Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Another Tim Waits album I quite like. None of that barking at the moon or a band made of a bone machine. Decent
I honestly don’t know how I feel about this album.
Not bad!
Better than some of the other Tom Waits I've had. Still not a fan.
Not the best Waits album, but still seedy and dark and sweetly woeful. Agree with other reviewers’ assessment that the sequencing is flawed.
Favorite Track: In Shades
Good album not quite for me.
I'd enjoyed Rain Dogs a lot earlier in the project, but was a bit underwhelmed by this more straightforward blues album. Jersey Girl is a Springsteen staple, so it was good to hear the original. But I do prefer quirkier Tom. I thought On The Nickel was the stand-out, and liked Ruby's Arms.
Preferred Rain Dogs, not gonna lie
I liked every other track. The bluesier songs were great and work with TW’s unique voice. The slower songs were painful. This I such a mixed bag. I guess a 3. Favorites: Mr. Siegal Heartattack and Vine
Qui à laissé l’ivrogne rentrer dans le studio d’enregistrement?
i was not expecting tom waits to sound like cookie monster
I find it hard to believe this is Tom Waits' best album. I've never got into Tom Waits. The gravelly voice, down at heel, bourbon and blues thing always seemed like an act to me. But I've heard some great tracks here and there and I'm prepared to get into it. Unfortunately, this wasn't the album to win me over. It was alright. But if anything, it makes me think I should check out his other albums and find the good stuff.
Gravel voiced king does it again…
Bonus points for including the lyrics "Lair liar with your pants on fire"
There's two kinds of songs on this album. Rough, rasp, dirty powerful ones, and sugarsweet love ballads. And one entirely instrumental track. It's clear to hear that this is a Tom Waits that's in the middle of a transition to a different style Standouts Jersey Girl On The Nickel Mr. Siegal 4/5
Better than the other circusy album with him i got. his voice get kinda annoying. The album kinda feels like 4D experience of sitting in a small bar. it kinda feels like his spit is reaching you through the earphones and you can feel the smell of his cologne with the hint of his previous meal. You can almost imagine the regular sleeping on the bar and couple random cast of people coming and going... so yeah, that's kind of a unique experience. I like the music and i'm kinda used to the voice so not that bad at least for just 45 min.
A album that catches waits in a transition - a couple of years later swordfish trombone is released and the rest is history. This album has a couple of my favourite Tom waits songs- jersey girl and rubys arms. Overall not one of my favourites but any tom waits album always has some gems.
Always down to drink and wallow with Tom Waits, but I'll save some stars for what I know is yet to come.
# Album Name: Heartattack and Vine # Artist: Tom Waits # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: I like his style of vocals and music. But its definitely more "background music in a whiskey bar" vibe. Overall not bad but its not something i would listen to often. Its just not my style for a regular listen. I would need a certain vibe. Like the whiskey bar. # Top Tunes: DownTown # Would I listen to it again? Maybe.
good
very odd album that is surprisingly a good listen
Some of the worst singing you’ve ever heard followed by a really touching ballad with outstanding orchestration - over and over again. He’s obviously really talented but so many musical decisions I will never understand… it’s good I guess?
Not the Tom Waits catalog selection I would have went with. Tom is an acquired taste but still some very good songs here
The final album of what I think of as Tom Waits' transitory phase. Long gone are the clean, jazzy ballads of Closing Time and The Heart of Saturday Night. Instead we have Waits' bluesy riffage and guttural delivery of abstract poetry. There's a lot of experimentation here, in fact. After this album, Waits' would co-write the soundtrack to the Francis Ford Coppola movie One From the Heart. During this time he met his future wife, Kathleen Brennan, who encouraged Waits to pursue his vision of a more experimental and eclectic sound, leading a slew of classics including Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs, and Bone Machine.
Tom Waits is always cooking. Some parts hit. Other parts don't.
3 Stars (8/15)
3.9
Not my favorite Tom Waits album, but still some decent growly raspy stuff. Some great lyrics. Jersey girl was the highlight
I liked it at first, but as it went on longer and longer, I found myself wanting it to end. There was a lot I liked about it, but not something I'll rush to listen to again.
I liked some of it but i really don’t like ballads.
🎧Can’t see myself ever revisiting this but I sort of understand the charm of Waits’ growling, almost gargling, sad drunk bastard with a glimmer in his eye brand of BS. Made me laugh.
bom
I’ve tried to listen to Waits a number of times over the years. Always something about him that I don’t get. This didn’t really change that but I liked most of the songs that aren’t ballads. 3.07
wow I liked this Tom Waits more than I have liked the other Tom Waits
This might be Waits at his most accessible. There’s such a strong bluesy undercurrent here that compliments his unique voice and almost elevates it. The ballads are a bit rougher on the ears, but there’s an earnestness to be admired.
I think I’m getting Tom Waits fatigue but Jersey Girl is an amazing song
Did anyone request more Waits? The answer is no.
I liked this album better than Rain Dogs, but it's still an acquired taste. Some people really love Tom Waits, I guess I am just not one of them. However -- Tom Waits while Jeremy IIrons and Ben Folds.
Not bad but far from being one of his best, not even one of his best from his beatnick era. So why this one in particular is included here is baffling.
This is the most ridiculous voice I've heard. Favourite Songs: Heartattack and Vine, Jersey Girl, On the Nickel. Least Favourite Songs: Saving All My Love for You, Mr. Siegal.
Dit hele album lijkt in het leven om de ruwe stem van Tom te etaleren. Dat leidt soms tot flink overdreven stukken, soms wat aanstellerige stukken. Af en toe is het net even wat meer ingehouden, en dat zijn de fijnste passages. Niet mijn kopje thee dus. Toch is het wel knap dat je als zanger overeind blijft met zulke geluiden uit je keel. Laat ik het naar boven afronden naar een 3 en dan voorlopig gewoon even bij Tom uit de buurt blijven. O...sh*t.
