WALKER, SCOTT - Beginning - The Scott Engel Sessions (Sealed) (LP)

180GR. Scott Walker (born Noel Scott Engel; January 9, 1943) is an American-born British singersongwriter, composer and record producer. He is noted for his distinctive baritone voice and for the unorthodox career path which has taken him from 1960s pop icon to 21st-century avantgarde musician. Anchored in his fascination with Elvis is “The Livin’ End” placement as the opening track, a rockabilly tune disguised as an R&B number recorded in 1958, when Scott Engle was 15. What’s really weird is that this track was written by Henry Mancini with Rod McKuen. “Good for Nothin’” was written by Randy Sparks. These two cuts are the hardestrocking Engle ever got, and they feel completely unhinged. His ferocious faux-Southern vocal style may have resembled Ronnie Dawson, but it was Presley rockabilly worship pure and simple. There is another rocker, though not quite as intense as the former two or the original -- Johnny Burnette’s “Comin’ Home” -- but it tries hard anyway, the cheesy background vocals destroy the mix. The foreshadowing of Engle’s excess as a balladeer can be heard on Burnette’s “I Don’t Want To Know,” there is a tremendous expression against the guitars and the skittering brushed snare. Production schlock is everywhere present on McKuen’s “Sing Boy Sing,” but though much higher -- we’re talking reedy tenor here -- the voice is already there (though he’s off-key on the refrains). The rest is all white-boy teen ballads.