Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Rain Dogs makes me nostalgic for a time and place that feel long ago and far away and that in reality only exist in Tom Waits' mind. Tom is a masterful lyricist, resulting in songs that paint pictures with their words. Tom's raspy voice, whimsical arrangements, and eclectic instrumentation all make this an unmistakable Tom Waits album and unlike anything else. If you can get past how freakin' weird it is, you'll be rewarded with a 54 minute vacation from reality well worth taking. "Singapore," "Hang Down Your Head," "Time," "Rain Dogs," and "Downtown Train" are the standouts for me.
Where do I start here?? Obviously, one does not listen to Tom Waits for his voice, just as one does not listen to Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen for the same reason. Waits is a wonderful and unique poet, His lyrics on this album paint a picture of a down and dirty city life. One of my favorites is the sad but beautiful "Time." Waits is also a musical craftsman, putting sounds together unlike any other artist. The song titles Rain Dogs and Bride of Rain Dogs made me think of Frankenstein and the Bride of Frankenstein. I see the similarity in that Waits takes parts from different bodies (of work), sews them together, and brings the result back to life in strange and unnatural ways.
Classic - hold on
Ruw, maar mooi. Gevarieerd & album blijft leuk
Deadly
'Singapore' as the opening track sets this album off on the right foot straight away. Classic Tom Waits genius of eclectic musings set to a soundtrack that sends your mind into a world of basement jazz bars and lonely streets.
LP
Perfect. I see this is considered part of a trilogy with Swordfishtrombones which I also loved. So many great songs Singapore, Time, Walking Spanish, all of them!
this album is a treasure
J’adore, je comprend le style et le cult following. C’est vraiment special et unique en son genre. Un super album que tous doivent ecouter, 5
Hasn't fully clicked with me but it is remarkably good shit
Y'know I actually really like Tom Waits. I used to not get his style. I still don't, too. But I like it!
The sound of a truck load of instruments getting shoved down the stairs and the aborted fetus of Wait's songs spilling out on the floor while some dogs lick up the afterbirth as the stranger in the basement bangs about with a broomstick on pots and pans and the heat pipes cough. Best Tracks: Jockey Full of Bourbon; Gun Street Girl; Anywhere I Lay My Head
Não conhecia. Amei. As músicas são bem curtas.
Great album - great songs - especially Side A in its entirety - but it’s a tiny tiny bit too long - even though the quality is high throughout
Love it
Poslusala sam prvih 10 sekundi albuma prije nego su mi slušalice crkle i mislila sam si ma de dobro buraz kae ovo kaj si lud. ALI! Došo Tom i opalio mi samarčinu i reko kae kaj si TI luda. Svaka pjesma mi je jebena bila i imam osjecaj da svaka može biti singl. Topcina. Bravo Tomislave.
One of his many great albums.
singapore stimmt ein. nicht bluesig - herzerweichende außenseiterballaden, sondern morbide, bisweilen dämonische stories gibts hier. geräusche, perkussion glocken geil eingesetzt (Marimba voll oft, zb auf rain dogs) voll abwechslungsreich, stilistisch, soundmäßig, aber auch von der gesangsfarbe (von springsteen und tom petty, über country bis zu alter seemann alles dabei) jockey full of burbon macht lust auf totentanz Mega
Tom Waits es sin chistar de mis artistas favoritos. Y sí, es artista en toda la expresión de la palabra; hay pocos que pueden tener su versatilidad de medios, profundidad y peso de mensaje junto con calidad musical. Probablemente mi disco favorito de él, aunque hay por ahí otro posible que le pelea el puesto. Cabaret oscuro realmente exquisito y a quien no le guste su voz pues... que aburrido.
Discazo que me hace preguntarme por qué no le entré antes a Tom Waits y solo ubico covers que le han hecho. Me encanta el feeling de dirge de NOLA que tienen muchas de las canciones, que pese a ser basicamente oscuras y de temáticas fuertes provocan ganas de bailar. Y al final resulta que el disco no es ni siquiera muy largo, aunque tiene 19 canciones apenas llega a la hora; sin embargo esa hora con la voz de Waits sí llega a ser mucho y es mi único punto relativamente en contra, porque su voz cuadra perfecto con la estética.
I first heard Tom Waits almost 30 years ago - and I filed away as weird and not for me. Revisiting it, I found it to be amazing. Really enjoyed this.
101225 13:26 4.5
Was not expecting this album to be as great as it was. Clap Hands, Downtown train, Tango Till They're sore, Singapore. Tom Waits ran so Hadestown could fly, but I loved discovering what a remarkable musician he was.
Tom Waits is one of those artists that I always felt I was just expected to like. So I resisted liking him for a long time. And then one day...I guess I finally heard the right song(s) or something and now I love him. It feels to me like he channels music from somewhere not of this world. Good variety of styles on this record. Not every song speaks to me personally (sorry Downtown Train) but there are a few that I love a lot (Jockey Full of Bourbon, Big Black Mariah, Gun Street Girl). I've heard the comparison to Cookie Monster before but this is the first time I've noticed that sometimes Tom Waits sounds like Christopher Lloyd (specifically on the title track here).
What an enticing album! Lives up to its ratings for sure.
Tom Waits is een held
Love it!
great album, thank you
Still top dogger
A Waits classic!
Gloriously weird. No-one does it like Waits. My fave Waits album is The Mule Variations, and Rain Dogs kinda prefigures that, so I'll definitely be revisiting. Fave track - well, I love that "Jockey Full of Bourbon" sounds like the Black Books intro theme (or rather, the other way around) but was really grabbed by "Singapore" this time around...
An album I’d like to listen to enough to know well. Excellent.
The music is zany, bizarre, confusing, yet, I really enjoyed this album. Tom Waits has a horrible voice in the best way possible. It's almost spooky. Speaking of Tom Waits, is he okay? Has anyone checked on him? Is he seeing a therapist? Favorite Track: "Cemetery Polka".