Heartattack and Vine is the seventh studio album by Tom Waits, originally released in 1980. This list has been trying relentlessly to get me into Tom Waits. I get that he's a talented songwriter and arranger. His voice and overall vocal delivery just puts me off most of the time. This record was one of his better ones that I've listened to. I think he does blues pretty well. It's kinda like the Captain Beefheart/Howlin' Wolf blues vibes. A lot of the lyrics are pretty dark and depressing, which is expected from Tom Waits. I was surprised this was released on Asylum Records. This seems a bit "out there" for them.
abrasive vocals, but intriguing
Hmmm. Putting music to Burkowsky.. All singing does not have to be about a beautiful and trainer singing voice. Tom Waits proves it here.. nice album
A couple Tom Waits gems cushioned by generic blues
Heart Attack and Vine - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ In Shades - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Saving All My Love For You - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Downtown - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Jersey Girl - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'Til The Money Runs Out - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ On the Nickel - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Mr. Siegal - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Ruby's Arms - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Total - 32/45 Percentage - 71% Rating - 3.55
Never been a Tom Waits fan, but I get it a bit more after listening to this. Interesting to hear “Jersey Girl” and realizing that it likely served as inspiration for Springsteen’s “Atlantic city.”
After listening to multiple Tom Waits albums on this challenge, I can honestly say I'm not a big. I do like his bluesy songs and some of his ballads. Aside from that, I could go on with the rest of my life not listening to his albums.
Not one of my favourite Waits albums, but still a good listen. From the haunting melodies of Closing Time to the aggression and weirdness of Bone Machine and Dark Rider, I am down for some Waits any time.
Don’t like this one as much as bone machine. Rating: 3.2
Crazy vocal range, some tracks little boring
Okay
The fifth album by Tom Waits I've gotten. At this point, I'm use to his crazy sound and actually kinda like him
It was OK
One of those records where I couldn't care mire. Some good moments , a bearable voice and some equally bad moments. Could have done without hearing it but I also don't regret hearing it.
I love the voice of Tom, but this album is definitely not his best work. Jersey Girl is a standout.
Hm, had dan liever Closing Time gehad in plaats van dit. 2.9*
Loved the rough texture of the vocals.
2/8, 25%
I liked the music, I didn't like the singer's voice
Objectively good but not really my kind of thing
Tom Waits is definitely the only kid who made a weird face in their school photo. But this was a bit better than his other stuff I've heard on here, it's actually listenable and tuneful in places, for one.
I guess Jon Bon Jovi is a big fan.
Comienza Tom Waits este disco con toda una declaración de intenciones en la homónima "Heartattack and Vine". No sólo por su gutural voz, ya totalmente quebrada, fraseando los versos como hacían los cantantes de jazz, sino por el R&B primario mezclado con clásico blues "gut bucket". Todo en una canción que, además, concentra el contenido de su visión de un mundo amenazante. Por su letra defilan los habitantes del lado oscuro de la vida y un pesimismo vital que le llega a preguntarse: "¿No sabes que no hay diablo, solo está Dios cuando está borracho?". En "Downtown" el estilo vira hacia una mezcla más con el funk, para hacernos una descripción sórdida de la ciudad, un mundo donde se puede pasar del sueño a la pesadilla inadvertidamente. Me gusta especialmente las baladas "Jersey Girl" (versionada más tarde por Springsteen) y "Ruby's Arms".
6/10.
While I have the utmost respect for Tom Waits and love many of his songs, I had a hard time listening to this album! Maybe the day wasn't the best, but I wasn't helped by the cacophony and experimentalism it contains. So only 3 stars. Sorry, Tom ;-)
This is my third Tom Waits album to review, but it's been a little over 200 albums since my last one by him. I loved Rain Dogs and enjoyed Bone Machine, so I was happy to get the chance to go down another gravely-voiced road with Mr. Waits. Even though this album has some absolute gems in "On The Nickel" and "Jersey Girl," this has been my least favorite Tom Waits album so far. Aside from the two aforementioned songs, I found the rest of the musical arrangements to be pretty good. I enjoyed the strings on "Saving All My Love For You" and "Ruby's Arms", and the gritty sound of the title track and "Downtown" complimented the lyrics really well. I wasn't that big a fan of the rest of the songs on the album. Now to discuss the best parts of the album. I loved the softer crooning of "Jersey Girl," complimented by the strings that ebbed and flowed in intensity. The minimal percussion was great too, and I think I heard a little bit of Hammond organ as well, which I really liked. The lyrics on this song were fantastic as well, and Tom's voice carried such a great sense of love and longing. The best part of this album though has to be "On The Nickel." The strings comprise a beautiful lullaby sound, and the piano compliments them nicely. The sound of this song is so soft and gentle, which contrasts starkly with the lyrics. To me, this song discusses the fact that everyone who winds up homeless or drug addicted or in jail, starts their life off as a child at some point. I'm reminded of a line from Bright Eyes' "Road To Joy": "no one ever plans to sleep out in the gutter, sometimes that's just the most comfortable place." No one chooses a life of hardship, but hardship manages to find people anyway. I really connected with this song on a personal level too. As a child, my home life was incredibly tumultuous. My mother, a victim of abuse from her father, inflicted that same trauma on my brother and I. Her father ruled her house with an iron fist, which kept her in line, and she expected the same tactic to work on her children as well, but it didn't. She was always angered by what she perceived to be my lack of effort on my school work, and would often warn me that if I didn't make good grades, I'd wind up on the street. Thankfully, that didn't happen, but those words still haunt me. When I see someone suffering from poverty or homelessness, I can't help but wonder if there's some alternate timeline where I'm in their place. Oftentimes, I feel like their fate is what I deserve. There's so much to address with things like poverty and drug addiction, but "On The Nickel" perfectly captured the innocence and humanity of conditions like this. Overall, I thought this was a pretty good album. I like how Tom Waits tends to examine the uglier things in our world, but he does so with such grace and gentleness. While this album wasn't my favorite of his, I'm still glad I got to listen to it.
my expectations were so unbelievably low for more tom waits after absolutely DESPISING swordfishtrombones that enjoying a song or two from this feels like a revelation. 2.5
I didn't like this much as the other, weirder Tom Waits I've gotten from this project before.
The album has a unique charm to it, but I found that on many tracks there were points that the vocals cuts notes short that the instruments continued to hold, which sounded rather off. The title track, Heartattack and Vine, I would say is the strong point.
