February 28, 2007


Scott Walker’s The Drift

Cooper Renner, writing of his adventures in Atlanta at the AWP conference, notes his purchase of Scott Walker’s The Drift — “a very odd record on first listen,” he observes.

To cut to the chase: The Drift is terrifying. Scott Walker exaggerates his legendary baritone to the point of grotesqueness. He croaks and croons passionlessly, floating wraith-like around his shadowy compositions. The songs groan and swell and collapse and awful, nightmarish noises spiral up through the blackness. Guitars flex slow and icy like skeletal fingers; the thundering, urgent drumming sounds like someone trying frantically to kick their way out of a coffin. It’s a kind of orchestral Grand Guignol, a full-on waking nightmare.

link

And not only that, on the cut “Clara”, a percussionist wallops a side of pork to suggest the sound of abuse visited on the corpses of Mussolini and his mistress.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering: I recommend The Drift.

posted by Sheila Ryan in music, observations 

comments

4 Responses to “Scott Walker’s The Drift”

  1. Cindy Scroggins on February 28th, 2007 at 3:56 pm

    “a percussionist wallops a side of pork to suggest the sound of abuse visited on the corpses of Mussolini and his mistress.”

    Gee, it sure sounds good.

  2. Sheila Ryan on February 28th, 2007 at 4:08 pm

    Oh, yeah, and I didn’t even mention the mustard-cornichon sauce.

    Okay, let’s make it a qualified recommendation. “Those who appreciate this sort of thing will appreciate . . . . “

  3. Cindy Scroggins on February 28th, 2007 at 4:11 pm

    But I was serious–sounds like my cup of tea. Just because I’m a vegetarian doesn’t mean I don’t understand the need to wallop some dead thing for effect.

  4. Sheila Ryan on February 28th, 2007 at 4:27 pm

    ” . . . the need to wallop some dead thing for effect” — I’m tempted to tattoo that on my forehead!