The Walkabouts: Death Valley Days 1977 + Drunken Sountracks 2002 (Lost Songs & Rarities 1985 - 2001)

 

Despite their background (punk), geography (Seattle), and label affiliation (Sub Pop), the Walkabouts were anything but a grunge band; dark, haunting, and elegiac, their work instead sprung forth from the storytelling traditions of American roots music and the kinetic excitement of rock & roll. The

Walkabouts were formed in 1984 by Chris Eckman and his brothers Curt and Grant, all of whom had previously played together in a number of punk-pop outfits, along with singer Carla Torgerson, a veteran of folk and street singing. The group's lineup proved fluid, although Chris Eckman and Torgerson remained the Walkabouts' driving forces; a later roster including bassist Michael Wells, multi-instrumentalist Glenn Slater, and drummer Terri Moeller did hang together for a number of years.
                                

The band drew inspiration from folk and country music, particularly Townes Van Zandt, Neil Young and Johnny Cash, but also from other types of artists and musical styles such as Scott Walker, Leonard

Cohen, French chanson and Jacques Brel. Their sound was typically rich, with string arrangements and keyboards in addition to the standard rock instruments. The Walkabouts achieved commercial success and a strong fanbase in Europe, where they had done promotion and extensive touring starting from the early 1990s. They occasionally even made it high on the record charts in countries such as Greece and Norway.
                       

Eckman and Torgerson have released albums as side projects under the name "Chris & Carla" and as

solo artists. Carla Torgerson has worked with Greek musician Akis Boyatzis and his band Sigmatropic on their album 16 Haiku & Other Stories (2001). Later Torgerson released a solo album Saint Stranger (2004) with help of Akis Boyatzis.
                             

Between 1996 and 2003, Chris Eckman worked with Norwegian band Midnight Choir and teamed with Al DeLoner of Midnight Choir in electronica-project called "Höst" for an album The Damage

Suite (2001). Also Eckman has worked with Willard Grant Conspiracy on the albums Regard the End (2003) and Let It Roll, as well as with The Bambi Molesters. Eckman is also a member of the trio Dirtmusic along with Chris Brokaw and Hugo Race and he has worked with the band Tamikrest from Mali. These two acts toured Europe as a double bill in the spring of 2010. Eckman has worked with Tosca on projects including the song "John Lee Huber", and with Rupert Huber of Tosca] on the album L/O/N/G.
                       

Terri Moeller has formed The Beltanes with Eric Alton, formerly of X-15, releasing one cassette EP,

entitled Love Punks (1990), and The Transmissionary Six with Paul Austin, formerly of Willard Grant Conspiracy. She released a solo CD under the pseudonym Terri Tarantula in 2010.
                           

THE WALKABOUTS - DEATH VALLEY DAYS (LOST SONGS AND RARITIES 1985 - 1995) 1997

                                 

Death Valley Days is a fragmentary collection reining in scattered tracks drawn from demos, B-sides, unreleased albums, compilations and tribute records, along with a few covers left off the domestic reissue of New West Motel. This album contains awesome songs as "The Beach", "Train To Mercy"and "Prisoner Of Texas".
                             

The Walkabouts – Death Valley Days (Lost Songs And Rarities, 1985 To 1995)
Label: Glitterhouse Records – GRCD 404
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: Europe
Released: Jan 1997
Genre: Rock
Style: Indie Rock, Folk, World, & Country

TRACKS

                            

01. Drunk (On A Civilized Rule) - Written-By – The Walkabouts   3:49
02. 1 + 1 - Written-By – Chris Eckman   3:03
03. Barnstorming   3:12
04. Chain Gang - Written-By – Chris Eckman   3:44
05. On The Beach - Written-By – Neil Young   4:33
06. Big Black Car - Written-By – Alex Chilton, Chris Gage   4:28
07. Cello Song - Written-By – Nick Drake   4:15
08. Maggie's Farm - Written-By – Bob Dylan   4:50
09. Break It Down Gently - Written-By – The Walkabouts   3:07
10. Train To Mercy (Italia Version) - Written-By – The Walkabouts   6:27
11. Yesterday Is Here - Written-By – Kathleen Brennan, Tom Waits  3:15
12. Prisoner Of Texas - Music By – Traditional   3:36
13. Inauguration Day - Written-By – The Walkabouts   3:16
14. Pass Me On Over - Written-By – The Walkabouts   4:31
15. Like A Hurricane - Written-By – Neil Young   7:50
16. House Of The Rising Sun - Music By – Traditional   4:16
17. Loswerden - Written-By – Tilman Rossmy   2:18
18. Sand & Gravel Strings - Written-By – The Walkabouts   1:42

