Reviews (page 5 of 8)
NIce!
Aldri helt skjønt Waits. Men fint nok.
I can’t really imagine casually throwing on this album or any track from it, but I’m glad it exists. I guess someone had to make music by and for carnival barkers from Guillermo Del Toro movies.
14/09/2025 I just don't get this guy and his music. It's definitely different though. Spotify listeners: 1.4 million
Its like Brecht meets Disney meets van Vliet. Its mad that he was touring with Zappa in the 70s and hadn't heard of Captain Beefheart until just before he wrote this. Starts very diverse, Waits has a lot of things going on in this. Underground is a messy marimba-laden stomping thing. Shore Leave is a blues-noir mandolin thing. Dave the Butcher is a The Residents thing. Johnsburg, Illinois is a Disney thing. 16 Shells From a Thiry-Ought Six is a Tom Waits thing. Town With No Cheer is a sombre bagpipe thing. In the Neighbourhood is a sad Disney thing? Just Another Sucker on the Vine is a sad circus sideshow Disney thing I guess. Frank's Wild Years is a psychopath lounge thing. Down Down Down is an upbeat R+B gospel soul thing. Wild organ performance. Gin Soaked Boy is a Howlin Wolf via Beefheart thing. Rainbirds is the last thing. Really struggling on whether this is a three or a four. The skid-row/cabaret thing hasn't aged well but its so well executed and there's so much great use of percussion. The other stuff is legitimately great. And its just so weird and unexpected and not really what I think anyone would have expected from Waits eight albums deep yet it still works. Nonetheless its a bit long. A few songs could have got this one onto my playlist but oh well...
Rather goofy but an interesting listen for sure
I loved some songs and I hated others. very polarizing.
I like the earlier albums better, but there's really something special about Tom Waits and hearing his voice develop over the albums.
Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5
Weird but liked it
Weird and fun. Probably ground breaking at the time but it sounds like a movie soundtrack at this point.
Album is full of these smokey, raspy songs with jazz and blues undertones that I think make it very unique, but not necessarily full of hits. But I do like 16 Shells.
I liked this album. It was, perhaps, a bit longer than it should have been. However, there are some good songs here. A big point out the gate for Underground (loved it in Robots, and I had it on repeat all day after listening to this album). I've once heard Tom Wait's voice be compared to a "human cigarette", and I think that's a fairly accurate description. The band is also great in this album. Some songs are better than others, but I would say it was overall in the "okay" area for album ratings.
I almost quit this one early. Even quit in the middle of a song. But I kept going, and I'm glad I did. The last half of this is wonderful. I may even listen to it again and mark one as a favorite.
Tom Waits is one of those artists that I feel like I should know more of their work just don’t. After listening to this I’m just going to continue on thinking that I should definitely listen to more of his work one day. In the future.
It want as bad as people I talked to made it sound.
I'm not going to lie, I was expecting to hate this. Underground, weird as it is, I actually liked a lot. The second track, Shore Leave, was a bit too discordant for me, though the whispery delivery of some of the lyrics coupled with the instrumentation put me in mind of a classic era Disney cartoon bad guy. Think the snake from The Jungle Book. 16 Shells From A 30.6 had a lovely groove to it (though Tom sounded a bit like he'd been smoking 50 a day, or had a sore throat like sandpaper). Town With No Cheer cruelly introduced bagpipes, a decision that has no defense, but then balanced it with some lovely accordion work. I loved In The Neighborhood (ahhhh, brass instruments). I liked Swordfishtrombone despite (or maybe because of) it having more Disney villain vibes. Down, Down, Down was extreme toe-tapping time. Gin Soaked Boy was no Gin Soaked Boy by Divine Comedy, but was still enjoyable. As to the instrumentals - the first was circusy but dark, second more accordion (lovely), last atmospheric but a bit of a letdown for the last track on the album. I feared after the horror of Captain Beefheart earlier this week, I would despise this too, but this is very solid - mostly the right side of weird, rhythmic, loads of interesting instrumentation. It made me want to listen to more Tom Waits and that must be a good sign. 3.5 if I had half stars, but as I don't: 3/5
Aight
It took me several songs to warm up to the album, but by the end I was enjoying it
I listened to this just like that viral video of the woman drinking kombucha
If I ever start drag, I'll only perform to Tom Waits.
I like this better than rain dogs, while being on the same sorta sounds and themes. This just feels more like a carnival. The voice affectations are still a bit much, but less bothersome on this.
I came expecting pretension and sadness… I got chaos, dog murder, and uncomfortable horniness. Yet? I kept listening. Minus one star for dogocide and unsettling “Daddy” moans. Would recommend… but only to people with strong stomachs and no pets.
I’ve never heard anything that sounds like this album, odd mix of beat poetry with non-traditional instruments and insane vocal delivery.
I really respect and admire the artistry but it's not the most accessible album. Not as weird as rain dogs but somehow less accessible. Still enjoy it a lot
neighrborhed
His voice will never not be goofy and it is a detriment to the music. Although it wasn’t too grating and I didn’t mind this album (2.5/5)
I'm pretty sure the first time I ever heard Tom Waits was as the voice of Tommy the Cat. He's an acquired taste, sort of like Captain Beefheart, and I will sometimes skip his songs when they come up on shuffle because I have to be in the right mood for him. Or I have to be ready for him to change my mood. I used to love seeing him show up as a guest on Letterman and his acting work is fantastic. He's a true American original. That being said, this is not one of my favorite Waits albums. When I saw him on the "Glitter & Doom" Tour in 2008 I don't think he played a single song from this. It does have some songs I love, though, like "16 Shells from a 30-06," "In the Neighborhood," and "Gin Soaked Boy." According to the Wikipedia article, in 1989 SPIN named this the second-best album of all time. That seems a bit high.
Different but that's okay. Not perfect but that's okay. I still prefer Nighthawks at the Diner but overall, I can live with this.
***A good, easy listening album
This is so difficult to rate cause it's so unique. His voice is very strange but the music was fun most of the time and I enjoyed it
3.0
A bit of strange one. Very interesting.
Tää on Tom Waitsin paras albumi siksi, koska eri musiikkityyppien kokeilu välissä herättää mielenkiinnon eikä levyllä ole liikaa mittaa vaan jopa yllättävän vähän (hitaat biisit ovat nopeasti ohi). Ja mä kyllä pidän tän tunnelmasta.
