I was gargling some rock salt the other day and accidetally produced a tom waits album.

Tom is hit or miss with me...some greatness, some not so much....this one falls into the latter catagory

Let's not.

His 'I'm a Bowery bum that writes songs and sings them in a voice worse than Dylan's' schtick is well past its expiration date, which was sometime around 1978.

And a rabid Tom Waits fan that is still able to admit when he records crap, I can honestly say that in my opinion, this album is NOT crap and it is in the top 5 albums he has ever recorded.

I heard this play on the radio last week. Was not sure about it. I think I like it. Somewhat catchy.

Must be a hipster thing.

Count me in as one of the people who are really diggin on it, maybe the best thing he's done since Bone Machine

Isn't the point of liking someone like Tom Waits is that no one else has?

Who?

Is Tom too mainstream?

Pants full of macaroni!!: People are still recording "albums"?

/oblig

Yup..pretty much all of his stuff is released on vinyl

I have listened to the new disc a few times and am really digging it. Just another gem from Tom.

This album is the shiz. I love that it is not only just another Waits album (which would please me regardless), but it's a damn good one at that.

pehdtsckjmba
peskajumba

BlissKitchen Quote 2011-10-30 12:36:54 PM
And a rabid Tom Waits fan that is still able to admit when he records crap, I can honestly say that in my opinion, this album is NOT crap and it is in the top 5 albums he has ever recorded.

pray-tell, what albums of his are crap, in your opinion?

sounds like a southern hick wobbly voice impersonating Tom Waits in the verses/choruses.

not a big fan of this.

this is oblig:

Link (new window)

If you don't like this album you are clearly a racist.

doinitrite?

Meh, not really a fan, but I liked Missing You and Change.

Love the new album. Not quite Bone Machine for me, but really damn close. I almost hate his co-producer/wife insisting on these songs lasting 3 minutes max because there's some really enjoyable, textured grooves on this album.

Third_Uncle_Eno: sounds like a southern hick wobbly voice impersonating Tom Waits in the verses/choruses.

not a big fan of this.

Yeah, the title song is pretty...distinct. In its defense, it sounds pretty crappy on even the highest Youtube setting, and it didn't start to grow on me until I heard it at CD quality.

The first track weathers Youtube a little better I think.

Sometimes you can pinpoint when someone goes from underrated to overrated.

People who dislike this music clearly don't approve of it. People who like it obviously are down with this type of stuff.

I'm down.

Argyle82: Sometimes you can pinpoint when someone goes from underrated to overrated.

Sometimes you can STFU and GTFO.

Ok just kidding! I don't think that Tom is overrated. I think he has a fan base that is very dedicated to him, but it's not broad-based like a pop star would have at their peak. Overrated would imply that Tom doesn't deserve the praise for his product, which is a contention I dispute. It's not like they gave him the Nobel Peace Prize or anything... he released a long-awaited album of original work to his eager fans, and it's a pretty darn good album too. We are much more accustomed to seeing our favorite musical acts completely sputter and fail with one bad album after another this late into their musical careers. This has not happened to Tom.

Sounded like a flaming cat in a bag of razor blades to me, but whatever you like...

Does anyone want to direct me to their favourite Tom Waits tunes?

/Just curious what I'm missing.

Largely unnoticed because it largely sucks.

unitednihilists: Does anyone want to direct me to their favourite Tom Waits tunes?

/Just curious what I'm missing.

Check out Swordfishtrombones, Raindogs and Frank's Wild Years. These offered, Tom's discography is consistently pretty damn good. Hard to go wrong with any of his discs although I wouldn't recommend starting with The Black Rider.

I haven't listened to Mr. Waits' new joint yet, but I did pick it up. I'll give it a spin tomorrow, today is for Football.

unitednihilists: Does anyone want to direct me to their favourite Tom Waits tunes?

People love the hell out of Raindogs, which personally isn't my thing (not to say it's not worth a listen or that there's nothing I don't love the hell out of off it). He's pretty diverse, pretty experimental from the 80s onward.

Early Waits is a jazzy barfly: "Ol' 55"
There's callback -Waits where he dips into a bygone style: "Way Down in the Hole"
My personal favorite is "boiler room" Waits: "Goin' Out West"
I also enjoy silly Waits: "I Don't Wanna Grow Up"

Hope this helps.

"Hoist that Rag"

Ribot owns me in that song.