MP3 @ 320 Size: 170 MB
Flac  Size: 444 MB

THE WALABOUTS - DRUNKEN SOUNDTRACKS (LOST SONGS AND RARITIES 1995 - 2001)  2002

                                 

The second Walkabouts rarities compilation, following Death Valley Days, Drunken Soundtracks is a mighty fine plunge into the obscurer side of the band -- admittedly already obscure enough in its home country -- during its end-of-the-'90s days. The group's eternal transformation into something new is captured wonderfully from the start -- the title track, sung by Carla Torgerson and recorded in 2001,

sounds next to nothing like anything from even eight years ago aside from her wonderful voice. But rather than rural country atmospheres or classic rock fire, the song is supple and smoky with tinges of jazz and blues -- piano and drums are more prominent than anything else -- not to mention ambient techno here and there. It's a good summation of albums like Nighttown and Trail of Stars and more besides, but that said, it's hardly a case of abandoning their past (as the stunning "Death's Black Train" makes clear), more one of incorporating it and finding new settings.
                                 

A number of cover versions help make this clear, starting with a strong take on Mickey Newbury's "How Many Times (Must the Pipe Be Paid for His Song)." Other songs that perhaps shed a clearer light on the Walkabouts' more recent obsession include Serge Gainsbourg's "Sorry Angel" and Scott Walker's

"Cowbells Shakin'," but the former gets the brew spiked with a clattering breakbeat after being through Tom Waits' wringer. Gainsbourg takes another bow as well with a cover of "Bonnie and Clyde" originally released on a limited-edition live album -- with full backing from an orchestral string section and a dramatic arrangement with a killer false ending, it could well be the definitive English-language take. The touch of regular producers and engineers Phill Brown and Kevin Suggs can be heard throughout, bringing out the dark beauty of the songs excellently.
By Ned Raggett

The Walkabouts – Drunken Soundtracks (Lost Songs & Rarities 1995-2001)
Label: Glitterhouse Records – GRCD 561
Format:    2 x CD, Compilation
Country: Germany
Released: 2002
Genre: Rock
Style: Indie Rock, Folk, World, & Country

DISC 1.

                           

01. Drunken Soundtracks   4:40
Written-By – Chris Eckman
02. Unbreakable   3:58
Written-By – Chris Eckman
03. People Such As These (Kevin's Dub)   5:53
Written-By – Jacques Brel
04. Shot Bayou   3:39
Written-By – 22 Pistepirkko
05. How Many Times (Must The Piper Be Paid For His Song)   5:28
Written-By – Mickey Newbury
06. Sorry Angel   4:33
Translated By – Bruno Bouchegnies
Written-By – Serge Gainsbourg
07. Undermine   2:49
Written-By – Carla Torgerson, Chris Eckman
08. Call Me Back Again   4:51
Written-By – Chris Eckman
09. On The Day (Bone Mix)   3:53
Written-By – Chris Eckman, Fred Chalenor
10. Desert Skies (Black Light Mix)   5:16
Written-By – Carla Torgerson, Chris Eckman
11. Albuquerque   5:39
Written-By – Neil Young
12. The Getaway   4:24
Written-By – Chris Eckman
13. Bonnie & Clyde (Live With The Nighttown Orchestra)   7:36
Translated By – Steve Wynn/Written-By – Serge Gainsbourg

MP3 @ 320 Size: 147 MB
Flac  Size: 374 MB

DISC 2.

                          

01. Rage On   5:27
Written-By – Chris Eckman
02. Death's Black Train   3:32
Written-By – Chris Eckman
03. Thieves Like Us   5:14
Written-By – Chris Eckman
04. Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars)   3:35
Written-By – Antonio Carlos Jobim
05. Cover Of Darkness   3:59
Written-By – Chris Eckman
06. Silver City   3:09
Written-By – Chris Eckman
07. Sanitorium Blues   2:48
Written-By – Townes Van Zandt
08. Cowbells Shakin'   1:43
Written-By – A. Semel, S. Walker
09. Come Along   4:25
Written-By – Chris Eckman
10. The Light Will Stay On (Country Mix)   5:50
Written-By – Chris Eckman
11. Desierto   3:43
Written-By – Chris Eckman
12. Glory Road   6:01
Written-By – Neil Diamond
13. Winded   4:22
Written-By – Chris Eckman
14. Incognito   2:09
Written-By – Chris Eckman
15. Master Of None   6:48
Written-By – Chris Eckman
16. Theme From "Where The Air Is Cool And Dark"   4:28
Written-By – Chris Eckman

MP3 @ 320 Size: 158 MB
Flac  Size: 429 MB

SHOT BAYOU  LYRICS

                                 