Kuvastaako Waitsin kielellisen ilmaisun kliseisyys elämän itsensä absurdia ennalta-arvattavuutta, vai onko se vain kliseistä? Onko hänen tyytymisensä traditionaalisten muotojen modifiointiin vain musiikillisen mielikuvituksen puutetta? Oli miten oli, en voi olla pitämättä lopputuloksesta.
Tom Waits is what I imagine the Hat Man sounds like.
Suena muy bien, aunque no le he prestado mucha atención. No veo que haya ningún bombazo, pero es claramente un disco que suena a Tome Waits que es un estilo propio fácil de reconocer empezando por su voz.
If I remember correctly, there's a lot of Tom Waits on this list. So after two of his albums, I know there's more to come, and I just need to find a way to be ok with that. I can say this about him - he does his very best to be different, to be interesting. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but he's almost the furthest thing from predictable or formulaic. And sure, some of his stuff is just downright weird. That's ok! I like weird! I can get down with stuff that's a little off kilter or maybe is a little challenging. But this was hard to listen to at times. When you're trying to be different, sometimes you just hit the weirdest notes because what else can you do? You just need to be different. It's also weird to me because I do think he can actually sing, but sometimes on this album he just decides not to do it well? Not really sure what that's about. Look, he's creative, he's smart, he's interesting. But I just didn't come close to loving this and it's gonna get three sad stars from me. Sad because man it could've been better. Standout Tracks: 16 Shells from A 30.6, Frank's Wild Years, Down, Down, Down, Gin Soaked Boy, Rainbirds
Odd album. Some songs were less odd than others but none of them stood out that much to me. I commend it for its oddness though
De menos a más. Buen final. No es mi estilo.
I really don't know what to say about this. There was a lot of everything. Some of it was good, some of it wasn't.
Nice.
This is my second Tom Waits album and I thankfully enjoyed it. Waits is obviously a great and unique vocalist, and just a funny guy all around, and the music itself, even at lower points, is great. There are a lot of songs on here that I do think are just really nothing, though. The execution of them is good but it feels like I'm listening to interlude after interlude. The other Tom Waits album I listened to (Nighthawks at the Diner) had a ton of those, yeah, but they felt like they worked with the other songs on the album. I could barely tell when a song moved from one to another. Sure, they could have been the same song, but on this album, it just kind of feels like completely random interludes that have nothing to do with everything else that don't flow well with the album. Still goated album though. Favs: 16 Shells from a Thirty-Ought Six, Swordfishtrombone, Down, Down, Down Least fav: Johnsburg, Illinois
Bluesy Jazzy weird and awesome
Digan lo que digan los haters de Tom Waits, a mí me parece que hace muy buena música. Este álbum marca el comienzo de su transición hacia estilos más experimentales y el uso de una mayor variedad de instrumentos. No me voy a poner a listarlos aquí, porque son muchos. El resultado es una especie de circo de locos mezclado con cabaret, jazz, blues, country y poesía hablada; el camarote de los hermanos Marx hecho música. Las letras son historias de personajes particulares (como el hombre que prende fuego a su casa porque odia a su perro) o recuerdos de hogares, lugares y personas. Es un álbum exigente, que, como todos los de Waits, requiere ser escuchado activamente, pero resulta una experiencia muy gratificante.
Fine I guess
This one made me go Underground, Down, Down, Down.
2.75
I liked it more than I expected but that doesn't mean it's good. I found his voice very grating on me. I liked the music without the vocals though! Overall: 3/5, it's pretty average for me. Nothing too special, wouldn't listen again, but really don't hate it.
Tom Waits is an acquired taste … that I haven’t acquired …
It is quirky, and not exactly enjoyable, but unique and interesting at the same time. Overall a win.
3 Stars (8/15)
I like Tom Waits in small doses, but it's hard to take his weird-ass circus hobo music seriously.
The only album by Tom Wais that I’ve been able to listen to (so far) So I will give 3 stars, lol
Ég er enginn aðdáandi, en ég sé alveg hvernig hann getur verið sjarmerandi. Þetta var fínt á meðan það var, en ég held samt áfram eftir eina hlustun.
What the hell is a swordfishtrombone?
There is a lot of artistic merit here but there are so many tracks that I would never return to for any enjoyment. Bro nailed the sound for Halloween music though.
Ok
Raspy voice. Not his best
Alguna buena canción, pero en su estilo.
Good old Tom Waits - I enjoyed this album
Odd. Very odd. Many will hate this, many will adore it. I am indifferent to this one. I don’t mind Waits, but this just seems slightly “off” in so many ways!
Not keen. I mean it is okay… this guy has FIVE albums in this list (in the edition I am reading. I am trying to appreciate this.
If you told me Tim Burton was an alter ego of Tom Waits I'd believe you.
First Tom Waits album I hear.. Crazy, Different, I think it's Ok. I like the brass sounds.. certainly something different. Not for every mood, not for everyone. 2.80.
Interesting, always wanted to try to get into Tom Waits, but I just don’t love his voice.
Fand ich größtenteils zu experimentell
Huh, that's weird. All I heard was: <3 PIERCING TONES> followed by an AI voice saying: ".....We are sorry - you have exceeded the maximum number of ... 'TOM...WAITS' .... albums allowed in such a list. The maximum is 2. You have reached .... 5. Please move on." ...also is that Rudy Guiliani in drag on the cover? Tom should have shivved him right then and there and saved the world the trouble. (TL; DR: to be fair even if it's not my usual cuppa I definitely see the appeal, even if it is more....selective... than most. Gotta digest it and buy in, because if/when you (I) try to listen passively it just annoys). 6/10 3 stars.
I can see how this was considered a ground breaking record since it was a departure from his previous style and had a lot of experimental arrangements. Not for me overall though - my favourite track was 16 Shells From A 30.6, that one got saved.
Tom Waits stuff is weird, but I oddly enjoy it.
I really didn’t enjoy the previous Tom waits album that was generated so I went into this with some trepidation but I mostly enjoyed this
An eclectic mix of music with a variety of styles. Underground opened in a really bizarre fashion, but after that I found the next few songs quite enjoyable, if not quite my thing. There were however, a few weird ones in there.
Very odd but if you're willing to look outside conventional music you can pick a few diamonds. Love Underground
Got off to a dodgy start, but improved massively. This is what I expected from Captain Beefheart, weird but with substance. First half is only worth a 1, but second half has upped it to a 3.
