22 replies to this topic

[Wanderlei]

I've just discovered Tom Waits. A friend of mine gave me a copy of his Glitter & Doom Live CD and i think it's brilliant. I got my hands on the 3-CD set he recently brought out too, which is also great.

Which of his other studio albums should i get? (keeping in mind i can't afford to buy 8 albums!)

[tonyblair]

I love Swordfishtrombones and Rain Dogs...

[The Nal]

Closing Time is probably the most accessible of his classics (and its his first album). Id start with that.

The Heart of Saturday Night. Great album to kick back and relax, good dinner music too.

Rain Dogs is considered his best work by some (although not by me)

Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards is an absolute masterpiece. You need to dive in and get this asap. Triple album though so its pricey.

Make Closing Time your first stop. You should pick it up very cheap. His reputation as the Rembrandt of pop is not unjustified. The man is incredible.

Although I still didnt go see him when he came here, on the Glitter and Doom tour. Gutted too but 130 euros for a ticket is too rich for my blood.

[TG24]

I only have Closing Time, but love it.

"I'm an ice cream man"

[tjimbo]

There's so many to choose from!

The early ones like Closing Time, The Heart of Saturday Night and Small Change are classics if you like the old piano ballady type stuff. Personally though I think Mule Variations and Bone Machine are brilliant and pretty varied. Or you could always start with a compliation like Used Songs or Asylum Years... enjoy!

[tonyblair]

The Nal, on Feb 5 2010, 12:43 PM, said:

Rain Dogs is considered his best work by some (although not by me)

partly, it's the guitar playing that I love on Rain Dogs...
Marc Ribot is fantastic, and Keiths playing is great too

I remember hearing an interview with Tom about what it was like working with Keith, and he said something like "we just let him play. There was something going on...... I'm not sure what, but there was something"  

[The Nal]

tonyblair, on Feb 5 2010, 12:51 PM, said:

partly, it's the guitar playing that I love on Rain Dogs...
Marc Ribot is fantastic, and Keiths playing is great too

I remember hearing an interview with Tom about what it was like working with Keith, and he said something like "we just let him play. There was something going on...... I'm not sure what, but there was something"  

80s Keef, love it. Waits' voice on some of the songs is maybe what puts me off, you defo have to be in the right mood for it. I really love the album, just not one of my faves. It is dirty sounding in parts which I like.

Dylan does a version of Masters of War on his current (never ending) tour that sounds like it should be on Rain Dogs.

[foolsgold1981]

Sod money, just buy all his records. There is something incredible on every one. An absolute genius.

Rain Dogs was my entry to his entrancing and creepy world. Still think that overall, it's the most balanced and accessible of his "later" records. Though Cemetary Polka is still scary enough to frighten most people I play it to!

I personally find Swordfishtrombones inconsistent, but nevertheless fascinating and contains a few of his best songs. I actually prefer Franks Wild Years to "Swordfishtrombones. It's pretty theatrical and carnival, but his singing on it is wonderful, if Mr Waits voice can ever be called that! Also, Innocent When You Dream, Way Down in the Hole, I'll Be Gone and Cold, Cold Ground are among his very best.

Mule Variations is the one that I keep coming back to. It's quite sprawling, shot through with country influences but is one of the best examples of his pure songwriting. Hold On and Take it with Me especially.

Alice is often overlooked. Very smoky and jazzy, a real combination of his earlier work with his more Brechtian tendancies. An absolutely beautiful record.

Bone Machine is wonderful but quite abrasive and angular. Lots of fascinating percussion. Scary too. Of all his albums, probably the one thats most of a grower.

His latest, Real Gone is similar, but has softer moments (Though they're usually quite creepy and dark). Anyone who is a fan of his "growl and sawdust" voice will find a lot of joy here.

Of his earlier stuff, Closing Time has already been mentioned. I'm a big fan of The Heart of Saturday night: very different and lounge-jazz but you can see there's something quirky going on underneath. But go towards his middle period, Heartattack and Vine and Blue Valentine. Both tremendous albums. Very different to both his early and later stuff. If the more weird stuff freaks you out too much, these two are a great place to start.

One of the greatest of all time. I pretty much love him!

Can we get him to play at Glastonbury? PLEASE?!!!!

[Midnight Man]

Wanderlei, on Feb 5 2010, 12:23 PM, said:

I've just discovered Tom Waits. A friend of mine gave me a copy of his Glitter & Doom Live CD and i think it's brilliant. I got my hands on the 3-CD set he recently brought out too, which is also great.

Which of his other studio albums should i get? (keeping in mind i can't afford to buy 8 albums!)

