Orphans : Brawlers, Bawlers And Bastards is a masterpiece IMO. Can’t fault him with anything. Everything from ‘Closing Time’ on… my favorite album is ‘The Black Rider’ —that said ‘Heartattack and Vine’ still kicks some 30 years on. Timeless. Waits is a true American (sonic) poet, one of the greats, akin to Bukowski and Burroughs and all the Beats. Damn fine actor, to boot.
Absolutely agreed – when even your collection of rare, unreleased material is better than most of the crap out there, you know you’re doing something right. A still-relevant relic of the Beat generation.
I have to say though, while most of what he’s done is flawless, I was disappointed that his cover of Sea of Love wasn’t as epic as anticipated. Maybe I’m just fussy.
My favorite Waits stuff is from 1983 on- and I have the opposite reaction. I think his earlier stuff is more accessible (and less interesting) than stuff like Bone Machine or Real Gone.
Same actually – I have to confess to enjoying Real Gone quite a bit. In some ways he reminds me of Scott Walker – both of them ran the gamut from accessible to the upper recesses of ‘out-there’. If anyone has seen Scott Walker: 30 Century Man, you’ll know what I mean (q.v. Walker punching a steak).
Tom is one of the very few artists who has never made a bad record, some are better than others, but all of them are of very high quality. Great lyrics and melodies combined with ambition and courage, even Dylan calls him a musical hero. Mule Variations is my favorite, brilliant from top to bottom (the same could be said about his entire body of work.)
I love Tom. With him it’s a journey, once you get on board. He’s the mad uncle who periodically returns from overseas with tall tales.
I wouldn’t try to compare his albums. His earlier works have more straight melodic pieces in them, but “The Black Rider” and “Bone Machine” are further explorations of the same landscapes with different colors. Sometimes it gets very abstract, but he never completely lets you go, once you are used to him.
For the uninitiated, apart from personal taste about his voice and arrangements, he is one of the great songwriters in the history of popular music.
“Jersey Girl”
“Whistle Down the Wind”
“Innocent When you Dream”
“Hang Down your Head”
“A Little Rain”
…the list goes on.
Even when Tom lies, he’s more honest than most people when they tell the truth.
“Even when Tom lies, he’s more honest than most people when they tell the truth.”
Agreed!
I’m not Waits expert, and I haven’t heard all of his stuff, but I listen to more of his later stuff. Bone Machine and Orphans are two of my favorites from him, and I love songs like “Hold On” from Mule Variations.
Choke those bad days..Choke em down to nuthin’
My brother listened to his albums all the time – especially during his ‘dog days’ – I came to love the ballads.
I first got into Tom Waits when Swordfishtrombones was released and have loved everything since. I also bought all his albums previous to that and although I prefer Swordfish… onwards I still very much like his early stuff, but he was more of a gruff Bily Joel type of piano man back then. Some of the songs from that period though are tremendous. I still love things like San Diego Serenade, Shiver Me Timbers, and The Heart of Saturday Night which are all just heartbreakingly good. One of a kind, and he’s usually entertaining as an actor too. His Renfield is one of the best things about Coppola’s Dracula.
Incidentally, Rain Dogs is my favourite album of all time by anyone. Anyone who hasn’t heard it could do a lot worse than checking it out.
“And all the studs in town would toss ‘em down
And claim to fame as they stomped their feet
Yeah, boastin’ about being able to get more ass than a toilet seat” :0)
My favourite Waits albums would be Swordfish, Mule Variations, Rain Dogs, Nighthawks At The Diner, and Orphans.. and Alice as well..
Over the opening credits of Roeg’s Bad Timing, Waits’ very great, very beautiful Invitation to the Blues (only a slightly odd choice, for the disjunction of the echt-American-Edward-Hopper setting of the song and the Mitteleuropa of the film) -
And you feel just like Cagney
She looks like Rita Hayworth
At the counter of the
Schwab’s drug store
You wonder if she might be single
She’s a loner and likes to mingle
Got to be patient and pick up a clue
She says, "How you gonna like ‘em
Over medium or scrambled?
You say "Anyway’s the only way", be careful not to gamble
On a guy with a suitcase
And a ticket gettin’ out of here
In a tired bus station and an old pair of shoes
But it ain’t nothin’ but an invitation to the blues
Haha just remembered this scene in Down By Law- where Waits is asked to keep his hands on the hood for the customary check for weapons, when he copies the fat coppie’s accent.. “Hooog ’eem upp, hoog ’eem upp, eh?”