My favourite Tom Waits album. Lovely.
I think I like Bone Machine slighly better, but this is a fantastic album. Tom Waits is very unique, no doubt
Funky. Can't believe this is the guy who did Closing Time.
Waits continues to surprise me with his music ability. Not all of this album lands for me and there's a bit too much filler for my taste, but I can't pretend I wasn't captivated by some of the high points on this album. This is an easy 5/5 if not for the lack of some somg list editing. Some of the best performances from Waits otherwise. Top tracks: Jockey Full of Bourbon, Time, Downtown Train
4/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/tom-waits/rain-dogs/ Extremely weird album. Part sounds like you're in some twisted old Disney movie, part are gorgeous soulful bluesy songs. I think it's unfair to rate this after 1,5 listen (even if I will do it), because this needs more spins to truly grasp it.
Totally digging that bluesy, grimy, barroom swagger on this album. Sounds like drunk sailors, busted accordions, street-corner prophets, alley cats, and sad men in wet coats. He takes blues, sea shanties, polka, tango, jazz, folk, spoken-word weirdness, and rock, then runs all of it through this rusted urban dreamworld. It sounds old, but not nostalgic. It sounds theatrical, but not fake. It feels like a city full of damaged characters all singing from different alleys.
acho que ele masterizou o climinha de boteco frequentado por pseudo-intelectuais e poetas medíocres. tem umas guitarrinha interessante, meio dissonantes, além de uns instrumento maluco fazeno barulho. nem a voz forçada dele me irritou nesse, achei o disco bem sólido. talvez seja o melhorzim dele que passou por aqui
Id say swordfish is more my style but this os nothing to scoff at. Its a little less cohesive. A little less experimental. But its alot more laid back and just filled woth good songs. There are a few different modes here, we got the jazz stuff, we got the bluegrass stuff, and id say even some good old pop singer songwriter stuff. You know the simpler songs that flow nice like a river. Amd every one is great. There are some great songs in each category. I saved like 8 songs here. Thats alot even for such a large tracklist. I still love the gravely voice, the instrumentals also do alot for me. Its just good music with alot of variety and fun. Worth the price of admission for sure
Alternating snatches of horror and heartbreak through which Waits' gravelly voice dances and capers like a madman. A few tracks are just too weird or too schmaltzy to sit nicely.
Oh wow wow, this album is surprisingly good, each of the tracks has it’s own unique feel!
Weird and I dig it!
477/1089 - It's similar to Swordfishtrombones in it's "hobo-circusness" which is cool if you're in the right mood. It's less experimental but seems to apply the experiments to a larger variety of music. Will probably listen to both again in the future. I think I like Swordfish more for being wackier.
i glaub 4/5? hat ma scho gfallen
fav songs: big black mariah hang down your head blind love downtown train anywhere i lay my head gritty, theatrical, emotional 70/100
wtf was that, i loved it
Una sorpresa agradable y una voz que sin duda debía de conocer
Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
Dark and grimy with a strange warm comfort that is found in the lyrics and the instrumentation
Super weird and diverse. Cool listen
I'm hearing a heavy influence on Modest Mouse.
this is a very peculiar album, probably i need a lot of time to devour it fully. Is some kinda dark blues/punk rock, not so easy to grasp the first time, but probably you get a good listening during a rainy day/night
Far, far better than “Nighthawks at the Diner” and “Swordfishtrombones,” which I already reviewed here. This is more experimental—but also more listenable-than those albums.
It’s good, but more listens are needed.
One of my big “vocal tastes are subjective” staples. I also think Waits does storytelling & world building better than 90% of the artists who are known for that. Also a bold first track that really says “buckle up, we’re getting strange”
Wow. This album was so good. The music was really good. Tom Waits used all his voices to bring different emotions to the different songs on the album and it was perfect each time. I had only known of Tom Waits prior to this. Listening to this I want go down the rabbit hole because I was mesmerized by his voice. It’s that good.
I like this quite a lot
Tom is great, like this album
This is weird nonsense. Naturally i loved it
What? How did I hate listening to this but don’t want it to stop?
Funny, quirky and quite good musocal composition! Liked this ome better than the other one of his
alright, fine. i dig this.
He can be a bit too much for me sometimes, but this album checks all the boxes. “Downtown train” takes on so much more meaning for me as a child of the 80s and Rod dominance.
Love me some Tom Waits. No one else like him.
Rain Dogs is a strange album because it has so many different sounds all encapsulated within the 53 minute runtime, some more digestible than others and some that are very strange and really experimental even for my own ears. The one thing that ties it all together beautifully though is the stellar songwriting from Tom that feels so much more personal and honestly depressing at times thanks to the very heavy nature of the themes. This album feels like talking with a small community of people with the stories all not seeming interlinked at first but upon a deeper inspection show these invisible chains that keep them all linked together. Rain Dogs is a striking album in both design and subject as there are plenty of tracks that may repulse the average listener and some that would have you think this is a Bruce Springsteen wanna-be. It is perplexing and a bit hard to chew on, but if you let the taste simmer then it turns out to be a very compelling release. Not my favorite Tom Waits as much as it hurts me to say, but Rain Dogs is an album I haven't been able to stop thinking about since I heard. Some of the finest story-telling I have heard in some time mixed with some of the strangest production I have heard at times. I don't know what is wrong with you Tom Waits, but keep it up.
Surprised to enjoy this. Feels like his most accessible album given how often I've experienced Waits as more obsessed with what sounds he can make with shoes and horns while incoherently shouting like a muppet - rather than whether those things all sound, I don't know, listen-able. But this felt gritty and dark with just the right amount of drunk carny weirdness - without devolving into sheer noisiness (the exceptions being Midtown & Union Square & maybe a few others that border annoyingness.) Maybe a high 3 low 4 kind of situation, but grading up given my low expectations.