I love Tom's grungy voice on the upbeat stuff, but I'm not fond of the slower songs, and the way the album keeps flip-flopping between the two is jarring
Levy osui maanantain tunnelmaan, sopivan rauhallista ja rosoista. Huikea kontrasti kyllä kun tuolla äänellä laulelee slowareita.
Hyvä levy, mut pidemmän päälle Waitsin ääni alkaa käymään raskaaks kuunnella… sen verran intensiivinen tyyli
Helt kova
Interesting
It was interesting to get Tom waits and the black keys in the same week because they’re both in the same musical vein at different points in time but the latter I really love and the former I try to at least appreciate even though it never quite works for me. This one was better than a lot of his other music since it had actual music and singing but I still wasn’t super engaged with it.
Me llama la atención cuando hay un disco de un autor que no contiene ninguna canción entre las 10 más escuchadas de ese autor en Spotify. Sé que no significa nada en concreto, pero es una de las variables que miro. Este es uno de esos casos. Me he guardado "Saving all my love for you" y "On the nickel".
An ok album. Great for a road trip through Kyrgyzstan! Last track seemed redundant.
The more traditional Tom Waits. Not a bad record at all, but it is missing some of the theatrical quirkiness that I love so much with Big Time or other such records. Some filler instrumental organ blues as well imho. A convenient listen.
I decided to lean into his weird voice and just try to enjoy it. And I did!
Certainly a unique voice
It was good. Bluesy and jazzy.
Laat ze maar komen die Tom Waits platen. Dit album valt net in een interbellum van albums die ik niet super goed ken, dus leuk om ff in te duiken. Tom is 'goed bij stem' voor deze plaat die verder wel wat weg heeft van Bruce. Ik twijfelde of ik dit durfde op te schrijven met Youri de Waits-versteher die nu zit mee te lezen. Echter bleek Jersey Girl (toen ik de gelijkenis met Bruce voor het eerst bedacht) een nummer die the Boss vaker live heeft gespeeld dan Waits zelf. Veel mensen denken daardoor dat het track van Springsteen is. Hoe dan ook. Prima werk Tom. 7,5/10 Highlights Jersey Girl On the Nickle
He has a great voice. But it gets boring. I don't really know why. It just does.
Rumour has it this man came out of the womb at 50 years old with a Marlboro Red in one hand and a Bulleit Bourbon in the other. But then you listen to something like Saving All My Love for You and you realise he’s just a big softie really.
Sehr coole Stimme aber höre ich mir eher an wenn ich 80 bin und ein cooler Opa
Nice little blues album, nothing too exciting, although the singing person sounded like he was trying to make his voice deeper and it sounded like he was straining it a lot, although I assume that it is not the case. It was not too bad, it was nice having this in the background.
These songs are great. Groovy, good songwriting, heartfelt. However, Tom Waits should not be allowed to sing anything and that is a hill I will die on. My vocal chords hurt just listening to him.
raw voice good music
Stop making me listen to Tom Waits
Classic Tom Waits! Nothing can compare to this unique performer and his distinct voice.
It wasn't too bad. His voice is very interesting. It is a fine line between annoying and quircky. Not all the songs suited his voice. but i glad i tried it.
3/5
It’s an album, not of all time. It’s just an that exists.
Never been much on Tom Waits.
In a nutshell: if a drunk Nick Cave smoked 4 packs a day and sang the blues. Overall: 6/10
Quite good, ahead of its time although not really my thing
Pretty wacky little album, not a massive fan of the vocals (reminds me of motorhead and not in a good way) not really my sort of jam overall
his voice grew on me as it went on, not an album to be listened to during the day.
This guy is a joker!
Quite listenable but not memorable
daj se iskasljaj momak, al nice inace
I really enjoyed listening to this bluesy good quality instrument playing
2.75
If you can get past or not be bothered by the way he sings, there is a lot of good stuff on here to enjoy
Made me laugh out loud more than once. Silly voice.
Pretty good. About what I expect a Tom Waits album to sound like.
Great if you are into Tom Waits. Definitely not bad, but not into it. It’s unique for sure.
This man needs a cough drop and a spit bib.. Definitely To Waits. Enjoyable is spurts..
It was good. No songs I’d listen to again but beautiful as well.
Good album. I’d never listened to him before but had heard of him. Starred 2 songs and listened to some of his other stuff.
Of all the Waits albums, this one doesn't conjure in the top 1001 of all time to be heard. I'll have to regroup and think this through. It's fine, but kind of Waits by the numbers at this point in his evolving career. I think the earlier records are a better representation of this phase and Swordfishtrombones is a better watermark for what was to come.
Was not expecting that voice from the album cover but not complaining
Good album - 3.5. I like Tom Waits later albums better.
Tom Waits, another one of those legends I've seen on lists and shouted out in reviews and interviews, but have not taken the chance to really dive into before this list. I enjoyed the blues-rock songs a lot more than the piano-orchestra ballads I must say. Great lyricism. I have to say a little disappointed overall. This is one I could see myself returning to later and giving a much higher score, but as for now I do not think I can give it more than a solid 3.
I really want to like Tom Waits. Good songs. Just can’t quite get there.
The usual collection Tom Waits slightly bent characters set to a nice blend of guttbucket blues, tin pan alley arangements and jazzy feel. Pretty good album if your tastes run in this direction. 3.5 stars
Not for me
3.5 really
Ok
holy blues. half of it is some REALLY gritty americana blues, tom's INCREDIBLY deep and throaty voice compliments the sleazy rough sound the accompaniment has, and another half is some somber light chamber stuff, which I favor. there's a lot of merit in this album, with tom giving his thoughts and experiences about what it can be life to live in this strange forsaken place we call earth... despite his unique voice and meaningful songs it's just another collection that isn't really for me.
Loved the interesting raspy voice and lyrics. Nice and bluesy 3.4
he's raspy
Angry Bruce Springsteen with a three pack a day habit has great lyrics, but his voice is an acquired taste, much like dylan. I’d listen to other people sing his songs, but maybe not a full album of his again
i know his voice is like the whole thing but i just didn't like the whole thing
this album was fine. i know tom waits' voice is a bit of an acquired taste but i don't have strong feelings about it one way or the other. the songs are like AU bruce springsteen and i do like the lyrics on several of them. the ballads are probably my favorite part of this album, though honestly all of the songs could be like two minutes shorter and i'd be fine with that. favorites: heartattack and vine, downtown, jersey girl, on the nickel
I love a lot of Tom waits albums. I only like this one.
