We're 30 years on from his debut, Scott (already reviewed) and it's safe to say Scott's teenage heartthrob days are behind him. This album (his first top 50 entry for over 25 years) led to him making a nervous appearance on BBC2's Later, to promote it with the final track Rosary. LINK
Farmer In The City opens with a dark, looming string section, under Walker's powerful yet vulnerable voice. It's a beautiful piece, of which I'll never tire, moving slowly and washing over the listener. The Cockfighter starts with a Walker drone, over background noise before his possessed voice takes over, and carry any melody, gently melting into a more orthodox ballad piece and arrangement, before the cowbell/bass drum combo take us back to where we started. Manhattan assaults the listener, with crashing percussion, organ and Walker at full pelt, but the shock value has, by now begun to wear off, and it doesn't carry the listener, as previous tracks have done. Similarly Face On Breast, gentler, but not memorable.
Bolivia '95 has a bare arrangement, allowing the full depth of Walker's voice through, while Patriot is a powerful, sad ballad, which is absolutely trademark Walker, meandering in the middle of its eight minutes.
As we approach the climax, we get the title track, Tilt, another powerful Walker song, with traditional pop accompaniment, yet definitely not a traditional pop song! Finally, Rosary, just Walker and his guitar, three minutes of sheer beauty.
It's a great album, despite that dip in the middle. Something so different from everything else in the mid 1990s.
4* - an album which is, in parts, stunningly beautiful.
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