Nite Flights (album)

Nite Flights is the sixth and last studio album by the American pop group The Walker Brothers, released in July 1978. Unlike their previous two albums which consisted almost entirely of cover versions, each member of the group wrote songs for Nite Flights; two by Gary Walker with Scott Walker and John Walker each contributing four. "The Electrician" was released as a single from the album. The four Scott-penned tracks were released on that year's Shutout EP.

Nite Flights
Studio album by The Walker Brothers
Released	July 1978
Recorded	February 1978
Studio	Scorpio Sound, London, England
Genre	Art pop, new wave, avant-pop
Label	GTO
Producer	Scott Walker Dave MacRae
The Walker Brothers chronology
Lines (1976) Nite Flights (1978) No Regrets – The Best of Scott Walker and The Walker Brothers 1965–1976 (1992)
Scott Walker chronology
Lines (1976) Nite Flights (1978) Climate of Hunter (1984)
Singles from Nite Flights
"The Electrician" Released: July 1978

Recording

The album was recorded in February 1978 in the UK at Scorpio Sound, London, England.

Content

Nite Flights was the last album the trio recorded as a group, although the structure of the album, effectively split into three sections in which each member writes and sings, has led to both critics and band members describing it as more akin to three miniature solo albums than a true group album.

The album is most notable for the first four songs, all written and sung by Scott Walker—his first original material since his 1970 solo album 'Til the Band Comes In, all of them notably darker in tone than the rest of the album, indicating the direction in which his later solo work would head.

The artwork was designed by Hipgnosis.

Release

Nite Flights was released in July 1978, through record label GTO. "The Electrician" was released as a single backed with "Den Haague", but did not chart. Scott Walker's four songs were also released as Shutout E.P. in 1978, under the Walker Brothers name.

Nite Flights was long out of print until the mid-1990s when it was re-released as a budget CD. In 2001, two outtakes from the Nite Flights sessions surfaced on the compilation album If You Could Hear Me Now. "The Ballad" written by John Walker is a complete song, the second outtake, "Tokyo Rimshot" is an unfinished instrumental written by Scott Walker.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Trouser Press	favorable[1]

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Dave Thompson wrote, "Every once in a while, an album comes along that doesn't simply surprise you, it takes you down an alleyway, rips off all your clothes, then hares away with your socks on its head, singing selections from South Pacific."[2]

Midge Ure claimed that "The Electrician" inspired him to write Ultravox's "Vienna".[2]

Track listing

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Shutout"	Scott Engel	2:46
2.	"Fat Mama Kick"	Scott Engel	2:57
3.	"Nite Flights"	Scott Engel	4:25
4.	"The Electrician"	Scott Engel	6:10
5.	"Death of Romance"	Gary Leeds	3:44

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
6.	"Den Haague"	Gary Leeds	4:03
7.	"Rhythms of Vision"	John Maus	2:55
8.	"Disciples of Death"	John Maus	3:49
9.	"Fury and the Fire"	John Maus	3:58
10.	"Child of Flames"	John Maus	3:14

Personnel

The Walker Brothers Scott Walker – vocals, bass, keyboards, production, mixing, sleeve design, photography Gary Leeds – vocals, percussion, sleeve design, photography John Walker – vocals, sleeve design, photography Additional personnel Ronnie Ross – soprano saxophone Alan Skidmore – tenor saxophone Chris Mercer – saxophone Jim Sullivan – rhythm guitar Les Davidson – guitar Frank Gibson, Jr. – drums Peter Van Hooke – drums Mo Foster – bass Dill Katz – bass Dave MacRae – keyboards, orchestrations and conducting, production, mixing Morris Pert – percussion Joy Yates and Katie Kissoon – vocal backing Dennis Weinreich – background vocals, mixing, recording Steve Parker – assistant engineering Hipgnosis – sleeve design, photography

Personnel by track 1. "Shutout" John and Scott Walker – vocals Les Davidson – guitar solo Jim Sullivan – rhythm guitar Peter Van Hooke – drums Mo Foster – bass 2. "Fat Mama Kick" John and Scott Walker – vocals Alan Skidmore – tenor sax solo Jim Sullivan – rhythm guitar Dave MacRae – keyboards Frank Gibson – drums Mo Foster – bass 3. "Nite Flights" John and Scott Walker – vocals Dave MacRae – keyboards Frank Gibson – drums Mo Foster and Scott Walker – bass 4. "The Electrician" John and Scott Walker – vocals Frank Gibson – drums Dill Katz – bass Morris Pert – percussion Jim Sullivan – guitar 5. "Death of Romance" Gary Leeds – vocals Ronnie Ross – soprano saxophone Les Davidson – guitar Frank Gibson – drums Mo Foster – bass Scott Walker – keyboards 6. "Den Haague" Gary Leeds – vocals Scott Walker and Dave MacRae – keyboards Peter Van Hooke – drums Mo Foster and Scott Walker – bass Gary Leeds – percussion Dennis Weinreich – background vocals 7. "Rhythms of Vision" John Walker – vocals Jim Sullivan – guitar Dave MacRae – keyboards Mo Foster – bass Frank Gibson – drums Morris Pert – percussion Joy Yates and Katie Kissoon – vocal backing 8. "Disciples of Death" John and Scott Walker – vocals Jim Sullivan – guitar Dave MacRae – keyboards Mo Foster – bass Peter Van Hooke – drums Joy Yates and Katie Kissoon – vocal backing 9. "Fury and the Fire" John and Scott Walker – vocals Jim Sullivan – guitar Dave MacRae – keyboards Mo Foster – bass Frank Gibson – drums 10. "Child of Flames" John and Scott Walker – vocals Jim Sullivan – guitar Dave MacRae – keyboards Mo Foster – bass Frank Gibson – drums Chris Mercer – sax solo Joy Yates and Katie Kissoon – vocal backing

Release details

Country	Date	Label	Format	Catalog
United Kingdom	1978	GTO Records	Vinyl	GTLP 033
	1996	Columbia Records	CD	484438 2
Netherlands	1978	GTO Records	Vinyl	2321 133

References

1. Neate, Wilson. "TrouserPress.com :: Scott Walker". TrouserPress.com. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
2. Dave Thompson. "The Walker Brothers Nite Flights". allmusic.com.

External links

• Nite Flights at Discogs (list of releases)