Tom Waits

Telephasic · 02-28-2011, 12:59 PM

I can't believe anyone else hasn't posted this yet...

Quote:

Good News! Tom is currently in the studio working on his next album. Stay tuned

TheBig3 · 02-28-2011, 02:27 PM

Hey, how come you don't post that much? I get the impression from your posts, your signature, and your avatar that you're probably a decent son of a bitch. Why the scarcity?

Telephasic · 02-28-2011, 05:04 PM

Thanks! I'm quite active on a lot of other forums and I've been pretty busy recently (school), so I haven't been able to post as much as I'd like to

.

TheBig3 · 02-28-2011, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telephasic

Thanks! I'm quite active on a lot of other forums and I've been pretty busy recently (school), so I haven't been able to post as much as I'd like to

.

well please do when you have the time.

The Monkey · 07-18-2011, 03:31 AM

Saddest-Of-All-Keys · 07-18-2011, 04:09 AM

Since this just got bumped, I'd like to ask what's the best place to start with his discography? I downloaded Rain Dogs as that's his most critically acclaimed I think.

Howard the Duck · 07-18-2011, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saddest-Of-All-Keys

Since this just got bumped, I'd like to ask what's the best place to start with his discography? I downloaded Rain Dogs as that's his most critically acclaimed I think.

the other two of his Frank's Wild Years trilogy are pretty good also - Swordfishtrombones and the titular album of the trilogy

LoathsomePete · 07-18-2011, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saddest-Of-All-Keys

Since this just got bumped, I'd like to ask what's the best place to start with his discography? I downloaded Rain Dogs as that's his most critically acclaimed I think.

It's really dependent on what you feel like hearing. I started off with Night Hawks at the Diner (1975) which I absolutely adored because it was technically a live album, but it was studio quality. It also really showcased his sense of humor as he joked with the small audience plus it has my favorite song by him "Nighthawk Postcards (from Easy Street)". It was far more a jazz album then his '80's and '90's albums where he experimented more with different genres and creating his own customized instruments. I think Rain Dogs is a good place to start, I'd say move forward, then when you're familiarized with his latter material, go back and check out his '70's stuff.

Anyhow, I'm curious what everyone thinks of the best cover of "Way Down the Hole" from Franks Wild Years (1987) that was used in the HBO series The Wire?

Season 1: The Blind Boys of Alabama

Season 3: The Neville Brothers

Season 4: DoMaJe

Season 5: Steve Earle

The original Tom Waits version was used in season 2 in case anyone was wondering why I skipped it.

BastardofYoung · 07-18-2011, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saddest-Of-All-Keys

Since this just got bumped, I'd like to ask what's the best place to start with his discography? I downloaded Rain Dogs as that's his most critically acclaimed I think.

from the beginning "Closing Time" and then "The Heart of Saturday Night". But it depends on what you like, I listen to more of his Asylum years stuff, which was before his exposure to Captain Beefheart and was not as experimental.

"Rain Dogs" is also his biggest, and is really good.

The Monkey · 07-20-2011, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Il Duce

the other two of his Frank's Wild Years trilogy are pretty good also - Swordfishtrombones and the titular album of the trilogy

Four albums that I think are the best way to show most of Waits' sides are:

Closing Time - His debut album. Rather jazzy, with a few folk influences. He tries to sing "normally" on this album, which is rather interesting. Rather warm and calm album with beautiful lyrics mainly about (lost) love. Goes best with red wine.

Small Change - His drunkest and funniest album. Tom sounds like a hobo somebody dragged in from the street and placed in front a piano.
The lyrics are hilarious and deal with alcohol and cold women. Goes best with beer.

Rain Dogs - His most acclaimed album, and rightly so. Brilliant production throughout, and Tom's song-writing is as top-notch as ever. Virtually every instrument under the sun is featured, and the lyrics are usually abstract and about random suspicious characters of the American city (midgets, prostitutes etc.). Goes best with whisky.

Bone Machine - One of his darkest albums; Tom's voice reaches its lowest register. Deals with death and betrayal. Some songs go beyond being dark and become outright scary. Goes best with weed (if you're sober before and in the right mood!)

02-28-2011, 02:27 PM	#432 (permalink)
TheBig3 killedmyraindog Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 11,172	Hey, how come you don't post that much? I get the impression from your posts, your signature, and your avatar that you're probably a decent son of a bitch. Why the scarcity? __________________ I've moved to a new address

02-28-2011, 05:04 PM	#433 (permalink)
Telephasic Music Addict Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 112	Thanks! I'm quite active on a lot of other forums and I've been pretty busy recently (school), so I haven't been able to post as much as I'd like to . __________________ I am the one who loves changing from nothing to one

07-18-2011, 03:31 AM	#435 (permalink)
The Monkey Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Sweden Posts: 803	__________________ Now another stranger seems to want you to ignore his dreams as though they were the burden of some other My Last.fm

07-18-2011, 04:09 AM	#436 (permalink)
Saddest-Of-All-Keys Groupie Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 44	Since this just got bumped, I'd like to ask what's the best place to start with his discography? I downloaded Rain Dogs as that's his most critically acclaimed I think.