Nite Flights

Artist: The Walker Brothers Label: Sony Category: Music Average customer rating: Format: Import Media: Audio CD Number Of Discs: 1 EAN: 5099748443823 ASIN: B00000841D Release Date: 2002-08-19

Nite Flights

Tracks:

1. Shut Out
2. Fat Mama Kick
3. Nite Flights
4. Electrician
5. Death of Romance
6. Den Haague
7. Rhythms of Vision
8. Child of Flames
9. Disciples of Death
10. Fury and the Fire

Similar Items:

1. Climate of Hunter
2. Scott 4
3. Scott 2

Album Description

Customer Reviews:

Electric.......2002-05-29

Baby it's slow...The Walkers' last recording intrigues.........2000-07-23

The final album in the reformed WALKER BROTHERS tenure was quitely unleashed in 1978 under the title of "Night Flites", and was quickly forgotten. Unlike it's two predecessors though (which whilst enjoyable were certainly not Scott Walker at his most prolific), "Nite Flites" began the transition for Scott which saw him completely leave behind the Scott Walker of the Sixties, particularly the persona from the the first three WALKER BROTHERS albums. The fact that Scott always seemed to hate having to deal with the fame of being a "pop star" made this progression inevitable, and the often touted inaccessability of his self-penned material on his two solo albums after "Nite Flites" (on 1983's "Climate Of Hunter" and 1995's "Tilt"), actually can be heard unexpectedly on this, THE WALKER BROTHERS final album.

Viewing "Nite Flites" as a whole, I would only rate the album with 3 stars, as the only tracks of real note are the first 4 out of a total of 10. These four stand-out tracks are the only ones written and sang by Scott, and it certainly shows. Whilst the 70's disco influence threatens to invade both tracks 1 and 3 ("Shutout" and "Nite Flites" respectively), they are nevertheless brimming with cutting lyrics which seem to float around, trying desperately to interlink with each other whilst fighting to find a deeper meaning. Both songs are backed by a rock/pop beat, and yet like so many of Walker's output, hide a much darker and deeper tone than at first may be apparent.

If these two songs would have lovers of only the more commercial pop style of the sixties WALKER BROTHERS confused and disillusioned, then tracks 2 and 4 would have them turning off their stereos in sheer disgust! For "Fat Mama Kick" and "The Electrician" really do push THE WALKER BROTHERS further than they were actually equipped to go. By that, I mean simply that they are purely the mind of Scott Walker - personal, complex songs that relate to drug use and are admittedly difficult for the average listener to fully comprehend. John Walker and Gary Leeds simply have no function in this arena, and it was inevitable that this had to be the last album for the group.

The remainder of the album are lacklustre affairs written and performed by John and Gary, with Scott assisting on backing vocals and playing the occasional keyboard or guitar. Granted, none of them are particularly dreadful, and the disco drenched album closer "Child oF Flames" is a lot of fun, but when you realise that whilst listening to the lyrics that both John and Gary are almost trying to compete with Scott's unique, poetic style of writing, the whole affair becomes almost laughable. Neither Gary or John have the expressive voice to carry off even "second-rate" Scott Walker style songs, so allowing them to perform and write the last six songs is all too foolhardy, and has you believing that the entire album is pretty average.

"Nite Flites" is certainly not just average fodder however. For the first four tracks it has the listener spellbound as they try to comprehend what dark journey Scott is asking them to follow (and believe me you get something new out the songs every time you listen to them, as if unravelling some chinese puzzle). The remainding Leeds/J Walker compositions do seem out of place though, and make you realise that the time had come for Scott to break up the band once again, and thereafter embark on his remarkable masterpieces that are "Climate of Hunter" and "Tilt".

Within THE WALKER BRORTHERS cannon then, "Nite Flites" does stand alone. It's like nothing else the band ever recorded, and whilst doesn't rank with either "Take It Easy...", "Potrait" or "Images" (the sixties albums), is still well worth purchasing, if only for the first four tracks!

Music Album:

1. Caroline Now!: The Songs of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys ~ Various Artists
2. Songs of Love and Death ~ Emm Gryner
3. The Essential Blues Brothers ~ The Blues Brothers
4. Love Songs ~ Toto
5. Sweet and Innocent? Loud and Dirty ~ Mad Sin
6. Ultralust ~ Ultralust
7. Tinta Y Papel ~ Javier Mendoza
8. The Ballads ~ REO Speedwagon
9. Bleeding Light ~ Aarktica
10. Something Big ~ The Mick Fleetwood Band

Music Album

Music Album

Music CD

Chilled & Remixed ~ Clark Terry

Common Ground ~ Barry Danielian

Organ-Izing ~ Doug MacDonald

Matador of 1st & 1st ~ Oliver Lake

Not ~ Michel Doneda, Eric M, Jean Marc Montera

The Razor's Edge ~ Dave Holland Quintet

Debussy E Faure Encontram Milt ~ Wagner Tiso

Soul Reason ~ Jeff Pescetto

Special Best ~ Sachiko Kobayashi

Festival in Rio ~ Various Artists