Wow, I feel like with every album I like his music more, or maybe I just GET it more. This is quite minimal compared to the last ones (at least the 90s one), which obviously lets his voice take centre stage. His voice I think is less abrasive here (on a few songs it is though), which I think is great. I probably said this before, but the atmosphere is the most incredible thing about his music, he's just able to create such a visceral image of dread and dingyness. A great example is the 9th and hennepin song, where he's not actually singing, but it just feels horrifying and suspenseful, where in essence its very simple music. I suppose he's mimicking really old blues singers like from the 1920s and before. Favourite songs: Singapore, jockery full of bourbon, tango till they're sore, diamonds and gold, hang down your head, time, rain dogs, 9th & hennepin, gnu street girl, union square, downtown train. Overall around 7/10
What if Tim Burton was a musician? Here’s your answer. Tom’s music is crazy, gritty, whimsical, bizarre. It’s like watching a rusty circus train swaying back and forth going down the rails. It’s a thing to behold.
Nobody has a voice like Tom Waits
I’m still not sure I entirely get Tom Waits, but I still enjoy the ride. 4/5 Highlights: - Clap Hands - Diamonds And Gold
I wish I had more time with this album - I'll probably be revisiting it. Overall I liked the somewhat theatrical cabaret vibes, and the slight spice of Disney villain theme song. Not gonna be for everyone I assume, but I enjoyed my time with it more than I didn't.
Such a unique and distinctive voice. Possibly a bit too much on this album, think it would have been more engaging if stripped down to 12-13 tracks. The original Downtown Train is a classic.
Tom Waits is a silly little guy. I mean some of these songs are not silly, but so many of them feel like haloween songs. This is not to say I dont like this album, really, the opposite. I most definitely overrate this silly little album. 4/5
Some good songs, some funny songs, and some freaky ones. Circus esque with gutteral blues - a theatrical experience
You got to love Tom waits. He's not a great singer but he makes great songs. It's definitely recognizable as music but not like anything else you hear.
Fascinating album. I’ve never bothered to listen to him before that much. I wish it didn’t remind me of the theme from black books so much
At times, Waits sounds like a whiskey-informed sage, sharing hard learned lessons of life, love, and regret. At other times, he sounds like a drunk muppet. What he doesn’t sound like is Rod Stewart. And I’m ok with that.
Like a Jean-Pierre Jeunet movie is album form; I like it.
Rowdy and elegant
What a strange, strange man. There’s something delicious about how weird some of this stuff is. I gravitate towards the more accessible tracks but the New Orleans style witch doctor songs add some fun spice. Clap Hands and Anywhere I Lay My Head are standouts, but Downtown Train steals the show.
3.5
When I listen to Tom Waits I always initially find him annoying and think I'm not going to enjoy the album. After a while however, I start to enjoy myself. The same was true with Rain Dogs. I didn't like it as much as Bone Machine, but it still just about gets a four from me.
This was some really good music!
This is a hard one. At the start I was thinking two stars and it sucked. Then it got better and was in four star range. I considered averaging to three but what the hell, it’s getting four.
8/10 Canción favorita: Time
Another very good Tom Waits album, but I think I liked Heart Attack and Vine more. There's a strange, but alluring blending of blues and pirate shanties that no other artist could ever pull off in a million years. I also had no idea Waits wrote Downtown Train. It was my favorite Rod Stewart song, and now I know why. Needless to say, Waits' version obliterates it.
Odd but tasty music
Dude is a poet
A joy to listen to. Waits was at his best on this one.
Sounds like he took some of the more bizarre songs from Swordfishtrombone and made an album around it, pretty cool assortment going on
What can you say about Tom Waits, other than the obvious he's one of a kind, sui generis, in a category of one. And maybe: you either love him or hate him (or, possibly: you have to be in the mood - love him one day, hate him the next). All I can say is I'm glad he exists, and has persisted (for decades, now), and, although it took me a little while to get there, I've been a fan of his for quite a while now. Since he IS in a category of one, arguably, it's difficult to rate him: he's only competing with himself. But, anyway, I'll give it 4 stars. lol
Such an oddball record! But I enjoyed it. Feels like Nick Cave with a dash of Captain Beefheart.
This album was fascinating. It sounds off-kilter and almost carnival-like sometimes, then other songs have a more streamlined (but still eclectic instrumentally) sound. Sometimes the discord was a bit uncomfortable (and "9th and Hennepin", whew). But mostly I enjoyed and was drawn in by the instrumentals. The range of musical styles and sounds is impressive. Love the blues tunes the most. As well as vocal delivery, he goes from a gravelly folk style, to Louis-Armstrong-style jazz singing, to wild blues growls and wails. I loved almost all of the vocals, the gravelly voice gets me again.
His voice does not seem like it fits him
En skikkelig manbearpig! Halvt kul, halvt fin og halvt ko-ko.
Impossible to define or categorize. Gruff Folk Rock? ;-)
Okay, I get why Tom Waits is divisive with his sound. But this album kinda sounds like a bunch of other artists, just funneled through the lens of experimentalism. Like the bastard spawn of Nick Cave, Harry Nilsson, Bruce Springsteen, and expermental bands like Diablo Swing Orchestra (deep pull there, lol), but obviously all those artists were likely inspired by Tom Waits vs the other way around. Weirdly, I kinda enjoy it. Don't think I'd ever go back to it, but its definitely good, and very interesting. Never a boring moment on this album.
Good album overall - particularly liked “Clap Hands” and “Union Square”. Definitely different though.
Favorite Track: Downtown Train
Alright I agree swordfishtrombones is a tough listen and maybe this just sounds comparatively better, but it’s not all bad. This one has more real songs and sounds a little less like a homeless guy hitting a shovel on his trashcan fire. Hang Down Your Head, Time, Blind Love, Walking Spanish, Downtown Train. All pretty good! Sounds like Bruce if he just chewed a bunch of glass, or I guess if he chewed more glass than he already has. I look pretty cool in this fedora, don’t I?
