s coming (8/12) https://open.spotify.com/track/76ozWI4ZRcdagYTiJEzZ8o?si=R-wo-9PORiqYb9fKJDIYsw

The Drift, famous for using the slapping of a pig carcass as percussion. Continues the themes and ideas of Tilt developing on them in some ways, reiterating others. Once again hate taking songs out of context on this album but here is the closer (9/12) https://open.spotify.com/track/49JnYoYMhaOam7xR6eeypW?si=ttWYxtgBSc2zxjx3cyb8Bw

Bish Bosch is my favorite Scott Walker record. The final of a trilogy. To me this album perfected the sound of Tilt and The Drift. This track is as poppy as late era Walker gets and it’s a fucking nightmare waltz. (10/12) https://open.spotify.com/track/2NCnKCjIbTldSkI07O2TKa?si=07tkrycPTgOwGj6z3_Lydw

The final non-soundtrack album of Scott Walker was a collaboration with Sunn O))) but really it’s just a Scott Walker record and a great one at that. (11/12) https://open.spotify.com/track/0eqim4v900K7NwNQDpyL6S?si=V2XvQexUSmKGCDzM7Qh_tQ

Hope you enjoyed this downward spiral. Rest In Peace Scott one of the only musicians I’d without pause consider a genius. (12/12)