{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}} {{Infobox album| | name = Bish Bosch | type = studio | artist = Scott Walker | cover = Scott Walker Cover Bish Bosch.jpg | alt = | released = {{start date|2012|12|3|df=yes}} | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = <!-- Do not add unsourced genres -->Experimental<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2014/mar/05/10-of-the-best-scott-walker|title= 10 of the best: Scott Walker|last= Dennis|first= Jon|date= 5 March 2014|website= The Guardian|access-date= 13 August 2018|quote= Tilt (1995), the first of his trilogy of experimental albums}}</ref> | length = 73:00 | label = 4AD | producer = Scott Walker, Peter Walsh | prev_title = And Who Shall Go to the Ball? And What Shall Go to the Ball? | prev_year = 2007 | next_title = Soused | next_year = 2014 }}
'''''Bish Bosch''''' is the fourteenth and final solo studio album by American-British singer-songwriter Scott Walker, released on 4AD on 3 December 2012.<ref name='bishbosch'>{{cite web | url = http://www.bishbosch.com/ | title = Scott Walker – Bish Bosch | accessdate = 24 September 2012 | last = Young | first = Rob | author-link = Rob Young (writer) | date = 24 September 2012 | publisher = 4AD}}</ref> Walker described it as the final installment in "kind of a trilogy" that also includes ''Tilt'' (1995) and ''The Drift'' (2006).<ref>{{cite news|author=Simon Hattenstone |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/nov/23/scott-walker-interview |title=Scott Walker: Brother beyond |work=The Guardian |date= 23 November 2012|accessdate=25 January 2013 |location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGEdGg92p84&ab_channel=MorbidsoSorbid|title=Scott Walker Radio Interview for World Cafe 2013|website=YouTube }}</ref> At seventy-three minutes, ''Bish Bosch'' is Walker's longest album, and contains his longest song, the twenty-one minute, forty-one second "SDSS1416+13B (Zercon, A Flagpole Sitter)".
==Background and recording== Unlike ''Tilt'' and ''The Drift'', which both took several years to compose, ''Bish Bosch'' was written in just over a year. Walker had set aside a year to focus exclusively on writing, to speed up his process, and described it as "lightning speed". Even so, he still "had to wait and wait and wait almost every single day for the words to come".<ref name="quietus interview">{{cite web |last1=Doran |first1=John |website=The Quietus |title=Cracking Up: Scott Walker Interviewed |date=25 March 2019 |url=https://thequietus.com/articles/10908-scott-walker-interview |access-date=April 5, 2022}}</ref> The music was recorded over a period of two years, with lengthy gaps between sessions due to various problems: trouble booking studios, the death of producer Peter Walsh's father, and the limited availability of musicians (including Walker himself, who scored the dance ''And Who Shall Go to the Ball? And What Shall Go to the Ball?'' for the Royal Opera).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Raggett |first1=Ned |title='MP3s are a Disaster': Scott Walker on the Nightmares That Plagued 'Bish Bosch' |url=https://www.spin.com/2012/12/scott-walker-bish-bosch-interview-mp3s/ |website=Spin |access-date=October 13, 2019 |date=December 13, 2012}}</ref>
Walker got the idea for "SDSS1416+13B (Zercon, A Flagpole Sitter)" while browsing a friend's library and learning of Zerco (or Zercon), the court jester of Attila; he considered Zercon a "fantastic character" and was surprised no one had used him. The song describes Zercon performing for Attila, trying to escape and reach a "spiritual sovereignty", failing, and ultimately becoming a brown dwarf and burning out.<ref>{{cite web |title=Scott Walker On World Cafe |url=https://www.npr.org/2013/01/09/168915914/scott-walker-on-world-cafe |website=NPR |access-date=October 13, 2019 |date=January 3, 2013}}</ref>
The lyrics of "Epizootics!" merge early jazz slang with an "idea about waking up from a Hawaiian nightmare". "The Day the 'Conducator' Died (An Xmas Song)" was inspired by the trial and execution of Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu, which took place on Christmas Day in 1989.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Quietus |first=The |date=2019-03-25 |title=Cracking Up: Scott Walker Interviewed |url=https://thequietus.com/interviews/scott-walker-interview/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=The Quietus |language=en-GB}}</ref>
Walker explained the title thus:<ref name="quietus interview"/> <blockquote>I knew I'd be playing with language more than I had on any of the previous albums. I wanted the title to introduce you to this kind of idea and reflect the feeling of the album, which was [claps hands briskly] bish bosh. And we know what bish bosh means here in this country – it means job done or sorted. In urban slang bish also [phonetically] means bitch, like "Dis is ma bitch". And then I wrote Bosch like the artist [<nowiki/>Hieronymus Bosch]. I was then thinking in the terms of this giant universal female artist. And this idea continued to play through the record in certain spots.</blockquote>
