Nite Flights (album) - Overview

Overview

Nite Flights was the last album the trio recorded as a group, although the structure of the album, effectively split into 3 sections in which each member writes and sings, has led to both critics and band members describing it as more akin to 3 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 Electrician" was released as a single backed with "Den Haague", but did not chart. "Shutout", "Fat Mama Kick", "Nite Flights" and "The Electrician" were also released as Shutout E.P. in 1981.

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.