This was pretty good. Maybe not my favorite collection of Tom Waits songs, but still easy and fun to listen to with only a few tunes I didn't really care for.
Never heard this Tom Waits. I tend to like the later stuff, but this is pretty good. Sad somber Tom Waits is good. Non-sad Tom Waits with piano is a little boring. 3.25/5
Less experimental and avant-garde than his later albums. Rockier and more punchy than his earlier albums.
Obviously Waits is definitely an acquired taste and folks tend to either love or hate him. Like a fine bourbon, this improved on a second listening, and it was nice to hear him mixing it up with some jazz and blues. Notably I enjoyed the instrumental pieces more than the songs with his vocals, so there's that. I think we've received a few of his other albums already and they were superior and they include: Swordfishtrombones, Small Change and Rain Dogs. But if you're a fan this was a decent offering.
Initial thoughts: I bet his throat hurts. Second track is a bop.
Very unique style. Like a carnival version of blues/rock. The ballads REALLY don't work for his voice, but the songs that are undeniably Tom Waits style REALLY work.
La escena: un pianista con un vaso de whiskey y un puro, that's the cliché.
Tom Waits is a name that I know has been in the back of my mind for a while, but I don't think I really knew who he was or what he did. Even after seeing the album cover, I wasn't sure of what I was in for. I guess I would say don't judge a book by it's cover because I had no clue this was going to be the bluesy-folk rock album that is was. That being said, he delves into Bruce Springsteen territory here in my opinion, and aside from maybe one song on the album not much lives up to The Boss' work. Highlight: Jersey Girl Lowlight: In Shades
At first, I wasn’t into the album. I’ve previously heard Tom Waits’ songs here and there and I knew what to expect with his singing voice. But as I got further into the album, I enjoyed his lyrics and the music. I was surprised by how much I ended up liking this album. I’d give it another listen.
So far this is better than I expected. I don’t drink enough to put this on regular rotation. But it’s clearly good, well written and uniquely performed. A full album of gravelly singing is a bit much for me. Instrumental bits are more successful. Too exhausted to fully listen to the last 3 songs.
Guttural blues ballads that sound like Waits is chain smoking whilst singing. A few songs off the album feel like they should be Christmas songs with their subtle jingling bells. But overall Tom Waits manages to put out a decent effort for his seventh album. Best: Heartattack And Vine Worst: On The Nickel
Not nearly as interesting (or good imo) as the last Tom Waits, but this one might be more palatable. Love 'Jersey Girl' - and check out Bruce Springsteen's version if you haven't so good.
disgusting voice, horrific sound... kurkku sahattu auki ja poika yrittää laulaa... respektiä.. hyvää ääntä.. biisit itsessään ovat tylsiä ja jättävät pahan mielen...sillä potentiaali uskomaton...Ep=mgh-esque albumi. jos instrumentointi yhtä vitun iljettävä märkä kun vokalisti, olisi 5/5 helposti. mutta liian paljon kuulostaa garagebänd soittimilta. onko niin vaikeaa äänittää luolassa epävireisillä soittimilla... heartattack and vine
Not as overtly theatrical as Frank's Wild Years and not as accomplished musically as Rain Dogs but still decent and fully Waitsian. "Jersey Girl" is an all-time song. Strings get a bit much, "Ruby's Eyes" is mawkish, and the roughed-up edges are excessively frayed, too intentionally Bukowskian (if effective and a credible simulation). Still one would rather listen to a middling from Waits than the best of what approximately two-thirds of the other artists on this list can deliver.
nice album
Surprisingly good but not exactly my taste
This wasn't really wasn't my favorite album. I can't say I am ever in the mood for this type of music. I can understand why people like it though. Technically, a good album, with good instrumentals and distinctive vocals, but certainly not my type of music. I listened to the entire record, but probably will never do it again.
Take a wallow in Tom's guttaral world, and be amazed at his ability to pull beauty from the depths of his soul. Recommended.
Had a good bluesy sound with strong vocals, without being too experimental
Sounds like a dive bar, on a Sunday morning. I’m talking 2am Sunday, with a glass of scotch and a cigar. With conversation flirting with confrontation and exposure of deep feelings. You can image Tom singing to you in the corner. It is then when you recognize his presence.
Ugh. On The Nickel was almost bearable.
It smells of alcohol and cigarettes
Un poco voceón y con voz chamuscada.
The music isn’t quite as on point as his other work, while his lyrics are descriptive and creative as always. More specifically, the music feels more like bar blues than the Tom Waits I’ve heard (this is my first album from him). He’s an excellent songwriter, though; ‘Don’t you know there ain’t no devil, there’s just God when he’s drunk’ specifically just really hits hard. Great lyrics, ok music.
I've been putting off Tom Waits for 20+ years, thinking he's probably great but too inaccessible for me with that voice. I wasn't too far off with this album, but can't deny many of these songs are beautiful. Still, that singing... it just gets a little too over the top at times and sounds almost like Randy Newman. But I'm intrigued and will listen to him more!
gritty, urban noir, dark city 80's vibes
3.5
I'm only a little familiar with some of Waits' later work. Evidently this was his last album before he reinvented his style and I definitely enjoy the more eclectic sound that he'd evolve later. The music has a few highlights but others are forgettable. Lyrically, I can see the significance of his songwriting. As a reviewer said, Tom Waits can see as much beauty in the gutter as others can see in the Garden of Eden.
Sometimes Tom actually sound like he's in pain while singing. Not like emotional pain but that singing actually hurts. Some interesting tunes toward the beginning. Not bad but his "singing while finishing up on the toilet" sound still doesn't appeal to me
Not as fun as Swordfishtrombones, which I really enjoyed, but still worth a listen just for “Ruby’s Arms”, which I loved.
