Tom Waits

Jonny Redshirt · 09-30-2010, 06:57 PM

Small Change is one of my favorite Tom Waits albums, actually. I think he captures that drunk, dirty, bitter, and yet somehow still hopeful atmosphere with perfection. Blue Valentine isn't as good, but it's still pretty nice. And hell, Swordfishtrombones was his big career reinvention, and it's very interesting, although the material isn't up to par with Rain Dogs, obviously.

I guess the biggest problem with SFT is that he had all of the incongruous elements there, he just hadn't figured out how to combine them yet, like he did on Rain Dogs. Still, it's a great album.

TheBig3 · 09-30-2010, 09:15 PM

I think Blue Valentine is one of his best.

I never understood the love for SFT.

333 · 09-30-2010, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonny Redshirt

Before Orphans was Real Gone, which was also very good. The only albums of his I'm not an enormous fan of are Foreign Affairs (which most people don't like very much) and Alice (which everybody loves but me, so what do I know?). Claypool's guested on a bunch of his recordings starting with Bone Machine (I think). Rain Dogs was before that, so Claypool wasn't involved as far as I know.

Thanks for clearing that up for my lazy ass. That's right. Real Gone was the album that wasn't coming to mind. I don't know how I feel about that album, to be honest. I haven't been listening to him much lately, so I feel like I should come back later.

Jonny Redshirt · 09-30-2010, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBig3KilledMyRainDog

I think Blue Valentine is one of his best.

I never understood the love for SFT.

To each his own, of course. Blue Valentine has just always felt a bit too much like "Small Change: With A Vengeance" to me, I guess. And even if you don't like SFT much, it should be understandable why it's so highly regarded. It's the album where Tom totally changed his style around. I suppose the style shift was present on Heart Attack And Vine a bit, but SFT was where he really went off the deep end, to the benefit of us all.

loveissucide · 10-01-2010, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBig3KilledMyRainDog

I never understood the love for SFT.

Really? I'd be 50:50 as to whether or not it's better than Rain Dogs, it's like a brilliant beatnik take on Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska or Gil Scott-Heron.

TheBig3 · 11-15-2010, 10:40 PM

Not anything as good as the original, but still cool that they covered it.

reeganyo · 12-03-2010, 07:55 PM

Glitter and Doom almost makes me afraid of listening to other Waits albums and hearing the obviously inferior versions of these songs. I would listen to it if I was you.

TheBig3 · 12-03-2010, 08:06 PM

Uh...well I guess thats a matter of perspective. I'd like to disagree.

thirtiesgirl · 12-03-2010, 10:48 PM

My favorite Waits: Rain Dogs, although Bone Machine and Mule Variations are close seconds. I have big love for Alice, too.

For those who haven't seen it, here's a Waits youtube clip definitely worth checking out: Waits being interviewed and doing The Piano Has Been Drinking, on the fictional '70s talk show, Fernwood Tonight. Set in the fictional town of Fernwood, Ohio, Fernwood Tonight featured hosts Barth Gimble (Martin Mull) and Jerry Hubbard (Fred Willard) and a variety of special guests, including Waits. The jokes are a little stale, but overall, it's a classic:

s_k · 12-04-2010, 07:33 PM

Awesome, just brilliant.
God I love the guy's voice even when he's talking

09-30-2010, 06:57 PM	#381 (permalink)
Jonny Redshirt Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 64	Small Change is one of my favorite Tom Waits albums, actually. I think he captures that drunk, dirty, bitter, and yet somehow still hopeful atmosphere with perfection. Blue Valentine isn't as good, but it's still pretty nice. And hell, Swordfishtrombones was his big career reinvention, and it's very interesting, although the material isn't up to par with Rain Dogs, obviously. I guess the biggest problem with SFT is that he had all of the incongruous elements there, he just hadn't figured out how to combine them yet, like he did on Rain Dogs. Still, it's a great album. __________________ "Colleges are like old-age homes, except for the fact that more people die in colleges." Last.FM

09-30-2010, 09:15 PM	#382 (permalink)
TheBig3 killedmyraindog Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 11,172	I think Blue Valentine is one of his best. I never understood the love for SFT. __________________ I've moved to a new address

11-15-2010, 10:40 PM	#386 (permalink)
TheBig3 killedmyraindog Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 11,172	Not anything as good as the original, but still cool that they covered it. __________________ I've moved to a new address

12-03-2010, 08:06 PM	#388 (permalink)
TheBig3 killedmyraindog Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 11,172	Uh...well I guess thats a matter of perspective. I'd like to disagree. __________________ I've moved to a new address

12-03-2010, 10:48 PM	#389 (permalink)
thirtiesgirl Music Addict Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Loss Angeles Posts: 93	My favorite Waits: Rain Dogs, although Bone Machine and Mule Variations are close seconds. I have big love for Alice, too. For those who haven't seen it, here's a Waits youtube clip definitely worth checking out: Waits being interviewed and doing The Piano Has Been Drinking, on the fictional '70s talk show, Fernwood Tonight. Set in the fictional town of Fernwood, Ohio, Fernwood Tonight featured hosts Barth Gimble (Martin Mull) and Jerry Hubbard (Fred Willard) and a variety of special guests, including Waits. The jokes are a little stale, but overall, it's a classic: __________________ *Even in my darkest recollection, there was someone singing my life back to me. ~Neko Case*

12-03-2010, 07:55 PM	#387 (permalink)
reeganyo Groupie Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 11	Glitter and Doom almost makes me afraid of listening to other Waits albums and hearing the obviously inferior versions of these songs. I would listen to it if I was you.

12-04-2010, 07:33 PM	#390 (permalink)
s_k Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,206	Awesome, just brilliant. God I love the guy's voice even when he's talking __________________ Click here to see my collection