Interesting and polarizing album Some songs were incredible and others sounded like a wino ranting while playing a child’s xylophone Definitely deserves further exploration as an artist
Tom Waits is definitely in the category of an "acquired taste", a sometimes difficult listen, often after repeated listening it gets better once you get past his voice and general weirdness. There are several Wait's albums I liked instantly, so it's not all grit and gravel, but he's not for all tastes, which is understandable. With Swordfishtrombones, Tom has entered into his "cookie monster" phase and for proof listen to his first couple of records to hear the transformation (degradation?) of his voice style. This is an album, I didn't care for when I first listened, but the songwriting is strong and there's just something about this album that grows on you. Not my favourite Tom Waits album, but still a good representation of Wait's "listenable" music, if you can make it all the way through.
That's not my taste in music - But some pleasant songs
definitely unique sounding, not sure if i’m a fan tho
Not something I’m going to put on if I am wanting to listen to music. Interesting is the first word that comes to mind. Waits voice does have the punch to carry the spoken word. For most vocalist this would be a 1 or 2 if delivered this way. Waits takes it to a soft 3
Apparently with this album Tom Waits transformed from drunk poet on the piano to junkyard theatre. It *feels* like art. Not necessarily the kind of art that's exciting to me.
Freaky Waits.
I can appreciate Tom Waits, album or otherwise, but I'm not exactly the biggest fan either. 3.5 bumped down to 3.
Empezó raro pero me gustó
Interesting
Tom Waits seems to straddle the line between cool experimental blues and utterly batshit crazy. I can’t quite work out if having the voice of a grizzled old cartoon toad adds to it or detracts from what would otherwise be a much more comfortable listen. I find myself not hating it. I also find myself needing it to stop after a while.
If memory serves correctly, I’ve really enjoyed all of the music of Tom Waits that I’ve heard so far. For whatever reason, this one just didn’t quite grip me as much as the others. I did still enjoy it, but whereas others really gripped me, this one became more like a fine music to have on in the background rather than the foreground. Perhaps it was just that I was too distracted, so it could well be on me rather than the music, but that’s the curl of the burl when reviewing an album after one listen every day.
Theres def some nice ideas throughout the album, a lot of nice tracks with a whoolllleee range of instruments so that’s nice. Trumpets!
A left-field album that tries to capture Waits experimental and creative direction. I appreciate all of the different instruments but it's not my taste of music. Tom Waits at his best.
I actually hate Tom Waits LESS now
Some interesting sounds, but his voice is just too much. A couple good songs, but also a couple songs that were needlessly repetitive.
I am intrigued. I dont fully unterstand ist by i Kind of Like it
I am a huge, unabashed fan of Tom Waits. There's at least 4-5 of his albums that I would think easily deserve a place on this list. That said, this isn't one that I hold in quite as high of regard.
I always wondered how many cigarettes he had to get that raspiness. Such a wildly chaotic album.
Quite the interesting project.
Oh Tom Waits! This is one of those albums that I don't necessarily listen to a lot but it is a classic and I'm glad I did, Tom Waits has a crazy good voice but he's never been a favorite!
I like weird experimental music, but some tracks here I did not like at all. This album is too inconsistent. Some songs are great, others are just boring. The second half, which is less experimental and has more conventional tracks, redeems it a bit, though.
Thought I would hate it but there were som ironic gems in this album. enjoyed Tom's jazzy tones. some songs worked better than others the middle part was definitely my favorite.
Interesting and strange folk music. Kinda grunge and spoken word at times. Some cool jazz moments on this. Blues also? Damn this guy has a versatile band. I cant help but feel like Robbie Robertson stole Tom Waits style on Somewhere Down The Crazy River. Wow this was really good. Not something I would come back to for some time, but I really enjoyed this.
Hated the first song... after that it was pretty okay.
Tom is always great. Super diferent and original doing his best with not the best voice. He just does his own thing and its great. A felew instrumentals that didnt love but always a great hear
Always enjoy a Tom Waits album
Not quite my cup of tea but pretty decent.
Tom Waits is growing on me, but still not sure I'll ever fully get there.
I don’t think I’ve ever listened to him before. This album had a nice consistent oddball vibe throughout, and a nice level of experimentation to keep you on your toes. Started strong and tailed off a bit. Defo open to hearing more of his stuff. I do question whether his missus would have been happy with the indiscriminate borrowing of kitchen based percussion items though.
Has a lot of stuff I didn’t jive with, but has some great tracks (town with no cheers in particular).
Those drunken blues tracks are fun at least, still not the thing i would like to turn on by myself
Solid album overall, nothing particularly standout but it was good.
lol I never know what to do with Tom Waits, always so weird but at times so interesting. 1/2 of me is into it 1/2 of me can’t do it.
First song has me wondering what the heck I'm in for on this one. It sounds like an old school Ween. Song 2 is the same but with some cool instrumentation. Dave The Butcher sounds like carnival Primus. Johnsburg, Illinois is normal and pleasant. 16 Shells From A 30.6 sounds like it would be in Peaky Blinders. Gin Soaked Boy has some bluesy twangy ZZ Top guitar and even has the same vocal melody as La Grange 34 seconds in, and 108. Not surprised if it was inspired/stolen. Pretty weird overall. Leaning on 2 but have to go with 3 for diversity and keeping it interesting.
I really like his “Closing Time” album, so it’s disappointing to me that so much of his other work sounds like a spectacularly drunken episode of the Muppet Show. I know there are artistic reasons for doing things the way he does. I just don’t always get it.
Ciekawe, kilka utworów zapisałem. Ale w tej mniej ciekawej części raczej poniżej przeciętnej. 3/5
Great artist but clearly not his best work. A relatively unremarkable disc, in my opinion.
Tom being Tom.
tom waits album
Not bad but a little too weird for my liking
Good story telling and funny. Enjoyed but wouldnt listen again
A new one to me, but not my favorite. Waits can be hit or miss.
Somehow, I love Captain Beefheart, but I can't seem to wrap my head around Tom Waits. On "Underground" the drums go thwomp, the guitars are angular, and Waits' gravelly voice paves over the whole thing. This is what I have been taught to expect of Tom Waits beyond the 70's. "Shore Leave" was an easier proposition. The oddball instrumentation is subdued, but very slinky and present as Waits weaves words like he's narrating a noir film. It's to such great effect! This gave way to he spooky, yet jolly, organ of "Dave the Butcher" which helped carries the mood. "Johnsburg, Illinois" was caught me by surprise. I was not expecting a heart-felt ballad. On "16 Shells" the driving beat and jaunty guitars are almost psychedelic and Waits displays control over his voice. "Town with No Cheer" opens with bagpipes(?) which give way to another plaintive ballad. Waaaaaaay better than I was expecting. Tom Waits has great range. I don't know how often I'll return to this album, but it definitely requires another listen.