Yes it´s like rainy day
Rainy day in shot bayou
Rainy day in shot bayou

Hello my little cat
I´m gonna die tonight
What i´m gonna do about you

Hello my little cat i´m gonna die tonight
What am i gonna do
What am i gonna do about you

My cat is listening to you
It always says
Don´t get your eyes wet

Because in the night
Is the shining moon
And your friend will come back soon

Hello my little kid
I´m gonna die tonight
What am i gonna do

What am i gonna do about you

The Walkabouts on Urban Aspirines HERE
Chris And Carla on Urban Aspirines HERE

 

The Walkabouts - Train Leaves At Eight

The Walkabouts - Train Leaves At Eight

Tracklist & credits
discogs here

Vocals – Carla Torgerson, Chris Eckman
Bass – Joe Skyward
Drums – Brian Young
Guitar – Carla Torgerson, Chris Eckman
Harmonium – Chris Eckman
Melodica – Carla Torgerson
Organ – Glenn Slater
Percussion – Brian Young
Piano – Carla Torgerson, Chris Eckman, Glenn Slater
Synthesizer – Glenn Slater
Producer – Kevin Suggs

Take it HERE  [flac 403MB]

Review by Chris Nickson [allmusic]

The Walkabouts' second collection of covers comes with a quite definite theme, a musical tour of Europe, ranging from Greece in the South all the way up to Norway. And it's most definitely a journey, one which suits the darker, more introspective, and very literate nature of this Seattle band. But the ground covered is more than geographic; not many bands could move from Greek icon Mikis Theodorakis to Krautrockers Neu! on the same record. But the Walkabouts, whose career has largely happened in Europe, handle it with aplomb, throwing up plenty of changes in arrangements and working hard to penetrate to the core of a song, even the enigmatic "Solex in a Slipshod Style," on the face of it an odd choice, coming from Dutch sampling queen Solex. A few of the writers might be familiar to Americans, like Jacques Brel and Scott Walker, but the majority of the names will be unknown -- a good thing, since the music can be judged on the interpretation, not the original version. A few famous friends, like R.E.M.'s Peter Buck and Los Lobos sax man Steve Berlin add contributions, but it's the band who make it special, with Carla Torgerson's velvety voice caressing the lyrics while Chris Eckman worries his way into others. It might not be the most relaxing journey on offer, but it's one of the most rewarding, a night train across a Europe, not only through the countries, but also the hearts, minds, and souls.

* * * * * * *

¨Η πως η αγάπη των Walkabouts για την Ευρωπαϊκή κουλτούρα - και τους ανθρώπους βεβαίως - μετουσιώνεται σε ένα cd... Πάντα η Ευρώπη τους χάριζε αυτό που η μαμά πατρίδα φαινόταν ανίκανη να παραδεχτεί, και αυτοί κατά κάποιο τρόπο με αυτό το cd επιστρέφουν πίσω...Με όλη τους την αγάπη και απεριόριστο σεβασμό. Δίσκος πολυεπίπεδος, βάλσαμο για την ψυχή.

The Walkabouts : New West Motel 1993

top lp cover , down cd cover

Despite their background (punk), geography (Seattle), and label affiliation (Sub Pop), the Walkabouts were anything but a grunge band; dark, haunting, and elegiac, their work instead sprung forth from the storytelling traditions of American roots music and the kinetic excitement of rock & roll. The Walkabouts were formed in 1984 by Chris Eckman and his brothers Curt and Grant, all of whom had previously played together in a number of punk-pop outfits, along with singer Carla Torgerson, a veteran of folk and street singing. The group's lineup proved fluid, although Chris Eckman and Torgerson remained the Walkabouts' driving forces; a later roster including bassist Michael Wells, multi-instrumentalist Glenn Slater, and drummer Terri Moeller did hang together for a number of years.
After issuing a self-titled cassette in 1984, the Walkabouts released the EP 22 Disasters a year later. A full-length LP, Weights and Rivers, was planned for 1987, but the record was never released -- a harbinger of music industry problems to come. Instead, the group offered See Beautiful Rattlesnake Garden in 1988, which not only marked the continued maturity of Eckman and Torgerson's songwriting but also earned the Walkabouts a contract with the fledgling Sub Pop label. The deal resulted in upgraded production values, as evidenced by 1989's Cataract and its follow-up, the next year's six-song EP Rag & Bone, which featured the keyboard work of the newly added Slater. Released in 1991, Scavenger proved to be the last Walkabouts record issued in their native land for some time; however, while the deal with Sub Pop's American division went sour, the label's European division, Glitterhouse, hung on to the Walkabouts, where the band's following had been steadily growing. Between 1993 and 1995, the group issued a staggering seven full-length records in Europe -- three by the full band, a limited-edition live collection, and three more released by the duo of Chris & Carla. Finally, in 1995 the three aforementioned Walkabouts albums -- the double-LP set New West Motel, the all-covers Satisfied Mind, and the more rock-oriented Setting the Woods on Fire -- all appeared domestically. A year later, the band issued two more albums, the all-new Devil's Road (recorded with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra) and Death Valley Days: Lost Songs and Rarities, 1985-1995, a collection of odds and ends. In November 1996, Wells left the Walkabouts to devote himself to his side project, Pluto Boy; he was replaced by bassist Baker Saunders. Trail of Stars followed in 2000.