B-)
-However, people I know either love the early works, or the later works. Generally, most people like the early works of Waits, up to Swordfish, after which everything went downhill for them perhaps because it is a lot more accessible. Which is still strange, because the earlier works gradually make way for the later works, in a gentle gentle manner. The change feels so natural- almost like it had to be.—
One thing that’s often overlooked by fans is the enormous importance that Waits’ wife Kathleen Brennan had in the evolution of his music. They met in 1980 while Waits was working on the soundtrack of Coppola’s One From the Heart (she worked for American Zoetrope). She introduced him to Captain Beefheart, convinced him to produce his own albums, and spun him off in a whole new direction, as evidenced from Swordfishtrombones onward, even collaborating on lyrics for the recent records.
I’m a huge Waits fan. Saw him in Kentucky during his Doom and Glitter Tour and was really impressed. I tend to prefer his more ‘experimental’ work from the early ‘80s on, though his early work is good as well it’s just much more conventional. My personal favourite albums of his would be The Black Rider, Alice, and Rain Dogs.
Parks is absolutely right about the Brennan influence. She is reportedly responsible for introducing him to Captain Beefheart (and for all the Waits’ fans out there, Beefheart would probably be your cup of tea if you’re into Waits’ “later period”). The thoroughness of their collaborations remind me of Robert Wyatt and his wife actually. Anyway, Brennan contributed greatly to Alice and Blood Money which are two really good albums. Apparently Waits is recording a brand new album, I’m sure it’ll be … unpredictable.
Anyone remember the fake press conference video he did to promote the Doom and Glitter Tour? Here
The early stuff is good, but he’s gotten better, if stranger, with age-although Real Gone might be his worst album, his stuff from 83-the present is better than his early stuff. Although, again, there is some great stuff in his early work. Waits is at the top, and a true artist.
Why did Iggy Pop get to do a scene with Waits?
Yea, Beefhart’s class- For the uninitiated, IF you like Waits’ later stuff, Trout Mask Replica might be the perfect introduction to Beefhart.
@ DC- Lol!! that press conference’s class- the man’s class!
@ JT- Real Gone is not his best, but its definitely one of the better ones imo.
Closing Time & Raindogs
Most of the albums in between were good but failed to really grab me. I’ve yet to check out anything after that unfortunately. But I agree he is brilliant. He is one of the few artists for me who can be sentimental without making me roll my eyes.
Mule Variations rules.
What’s he building in there?? mwahahaha!!
I actually think Safe as Milk is the PERFECT introduction to Captain Beefheart. With the wonderful Ry Cooder (his first gig? I can’t remember, I know he was very young though) on guitar.
I loved Waits’ Real Gone I have to admit. Don’t Go Into That Barn, Green Grass, and the epic Sins of the Father? There’s some really solid tracks on that album.
Tom Waits is a great man and a great artist, with easily one of the most distinctive voices of all time.
I remember he was in Mystery Men…
The only album I don’t like by him is Closing Time when he didn’t have his raspy voice at all.
-his first gig?-
Cooder was actually in the Rising Sons with Taj Mahal from ‘64-’66. They were signed to Columbia at that time, but nothing they recorded was released until 1992, so as far as I know Milk was the first time Cooder’s playing appeared on vinyl.
@KAFKA- His voice wasn’t particularly “raspy” in CT and The Heart Of Saturday Night, both of them damned nice imho. Ol’ 55, Martha, Grapefruit Moon, Lonely, CT, San Diego, Shiver Me Timbers, Diamonds On My Windshield- Quite nice all of them..
@Parks: That’s right. I even have the ’92 Rising Sons album, but completely forgot about the timeline. Good catch.
Parth Gadhia
Perhaps one of the most eccentric musicians, one of my favourites. A body of work which clearly gradually evolves- an evolution out there for everybody to see. I, for one, absolutely love everything by Waits, from Closing Time to Orphans, and everything in between.
However, people I know either love the early works, or the later works. Generally, most people like the early works of Waits, up to Swordfish, after which everything went downhill for them- perhaps because it is a lot more accessible. Which is still strange, because the earlier works gradually make way for the later works, in a gentle gentle manner. The change feels so natural- almost like it had to be.
What do guys here have to say about Waits’ work? The evolution of Waits, the musician?