Nice for background
Man took his morning voice and made an album with it
Sounds like if a werewolf in a kids movie had their own song. As a joke though because it’s so hard to take these vocals seriously with his 1,000-packs-of-cigarettes-a-day voice. It works best when he sings of moe deplorable activities with harsher instrumentals. Lyrics are good, he is a great poet, if you can understand them. Production leaves something to be desired, but instrumentation, arrangements, and structure are all good. The highs here are high, but the lows here are low. Not the average ‘average’ rating. 3/5
Usually can only take a few Waits songs before turning him off. Made it through this album without switching to something else. Solid 3.
Fajna ostatnia, poza tym nie pamiętam nic. Głos Toma Waitsa średnio mi się podoba
- Never really listened to Tom Waits before so I'm pretty excited - "Downtown" is pretty good - Not a bad album, but not exactly my preferred type of rock. I can certainly see that he is a talented artist and why people enjoy his music.
Album #38 I like Tom Waits. I don't know if I have an affinity towards the grimey underside of society that he romances, or if I just appreciate his romancing of the topic. He's not for everyone, and I have to admit that I can usually only handle one album of his at a time - even if I really like the Frank's Wild Years trilogy. This album entertained me, but it did not "wow" me like I was hoping. 3*
Tom Waits #3, here we go As someone who got hooked on this artist through the 1-2 punch of Swordfishtrombones & Rain Dogs, I'm interested to see how his earlier stuff compares Interestingly, while less experimental and often prettier than those albums, I had a harder time engaging with this one. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still much I liked between the bluesy numbers like “Til the Money Runs Out”, & the saccharine arrangements, eg “Ruby’s Arms”. Maybe my ADHD brain needs the kalimbas, pump organs, pots and pans of Rain Dogs, to give Waits’s world my undivided attention. 3.5 Who knows, maybe in 5-10 years this’ll be my favourite album by him HL: title track, "Jersey Girl", "On the Nickel", "Ruby's Arms" September 29, 2023
3.7 - Perhaps one of Waits’ more “serious” recordings, in which songs waiver between understated blues (title track) and Disney-esque piano ballads (“Saving All My Love For You”). I prefer the former to the latter. Standout: “‘Til the Money Runs Out.”
Pont d'unió entre els primers discos de rock terrós i tabernari de Waits i la seva maduresa trobada en uns sons i textures que van fer d'ell una rara avis tan original com influent. Aquí, temes com 'On the Nickel', 'Ruby's Arms' o 'Saving All My Love For You' recorden les balades torturades dels seus treballs inicials. Però el tema que dona títol, 'Downtown' o ''Til The Money Runs Out' ja prefiguren el Waits que havia de nèixer amb el seu següent treball d'estudi, 'Swordfishtrombones', pocs anys després. Per sobre de totes, destaca 'Jersey Girl', una de les seves millors cançons
Not my usual vibe, but really interesting. Some of the upbeat ones are really fun. Really do enjoy his softer/slower style, maybe more than the upbeat/grittier songs. Ruby's Arms is the standout for me. If I had to attempt to describe this album to someone I'd say it was a rougher and gruffer Van Morrison with a splash of The Pogues' Shane McGowan. I need to see if Tom Waits has anything punkier to listen to!
Grumbling and grunting his way through the nine tracks Waits is doing…something. Whatever that is is jazzy and bluesy and cool af. Like dinner music for the manic brained. This is a wholly fascinating record. Well produced and expertly performed.
67 / 100 Titular opening track was great. But sadly it sets expectations too high as the rest of the tracklist fails to quite reach that level of quality again
His voice feels too forced. Otherwise I would have really liked it
Was looking forward to this and thought it'd be my sort of thing, but didn't get anything from it at all. Possibly need to give it another chance when I'm less distracted.
7/10, prošle godine na jesen sam imao turneju njegovim albumima. nešto predobro, pogotovo ako pogodiš vrijeme slušanja. tom je legenda.
Those drunken lullabies are not what i like to hear, but no hard feelings too
I liked the album. He has a unique voice.
Good
Witty lyrics are the highlight of Heartattack And Vine, an album I’d classify as more indigo than blues. Tom Waits cuts to the chase in the opening title track with lines like “Don’t you know there ain’t no devil / There’s just God when he’s drunk.” The record proceeds to sample the entire emotional spectrum through a variety of settings, from the Mexican whorehouse in “Mr. Siegal” to the dark and desolate streets in “On The Nickel” to the bottom of a liquor bottle in “Til The Money Runs Out.” In addition to the lyrics, the album cover is worth a deeper look. From the misspelled song titles to the July 4th time stamp to the variety of US cities scattered around the front page, surely only Waits himself has any idea what’s behind all this madness. Tom Waits sounds like Randy Newman with a frog stuck in his throat, and while I don’t hate the gravelly voice, I can’t help but think it’s an acquired taste. Heartattack And Vine may not have the tempo to make me dance with women three times my age, but if this cat strolled into the Big Easy and gave us his best, his tip jar may just see a Lincoln or two courtesy of yours truly and my empty Red Stripe.
Playing catch up here. Mostly enjoyed this one, especially the ballads. Agree that “Ruby’s Arms” was a terrific closer. I could do with a whole album’s worth of similar songs to that one. Enjoyed “Jersey Girl,” too. The song, not the movie. Did I even see the movie? Even if I didn’t, it’s no Chasing Amy.
Fine
Tom Waits has such a characteristic voice that works well for some things and less for others. This album is a mix of the above. While the songs themselves are rather nice, his voice does not suit a lot of them. Your enjoyment of this album will depend entirely on how you feel about Waits' gritty mumbling voice.
Got a late appreciation of this guy after 'Down in the Hole' themed 'The Wire'.
Alright and indifferent until Ruby's Arms
Nobody creates a story through music quite like Waits does. You can smell the stale beers and cigarette smoke. The album opener is a doozy, nothing else on here is quite as good, Waits jokes and one liners curiously absent. There are other Waits albums I lean towards over this.
So forgettable: I'm not going to have much to say for this one bc it was just plain mid. I didn't hear anything that I was like "OML IT'S GOOD" or anything utter shit. Purely just meh
Certainly one of the most listenable Tom Waits adventures.
It was alright. It definitely had its gems, but overall I didn't feel like the album was particularly inspired. Favorite song: Mr. Siegel.