Rain Dogs was the collective noun Len Houmous used to use for his wives 5-9. 4.2 9/19 Time
Rain Dogs I’m not sure if I have listened to this before, I think I might be getting it mixed up with Swordfishtrombones, although I’ve definitely heard Downtown Train. Anyhow, of the TW albums we’ve had on the list and the ones I’d heard previously this is probably my favourite. It’s almost satirical in its level’s of Tom Waitness, tales of sailors, pirates, sad people, urban degradation, dwarves and people losing legs etc, but atmospherically it captures an odd, intimate, late night in a bar vibe in a way the confected Nighthawks at the Diner didn’t. It gets off to a great start with Singapore and Clap Hands, the latter reminding me of the music from the subterranean levels in Super Mario World. Jockey Full Of Bourbon is more conventional, but also has a kind of swaying discomfort to it, while Tango Till They’re Sore is more conventionally Tom Waits with its New Orleans jazz feel. Some of the guitar on Big Black Mariah is distinctively Keith and its a great bluesy track. Hang Down Your Head is less idiosyncratic and more direct, a great forlorn careworn track, the pump organ giving a nice bit of softness against the jaggedness of his voice. Time ends the first side on a great note, a lovely track. I’m not as keen on the start of the second side, I don’t find the instrumental Midtown and Spoken Words 9th and Hennepin that compelling, but Gun Street Girl is excellent, some clanging and some back porch bluesy guitar make a great combination. Keith’s second appearance on Union Square is a Tom Wait’s version of Chuck Berry, followed by the country-esque Blind Love, which puts me in mind of Odelay. Downtown Train alongside Hang Your Head is a more conventionally structured song, with a more direct melody and it's a great song. Anywhere I Lay My Head has possibly his most exaggerated vocal, but it's a pleasingly odd track, moving from funereal to bar room stomp, and definitely feels like an influence on Radiohead’s Life in a Glasshouse. It’s not perfect, it does feel like a few tracks too many, with a couple of lulls, but it is a great album, and I’ll go for a high 4. 🌧️🐕🦺🐕🦺🐕🦺 Playlist submission: Gun Street Girl
Jazz rock vibes, all feels very dark and moody, New Orleans. Love his voice.
I've got to check out more Tom Waits, as I like what I've heard from the list so far. His raggedy piano playing, on a piano that sounds like it's not quite tuned right, is at times reminiscent of Thelonius Monk's playing. Liked Songs Added: Big Black Mariah Time Downtown Train
Good
Consistently inconsistent in his creative pursuit, Waits has a winner here.
Interesting. Unique vocals.
Good
This is a fantastic album with a very distinct sound. This is very nearly a 5 for me, but could use just a little bit more focus, and it is a bit mood dependent.
Do I recognise that I enjoyed this album because it’s considered the creative peak in a long and storied career? Or do I recognise that this album is considered the creative peak in a long and storied career because I enjoyed it? 4/5
Nightmare carnival organ music you hear after your 9th rail whiskey in a basement bar
I really like this dirty, dark blend of blues, folk or whatever it is. It's quite original and there are so many styles on this album. This album feels like a Tim Burton movie about a Caribbean drunk bum during Halloween. The storytelling across these songs is fucking amazing. At first, I didn't get it and thought it was a mismatch, not for me. But it gets better the more you listen. I listened to it twice today. I guess it's the seventh great album in a row. 4/5 —————————————— Liked songs: — Hang Down Your Head — Time — Gun Street Girl — Union Square — Walking Spanish
.
A voice like a watermelon in a food processor. Which is actually a good thing
Wild and varied it’s a lot to take in. I still prefer Swirdfishtrombones as a concise musical statement that I like to revisit. Here some songs feel like almost pop songs despite the chaos while other feel like they are sewn together ilike a crazed quilt.
The vibe and general sound of this album, I like a lot.
I've tried to get into him before. The early stuff clicked immediately, this takes a bit longer. Listened to it twice and it's getting there
I like how eclectic this one was! I've had trouble getting into Tom Waits before because of his voice but I think I've gotten used to it and have come to like it at this point.
honk honk
I've heard at least two covers of his music without having heard the originals. His style is growing on me, but sometimes covers are better. ^^;
Rain Dogs is theatrical like indie films of yore, budding with freakish absurdity and vice. Waits transports us to the back alleys and the outskirts of town where depression mixes with longing and conflict is ripe; a nuanced beauty!
Oh man, yes. All the bullshit bands and singers are almost worth listening to in the knowledge that people who rate Slipknot and Christina Aguilera 5 stars are also being made to listen to Tom Waits. Hell yeah. Loved Singapore when I heard it years ago and this album is basically the purest, more classic form of Tom Waits, growling and guttural, dirty and dark, all sinister jazz and evocative lyrics. It always sounds like you're listening to Tom Waits at 1 AM in a run-down, gloomy bar in some downtown where you don't want to be. I haven't looked at any other reviews yet but I just KNOW that there are going to be people saying things like "I can't hum along and this guy can't sing." Makes me sick. Yup, here we go, here's one from the top ten highest-rated reviews: "This album was weird and jarring! If I can give 0 stars, I would!" Well, I LIKE weird and jarring, more of it, please, less Van Halen.
I know he's very divisive, and I get it, but I do enjoy Tom Waits. I'm generally a fan of an idiosyncratic voice, and a somewhat depressing tune, so he fits the bill. I don't love when he does his carnival of the damned vibe, but hankfully not too much of it on this record, other than the opener. Time remains my favorite track of the album.
tom waits makes music for cartoon villains who run dark evil factories that produce excessive amounts of smog and evil doohickies. thats literally the only way i can describe this music, and its fucking awesome
I recently listened to Swordfishtrombones and absolutely loved it, 5/5. When I saw that this was loosely a follow up album, part 2 of a "trilogy" of sorts, I was excited but apprehensive. How could Rain Dogs possibly live up to its predecessor? For me, the answer is it didn't, but it certainly didn't fall flat either. This album was great! It had a few songs that were more... "Normal sounding"? Does that make sense? Some guitars and things that felt more straightforward and less experimental. Overall the whole album feels less weird than Swordfishtrombones, and that was probably a good thing at the time from a "writing another album" standpoint, but it doesn't quite capture the magic for me in the same way. Still a very solid offering, and in spectacular Tom Waits fashion.