Small observation: I've known many more women who like Tom Waits than men. I don't know what to take from that, but it's an observation I've made. I like Tom Waits' old stuff (Heart Attack And Vine, Nighthawks At the Diner, etc.), but this Beefheart-esque stuff is hard to bear. Not my cup of tea, but I think I get it anyway.
mental. Surprised I even slightly enjoyed bits of it. Tom Waits makes me believe I can be a musician. Becuase with 0 talent, a horrible singing voice and inability to even say words properly, he was able to convey emotion really well. So I actually got on board with it about 2/3 of the way through. Will listen again
Tom gets out his pots and pans and barks at the moon. (I know it gets worse) Its quaint at times ('Neighbourhood") but on the whole it's not a great listen (for me)
Vibeyy but not my stylee
There were a few good moments (16 Shells From A 30.6, Gin Soaked Boy, Down Down Down) but there were some pretty strange stuff also (Trouble's Braids, Frank's Wild Years, Just Another Sucker) Not completely off-putting but not something I'm likely to return to.
Weird af, but never boring
I would be okay if there weren't anymore Tom Waits albums on this list
If albums were food, this would be a cookbook printed in latin with every recipe torn out, that still manages to cook The deep lyrics of Underground rock, song goes galactic Tom waits voice is so marvellous that he makes yapping songs sound good Out of the "albums that sound goofy but probably have some artistry going on" this is the most interesting to listen to I'd give it a 3 on the basis that he's cooking (silently) ehat jake said
That's the song from robots (2005)
Not the worst weird album I've heard
Not at all what I expected, but after the initial shock, I liked pieces of it and feel like a second listen is warranted. If I want to listen to it a second time, I usually give it at least 3 stars…but I don’t really love it. So 3 stars it is.
The lyrics and instrumentation pair well to evoke images of the characters and stories all over the album, often seedy and sombre. I just tend to feel that there's a ton of nothing tracks that do none of that evoking all over the album as well.
A very strange album, filled with folksy musings on the narrator's observations of the world around him. The lyrics offer dated descriptions of ethnic groups, delivered in Waits's signature voice that sounds like Bruce Springsteen raked over a cheese grater. Sometimes you can't even tell what note he's singing as he sounds more and more like Cookie Monster. Waits's music is truly eccentric, and I'm glad I listened to this album, though I may never listen again, save for the opener.
I love weird, drunk sounding Tom Waits. I had to pause for something after the first song, and without listening closely, I wondered if I'd just listened to a drunk Tigger from Winnie-the-Pooh. I decided to listen to every song as if it was an alternate version of Winnie-the-Pooh characters, and it was a good listen.
Overall decent album, good instruments but don't like the songs that are mostly spoken. Added 10/15 songs. 3.5 stars
Wild. Over the top, occasionally brilliant, sometimes dated, but very fun.
I like this but didn't Dr John did this way before him?
Like all Waits, it's not something I'll usually choose to listen to, but usally am glad I did. It's not all good, and can get annoying, but I still like it some.
I feel a love/hate relationship with Tom Waits. The instrumentals really draw me in and the entire album feels like it should be set to a movie. I just also feel like I can’t listen to his particular vocal styling unless I’m in the right mood.
As if Tom Waits isn't odd enough, this album takes a turn away from his beat poet best and delves into an eerie instrumental laced vortex that made me think of an excursion to a New Orleans voodoo shop. You know, not a bad trip, but definitely an odd one.
Another good one from Tom. 3.5 stars.
I actually enjoyed this album slightly more than Hollywood and Vine. His voice can still be grating, but it's an ok 2.5-3 star album
really interesting album with a cool voice
Can't get on with this
This is one where I can appreciate the artistry but not something I’d probably listen to again
ah jo voll normale erste song tom. tweite song bitz andersch? er redt afoch chli und d lüt spieled schräg. anschinend isch am tom waits si talent daser chan hammer musiker:inne töne loh wie amateure. gsehni. check de song aber. dävu de metzger au funny. aber au dumm? johnsburg singter huere s hö und denn mega sräg 16 shells no cool er druckt sini stimm huuuere gad bi 16 shells oder town with no cheer. ha s gfühl s will mengmol extra weird sii und denn ischs wieder schön weird. town with no cheer isch seehr schön, mega guets storytelling text isch echt super. de chalt synthi machts no melancholischer. es isch huuuere WEIRD. aber wiener bi frank's wild years verzellt isch schono cool. swordfishtrombone isch seeehr geil victor feldman fitzt anee. gin soaked boy? Herr Vatska? kei ahnig wani mit dem album söll afange. 3.
I like Tom Waits' melodies and instrumentation, but I hate his gravely, mumbly, Cookie Monster voice. So I'm torn on this one. The album as a whole is solid and for the most part enjoyable, but can I get past the vocal stylings? Probably not enough to listen to this with any regularity. So it's likely an average 3-stars.
Probably deserves another listen or two to let it set in
This album is consistently interesting, even if it isn't particularly... musical, I guess? There are a few tracks by Tom Waits that I rather enjoy, but these songs don't do quite as much for me.
3+
C'était vraiment bizarre, mais j'ai préféré à bien d'autres albums de Waits (certainement plus que Nighthawks At The Diner). Toujours pas sûr d'aimer son style, mais j'ai aimé comment c'était un peu chaotique tout en étant cohésif. Ça valait la peine d'être écouté. 6.5/10
Fully expected to hate this, but it has its charm.
The more I hear of Tom Waits, the less I understand him. The first album we had from him was strange and this one is just as odd but in a completely different way. He doesn't seem to have any famous songs and he's also an actor, no idea who his audience is but he's definitely interesting. This album was a mishmash of various experiments, most with his strange gravelly voice over the top. The last jazz piano track aside there wasn't anything that I actually liked but it didn't annoy me either, which considering the craziness has to mean something. Worth one listen, unlikely to come back but it's probably worth being on this list. 2.5.