I'll just repeat what I wrote about the other two Tom Waits albums we've had: It sounds like a Disney movie gruffian rambling on and on with light jazz accompaniment. It was a bit better than the last TW album we had just two weeks ago. But definitely not great and hoping this is the last one.
Ce n'est pas tellement mon genre de musique ce blues avec la voix très rauque qui fait un peu stéréotypé road house. Mais c'est définitivement supérieur à tout ce que j'ai entendu dans ce style. Waits a vraiment une bonne plume et un côté unique à son style. 7/10
Jazzy, growly, I can hear Waits moving towards Bone Machine in this album. Big fan
The instrumentation is so good, the groove is so nice, the kind of thing worth listening to, even if Tom Waits interrupts it, and poorly at that. Tom Waits is the villain in this album.
This is what my girlfriend will sound like in 20 years once the drunk cigs finally catch up to her.
Tom Waits peut revenir tant qu'il veut, nous l'attendons toujours avec ce qui est désormais appelé le "plafond des trois étoiles". Peu importe la qualité de la performance, des textes, des instruments, le style globalement naze de Tom Waits est un tel handicap qu'il est pour lui inenvisageable de viser plus haut.
Une seule question est sur toutes les lèvres concernant l'illustre Tom Waits: pourquoi?
3.5 stars. Experimental jazzy blues. Liked his deep almost ominous voice. Slow and sometimes dark but overall enjoyed this.
My first listen to this album (I'm more familiar with the later initial run of post-Asylum albums). I did not care for the opening 3 tracks, nor the strings that feel bolted on to some of the songs, nor 'Jersey Girl' (which sounds so much like a Springsteen song that the latter ended up covering it live). But at its best - 'Downtown', ''Til the Money Runs Out' - it transcends the bar room blues and hooker references. Worth noting that I would have hated this when it came out in 1980 (if I'd heard it).
My opinion on Tom hasn't changed too much since we had a record of his last week. While it's not really for me, I won't turn away from anyone making a case for him. Jersey Girl is a great song that forgives some of the less-than-stellar tracks here.
The barking bard, with his rock tumbler voice and a head full of sleaze, leads us on a tour of dank alleyways, hazy cabarets, and bars where everybody knows your game.
Le blues est une valeur sûre, la voix de Waits toujours aussi prenante, mais dans l'ensemble me semble moins inventif.
i liked jersey girl a lot.
I honestly don't get the Tom Waits hype. Some cool songs here and there, and he's a fun presence in general, but I cannot listen to a whole album of this. I feel so uncool for this opinion.
Liked the voice, but the actual songs were fine. Would listen again
Bra!
Interesting. Not sure if I'll listen again, but didn't dislike it.
When you're so far gone in the liquor you think even the rain is a beverage. Anyway, it doesn't take much imagination to understand the implications of the album title, an obvious reference to Hollywood and Vine in Los Angeles, the very heart of the rise of cinema and all its attendant lures into the corruption of innocence. This album is certainly more blues guitar-driven that his six previous recordings, bringing with it even sexier grit (that seems to be obsessed with prostitutes). Like pretty much all his other music, these songs are snapshots into the lives of seedy people who live in the quiet, dark, lonely hours between the closing of the bar and the opening of the circus. This is the final Asylum record, and Waits was contractually-obligated to write it since he owed the label seven albums. You might know Springsteen's cover of Waits' "Jersey Girl"... and I can't help but wonder if the "sha la la la la la las" are indicative of Waits' fatigue with his label.
Sounds like he smoked a whole pack of cigs in one sitting
Pretty good - certainly very listenable. But not reach-for-it good.
3.5
cool blues, listen again to see if something stands out.
Not my favorite Waits album
Possibly the most enjoyable Waits album so far with groovy blues and trademark ballads. Still ridiculously quirky, but without the weird instrumentation and noises that appear later in the 1980s.
I may have heard too many parodies before hearing the real thing…also he has the kind of voice that makes cough to clear their throat. Not a huge fan.
Not a huge fan of this album, I liked some Tom Waits songs in the past but this hasn't wowed me. Saved tracks: Heartattack And Vine, Downtown
It’s definitely interesting but it’s not an album I’d likely listen to again. I wouldn’t, however, flee a cafe where it was being played.
His singing voice grew on me as I listened, but it still makes me a little uncomfortable.
Very interesting....I may have to re-listen to his stuff to truly 'get' it. I wasn't a fan of Bjork's voice and now I love her so we'll see.
The second Tom Waits record I've come across so far after the surprise gem 'Bone Machine', but this one is unfortunately inferior to his later work in almost every way. It's an inconsistent agglomeration of rootsy, bar room blues and quasi-Sondheim ballads. The latter are the nadir of Tom Waits' catalogue - his iconic (though polarising) raspy vocals on 'Bone Machine' were utilised to perfection, illustrating a ravaged, anguished despair that never took itself too seriously. Here he sounds like a barfly doing karaoke after his 10th whiskey. The blues interlude doesn't end soon enough, and while Waits' does introduce the odd crumb of genius - 'There ain't no devil, just God when he's drunk' - it's just not enough. It's been called a transitional record for Waits, and you can see he was moving towards more interesting musical plains.
Took me a while to get an understanding of this one so I gave it 3 listens. I feel like I need to spend a bit more time with Tom Waits but for this release I liked the title track, Downtown, On The Nickel, and Ruby's Arms is a nice closer.
thought this was going to be insane as other tom waits offerings are but in fact this is not as fucked. at times it can get a bit samey but overall enjoyable. I love his voice over basically anything. best tracks: On the nickel, heart attack and vine, Mr siegel
I was having a hard time pinning this one down. One minute, marveling at Waits' stranglehold on his very own musical genre, then feeling physically uncomfortable at how painful it must feel to sing like this — Jesus, man, take it easy. Then wondering if I really enjoy this music, then impressed with how sweet and vulnerable he sounds. Then "Jersey Girl" comes on and I realize, I'm pretty sure I knew he wrote this, but I don't recall ever hearing this version. How did Springsteen hear this and say, "now there's a song I ought to cover"? How do you assign a number to all this?