7/10… art blues / heartland rock / *1985
Rating: 8/10 Sorry Tom Waits I wasn’t familiar with your game Really did not expect this because I thought Waits was just a guy with a guitar or something, but this is the kind of completely unique rock unlike anything I’ve heard. My closest comparison I’ve listened to is Nick Cave and now I’m pretty sure he was just influenced by Waits. If anything this album was a little long but not a big deal. I should check out more of Tom Waits’ experimental work, and could see myself really loving this years down the road
weird but i liked it
Really weird in a really good way
I liked this album far more than I initially thought I would.
this was really fun i loved it
Love this one
Wtf is this opening, what in the Russian polka. This is Halloween ahh opening. Oh the whole album is like this. I like it, probably wouldn’t revisit but it’s good fun. Give my Umbrella to the rain dogs. 9th and Hennepin is my favourite so far Gun street girl also bangs It’s like jazz folk raspy country, I like it.
++: Singapore, Clap Hands, Jockey Full of Bourbon, Big Black Mariah, Midtown, Gun Street Girl, Union Square, Blind Love, Walking Spanish, Downtown Train, Anywhere I Lay My Head +: Tango Till They're Sore, Diamonds & Gold, Time, 9th & Hennepin +-: Rain Dogs, Bride of Rain Dog -: Cemetery Polka, Hang Down Your Head 8,2/10
I don't know if I'm just getting used to tom waits but I felt like this was the best album we've had by him. I think we had an earlier one which had this sort of off kilter, slightly sinister sea shanty/carnival feel to it but it was even more prevalent here and it really worked. This is the only waits album I think I'll go back to but who knows, might be the start of me really getting into it.
Many of the songs have a disturbing carnival theme. Singapore, Cemetery Polka, Jockey Full of Bourbon, and Hang Down Your Head were jolly good. He either wails, or whisper-sings. Don't mind either. I think I'm a convert. One of his good albums. I bet he reeks of Marlboro Lights, yellow fingers and yellow guitar strings.
Feel like we've had a lot of Tom waits albums now! Must be up there with the most appearances. This was a pretty good one, one of the more coherent. Downtown train is not only similarly named to a Springsteen song, but almost sounds like it could've been written by him. Anywhere I lay my head was good too 3.5
Spooky swampy but also genuinely endearing, the back half is some of his finest work
I know Tom Waits' music, never been a huge fan, but I liked this one!
i’ve definitely tried listening to this album before because i LOVE ‘clap hands’ and [redacted] was obsessed with ‘downtown train’ a while ago. unfortunately both the opening track and ‘downtown train’ don’t appeal to me (the former being worse than the latter imo) so i didn’t try much beyond that. i’m glad i was obliged to revisit it now. once you adjust to his voice it’s great!!! i love love love the percussion on this album. in general he’s featuring all of my favorite instruments (xylophone/marimba, double bass, baritone & even bass sax, congas) which lend the songs this incredible richness that complements his vocals really well. why don’t all musicians use that stuff all the time? i know that tom waits is known for his lyrics, but weirdly—especially for me—the words were the least compelling aspect because i was SO taken with the unique instrumentation. occasionally a particular phrase would catch my ear but i wasn’t really paying much attention to them. some of the songs are a little TOO theatrical with the brass and border on cabaret or even musical theatre type stuff…idk. it didn’t spoil my overall impression of the album, i just didn’t care for them. the more ‘typical’ sounding songs (e.g. ‘downtown train’) were also kinda whatever but maybe would have worked in a different context. fav tracks: clap hands; gun street girl; big black mariah; jockey full of bourbon
this is so weird but in a good way. barring the songs that skewed a little too circus-y for me I thought this was very inventive and interesting. Fav tracks: Clap Hands; Hang Down Your Head; Gun Street Girl
Great album
Such a soulful album.
Tom Waits is a weird dude. The best description of this album would be, "What if Jack Skellington was a real person?" And that's all you really need to know about it. This album does not disappoint. It's very good. For songs that I never realized was a cover, Rod Stewarts "Downtown train" is now the newest addition to that list. Their not all bangers, but with his unique style I feel 4 stars is the perfect sweet spot.
Mr Waits sure is on his own track. A unfiltered one off. Always listenable, always a weird trip to somewhere not quite here. 4 Star
Interesting and enjoyable
This music doesn't belong to any era, listening to it now it doesn't seem to have arisen from the 80's. Didn't like Tom Waits as a kid but I can get behind this now. Dark and unusual. Favorite songs: Clap Hands, Jockey Full of Bourbon, Tango Till They're Sore
It's not mainstream stuff, but I enjoyed it. For bonus points, it's not on this album, but check out Tom's version of "The Ice Cream Man" from David Lee Roth/Van Halen.
Welcome to the funhouse. Another artist with a unique point of view that translates into a moody experience.
I can't review this album. My brain is just flickering like and aging neon sign that says "OPEN" but the "O" is rarely lit so it just reads "PEN" leaving me walking Spanish down the hall to swallow the night, a saint in every dream and the donuts have names that sound like prostitutes. Not all dreams are real.