You lucky, lucky man.
Can't go wrong with a bit of mid-period Tom - Swordfishtrombones or Raindogs as posted. If you can get three I'd go for one of the above, and then either 'Real Gone' or 'Mule Variations' from the later stuff, and 'Blue Valentines' or 'Heart of a Saturday Night' from earlier.
But you'll never get a dud. Couple of the compilations are also worth having - 'Used Songs' and 'Beautiful Maladies' are both great.
I thought he was a definite before Keane on the Other Stage on Thursday? Or was it after Prince?

[The Nal]

foolsgold1981, on Feb 5 2010, 02:03 PM, said:

Can we get him to play at Glastonbury? PLEASE?!!!!

WAY too expensive judging by how much his gigs cost. If Waits and the Stones played Glasto, they'd be the only acts on over the whole weekend.

[Winston Legthigh]

The Nal, on Feb 5 2010, 02:47 PM, said:

WAY too expensive judging by how much his gigs cost. If Waits and the Stones played Glasto, they'd be the only acts on over the whole weekend.

I, for one, would still describe it as the greatest Glastonbury, nay, festival lineup ever.

Bone Machine is my favourite. Keith is on that too, on That Feel. Great singalong.

[The Nal]

Winston Legthigh, on Feb 5 2010, 03:16 PM, said:

I, for one, would still describe it as the greatest Glastonbury, nay, festival lineup ever.

Bone Machine is my favourite. Keith is on that too, on That Feel. Great singalong.

You've read my file!

[josephg]

The Nal, on Feb 5 2010, 12:43 PM, said:

Closing Time is probably the most accessible of his classics (and its his first album). Id start with that.

The Heart of Saturday Night. Great album to kick back and relax, good dinner music too.

Rain Dogs is considered his best work by some (although not by me)

Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards is an absolute masterpiece. You need to dive in and get this asap. Triple album though so its pricey.

Make Closing Time your first stop. You should pick it up very cheap. His reputation as the Rembrandt of pop is not unjustified. The man is incredible.

Although I still didnt go see him when he came here, on the Glitter and Doom tour. Gutted too but 130 euros for a ticket is too rich for my blood.

This is a good summary of his rather sprawling back catalogue

[judyblue110]

I'm kinda in the same situation as you are at this very moment!

I bought Closing Time about 2 years ago, and I really enjoyed it. I then bought Rain Dogs, and never really got into it at the time, and my new found passion subsided.

Then 3 weeks ago, something "happened" and I suddenly had the urge to listen to Rain Dogs again and I loved it.

I then went and bought Mule Variations and was JUST listening to it for the very first time the second I saw this thread title (creepy, huh!!!!). It's excellent so far, I really love it.

I too have ordered the Orphans boxset and I'm really looking forward to getting that.

How is Glitter & Doom? I meant to buy it, but as I said, I was still a bit wary, and at the time there were about 5 other CDs out the same week I wanted and I really couldn't afford to get them all!!!

So, I would recommend Mule Variations first, I think. It's "Waits"-y but not as unaccessible as I felt Rain Dogs to be the first time I heard it! I wouldn't recommend Closing Time; it's a fantastic album, but I don't feel its a good place to start if you've bought 1 of his more recent albums first.

I'll be reading this thread for tips too! Thanks all  

[The Nal]

judyblue110, on Feb 5 2010, 04:21 PM, said:

How is Glitter & Doom?

Its superb. The version of Make It Rain from the Real Gone album is the highlight for me.

Here it is from the Dublin show I wasn't at.  

Edited by The Nal, 05 February 2010 - 04:30 PM.

[When Jokers Attack]

Raindogs, Closing Time or Heartattack and Vine

[judyblue110]

The Nal, on Feb 5 2010, 04:30 PM, said:

Here it is from the Dublin show I wasn't at.  

Tell me about it! Had I "seen the light" a bit earlier, I could easily have made one of the Edinburgh shows!!!! Possibly the biggest regret of my life right there! :-(

[Wanderlei]

Thanks a lot for the suggestions. I'll grab Closing Time and Rain Dogs and then work my way onto the other stuff you've mentioned.

Much appreciated.

[Winston Legthigh]

The Nal, on Feb 5 2010, 03:21 PM, said:

You've read my file!

I'd like just to give you this, Mike, on behalf of the British public.

[sime]

Nighthawks At The Diner is my personal favourite Tom Waits album. It was recorded in 1975 live in a studio over a couple of nights with an audience and a jazz quartet backing band. It's really intimate, dark and funny. Just did a quick look on Amazon and they have most of his albums for £3-4.98. Happy listening  

Edited by sime, 05 February 2010 - 05:02 PM.