Yeah this is cool and all, but the whole alcohol-soaked Bukowsi thing gets a little old. I prefer the later, weirder, moodier Waits albums. But all in all, if this is your vibe, there's good stuff here.
Think I liked Rain Dogs better, he was sleazier on that
This is my first time hearing a Tom Waits album and I’m not sure what to make of it. Obviously that caricature of a voice is the first thing you notice… I think it suits the gritty, bluesy songs better but the slower ones have a bit a Fairytale of New York thing about them which sort of works? He’s probably a taste I still haven't fully acquired but I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt for now.
Is there a more distinctive voice in music? I don't think so. Tom Waits grows through a pretty solid list of blues numbers, like a less poetic version of Nick Cave at times. Solid offering if you've already started on the bourbon and the sun is still up.
Totally not what I expected going into this. Really good listen. Just realized I gave the first album I listened to of his a 1. Bone Machine. Hearattack and Vine is def a step in the right direction for me. 3. T3B 1. Downtown 2. Mr. Siegal 3. Heartattack and Vine
I’m back baby!! Who better to come back to than Tom Waits? I know Tom Waits only because my beloved roommates play him on our warped record player in the living room at strange times of day. Hearing his voice not distorted by the record player is only slightly different. My favorite song on the album is Jersey Girl, with its Christmas like jingle jangles. I’d like to hear Bruce sing this one. Tom Waits has a very strange voice, very muppet-inspired. But who can fault him for that? I love the muppets. 3/5 for me.
Roller-coaster of emotions
Conjures some very strong imagery of a seedy new York jazz club in middle of winter
Not sure I'll ever get Tom Waits
Good follow up to the french pianist. Had some similarities but Tom out here doing his own thing. Definitely heard of him before but was happy to finally have an introduction to him
I like Tom Waits, but this one was just okay for me.
i like tom waits a lot. this isnt his best album. hints at things to come. a little too loungey for me but that first track is experimental, dark, dirty waits. thats what i want. i dont want his sappy, love song sounding dirt tracks. but they are still executed incredibly. tom waits bangs and pianos like a king. still a good album. just little misses, i suppose.
is there a reason it goes sad xmas song - blues - sad xmas song - blues the whole album, to be honest the sad ones are really beautiful and moving but as a whole… we’ll idk maybe i’m missing smth but it feels like he’s j tryna pull you between two vibes and it j doesn’t work
Heartattack and Vine is the 7th album by American singer/songwriter Tom Waits. Musically this album is inspired by jazz, blues, and rock, while Tom's deep gravelly voice sings about the morbid, and unpleasant parts of society. This album was unique and charming, but also not my cup of tea. Average album alert.
More Tom Waits weirdness. By all accounts, his gruff voice makes for a memorable performance, it just isn't for everyone. I think the bluesy tone of the album is a good fit. The long and short of it is that this is not quite for me. Waits would find a much better sound on Rain Dogs about 5 years later.
fyllegubbe represent
Enjoyed the first track, didn't quite get me with the rest but will have a look at other albums.
Dudes got a gnarly voice
Enjoyed this. Didn't know he wrote Jersey Girl. Sounds like he's swallowed glass.
I don’t know, I think I should appreciate Tom Waits more than I do. I’ve got time, though…
One thing I certainly appreciate about Tom Waits is that everything he creates sounds touched by darkness and maybe a bit of dirtiness and seediness. I make this point regardless of his voice -- his voice just adds to this! This genre continues to not really be a favorite of mine, though. I think I like Waits in a bit of a more experimental environment, but that's just me. 2.5 rounded to 3.
Yeah, I get it. His voice is not for me 3/5
One of his best.
Interesting. Generally liked, though a little depressing.
This is by far the only Tom Waits album I can listen to.
I liked the bluesy bits, but they meandered sometimes and got boring at other times. Guitar work is good, and I liked that. Tom Waits is someone I won't listen to often, but if in the right mood, I can see putting this one on again.
Good music, can't say i really like his voice all that much.
Not for me thanks, just not very interesting. Also his voice is bizarre, not even in a good way.
The title track, along with the two gorgeous ballads "Jersey Girl" and "Ruby's Arms" are worth your time. About the latter, rarely has Tom Waits sounded this moving, either before or after 1980. Unfortunately, everything else is very, *very* secondary compared to those three highlights. All the other songs are decently crafted so as to channel the American singer's usual persona as a poetic drunkard / beautiful loser / raucous film noir protagonist, but the jazz / blues / cabaret-like music is far from being spectacular here. There are indeed far better cuts to be found elsewhere in Waits' long and convoluted discography, from the early seventies to the late naughts. And when it comes to albums (a format where Waits can in turn be either extremely tiring or, conversely, struck by sudden genius), *Heartattack And Vine* is certainly one or two notches under *Closing Time*, *Swordfishtrombones*, *Rain Dogs* or *Bone Machine*. Number of albums left to review: 759 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 120 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 58 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 64 (including this one)
I appreciate the blues; I appreciate Waits; The marriage is less than satisfactory with the latter trying to some degree Song. Still strange and sweet. Smoky but less theatrical in that.
A bit tough, this rock
Gotta admit, I thought for sure I’d hate this because I don’t really care for super esoteric music, but it wasn’t too bad! I liked the dichotomy between the sleazy guitar songs and the heartfelt piano ballads. Bonus points for “Jersey Girl”.
Not my style. I liked the music though
Rock, blues, Jazz
Yeah ok. Some grimy Waits love here. Not as oddly sentimental as I’d like but it scratches the itch. I really liked Jersey Girl.
It's a fine, if somewhat middling, effort from Tom Waits. But with so many other albums he has released that I think are more important, this one just seems average.
Me gusta Tom Waits y este disco no esta nada de mal.
Strong Sopranos soundtrack and Springsteen vibes, but without all of the hookiness. Simple bluesy instrumentation, dark and sad vocals. Worth another listen for sure, but will not be put into my regular rotation. This is my first experience listening to Tom Waits.
Good musician and lyricist. It's tough getting used to his raspy voice though.
Huh, so I CAN like Tom Waits. I was convinced after we got Bone Machine that I did not like Tom Waits, not no way, not no how. But somehow his voice works better on this slower album? Based on Jersey Girl, where he seems to slip in and out of his growl, it appears the gravel is a CHOICE. My throat hurts just from listening but this is an album that I may come back to when I need a good wallow.