Очень странный альбом. Музыка одновременно похожа на всё и ни на что, на классический блюз и авангардный джаз. Казалось бы, обычные инструменты, играющие обычные мелодии, по какой-то непонятной причине звучат как нечто сказочное и не от мира сего. И конечно, все это связывает воедино вокал Тома Вейтса - грубый, грязный, низкий. Если вы никогда это не слышали - голос Тома звучит как кабан, которого пилят бензопилой, но в этот момент он поёт о любви. Весь альбом сопровождает мультяшно-сказочная и при этом мрачно-нуарная атмосфера. Не могу определенно сказать, нравится мне это или нет, но это стопроцентный опыт, который стоит испытать.
This album is all over the place..in a .... good way?
tom waits oscillates between brilliant and annoying for me. thankfully this album js mostly brilliant
Wow, this album is polarizing! A lot of love and a lot of hate. I come down more on the like side of things. I generally didn't know what was going on, and it's like half-listening to that crazy uncle that you enjoy even though everyone says he's a lunatic. And every now and then you just have to smile at whatever the hell it was he just sang.
Previously rated: Nighthawks At The Diner (4/5) Bone Machine (3/5) *********************************** There's some really unique sounding stuff here. You get used to his super-raspy singing. I didn't know he wrote Downtown Train. It's quite a bit different than Rod Stewart's version. I like it.
Some experimental songs are a bit forgettable but overall great album 4.5*
I actually enjoyed this quite a bit
I quite like this. Weird, varied and fascinating. It makes me want to listen to it later on, to really get into it. A little too long, though. Best track: Hang Down Your Head
This was great! Much better than the previous Tom Waits album 1001 Albums suggested. Will listen again.
Classic deep voice Waits
Hadn’t realised how much influence on bellowhead he had - fantastic listen
This is definitely worthy of that reputation as a quirky spooky record but it also has a lot of emotional impact especially on the back half of the record. The songwriting here is top notch and Tom's performance makes it a special record
I feel like you either appreciate this album deeply or you don’t. I do. I really do.
Good for pirate sex. Downtown Train makes me excited to dance at my wedding. 8/10
I want to give it a 5, but there's a few too many throwaway ballads in the second half. 4.5
This shit is so weird
4/5
Wonderfully weird. Enjoyed it a lot.
Halloween movie music? Weird, I like it
I really enjoyed this
You've just failed to roll your 4th pumpkin roll cake and while that pain will never truly disappear, this album is certainly enough of a distraction to help you forget for a while. 4.5
This guy is weird man! I dig it 🤙🏻
really bizarre album, a bit fringe and closer to outsider music than not... tom waits is cool man i love that hes famous for being a weirdo haha
Okay, but I had "Swordfishtrombones" just recently. A bit redundant, no? Same review applies.
Polarizing for me, loved some did not others.
Gun, bayou feel
tom waits is always an interesting person to listen to, music wise. this album is probably the most bonkers i've ever heard from him. compared to his usual raspy-voiced blues music, this album is pure... avant-garde. we've got odd percussion, marimbas... seems like he just had a massive chest of instruments and he just pulled out whatever worked in the moment. this album sounds like a back alleyway. one that smells like a bootyhole. this could be the perfect music for either a halloween costume party or a smoke session that lasts till 3 in the morning. if you're the poetic, drunkard type and you really wanna test your ears, give this one a try. an acquired taste for a lot of people, including myself, but it's still pretty solid and complex. there's some stuff that really tugs at the emotions. this album isn't supposed to sound pretty.
It’s the early 80’s, I’m drunk and wandering downtown looking to bum a cigarette from a corner Gypsy palm reader.
--Singapore...we get thrown into the deep immediately. lyrically it's...uh...problematic --Clap Hands...I don't know if anyone out there thinks Tom Waits has a "good" voice, but he knows how to use it. Hypnotic --Cemetery Polka...Don't love it but I wouldn't be surprised to hear that the Unicorns built their entire sound around this track --Jockey Full of Bourbon...love it. this is everything --Tango Till They're Sore...this album is an absolute vibe --Big Black Mariah...fits the vibe but I'm not feeling this one --Diamonds and Gold...same as above --Hang Down Your Head...surprisingly sweet. Maybe too sweet? It's still nice --Time...timeless and sad --Rain Dogs...meh --Midtown...interlude --9th & Hennepin...a poem. damn, his voice is menacing --Gun Street Girl...better than 95% of the country/western music released today --Union Square...a fun rocker --Blind Love...a more classical singer could provide a decent cover, don't care for it as is --Walking Spanish...nice and funky --Downtown Train...I do prefer the Rod Stewart cover --Bride of Rain Dog...sure --Anywhere I Lay My Head...this album has great stuff but it's quite long. I'm too exhausted to even try to appreciate this track
i didnt get the chance to take notes but thank you thomas waitison
Nobody else quite sounds like Tom Waits. It's always a refreshing listen, and I enjoy and respect it, but I think it's not a sound I could ever truly love. I'm never going to want to throw on Rain Dogs to chill out to.
The roughest voice in the history of music but he hits so well.
Un peu surprise pour la noix au début de l’album mais quelques jolies découvertes
Rain Dogs is an absolute journey. There is a lot to take in here and you’re not going to take it all in on one listen. Tom Waits isn’t for everyone, he’ll I’m not gonna often throw Waits on myself but I always appreciate his grittiness and commitment to do what he does, he sings like a man who went mad at sea and that’s awesome. Is Rain Dogs his most accessible album? I haven’t listened to his whole catalog but I’m fairly certain he never went straight on contemporary. I really enjoyed Bone Machine as well but I’m confident this is my favourite release from Waits. This album is a box of whiskey soaked poems with some jazz, blues, rock and folk all tossed in and shaken up. Out came the rollicking tidy mess that is Rain Dogs and it’s fucking weird but fucking great too. 4 stars
Downtown Train is a classic. Pretty sure I used to have this album many moons ago. Tom Waits being his ultimate self.