==Release campaign== The first music to appear from the album was heard in a promotional video released on October 11, 2012, which featured extracts from the songs "'See You Don't Bump His Head'", "Tar", "Dimple", "Corps De Blah", "Phrasing" and "Epizootics!" set to video clips of Walker and his team working on both the music and artwork.<ref>{{cite web |title="Scott Walker: Watch A Trailer Showcasing The Making of Scott Walker's New Album", 11th October 2012 |url=https://4ad.com/news/11/10/2012/watchatrailershowcasingthemakingofscottwalkersnewalbum |website=4ad.com |access-date=2 July 2023}}</ref> This was followed on November 7 by the release of two full tracks, "Epizootics!" and "'See You Don't Bump His Head'",<ref>{{cite web |last1=Young |first1=Alex |title="New Music: Scott Walker – "Epizootics! and See You Don't Bump His Head", Nov 7 2012 |url=https://consequence.net/2012/11/new-music-scott-walker-epizootics-and-see-you-dont-bump-his-head/ |website=consequence.net |date=7 November 2012 |access-date=2 July 2023}}</ref> which were made available on Spotify as a two track "Spotify Exclusive Preview" streaming single.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Walker |first1=Scott |title="Single: Bisch Bosh (Spotify Exclusive Preview)", Nov 7 2012 |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/7JtIJipLCZT7HjOGbrvvjY |website=Spotify.com |access-date=2 July 2023}}</ref> A video for "Epizootics!", directed by Olivier Groulx, followed a day later.<ref>{{cite web |title="Scott Walker: Watch the Video for 'Epizootics!' by Scott Walker", Nov 8 2012 |url=https://4ad.com/news/8/11/2012/watchthevideoforepizooticsbyscottwalker |website=4ad.com |access-date=2 July 2023}}</ref> ''Clash Music'' called the song "a lengthy, often surreal rumination"<ref>{{cite web |last1=Murray |first1=Robin |title="Scott Walker - Epizootics!", November 8 2012 |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/music-videos/scott-walker-epizootics/ |website=clashmusic.com |date=8 November 2012 |access-date=2 July 2023}}</ref> while NPR said that it was "weirdly funky" and recalled the ''Nite Flights'' track "Fat Mama Kick".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gotrich |first1=Lars |title="A Monochrome Dance: Scott Walker Gets Weirdly Funky In 'Epizootics!'", November 8 2012 |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2012/11/07/164618443/a-monochrome-dance-scott-walker-gets-weirdly-funky-in-epizootics |website=npr.com |access-date=2 July 2023}}</ref>
==Reception== {{Music ratings |ADM = 7.5/10<ref name="adm">{{Cite web |title=''Bish Bosch'' by Scott Walker reviews |url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review-breakdown.aspx?albumID=5062 |access-date=2026-02-01 |website= |publisher=AnyDecentMusic?}}</ref> |MC = 78/100<ref name="MC"/> |rev1 = AllMusic |rev1Score = {{rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|title=AllMusic review|website=AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/bish-bosch-mw0002427369}}</ref> |rev2 = ''Beats Per Minute'' |rev2score = 89%<ref>{{cite web|title=Beats Per Minute review|date=3 December 2012 |url=http://www.beatsperminute.com/reviews/album-review-scott-walker-bish-bosch/}}</ref> |rev3 = ''Consequence of Sound'' |rev3score = B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2012/11/album-review-scott-walker-bish-bosch/ |title=Album Review: Scott Walker – Bish Bosch |publisher=Consequence of Sound |date=30 November 2012 |access-date=25 January 2013}}</ref> |rev4 = ''The Guardian'' |rev4score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Scott Walker: Bish Bosch – review |date=29 November 2012 |website=The Guardian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519014506/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/nov/29/scott-walker-bish-bosch-review |archive-date=19 May 2022 |url-status=live |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/nov/29/scott-walker-bish-bosch-review}}</ref> |rev5 = ''The Independent'' |rev5score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite news|author=Simon Price |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/ios-album-review-scott-walker-bish-bosch-4ad-8373721.html |title=IoS album review: Scott Walker, Bish Bosch (4AD) – Reviews – Music |work=The Independent |date=2 December 2012 |accessdate=25 January 2013 |location=London}}</ref> |rev6 = ''NME'' |rev6Score = 3/10<ref>{{cite web|title=Bish Bosch – Scott Walker|last=Fullerton|first=Jamie|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/scott-walker/13956|work=NME|date=8 January 2013}}</ref> |rev7 = ''Pitchfork'' |rev7score = 8.0/10<ref>{{cite web|title=Bish Bosch- Scott Walker|last=Powell|first=Mike|website=Pitchfork |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/17387-bish-bosch/|date=December 3, 2012}}</ref> |rev8 = ''Slant Magazine'' |rev8Score = {{rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Slant review|website=Slant Magazine |date=3 December 2012 |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/scott-walker-bish-bosch/2941}}</ref> |rev9 = ''Spin'' |rev9score = 8/10<ref>{{cite web|last=Gross |first=Joe |url=https://www.spin.com/2012/12/scott-walker-bish-bosch-4ad/ |title=Scott Walker, ‘Bish Bosch’ (4AD) |work=Spin |date=2012-12-06 |access-date=2026-02-01}}</ref> |rev10 = ''Tiny Mix Tapes'' |rev10Score = {{rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|last=Comentale|first=Ed|title=Scott Walker – Bish Bosch|url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/scott-walker-bosh-bosch|publisher=Tiny Mix Tapes}}</ref> }} At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 78, based on 33 professional reviews.