This album is definitely better than bone collector. There were nuggets I enjoyed on that album, which were songs for which Tom Waits’s haunting, but terrible, voice fits. I would say his voice fits the songs on this album much better overall. I just wish for his sake he could have extracted the gravel from his throat. It is probably very uncomfortable.
Before Waits entered his experimental phase, he was writing bluesy ballads in the setting and style of a jazz nightclub. He's a talented artist, the production sounds good, it's coherent yet full of diverse approaches, and there are a few highlights. However, I think a lot of it is quite underwhelming. The most popular track "Jersey Girl" has some emotion, but is otherwise a pretty lame ballad. Not even the worst ballad on here. Also, the songs are way too long, and most of them should be cut almost in half, even the ones I liked. I do like the personality he shows in his vaudeville songs, which work really well with his rough voice and blend rock and jazz well. Favorites: Heartattack and Vine, Downtown, Mr. Siegal
I’m a huge fan of Tom Waits’ work around the more experimental Swordfish Trombones/Rain Dogs era. This album shows his before he began to self produce more experimental dark cabaret music that explores the darker side of the human experience. Heart attack and Vine definitely has the seeds of that layer work and features Waits’ incisive songwriting. Some of his musical ideas hinted at what was to come but ultimately were not successful. I still really enjoyed this look into the career of an artist I really admire.
I saw another Tom Waits album and was dreading the inevitable. I hated his first album as it was unlistenable. This one was way, way better. His voice was actually bearable and the music was listenable. It actually worked together as an album.
Was pretty good. I'm sure I'd heard some of the songs before but never listened to him much. Raspy voice songs reminded me of Elvis style rock. Slightly more polished blues.
I respect him and his music, but the genre isn’t my favorite. He’s one of the best in his space.
voice like rusty nails, bourbon soaked rusty nails
Kuulosti aika perus pubitompalta ilman sen kieroutuneita elementtejä. Ei huono mutta ei myöskään parasta Tomppaa! 3/5
Simppelimpi Waits ja toimii. Tämäkin 3/5.
Songwriting was interesting but not quite the range I was looking for.
I liked to listen to this bluesy album with some depressed punk attitude. Waits' vocal delivery is impressive, too. For me, the only problem is the repetitiveness of the album. I was a bit bored with his songs at the last song.
Tom Waits voice legitimately sounds like he's dying. Sometimes it's grating, and sometimes its great! Best Songs: Heart Attack and Vine, Downtown, , Mr. Siegal, Til' the Money Runs Out Worst Songs: On the Nickel
an interesting listen. the gravely voiced storyteller has some strong points with the title track and ruby's arms, though much of the rest is consistent with his style without particularly standing out.
Not quite at the level of Rain Dogs or Swordfishtrombones to me but a solid Tom awaits album.
Easy listening- I like the low key grimey mood. Enough variety to keep me interested.
The second Tom Waits album within one week... As usual, Waits mixes Jazz with Blues to produce his trademark "down low" sound. And it works. Waits is one of the few white men playing the Blues that can sound authentic while doing so. Sadly, many of the songs are not that memorable per se, but it's the underlying mood which manages to sell them. The album gets really good in the ballads, most of which are quite beautiful - Saving All My Love For You, On The Nickel and Ruby's Arms are the high points here. The other songs would have benefitted from that level of songwrighting, too. 3/5
Always been a big fan of Mr. Waits! Love his earlier works, but he has released some great albums throughout his career. Heartattack and Vine is a solid and transitional record that is a very interesting and sometimes challenging listen. Not one of my favourite Tom Waits's albums, but still one of his better efforts.
Good album but I know he has better ones so I kinda was like meeeehhhh
Hat mir nicht so gut gefallen wie die Rain Dogs. Schlechte drei.
While I generally prefer the work that came after this, so many of those seeds were sown with this album. Tom's unique voice really shows here.
Ruby's Arms was a sweet surprise
Bob Dylan a une plus belle voix
Rating: 6/10
Another one I missed on the initial run through; given that I'm not keen on Waits generally, Heartattack and Vine is loads better than I thought it would be. It's bluesy, it's soulful, it makes proper use of his unique voice, it works. It's solid to good 3/5.
This is cool. Not 5/5, but I think a solid 3, pushing a 4. His voice is obviously really weird, but I do like it, and there's a really nice variety in the song mix, from blues to full on crooner. All with a lovely helping of gravel.
You know what actually pretty ok.
very cool sound...surprised I haven't listened to more Tom Waits in my time
Pretty decent but the title track is the best one by far, which ends up underselling the rest of the album.
that's absolutely crazy but I'm not into the whole raspy voice thing
i started off thinking this was the best tom waits album we've had, but i couldn't work it out after about 6 songs in because i got bored of the shtick. nice to listen to one or two songs, but an album is a slog.
Apparently we need to put more effort into this. Nice one Nigel. Can't be arsed today though.
The unwritten story behind the album: A heartattack induced by a sighting of SHACK, Clinging to a vine as he rips out your spine. Damn, this poetry malarkey isn't as easy as Nigel made it look.
Klinkt als een plaat die ik nog veel meer ga waarderen als ik 'm meer draai... Vraag is altijd of dat lukt.
Geen groot fan, maar dit vond ik goed te pruimen
Ik hou niet van dat zware brommende Tom Waits geluid, maar op deze plaat staan heel wat nummers waar hij veel meer zingt en niet klinkt als die beer uit de Muppets Show. Positief verrast door dit album!
Ik zag er een beetje tegenop maar werd aangenaam verrast want Tom zingt daadwerkelijk op dit album!
3.5
<3
Waits' voice is certainly unique, and it works better on some songs than others. On the whole it's a pleasant accompaniment to his tales of losers and woe, but it's sometimes a bit grating and I don't think I could listen to it all day long. That's also pretty much how I felt about the album overall: it has a couple of great songs ("Mr. Siegal" might be my favorite) and enough filler to keep me from putting the whole album on repeat. P.S. I didn't realize that "Jersey Girl" wasn't a Springsteen original!