Thunderdome: Tilt vs. The Drift vs. Bish Bosch

[goatlord]

This two albums are pinnacles of music-making, and both are fucking scary and depressive, but if someone put a gun to my head and asked me what album I like the best I'd say Tilt. The Drift is a bigger archievement, because it has almost no resemblance to normal music or rock, but it's kind of a hard album to get through. The atmosphere it creates is so incredibly dark that, when I try to hear it, I have to take some pauses.

Tilt is also depressive and scary, but it has some momments of beauty here and there, and also has my favourite Scott Walker song, Farmer in the City. And I like the lyrics and the world it creates a little bit more, but just barely, both are amazing works of art.

[Mama Clortho]

Yeah, I prefer Tilt for the reasons you stated. The Drift is obviously great. A masterpiece, probably. It's just so "down there" and impenetrable.


I used to listen to Farmer in the City obsessively when I just began to lose my mind. Good song for it.

[llllllllllllllllllllllll]

Farmer In The City is my favorite Scott Walker song as well. Can't vote as I haven't spent that much time with Drift. Although, I really love the guitar playing in Cossacks Are--- any body know who that is? As far as I remember there are a few guitar players listed in credits.

[DregsInTheCrowd]

This is a really good thunderdome.

Tilt is an excellent album. But The Drift is almost more than an album. A couple film critic friends of mine once called The Drift one of the best movies of the last decade. I think it was an astute observation - that's exactly what it is, a movie for your ears. I love both albums, but The Drift hits me where I live. Not many albums truly frighten me.

[Robert G]

I've yet to listen to Tilt. Shame that it isn't in print still. I'd buy it in a heart beat. No vote until then.

[DregsInTheCrowd]

I've yet to listen to Tilt. Shame that it isn't in print still. I'd buy it in a heart beat. No vote until then.

Well then you're in luck, because Tilt is totally not out of print. You can buy new vinyl on Drag City's website for $14. Do that now!

[Antero]

The Drift is a bigger archievement, because it has almost no resemblance to normal music or rock, but it's kind of a hard album to get through. The atmosphere it creates is so incredibly dark that, when I try to hear it, I have to take some pauses.

This is why The Drift is better. I think I have mentioned this before, but "Jesse" gave me an actual panic attack.

[goatlord]

The Drift is a bigger archievement, because it has almost no resemblance to normal music or rock, but it's kind of a hard album to get through. The atmosphere it creates is so incredibly dark that, when I try to hear it, I have to take some pauses.

This is why The Drift is better. I think I have mentioned this before, but "Jesse" gave me an actual panic attack.

Wow, that sounds intense.

[washwhatyoueat]

Tilt, but only by hair. May well be my favorite album of all time.

Also, no Donald Duck voice on Tilt...

[Jodi S.]

A couple film critic friends of mine once called The Drift one of the best movies of the last decade. I think it was an astute observation - that's exactly what it is, a movie for your ears.

I wish more people would make records like this.

I hope Scott has another one or two left in him.

[tarandfeathers]

Am I the only one that finds The Drift humorous? It seems like there are deliberate jokes throughout the record, I think it would have been a lot of fun to make. It is bleak but I think it's kind of comic as well. Not really familiar enough with Tilt, always mean to order it from DC and never get round to it for some reason so I'll leave the vote for now. But I don't think The Drift is that tough to get through...

[Robert G]

A couple film critic friends of mine once called The Drift one of the best movies of the last decade. I think it was an astute observation - that's exactly what it is, a movie for your ears.

I wish more people would make records like this.

I hope Scott has another one or two left in him.

According to 4AD's website, he is recording one as of last year.

http://4ad.com/artists/scottwalker

[Brett Eugene Ralph]

I have yet to hear either of these records, having only gotten into Walker's music in the past few years and having done so pretty much chronologically. As I'm generally a fan of really dark records (Berlin, Tonight's the Night, Big Star's third album), I expect to get a lot out of these records. Until then, I must abstain.

[japmn]

Well, I've never heard of Tokyo Tilting.

[a leg plaster]

Thank you guys for pointing out these album's existence. I may have not heard them otherwise.

[Domagoj]

Not quite my terrain but … I was touched by both.

Oh. I was obsessing over "Farmer in the City" for days upon listening to Tilt for the first time. Monodrama in my head. I would repeatedly mishear line 'Can't go by a man in that shirt…' and interpret it as 'Catcall by a man …'. Ah.

I can't make up my mind at the moment. It seems it will be raining over the weekend...

[Isabelle Gall]

I think the thread would benefit from an option for Climate of Hunter.

[DregsInTheCrowd]

I think the thread would benefit from an option for Climate of Hunter.

Would it? I really like Climate of Hunter, but it seems like a dry run of what came later. About half of it is really really great, the rest seems kind of tentative. But I might be alone on that.

[Maurice]

The Drift is a bigger archievement, because it has almost no resemblance to normal music or rock, but it's kind of a hard album to get through. The atmosphere it creates is so incredibly dark that, when I try to hear it, I have to take some pauses.

This is why The Drift is better. I think I have mentioned this before, but "Jesse" gave me an actual panic attack.

I think I have to vote The Drift for that reason--because it gave you a panic attack...wait, no--it's because it builds its own vocabulary, and doesn't rely on genre cues or reflexes. And it's very darkly funny.

[Domagoj]

I need to hear Climate of Hunter & perhaps his best work from the 1970s.