Affected music is affected.

unitednihilists Quote 2011-10-30 08:21:32 PM
Does anyone want to direct me to their favourite Tom Waits tunes?

/Just curious what I'm missing.

Martha
Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis
Romeo is Bleeding
Whistlin' past the graveyard
Kentucky Avenue
On the Nickel
16 shells from a thirty-ought-six
In the Neighbourhood
Soldier's Things
Singapore
Clap Hands
Time
Gun Street Girl
Downtown train
Hold On
What's He Building in there?
Picture in a Frame
(the whole "Alice" album)
Hoist that Rag
Don't Go Into that Barn
Day After Tomorrow

I never liked Waits. The only song of his I've heard was just a cover of Rod Stewart (Downtown Train). I don't know what it is with these hipster bands always trying to rip off old music and make it sound edgy.

Me? I still like the old school

"On The Nickel" 1979 - live (new window)
Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis (new window)

unitednihilists: Does anyone want to direct me to their favourite Tom Waits tunes?

/Just curious what I'm missing.

Nighthawks at the Diner (new window)

Nels: I never liked Waits. The only song of his I've heard was just a cover of Rod Stewart (Downtown Train). I don't know what it is with these hipster bands always trying to rip off old music and make it sound edgy.

I never liked Nels. The only post of his I've read was just a Tom Waits troll post. I don't know what it is with these bad trolly-trolls always trying to troll people and make themselves sound trolly.

/Ahhhhh, got me!

Three-Headed Dog: unitednihilists: Does anyone want to direct me to their favourite Tom Waits tunes?

/Just curious what I'm missing.

Check out Swordfishtrombones, Raindogs and Frank's Wild Years. These offered, Tom's discography is consistently pretty damn good. Hard to go wrong with any of his discs although I wouldn't recommend starting with The Black Rider.

I agree. Of the older albums, I would recommend Heartattack and Vine and The Heart of Saturday Night.

The Black Rider is really not my kettle of fish, and the only Tom Waits album I regret buying.

For those that are unfamiliar with Tom Waits, I would suggest starting with something easier on the ears like The Heart of Saturday Night.

The only Waits album i heard that I didn't like was "Foreign Affairs". What a bland bland bland album that is!


/never heard "black rider". everybody's shiatting on it. what's so bad about it?

Third_Uncle_Eno: The only Waits album i heard that I didn't like was "Foreign Affairs". What a bland bland bland album that is!


/never heard "black rider". everybody's shiatting on it. what's so bad about it?

Copypasta from Last.fm:

Tom Waits' The Black Rider is an operetta that was written with William S. Burroughs and Robert Wilson.

This is the 15th album of Tom Waits, from 1993. It's based on a German folktale, which is most assosiated by it's opera "Der Freischütz" by Carl Maria von Weber.

A book is also made based on the tale, which is called "The Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets", and written by William S. Burroughs . The book was made into a play, by theatre director Robert Wilson, and music was made by Tom Waits.

So the album of "The Black Rider" is the soundtrack of the play.

unitednihilists: Does anyone want to direct me to their favourite Tom Waits tunes?

/Just curious what I'm missing.

His narration in Primus' "Tommy the Cat" is epic.

unitednihilists: Does anyone want to direct me to their favourite Tom Waits tunes?

/Just curious what I'm missing.

Wow looks like I have some listening to do. Thanks for the input from everyone!

eeeeehh.... 20 Tom Waits and a box of swan, please....

saintwrathchild: unitednihilists: Does anyone want to direct me to their favourite Tom Waits tunes?

People love the hell out of Raindogs, which personally isn't my thing (not to say it's not worth a listen or that there's nothing I don't love the hell out of off it). He's pretty diverse, pretty experimental from the 80s onward.

Early Waits is a jazzy barfly: "Ol' 55"
There's callback -Waits where he dips into a bygone style: "Way Down in the Hole"
My personal favorite is "boiler room" Waits: "Goin' Out West"
I also enjoy silly Waits: "I Don't Wanna Grow Up"

Let's not forget bluesy, dirty-ass Waits:
"Wrong Side of the Road"
"Downtown" (Not to be confused with "Downtown Train")
"Mr. Siegal"

YEHH that's the stuff.

Go to your local record shop (if one still exists), get Closing Time and the new one. Go WOAH! then fill in the gaps at your leisure.