<ref name="MC">{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/bish-bosch/scott-walker |title=Bish Bosch Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More |publisher=Metacritic |date=4 December 2012 |accessdate=25 January 2013}}</ref> The recording was selected as 'Album of the Week' in ''The Independent'', ''The Guardian'' and ''The Sunday Times'', 'Album of the Month' in ''Mojo'' magazine,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.4ad.com/news/4/12/2012/scottwalkersnewalbumbishboschreleasedthisweek |title=Scott Walker's New Album, Bish Bosch, Released This Week |publisher=4AD |date=4 December 2012 |accessdate=25 January 2013}}</ref> and 'Album of the Year' by Tiny Mix Tapes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tinymixtapes.com/features/2012-favorite-50-albums-of-2012?page=4 |title=2012: Favorite 50 Albums of 2012; Page 5 |work=Tiny Mix Tapes |date= |accessdate=25 January 2013}}</ref> The album placed 11th in ''The Wire''{{'}}s annual critics' poll.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=2012 Rewind: Releases of the Year 1–50 |date=January 2013 |magazine=The Wire |issue=347 |page=34 |location=London |url=https://reader.exacteditions.com/issues/34064/spread/34 |url-access=subscription |via=Exact Editions}}</ref>
==Track listing== All tracks composed by Scott Walker.<ref name=Pelly>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/47960-full-scott-walker-album-details-revealed/| title = Pitchfork – Full Scott Walker Album Details Revealed | access-date = 24 September 2012 | last = Pelly | first = Jen | author-link = Jen Pelly | date = 24 September 2012 |publisher = Pitchfork}}</ref> {{track listing | all_writing = | title1 = 'See You Don’t Bump His Head' | length1 = 4:06 | title2 = Corps De Blah | length2 = 10:11 | title3 = Phrasing | length3 = 4:45 | title4 = SDSS1416+13B (Zercon, A Flagpole Sitter) | length4 = 21:41 | title5 = Epizootics! | length5 = 9:40 | title6 = Dimple | length6 = 6:47 | title7 = Tar | length7 = 5:39 | title8 = Pilgrim | length8 = 2:26 | title9 = The Day The 'Conducator' Died (An Xmas Song) | length9 = 7:45 }}
==Personnel==
===Musicians=== *Scott Walker – vocals, electric guitar (9), keyboards (8, 9), percussion (9) *Hugh Burns – acoustic guitar (2, 4, 6), electric guitar (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7), electric baritone guitar (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7), EBow guitar (1, 4, 7), Dobro (4), ukulele (5), pedal steel guitar (5) *James Stevenson – electric guitar (2, 4), electric baritone guitar (1, 2, 4), Mando-Guitar (4) *Alasdair Malloy – percussion (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7), tuned gongs (6), machetes (7) *Mark Warman – keyboards (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7), drum programming (1), tuned gongs (6), handclaps (5), machetes (7) *Peter Walsh – keyboards (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7), drum programming (1), finger snaps (5) *Ian Thomas – drums (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) *John Giblin – bass guitar (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7), double bass (8) *Paul Willey – violin (2) *Michael Laird – kudu horn, shofar (4) *Pete Long – baritone saxophone (4, 5), tubax (4, 5, 7) *BJ Cole – pedal steel guitar (5) *Guy Barker – trumpet (5) *Tom Rees – trumpet (5) *Andrew McDonnell – "Lo Rumbles & White Noise" (5)
===Orchestra=== *Conductor and orchestrator – Mark Warman (2, 4, 6) *First violins – Paul Willey, Boguslaw Kostecki, Jonathan Rees, Laura Melhuish, Dave Ogden, Julian Trafford, Abigail Young, Ruth Ehrlich, Ann Morfee, Dave Smith *Second violins – Steve Morris, Tom Piggott-Smith, Charlie Brown, Elizabet Wexler, Sebastian Rudnicki, Nikki Gleed, Steve Bentley-Klein, Brian Wright, Clive Dobbins, Paddy Roberts *Celli – Frank Schaefer, Justin Pearson, Chris Fish, Joely Koos, Nerys Richards, Dom Pecheur, Tamsy Kayner, Vicky Metthews *Double basses – Enno Senft, Chris West, Clare Tyack, Steve Rossell, Stacey Watton, Alice Kent, Stephen Warner, Lucy Hare
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.bishbosch.com Official minisite]
{{Scott Walker}}
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Category:Scott Walker (singer) albums Category:2012 albums Category:4AD albums