The Drift

Last updated
The Drift
Scott Walker - The Drift.jpg
Studio album by
Released8 May 2006 (2006-05-08)
RecordedJune 2004 – November 2005
StudioMetropolis Studios, Chiswick, London, and AIR Studios, Hampstead, London
Genre
Length68:48
Label 4AD
Producer Scott Walker, Peter Walsh
Scott Walker chronology
5 Easy Pieces
(2003)
The Drift
(2006)
And Who Shall Go to the Ball? And What Shall Go to the Ball?
(2007)

The Drift is the thirteenth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Scott Walker, released on 8 May 2006 on 4AD. Apart from composing the soundtrack to the film Pola X , the album was Walker's first studio album in eleven years and only his third studio album since the final disbanding of The Walker Brothers in 1978. Walker composed the songs for the album slowly over the decade after the release of 1995's Tilt , [4] beginning with "Cue" (the longest song to complete), up until the album's recording. An early version of "Psoriatic" was premiered at the Meltdown festival on 17 June 2000 under the title "Thimble Rigging".

Contents

The album was recorded over a period of 17 months at Metropolis Studios in Chiswick, London, with orchestra recorded in one day at George Martin's AIR Studios in Hampstead, London. Receiving positive reviews from critics before its release, the album was released as an LP and CD in May 2006. The artwork for the album was designed by Vaughan Oliver at v23 with assistance from Chris Bigg and photography by Marc Atkins.

Overview

Walker's first album composed entirely of new material since 1995's Tilt , The Drift forms the second installment of what Walker later called "kind of a trilogy" that concluded with 2012's Bish Bosch. [5] [6] In the years between Tilt and The Drift, Walker's released output comprised a few instrumental tracks on the soundtrack to the film Pola X , a cover of Bob Dylan's "I Threw It All Away" on the To Have and to Hold soundtrack, and "Only Myself to Blame" from The World Is Not Enough soundtrack, as well as a few compilations of previously released material, including the retrospective box set 5 Easy Pieces .

The Drift has been cited by many critics and fans alike as a disturbing and complex album that departs from Scott Walker's previous albums while still remaining true to his experimental roots. French singer Vanessa Contenay-Quinones appears as the voice of Clara Petacci on "Clara".

The sound and subject matter for the album is unrelentingly dark and unsettling, often juxtaposing quiet sections with sudden loud noise to induce discomfort in the listener. Subjects include torture, disease, 9/11, Elvis Presley and his stillborn twin brother Jesse Garon Presley, the death and subsequent public hanging of Benito Mussolini and his mistress Clara Petacci, and the Srebrenica massacre. [7] [8]

In a bonus interview for the documentary Scott Walker: 30 Century Man Walker states the album has commonalities with conceptual art as well as poetry. [9]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 85/100 [10]
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [11]
Alternative Press 5/5 [12]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [13]
The Independent Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [14]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [15]
musicOMH Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [16]
The Observer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [17]
Pitchfork Media 9.0/10 [18]
PlayLouder Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [19]
The Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [20]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Scott Walker, except "Psoriatic" (Scott Walker/Bob Carleton)

No.TitleLength
1."Cossacks Are"4:32
2."Clara"12:43
3."Jesse"6:28
4."Jolson and Jones"7:45
5."Cue"10:27
6."Hand Me Ups"5:49
7."Buzzers"6:39
8."Psoriatic"5:51
9."The Escape"5:18
10."A Lover Loves"3:11

Personnel

Session 1Violin IViolin IICelloBass
Janice Graham
Paul Willey
Steve Morris
Simon Smith
Alistair Blayden
Nick Roberts
Neil Tarlton
Chris West
Julian Tear
Ofer Falk
Deborah Widdup
Alison Kelly
Jane Fenton
Andrew Fuller
Matthew Corman
Clare Tyack
Sophie Barber
Ben Buckton
Clive Dobbins
Amanda Smith
John Tunnell
Tamsy Kaner
Roger Linley
Diane Clark
Clare Hoffman
Elizabeth Wexler
Ulrike Kipp
Jo Godden
Judith Herbert
Jackie Phillips
Karen Leishman
Matthew Scrivener
Ruth Funnell
Sue Briscoe
Robert Max
Roberto Sorrentino
Session 2Violin IViolin IICelloBass
Michael Davis
Paul Willey
Steve Morris
Simon Smith
Alistair Blayden
Nick Roberts
Neil Tarlton
Chris West
Julian Tear
Ofer Falk
Deborah Widdup
Alison Kelly
Jane Fenton
Andrew Fuller
Matthew Corman
Clare Tyack
Sophie Barber
Ben Buckton
Clive Dobbins
Amanda Smith
John Tunnell
Tamsy Kaner
Roger Linley
Diane Clark
Clare Hoffman
Elizabeth Wexler
Ulrike Kipp
Jo Godden
Judith Herbert
Jackie Phillips
Ralph De Souza
Robert Salter
Charles Sewart
Celia Sheen
Jonathan Williams
Joely Koos

Production

Release history

RegionDateLabelFormatCatalogue
United Kingdom8 May 2006 4AD 2×LPCAD 2603
CDCAD 2603 CD
United States6 June 20064ADCD
Japan24 June 2006HostessCDHSE-20015

Charts

ChartPosition
Belgian Albums Chart [21] 49
German Albums Chart [22] 97
Irish Albums Chart 80
UK Albums Chart [23] 51

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References

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