I hadn't actually sat down and listened to this heard before and I was stunned that I've been playing Jockey Full Of Bourbon in jam sessions going back decades and never heard the original recording or even realized it was one of his. What a great tune and very fun to play. This album sounds like it's just over the crest of his transition from Laurel Canyon singer-songwriter to whatever the hell you call the uniquely crazy jazz he and his wife have been concocting these past 40 or so years. The crazier he gets the more I like it, and so to me this is probably a good point of entry I would recommend to civilians.
I'm a pretty loyal Tom Waits fan, but I'll admit it's a shame that there are so many of his albums in this collection (five all told), as it kind of dilutes his appeal even for me, and I can't imagine non-fans' reaction to yet another Tom Waits album. Of the three I've heard so far (this one, "Nighthawks at the Diner", "Bone Machine"), this is by far the best, and while I can see keeping "Bone Machine", I'd easily axe "Nighthawks". But no one asked me, I know. I was really impressed how strong nearly every track on this album was, and I particularly enjoyed the opening pair "Singapore" and "Clap hands", as well as the title track and "9th & Hennepin" (mainly because I liked the Minneapolis reference). And impressive how many people have made covers of his "Downtown Train", although it feels like his is in many ways the best version, complete with a video that includes Jake LaMotta. I also enjoyed finding out that Keith Richards played on three of the tracks ("Big black Mariah", "Union Square" and "Blind love"), and that this led to Waits' contributing on The Rolling Stones album "Dirty Work". And even though it didn't seem like one of the stronger tracks on the album, I was also struck by how much "Time" sounded like a Leonard Cohen song. I can definitely see why this album was ranked among the greatest albums of the 80s.
I enjoyed this mostly for the Brecht influence--it would have made a great opera. Also liked the mix of sounds. Not really my thing but well-done.
Grappig, al na een paar tonen vond ik dit erg 'Disney' blijkt dat het dwergenlied van sneeuwwitje van Tom Waits is. Best rauwe stem, niet vaak zin in, maar wel een goede cd
Niezłe, oryginalne. 4/5
Definitively an acquired taste. Not great by any means but wierd and experimental and I love Tom's raspy voice cause it give it an extra level of mystery. I love Tom Waits but objectively its not great just diferente and works for me
You probably know this but Tom Waits defies explanation. Maybe he’s like coffee. Tastes terrible at first but overtime you begin to love it, and I do. There is so much Americana here, but told from the upside down. And then there are moments of absolute beauty that you have to look for. It’s also worth noting this was released in 1985. Completely out of step with anything that was going on at the time. It’s definitely the best thing Keith Richards was a part of since Exile on Mainstreet.
Tom Waits is a fascinating artist. I've heard some of the early Tom records, and its a devastatingly good combination of dive bar, beat poet jazz/blues with that raspy voice of his that only gets more raspy as the years of smoking pile up on his voice.
Я слышал о Томе Вэитсе до этого дня, но не слышал его музыки Альбом Rain Dogs очень хороший и интересный Эта хорошая спокойная музыка, местами наглая, но очень живая! Я скажу, что альбом мне понравился, но не зацепил, да и равнодушным он меня не то, чтобы не оставил Но это не значит, что он плохой! Альбом шикарный Мне больше понравилась вторая сторона альбома, нежели первая Любимые песни я выделить не смогу :) Но мне очень понравилась песня "Downtown train"
I didn’t immediately love this album. It took like two full run throughs to fully digest it. This is a super long album. Which I think sort of hurts it. But to start with the positives, this album is so atmospheric. There’s stories and poems, and there’s so much creativity and originality in this album. I just adored the first 2/3rds of the album. That’s really my only complaint is I think the length of this album hurts it alittle. The last 1/3rd of the album I think is the weakest portion. But I can’t stress enough how much I loved this album. This album would be perfect if they just trimmed like 5-6 songs. Like anything after midtown, excluding union square and anywhere I lay my head, could get subtracted and it wouldn’t hurt the album, it would only focus it more and make it better. Seriously though this as close to 5 as you can possibly get!
His voice always startles me when I start to listen, but it works with some of the creepy songs on this album. Gun Street Girl made me think of Ex's and Oh's, while Cemetery Polka made me think of The Nightmare Before Christmas. This album is all over the place and so far, my highest-rated Tom Waits album.
Fav: Rain Dogs Least Fav: 9th & Hennepin Wouldn’t be surprised if Tom Waits was a pirate in a past life
Intriguing album! Tom Waits is a rare poet with some incredibly unique and fanciful rhymes. I remember not liking him as too folksy and weird from his previous SwordfishTrombones album. But for some reason I liked Rain Dogs forty years later (other than Midway and Bride which are just out of tune jazz, luckily both are short.) Gun Street Girl, Clap Hands, and Singapore make for a solid threefer. I will be revisiting Swordfish and listening to the trilogy. This album is just strange enough to come in at (3.8*s) In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
I've been generally aware of Tom Waits and his unorthodox music for a while but never actually spent the time to listen to more than a couple of songs. After a listen to Rain Dogs my mind is kinda blown. I'm not sure what I expected but it wasn't this and I mean that in a good way. I see this is classified as experimental rock which I guess sums it up pretty well as it doesn't really fall into a lot of the traditional genres. I was surprised how much I enjoyed Tom Waits and his weird vocals. The music was fun and unique from start to finish. There was something pirate-y about this that I dug. Tom Waits seems like he has indulged the weirdness and created a musical scalawag persona that I'm interested in exploring. I'm going to have to open a bottle of rum and dive into his collection at some point in the future. 3.52 stars
I feel like this starts and ends incredibly strongly - Singapore, Clap Hands and especially Anywhere I Lay My Head are special songs. The rest is good and it's a consistent vision, but those ones tower above.