( all music.com)

Tracks

Side One :

1. Jack Candy

2. Sundowner

3. Grand Theft Auto

4. Break It Down Gently

Side Two :

1. Your Hope Shines

2. Murdering Stone

3. Sweet Revenge

4. Glad Nation' s Death Song

5. Long Time Here

Side Three :

1. Wondertown (part 1)

2. Drag This River

3. Snake Mountain Blues

4. Findlay' s Motel

5. Unholy Dreams

Side Four :

1. Yesterday Is Here NOT AVAILABLE ON CD(Written by Tom Waits)

2. Like A Hurricane NOT AVAILABLE ON CD(Written by Neil Young)

3. Prisoner Of Texas NOT AVAILABLE ON CD

Label : SUB POP Germany

Format : Vinyl LP

Made in Germany

Released : 1993

Size : 171 Mb

Bitrate 320

Download

Chris Eckman and Carla Torgerson LIVE in Thessaloniki , Greece , at the Mylos Club with Greek Musicians :

Chris and Carla

You can find it here in this Blog

Chris And Carla - Nights Between Stations [ Live In Thessaloniki 1995 ]

Chris And Carla
With The Mylos All Stars
Nights Between Stations
Live In Thessaloniki 1995





Liner Notes
In early May, 1995, Carla and I found ourselves in Thessaloniki (Greece) practicing with a group of Greek musicians we had never met before, on a set of songs that they gad never played before. Our purpose was to prepare a one-night-only club performance at the venerated Mylos, am old mill converted into an arts center, which sits at the industrial edge of the city. The idea for the show had been sprung a few months earlier, when on a visit to Thessaloniki, as a part of the "Life Full of Holes" Tour, Carla and I had been forced to cancel an appearance at another - not-so-venerated - local club. That night had turned out to be a complete disaster - the dilapidated P.A. and the tragi-comic sound crew - combining to make a situation where it was impossible to play a show that would have been worth the price of the ticket. The sound was so bad, that when the promoter came onstage to announce to the waiting crowd, that the show would not be happening, her lone voice could only barely heard above the skrank and squeal of the sound system.

Upon leaving the club, we walked with our friends Emilios and Christos, to a small taverna in the old part part of the city. Quickly we began to dull the disappointment of the evening with a round of Greek liquor. A few rounds later, as we watched and listened to the trio of traditional musicians who hypnotically played on the taverna's unadorned stage, one of us (I can't remember whom) came up with an inspired plan: The next time that Carla and I were in Europe, we would return to Thessaloniki to play a show at the Mylos, backed up by a group of local musicians. This recording, 'Nights Between Stations,' is the result of that drunken idea.

I could rattle on about what a satisfying night the Mylos show turned out to be, and about how much we enjoyed playing with our co-conspirators - The Mylos All Stars - and how impressed we were with the twists and commitment that they gave to the songs. But I am hopeful that this recording conveys those thoughts more powerfully than I could. Carla and I do pass along a mighty thanks to everyone credited on the sleeve, and to all who showed up at the Mylos that evening (especially the veterans of the fiasco of a few months earlier). Some of the Nights Between Stations go by in a blur, but at least for the two of us, the night that is documented here, is one night that holds on strong.

Chris Eckman, Neuenkirchen 1995


Label : Glitterhouse Rec. & Hitch Hyke
Catalog#: GR CD 383 & LIFT 037
Format: CD Album
Country: Germany
Released: 1995
Genre: Rock
Mp3@320 & Covers

Tracks
----------
1. Where The Air Is Cool And Dark
2. Nights Between Stations
3. Prisoner Of Texas
4. The Silent Crossing
5. Storm Crazy
6. Sleep Will Pass Us By
7. Sweet Revenge
8. Storms Are On The Ocean
9. Lungs
10. Velvet Fog
11. Inauguration Day
12. Sand & Gravel

Take me Here
Site[Unofficial ]