Didn't do too much for me, although there is something appealing about Tom Waits, kinda want to like him more than I do. Actually after writing that I thought the second half was much better than the first. More coherent. Highlights were Town with no cheer Down down down Soldiers toys 3 is probably fair
Tom Waits is a good storyteller, but his music is always an acquired taste for me. After two listens, still haven't acquired the taste. The disjointed rhythms aren't enjoyable. 3/5 just because I find the content of the songs interesting.
I’ve soured on Tom Waits over the years, but this album in particular is kind of sentimental to me. When I was about 13, my uncle gave me two Tom Waits CDs for my birthday: this one, and Closing Time. I had never heard of Tom Waits, and it turned out neither had he. He read about him in a magazine and thought “This sounds like something my 13 year old nephew would like.” Closing Time never spoke to me much, Swordfish did. In hindsight, I think it served as a bit of a baby’s-first toward a lot of music I like now. It’s kind of a bummer it makes me roll my eyes now, even though I do still think it has some musically interesting stuff to offer. I’ve become a crank.
Silly devious music for sneaking around with a burlap sack full of various gizmos and gadgets on your back. Can't really say I got the "Tom Waits Vocals Tolerance Gene". Better than that boring blues record of his I had last time though.
Bueno, raro
2.5/5
I don't think this is music that will ever make me think "I should listen to this right now", but I did enjoy it and I like his voice. 3/5
I don’t have a huge Tom Waits expertise, my only liked or tried record of him is Heart of Saturday Night and I think it’s a very cool album to listen to in rainy (Saturday) nights. A total Nighthawks vibes. But somehow, this jazzy and piano funky album didn’t roll me well. A solid 3.
mixed
wasn't super good but it was charming
I think you have to be in a certain frame of mind to appreciate Tom Waits; I'm not sure I was totally there when I listened to this. Somewhere between "Heartattack" and "Rain Dogs" for me; Rain Dogs is still the standout Tom.Waits album. On this, "16 Shells" was one I enjoyed a lot
An easy listen but not one I think I’d return to
Tom Waits is another one of those artists that i feel cool people like. unfortunately this time i don’t really love him, just can’t get over the voice. this album wasn’t bad though, had that cool instrumental and Underground from Robots!!!
It was good.
En 1983 Tom Waits no sólo se deshizo de representante, productor y discográfica, también eliminó de su paleta sonora las cuerdas y el piano que le habían acompañado hasta entonces. Confecciona aquí un álbum pleno de experimentación, con el dominio sonoro de trompas graves, bajos y percusión, y sin apenas arreglos. Las historias son más surrealistas y su mirada se dirige a los inadaptados que para Waits somos todos. El resultado es un disco bizarro y difícil de saborear, sobre todos en su arranque. Aún así hay momentos para la introspección, como \"Johnsburg, Illinois\" y \"Soldier's Things\", o de ritmos clásicos con sonidos básicos pero que funcionan, como \"16 Shells From a 30.6\", la blusera \"Gin Soaked Boy\" y \"Down, Down, Down\", los cortes que personalmente más me gustan.
Definitely unique. Really didn't like the first half, but didn't mind the second half. I can't tell if the songs grew on me or the album actually got better, but it wasn't terrible
Very silly. But not unlistenable.
good
You're walking down the street and hear music down an alley. You take a look and it's a circle of hobos, junkies, drunks, playing random instruments. Some of them are surpsingly good, some are just drunk dude beating on a trash can. Then a man with a mouthful of gravel starts singing. You're at once terrified and intrigued. Honestly not sure if I love this or hate it but it's different and interesting.
Grows on you. Like a fungus.
Un poco rollo. Aún así,, me han gustado mucho 3 canciones.
Between a 3 and 4. Definitely weird
My dear late great auntie Dolores used to play this album for me at bed time to help me fall asleep. It just doesn't hit the same without the smell of her cheap lavender perfume and stale cigarette smoke. When she took out her dentures and sang along, I could have sworn Tom was there in the room with me. Sometimes I wish I hadn't pawned her stand up bass all those years ago, but it was really doing a number on her spine, lugging it to the gigs at the Cameron House every Sunday night. Spending all that money on pogs was the real kick in the balls though. Auntie always said that the electric bass was for pussies. I wouldn't go that far, but the double bass on Soldier's Things and on the title track sure sounds good. Miss you Auntie. Rest in Pudding.
A typical Tom Waits album, for better or worse. Actually, this one isn't half bad. 3/5
Definitely an acquired taste, but one I’m okay with
Very polarizing guy. Personally, I find times where I enjoy his gnarled crackle of a voice. Other times, I tolerate it. This music has a very specific purpose of either intent listening or background ignorance, both while consuming hard liquor. A wide range of instruments, creative, dark and whimsical.
I mean, yeah, it's Tom Waits. Sometimes he's on point, but this one just doesn't find that point for me. It's fine though. A sign of things to come.
Very weird. I recognize his voice from a bunch of movie/TV songs and stuff.
Tom Waits. An acquired taste.
How many god damn Tom Waits albums are on this god forsaken list. This is the 4th one I've gotten in like a month. Sounds like a cracked out muppet that lives in the circus.
It's Tom Waits, so you know it's good. That being said, this album is clearly a point of transition for his sound, not the piano man style of the 70s but not the peak of the "dark cabaret" style that he really perfected from Rain Dogs onward, so I feel it's amongst his weaker outputs.
Interesting album
Reminded me of Nick Cave but even weirder. Don’t know how much I’ll ever come back to listen to this but is definitely unique. Rating: 2.9
Harsh voice, dark lyrics but good music
Man he's a difficult artist idiosyncratic,unique, talented but tough to listen to. 3 stars
I am guessing this is one of the less accessible tom waits albums but '16 Shells From a Thirty-Ought-Six' unlocked it for me somehat. What a jam.
idk it’s probably beloved by someone smarter than me
I like it–crazy and eclectic
Tom Waits is a weird dude. He’s also a terrific musician and unique artist. I find this to be his best album and his grumbling also drunken vocality sticks out in all the best ways. To say nothing of how absolutely fucking cool this album is.
I thought I liked this album, but on hearing it again I think i prefer somevof his other stuff
Interesting but ultimately probably not one of the 1001 albums I needed to hear. Not bad.
Not something I'd deliberately choose to listen to, but fun music that I enjoy when it does appear.
# Playlist track - Down, Down, Down # Notes - Tom Waits' shtick is somewhat repetitive. There are fun instrumentals, but I couldn't even get myself to pay attention to the lyrics. - Giving it one extra star, because this is better than Bone Machine
Kann man anhören. Vor dem Kamin.
A bit underwhelming Tom Waits' album. His voice is still on its own level, but the atmosphere of the record and the songs were quite "normal". I liked the instrumental one, but that's not what I was looking for in this album. I've heard many better position in Tom's discography.
Not really into Tom Waits although this was interesting.
Favorite track: 16 shells from a 30.06
If you're in the mood for swampy blues, this is the album for you!
It was interesting
Pretty weird, but I like it for some reason
Weird, groovy. Some Zappa or Captain Beefheart vibes to it. I like it.
Tom’s got a strong base of a album with deep lyrics complimented by a stable backing track. However, the constants of the instrumentation such as drums and bass, or whatever he’s using, is drowned and muddied out by all of the noise he chose to put in over top. Not only is there too much of it to appreciate the actual structure of the album, but you can barely hear it over all the noise. As for his lyrics, they’re fantastic as always, but I only know that because I had to look them up seeing as his voice makes almost every track unintelligible. Point being; a great album is only great if you can hear its greatness. 3/5
Good
Odd. Not what I expected but does definitely include some good music if you're a fan of brass instruments.
Mr Waits has been pretty consistent for me in that I can appreciate it, I'm just not sure its for me. This might be a first where it has a bagpipes solo....its fine, moody, and probably "cool" but I'll never put it on again.
Listening to this in 2023, were one inclined to feel uncharitable, I would say this sounds kinda like Jack Black making a Tom Waits album. I like Tom Waits as a person more than as a singer unfortunately.
Märkligt album. Men it's a vibe
His gravely voice is a bit off putting at times, but there's some interesting story telling at play. The overall vibe is peculiar with some really weird moments, but as a whole it's not actually as bad as I thought it would be at the start. 3.5
i'm surprised how much i actually liked this one. i was imagining that all the tracks would be either like track 1 or track 2, but he actually has more "range" (if you can call it that in this case) than i was giving him credit for. lyrically the themes and topics were about what i was expecting, but the album was pretty listenable.
I enjoyed the first track then got worried because I disliked 2-4, buy enjoyed 16 Shells and Town with No Cheer. I think I don't like the talky songs. I full-on skipped Frank's Wild Years. I liked Down, Down, Down as well. After that was meh.
The way i see it, there are people out there who look at abstract art and see a clear image. Then there are those who look at it and see random disconnected blobs and shapes. I’m the second type of person. I can see how this album could appeal to certain types, but it doesn’t make much sense to me. Not that that makes it bad, it just makes it not for me. 16 shells is a banger though. TL;DR: If the movie Pi (1998) had a soundtrack this is what I imagine it would sound like.
This album is the kind of music the Joker would listen to everyday
Weird and quirky but I guess that's what he was gong for. Good? I don't think I would go that far.
Overall a nice album. I really liked a couple of songs -underground, swordfish trombone. Just a nice vibe in general. But if I’m completely honest with myself I’d probably not listen start to finish again. Solid 3.
For a Waits album I enjoyed
I tried to like it - "Underground" is a strong way to start an album. It's just too experimental for me. One song was spoken word - I did not like that.
Added Underground as a "liked song" - reminds me a lot of ManMan
Gave this a couple of listens, didn't really grab me, though I know there are tons of folks who love Tom Waits.
tom waits is definitely an acquired taste. his voice goes from that of a beat poet to smooth crooning to almost a primal howl. sometimes all within the same song. but one thing present is always the signature gravelly tone. some songs were a little too much for me, but i actually enjoyed others.
Un disco bastante consistente de música experimental. En ocasiones esquelético, en otras saturado y en otras simplemente ridículo, este trabajo de Waits es el puntapié inicial de su etapa de música "teatral" que mezcla diferentes estilos, siempre manteniendo una base de Jazz y un espíritu crooner. Personalmente, lo odio, pero no puedo negar su importancia.
Jovars, det är väl hyggligt.
Rainbirds is a gorgeous song. This album is very theatrical.
Tom Waits has never really been in my sphere of interest and as this record started I was pretty sure that was going to continue to be the case. Halfway through I was beginning to feel there is something to be found in the off-beat poetry of his lyrics. The instrumentation and vocalizations are quirky and unusual. "Shore Leave", "Frank's Wild Years", and "Soldier's Things" stood out to me.
Reminded me of my aunt Lori, music was eclectic but some was groovy. YouTube started suggesting me some really good songs after this album was done.
Mixed feelings about this one. I was invested enough in the stories Mr. Tom Waits was telling me, not so much on the music. An okay record I'll probably never listen to again but at least it was better than my current dull streak.
66/100
Wacky like a Danny Elfman score with storytelling like Sufjan Stevens. This record has a lot of acclaim but I'm missing something because I find it interesting but not appealing.
A mixed bag this one. Tom Waits is known for his weirdness and his creativity. If you like songs written by a drunken carney then this is for you. For me it's just alright
Some songs have this amazing ambiance, but it still is a bit too much for a whole album
Interessanter Singer Song-Writer Instrumental Rock.
Hrm hr grumble grr, 4th Tom Waits album hrrmgrr. Disney-ruffian-style cabaret grrr. Mmrrrmh. Grgrgrr smokey bar backrooms. Hrrrr grumble grumble.
Really intriguing parts. Other parts i simply could not get into. Would need more time with it.
mouais
6/10. I always like Tom Waits' stuff, but it's tough to love it.
8th album from the prolific poet.
Alsof je naar het circus gaat waar aan de rand van het terrein, net achter de reguliere artiestenverblijven, een klein verrot tentje staat waaruit de xylofoongeluiden van Aad Klaris naar buiten komen vanaf een rotte platenspeler die net niet het gewenste aantal toeren per minuut haalt, terwijl een afgegleden, aan diverse middelen verslaafde, naar een combinatie van urine en alcohol riekende Bassie z'n liedjes loopt uit te braken. Een Bassie waarbij de tand des tijds lichamelijk genadeloos hard heeft toegeslagen, maar hij in z'n hoofd nog altijd een kwieke legend ergens in de jaren '80 is. Misschien vergis ik me en is het niet Bassie, maar de Heath Ledger/Joaquin Phoenix versie van de Joker daar ginds in het tentje. Het zou zelfs Pennywise nog kunnen zijn... Het is in ieder geval absoluut geen fraai gezicht en no way dat je ook maar enigszins in de buurt wil komen van dat tentje, maar wat je er van ziet is wel rauw, eerlijk en op een bepaalde manier indrukwekkend. Dat indrukwekkende zorgt ervoor dat ik het er wel mee eens ben dat dit een album is wat je een keer geluisterd moet hebben.
zach called this album experimental but i didn’t expect it to be That experimental. some cool songs but i listened to it a couple of days ago and don’t remember having much to say about any in particular. it sounds like it was a lot of fun to make.
Please stop with the Tom Waits. I think that's 5 you've given me now. To be fair this one I preferred to the others. But I'm still not converted
This was a bit strange but I like Tom Waits. Not sure I can listen to a whole album though.
I liked it, poetry / free form without sounding too skronky to me
I literally don't know what to write here. There's some amazing moments in this album. I remember hearing In The Neighbourhood on 120 Minutes years ago and it's always stuck with me. I love it. The rest of the album... I mean, I did like it but I felt like I was having to make myself listen. It's weird, no doubt. It's brilliant, I'm sure. It's not going to get played on a regular basis. It would have got a 2 but it gets a 3 just for In The Neighbourhood.
Big fan of Tom Waits. But this album is not on heavy rotation at my place. Experimentally it’s good. But regular listening it’s not
I can't see myself listening to this album again, at least not anytime soon, but it's neat. I don't really have much to say about it. My favourite song was Underground.
Interesting. Lyrics invoke emotions. Musically, nothing to bop your head to. Would listen again
Great voice, weird music. A bit too weird for that fourth star.
The beginning of Tom's "pots and pans" era (this album - death). Fifty percent gloom and pain bangers, fifty percent just binks and bonks. The Rain Dogs follow-up album figured out how to make it all work much better.
While Tom's never really been my flavor, I completely get his appeal. I just find a lot of his music lacking in...SOMETHING, but I can never put my finger on it. On paper, he has all the ingredients I want in an artist, but the execution always leaves me somewhat disappointed. I do really appreciate the dynamics throughout this one, with strange rhythmic pulses on tracks like 16 Shells from A 30.6, followed by melodic piano work on Rainbirds and Soldier's Things. This album has some definite highlights, but I wouldn't say I'm a full convert after listening closely.
Some great tracks here, just not enough to justify a 4
Bit dull
Really gorgeous vocals. Don't feel like listening to it once did it justice and so its an album I'll definitely revisit.
Typische stem van Waits op iets aparte muziek, matig enthousiast over
Honestly, thought it was gonna be worse.
Pretty much what you'd expect from a Tom Waits album.
Un poco rollo. Aún así,, me han gustado mucho 3 canciones.
The album cover is more interesting than the music, but that is not to say that the music is bad. Tom Waits is fine in homeopathic doses, one or two tracks at a time. Listening to an entire album at once is overdosing. Perhaps this is an effect of streaming rather than buying records, but it holds true today.
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah, it had a nice Belen of everything and was entertaining for a decent length album Favourite song: Track 5 - 16 Shells From A 30.6
I enjoyed it for what it was, but didn’t love it. It’s unique, lots of “genre-blending” going on that works cohesively, but only six of the fifteen tracks did it for me.
21st December 2022 Listened mainly in the evening getting ready for dinner. Day 2 of skiing! Felt in sync with the run up to Christmas. If the guy from the Pogues and Nick Cave had a child, it’d be this album. 3.5 if I could.
Very weird and interesting. In The Neighbourhood sounds sonically like a Christmas song. Inoffensive and some of it was nice and relaxing to work to, but not something I’d return to.
Local drunk man with access to a marimba records album in secret. It's fun, very weird, almost vaudevillian, jumping genres between songs. It's quick and fun enough, but I think "vibe" alone is not enough for me to give this higher than, say, a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Franks Wild Years", "16 Shells From A 30.6"
It was good. I like the horns.
Love the variety, the energy, and of course the grittiness.
I noticed and appreciated the songwriting most on this one. Didn't seem to suit his delivery mostly, except "16 Shells" and "Soldier's Things" worked very well.
Tom Waits is different. Sometimes I like him, other times not so much. In this album, I like him. In The Neighborhood is great. Standouts: In the Neighborhood, Underground, Johnsburg Illinois, 16 Shells from a Thirty-Ought-Six, Soldier's Things Others: Shore Leave, Town With No Cheer, Swordfishtrombone, Rainbirds Rating: 3.5/5 (Excellent)
I'm sure there is something deeper I am missing about Tom Waits. There were a few of these I enjoyed but then some that absolutely riled me. Grizzly and strange.
I like Tom Waits when he does his spoken word stuff, I like him when he sings properly, I really really don't like where he does something in the middle. The first track on this is exactly what I don't like. I love his lyrical style, and when he describes these almost film noir scenes it works beautifully with his gravel voice, but the faster and more upbeat stuff just doesn't do it for me. I'll be generous and give it a 3, because when it hits it hits really well, but there's a couple of tracks on there that I'd barely give a 1.
OK, he's definitely piss taking bit there is some fun poetry hidden in there
It was interesting but I didn't particularly enjoy it all that much.
veldig sært men egentlig ganske kult
So weird Circus? Piano bar? Spoken word hipster night at the library? Cough a lung up for me, Tom.
I do like Tom Waits. Very interesting artist, love his adventurous experimentation, reinvention, and exploration. I admire this album because I hear an artist trying out various ideas, possibly taking the mickey with us on some or all of it, and bravo to him for doing so. This album might not be the kind of thing I come back to, but that sometimes doesn't matter. I like the twisted and strange.
Un poco rollo. Aún así,, me han gustado mucho 3 canciones.
The musician in me thinks this music is a great unique musical expression. The music listener in me thinks it's self-indulgent dissonant horse shit.
I like quirky. I like oddball. I like weirdoes and divergent personalities. I appreciate kitschy and campy artists. But I need them to be accessible to me on some level to truly love them. Mad respect to Waits for being all of these things and then some, but I think his reach exceeds my grasp. Some of the instrumentals were quite enjoyable, and when Tom sings a bit softer I can connect (Johnsburg, Illinois). Overall though, the intensity of his trademark growl is just too jarring for me to enjoy for an entire album runtime. Love this album artwork though, it's magnificent!
Some people I know really love Tom Waits. I kinda never minded without becoming much of a fan. I bought this album a long time ago as I felt I was missing out on something special. It's an occasional soundtrack when sometimes flicking through the wall of albums as something I should give another try. Some songs I like, some songs less so. Sometimes it veers into a bit of parody of Tom Waits. That's my general impression of most Tom Waits albums I've heard.
Odd
I respect Tom Waits. He has a unique style and artistic vision, and he's stayed true to that vision. Having said that, I only enjoy listening to him in small doses. 3 stars.
Good but I prefer what he made after. This is still a bit scattered and prototypical
Sbevefish
More beatnik weirdness from Mr. Waits. Album starts off with bizarre noisy oomph band stuff with a disonant guitar line, trombone(?) bass line and percussion (errr banging) that sounds like a 3 year olds idea of drumming. Lyrics could be interesting but I just wasn't compelled to delve that deeply. Next few songs are beat poetry stuff, carnival madness with a little straight ahead piano balladry thrown in. Things get a little more normal (or at least TWs version of normal) with In the Neighborhood, Frank's Wild Years, Swordfishtrombones and of course Soldier's Things. No matter how strange musically Tom gets his lyrical prowess is always first rate. 3.5 🌟
Boy, this list is really insistent that I give Tom Waits another chance after being more or less lukewarm on the last two albums of his that I listened to. This album continues that trend. It's strange, I like weird music, and I feel like I should like Tom Waits. I think the issue is that I like music that is weird like the Butthole Surfers, and Tom Waits makes music that's weird in the same way that clowns are weird. I fucking hate clowns. I don't hate Tom Waits, but when I saw one of his albums on this list this morning, I felt the same way that I feel when someone tells me that I'm going to the circus: "Oh great, now I'm about to get robbed by a carnie." 3/5
ekki besta, en venst merkilega vel
Unique. Definitely never heard anything like it. Not sure I could listen to it all the time but it was cool.
Tom Waits... voice of an angel. I liked this, but his voice is so grating at times.
I gather this is where Tom Waits started seriously going down the wilfully difficult path. I liked this, albeit at a bit of a distance, think it might require a few listens to sink in some more.
Tom Waits est une nouvelle fois en roue libre dans cet album studio. Le point culminant de ce spectacle est sans doute le moment où il fait monter une spectatrice sur scène et l'humilie à coup de vannes toutes plus réussies les unes que les autres. Le public est conquis.
Dès le début de cet album, je me suis demandé ce qui était arrivé à Tom Waits. J'ai d'abord pensé qu'il était tombé sur la tête, étant donné le grand n'importe quoi qu'il nous propose des les premières chansons de l'album. Mais j'ai très vite changé mon fusil d'épaule, comprennant rapidement le problème: Tom Waits est tout simplement complétement torché sur cet album. En effet, ce dernier, pour surmonter une rupture amoureuse, noyera son chagrin dans l'alcool lors d'une triste soirée hivernale. C'est la que les enregistrements de cet album seront pris, entre de trop nombreux verres de whisky. Cet album a d'ailleurs fortement inspiré le personnage du Capitaine Haddock, que nous pouvois retrouver dans les aventures de Tintin.
3, different to what I'm used to
-"16 Shells From A 30.6" is a pretty sweet jam. Instrumentation is zooming and singer's belting out the lyrics -Not sure why, but I like the xylophone on "Swordfishtrombone." Maybe cuz it is Zappa-esque -"Down, Down, Down" totally wails -Drums on "Trouble's Braids" are kind of sick -I liked it more than the "Nighthawks At The Diner" album, and maybe a few more songs like "16 Shells From A 30.6" and "Down, Down, Down" would bump it to a 4
I've enjoyed the variety of the Tom Waits albums on this list. This one leaning towards the experimental side. Still enjoy his gravelly yelps but I still prefer Bone Machine as the "unconventional" choice from his back catalogue
Bill reckons a bit long, but more tolerable that anticipated. Shannah likes his piratey voice. Story-telling on Shore Leave and Frank's Wild Years generally appreciated. 3/5.
O jebote led više Toma, stvarno dost.
My third Tom Waits album to review, and I'm still not sure what to do with it. Maybe I'm getting used to Waits, because Swordfishtrombones seemed okay. "Rainbirds" was an easy instrumental track to like, but "In the Nighborhood", "Swordfishtrombone" "Down, Down, Down", "Gin Soaked Boy" and "16 Shells From a Thirty-Ought-Six" were easily "okay" or better tracks. The track I would want to skip is "Shore Leave" which almost feels like a classic Tom Waits track because all I could say was "What?" when I listened to it.
Swordfishtrombones by Tom Waits (1983) I like swords. I like fish. I like swordfish. I like trombones. And I really like Tom Waits. This album consists of 15 experimental tracks, most of which are successful. And most of them are from the John Cage school of instrumental nonconformity, and the Allen Ginsberg school of poetic chaos. (But [therefore?] it’s not for everybody, just mostly fellow bohemian hedonists and proletarian cynics like me, and it’s not likely to inspire multiple listens or covers, although I bet it was listened to by Frank Zappa, Indigo Girls, and the later Bob Dylan, yep.) The lyrics are humorous, and wildly creative. But, of course, this is Tom Waits. Here’s a sample (from “Frank’s Wild Years”, which inspired a subsequent album, Frank’s Wild Years): “Well Frank settled down out in the Valley and he hung his wild years on a nail that he drove through his wife's forehead. He sold used office furniture out there on San Fernando Road and assumed a $30,000 loan at 15¼%, put a down payment on a little two-bedroom place. His wife was a spent piece of used jet trash: made good Bloody Marys, kept her mouth shut most of the time, had a little Chihuahua named Carlos that had some kind of skin disease and was totally blind. They had a thoroughly modern kitchen, self-cleaning oven, the whole bit. Frank drove a little Sedan. They were so happy . . .” I would like to have gone on a road trip with Frank, Carlos, and, of course, Tom. Wives can stay home. In 1989, Spin magazine named Swordfishtrombones as the second greatest album of all time, just behind James Brown’s “Sex Machine”, and just ahead of Bob Dylan’s “Blonde on Blonde”. Hmmn. I think maybe Bob Guccione spent too much time arranging long strings of fake pearls. Put this on when you’ve got an hour to kill. It’s only 42 minutes long, but it’ll take you 18 minutes to recover. 3/5
It is the first time I listened to Tom Waits. You need time to appreciate it all but U think it is a very good album
Stand out songs: Underground; 16 Shells From a Thirty-Ought-Six; Down, Down, Down Weird and different but not bad.
Liked the tribal rhythm bits and the trumpet bits.
Good. 3/5
Good