Liiitt for langt og i litt for mange retninger utover b-siden, men helt klart en meget sterk skive
Compared to Bone Machine it's... well I didn't know what to make of it initially but after my second listen I think what struck me is how much these songs can get stuck in your head and become just catchy, or at least to me. It wouldn't surprise me if down the line after working thru his discography I'd be into this album more
Rating: 4/5 Short Review: This album sounds like a broken calliope rolled into a dive bar at 2am and started confessing secrets to a sailor. It’s junkyard poetry, gravel-voiced lullabies, and cabaret noir wrapped in one lurching, beautiful mess. Favorite Track: “Clap Hands” It’s all bones and smoke and whispered warnings from under the floorboards. Like a lullaby for people who’ve seen too much. Consistency With Me: 9.6/10 Rain Dogs is what my internal monologue would sound like if it smoked unfiltered cigarettes and hung out with Bukowski. Fragmented. Dark. Sentimental, but too weird to admit it. It’s the codebase of melancholy wrapped in circus greasepaint.
Ooooooo I do like this. This is a goodun. I've been meaning to check Tom Waits out properly for too long now. This is my sort of jam. I love this old school Jazz/blues funeral sound. Buckle up for this one though, It's 19 tracks. It does a really good job of keeping you interested and listening though. I don't mean its long, most songs are 3 minutes long tops, but it jumps from one song to the next pretty quick. I've always enjoyed this style of music so to me this was a pretty damn good album. Love the vocals. Love the music. Definitely adding this to my collection.
This is not my favorite Tom Waits (I prefer the very early and late albums), but I still found it enjoyable and got sucked into the rainy day atmosphere. Honestly, I would probably give this three stars as a Tom Waits album, but I think it's a four overall (especially compared to some of the albums I've had to listen to).
An excellent ecclectic album. Very high 4* 4/5
I did not use a private session for Spotify. Back in the day this was a favorite of mine for rainy Saturday mornings. I love is voice, the intensity of his voice, and the chaotic nature of some of the songs.
Actually OK, I really don't like TW's voice and, although the music is OK, the voice ruins it. This album manages to pull it off, the voice works and the album is deep and interesting.
I am not the biggest Tom Waits fan, but it is still a very interesting and unique album. All of the songs feel really dirty and gritty, so as the album goes on it can feel a little one note, but it is still a good note. Low 4.
Tom <3 <3 <3
A wonderfully broad swath of genres that envelope a grimy and expansive soundscape. It channels the dirtbag spirit of Bukowski with the unflinching eye of Steinbeck, performed in the trashcan of Oscar the Grouch.
It's tough to review Tom Waits as a fan. It's all weird as hell and unique; that doesn't mean it's good but I have a hard time saying it isn't. Clap Hands has always been one of my favourites of his. This is a good album. You probably don't need so much Tom Waits on the list but I like when it shows up.
Well, this is better than the first album I heard from him. Much better! It’s like Leonard Cohen got weird. That’s what it sounds like. This is weird but good. 7 songs in and I’m ready for something else but for once this isn’t a knock against the album. It does seem to be repetitive, if you could possibly make this type of music seem repetitive, Nick Cave does. Choice cut: Clap Hands
A great piece of experimental folk music, suffers from many slow sections of overly simple instrumentals and a few times where the mixing and/or the vocals are pretty subpar (hence the 'experimental' moniker, they took risks and they often paid off but sometimes did not work) but as a whole it absolutely earns its legendary status.
took me a long time to get this one but i think it goes hard, makes me feel like a dark floating baddie, like fog, but very hot, and like gold, like a bunch of horses running, and like boats flying in the sky
Folky country. Nice.
It is insanely hard to believe that at one point Tom Waits was appropriately grouped with Billy Joel. Post-Rain Dogs, he consistently sounds like an alcoholic pirate with kids all across Southeast Asia. All of Waits' influences come together on this album, forming a stumbling cacophony of storytelling. Bizarre doesn't even begin to describe this album. 8.85/10 Favorite Songs: Singapore/Rain Dogs
Abgefreakte Seemannsmusik. Gerne nochmals anhören.
This is the worst carnival I’ve ever been to, 8/10
Llegamos al miércoles con el groso de Tom Waits y un disco que hace mil escuché cuando me sumergí en toda su obra. Imposible no sentirse impresionado por su voz oscura y por su forma de interpretar. Plus al hecho de que en éste álbum participe Keith Richards (Clap hands es un excelente ejemplo). Favoritas además de la anterior: Jockey Full of Bourbon, Big Black Mariah. Hasta mañana, gentes bellas.
God I love this weird dude. These songs are definitely on the weirder side, and I am more of a Closing Time and Mule Variations person, but this album is still fantastic. Time, Downtown Train, and Hang Down Your Head are three of my favorite songs of all time. And even the weirder songs are still interesting and aren't overly abrasive. It's always a treat listening to him.
I really appreciate the fascinating sounds and instrumentals that he and his backing band employ I think it seems like a great album; I’m trying to decide how much I care about returning to it
This was a great listen! I listened to it on a loop over 3-4 hours. It was like a cross between a nightmare/dream and some nostalgic feeling from another time. First time listen, won't be the last, but its one of those albums that has the right time and place!
‘First it was fun. Then scary. Then fun again. Then spooky...but in a fun way‘ First time listen for me - mostly ready enjoyed it’s bizarre-fairground-gravely feel, some tracks in the middle I’d skip on a realised - Waits has a fabulous voice
Lots of fun stuff here. I enjoyed the mix of slow, genuine ballads and then the wild circus-like extravagance of many other songs. 8/10
so i definitely thought this album was interesting and original
This album is sooo good, he took everything that was great on Swordfishtrombones and improved it.
Not the best by Tom Waits but quite good.
Cool.
And for today's album we have the soundtrack to every movie Tim Burton has ever made.
I had to listen to this album several times in order to have a former opinion. What really shines about this album, and I'm betting that you could also say about this man's whole discography, is the how versatile his voice is. In some songs he mainly whispers while, in other ones it is very present and some other feels like you are listening to a Disney villain. But not only his voice shines. My favorite parts from this records where when the instruments played wierd and dissonant melodies, which match incredible well with Tom's voice. