June 1, 2012 Playlist

WORT-FM's Summer Pledge Drive!
"Scott 3" by Scott Walker (1969)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Scott Walker  "Scott 3"  1969 (USA/UK)
Scott Walker (the governor of Wisconsin) is facing a recall election next week, so this week's cheeky CAOTW is a legendary recording by Scott Walker (the expatriate singer with the golden voice who is the ultimate 20th century example of a popular musician committing career suicide for ART!)  There seems to be a spirited debate among Scott fans as to which of his early "beatnik easy listening" solo albums is the best -- a lot of folks vote for Scott 4, but personally I'm torn between Scott 2 and Scott 3!  Though his most recent album (from 6 years ago) may be his greatest work yet: The Drift . . .
Here's an 11 minute overview of Scott's unique musical history from a BBC documentary, including an interview with the recluse himself.  Scott's only appearance on the American pop charts was a 1966 hit by The Walker Brothers, but it was one of the most dramatic pop songs of that entire decade: "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore".  Then Scott discovered the music of Jacques Brel and went in a more "dark" and "adult" direction as a solo artist -- here's Scott singing Brel for his first performance on TV as a solo artist in 1967, and the outrageous "Jackie", another Brel song that was one of Scott's biggest hits in Europe (American radio was not ready for a song with "stupid ass" in every chorus, and verses about "authentic queers and phony virgins"!)  Scott struggled in the music biz wilderness for most of the 1970's (doing MOR cover tunes and even country music?!), but by the early 1980's a cult was developing based on his mysterious 1960's work, and the industry gave him another shot -- he even made a music video for a song called "Track Three", which probably got aired on TV exactly once in Britain in 1984. Since then, he's continued to release sporadic art music (one album per decade, with odd collaborations and soundtrack work in between) and only come close to making one public performance in 1995 (the reason for the "dramatic lighting change" in this clip is trickery to make it seem as if Scott was actually performing for a live audience -- in fact he had been videotaped earlier performing to an empty room.)
(N) = New Release
Artist Song Album Year (label) Country
Big Brother & The Holding CompanyCoo Coo (live)
Live At The Carousel Ballroom 1968 (N)rec. 1968 (2012 Columbia Legacy)
USA
The Fall Age Of Chang Ersatz GB
2011UK
Ceremony
Community Service
Zoo (N)2012 (Matador)USA
Dr. John
Revolution
Locked Down (N)2012 (Nonesuch)USA
The Luck Of Eden Hall
RevolutionsButterfly Revolutions Vol. 2 (N)2011 (self release)USA
Pink Floyd
Arnold Layne
A-side 7" single (Relics compilation)
1967UK
 
  
Scott Walker
Rosemary
Scott 3
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1969
USA/UK
Oakland CA Musicians
Madison
Cheddar Revolution: Songs Of Uprising (N - various artists compilation)2012 (self release)USA
Scott Walker
If You Go Away (Jacques Brel)
Scott 3
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1969
USA/UK
Dirty Wings
Scott Walker, Motherfucker
Cheddar Revolution: Songs Of Uprising (N - various artists compilation)2012 (self release)USA
Scott Walker
Funeral Tango (Jacques Brel) Scott 3
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1969
USA/UK
Ifihadahifi
Imperial Walker
Cheddar Revolution: Songs Of Uprising (N - various artists compilation)2012 (self release)USA
Scott Walker
The World's Strongest Man
Scott 4
1969
USA/UK
 
  
Bobby ConnGovt
Macaroni (N)2012 (Fire)
USA
Neil Young Fork In The Road Fork In The Road2009Canada
Mark Lanegan BandQuiver Syndrome
Blues Funeral (N)2012 (4AD)USA
Icarus Himself
WI Via In
Career Culture (N)
2011 (Science of Sound)USA
Jack WhiteHip (Eponymous) Poor Boy
Blunderbuss (N)2012 (Third Man)USA
 
  
Nektar
Recognition / Let It Grow Remember The Future
1974
UK/Germany
Van der Graaf Generator
Lemmings (Including COG) Pawn Hearts
1971
UK
Utopia
Freak Parade Todd Rundgren's Utopia
1974USA
 
 
Pond
Sun And Sea And You
Beard, Wives, Denim (N)2012 (Modular)Australia
PontiakRoyal Colors
Echo Ono (N)2012 (Thrill Jockey)
USA
Guided By VoicesCyclone Utilities (Remember Your Birthday)
Let's Go Eat The Factory (N)2012 (GBV Inc.)
USA
Amps For Christ & WoodsFrom Oatmeal To Buttermilk
Amps For Christ / Woods (N - collaboration)2012 (Shrimper)
USA
George HarrisonAwaiting On You All (early version)
Early Takes Volume 1 (N)rec. 1970 (2012 Hip-O/Universal)
UK
Gonjasufi
Feedin' Birds
MU.ZZ.LE (N)2012 (Warp)USA
Black BananasRad Times
Rad Times Xpress IV (N)2012 (Drag City)
USA
Mercy Whip
Breathe
Mercy Whip EP (N)2012 (self release)USA

 
Jimi Hendrix Machine Gun (live at Isle of Wight) Soundtrack Recordings From The Film Jimi Hendrix
rec. 1970, rel. 1973
USA
The Monkees Zor And Zam The Birds The Bees & The Monkees
1968USA/UK
Sonic Youth Peace Attack Sonic Nurse
2004USA
Scott Walker
We Came Through
Scott 3
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1969
USA/UK
Alan Price Sell Sell Sell O Lucky Man! (original soundtrack)
1973UK
 
 
CribshitterPuppy Mills
Methlehem (N)2012 (Medicated G)
USA
                   
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