Scott Walker - Drift - Released May 2006

If you feel like taking a terrifying journey into the depths of depravity you could do worse than get hold of a copy of the new Scott Walker album - 'Drift'

Being a big fan of his already- having been harangued into listening by years of the idolatry Julain Cope shows him. I wasn't sure what to expect as I have never really been able to engage with 'Tilt' his last album( over 11 years ago)
That just seemed too oblique and distant to really enjoy

When listening to Drift - I have to say I quite enjoyed listening. Maybe enjoy isn't the right word though.
We are certainly not talking about an accessible record in ANY way at all.
With no real musical structure to speak of the album uses instrumentation ranging from atonal clangs and whirring through to the use of mike'd up slabs of meat ( I only know this as a clip of the filming was shown on the recent BBC culture show)

One song Clara has the most amazing mixture of duetting male/female voices lain over a cacophony of slaps and grunts.
This is then followed with a torrent of almost industrial sounding hollers and washes.

If there is one comparison to be made it is with the music of Diamanda Galas. She uses a similar palettte in much of her music but with much more intense and operatic vocals.
The Scott Walker baritone is used to great effect throughout the album. He uses his voice to mysterious and powerful effect as he delivers lyrics that to be quite frank may need a lifetime to fully understand!

A STUNNING and disturbing masterpiece!

The Captain has Left The Sinking Ship

The buyout - or should I say sell-out of the Body Shop to L'Oreal has rather strangely been a surprise to me.
I think I may have had my gullibility gene tweaked into action as I clung on to the idea that Anita Roddick would really not sell her last bottle of tea tree flavoured ethics up her beloved Amazon without a paddle.

How wrong I was!!!

Oh how she will enjoy the £160 million she is set to pocket - as well as staying on in an advisory capacity. I don't think her skills at diluting an ethical stance to please shareholders will really cut the mustard now the company is back in private hands.

It could be that L'Oreal will actually do a better job of guiding the company than she has managed over the last ten years.

We shall have to wait and see...

Let's hope Lush cosmetics don't jump ship and go the same way!

You must read Merricks superb article on the sellout