Tom Waits - Bad As Me

[Mrd00d]

Most of the songs haven't stood the test of time for me. I was initially enthralled with Hell Broke Luce and Bad As Me most. Now, the only two I really still play are Get Lost and Chicago. It got me into Waits, although admittedly, I could have and should have gotten into him earlier.

[Trollheart]

It's absolutely not the best album to get into Waits for your first time, Mrd00d. If you haven't already heard them, I'd recommend the following as a "lead-in" to the music of Waits:

Small change
Blue valentine
Heartattack and vine
Rain dogs
then
Swordfishtrombones
Frank's wild years
Bone machine
Foreign affairs
Real gone
Orphans

[TheBig3]

I'd put Blood Money in behind Bone Machine on Trollheart's list

[Trollheart]

I couldn't get into "Blood money" or "Alice". Must give them another shot. Worth it?

[TheBig3]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

I couldn't get into "Blood money" or "Alice". Must give them another shot. Worth it?

I don't know that you need to re-try Alice.

For Blood Money, try:

Starving in the Belly of a Whale
God's Away on Business
Another Man's Vine
Everything Goes to Hell
Misery is the River of the World

Everything else. (iirc)

Edit:

If you want to try alice...

Alice
Kommienezuspadt
Table Top Joe

[someonecompletelyrandom]

Originally Posted by TheBig3

But thats what I mean. Slicked-up wasn't a good thing. I think Blood Money got its personality from its ragged, shambling presence on songs where the protagonist had those qualities. Even songs that were incomplete from BM like "Another Man's Vine" were carried by the production value and vocals adding an extra dimension.

BAM strikes me as someone faking it. Or not that interesting to begin with. There are songs, few strike me as mattering, and its like Blood Money's kid brother tried to get in on the act and ride the last name to stardom.

I could see that. The production of Waits albums has always been one of my favorite things about his career, as they seem to have character all their own and certainly for me are a big part of his appeal. I suppose the production on Bad As Me is a lot more slick, even his growl seems a little glossed over.

As far as getting into Waits for the first time, a lot of people will say Swordfishtrombones, but as a newbie I found Mule Variations the most listenable. From there it was Bone Machine, and from there everything else.

[TheBig3]

Originally Posted by Conan

I could see that. The production of Waits albums has always been one of my favorite things about his career, as they seem to have character all their own and certainly for me are a big part of his appeal. I suppose the production on Bad As Me is a lot more slick, even his growl seems a little glossed over.

As far as getting into Waits for the first time, a lot of people will say Swordfishtrombones, but as a newbie I found Mule Variations the most listenable. From there it was Bone Machine, and from there everything else.

This.

I bought Mule Variations first after hearing "House where Nobody lives."

Swordfish trombones might have been revolutionary when it came out in, what, the early 80's? But now its like anything else I watch on VHS. It doesn't hold up. And it doesn't have the song craft of other 80's albums.

[Mrd00d]

After Bad As Me, I started with the boxset Bawlers and Brawlers or some such. Then I hit Blood Money and fell in love. The rest fell into place when I read his biography.

[Howard the Duck]

i'm really loving Heartattack & Vine at the mo'

[TheBig3]

I really liked

12. Hell Broke Luce
13. New Year's Eve

But this might be my least favorite Waits album. This or the Black Rider.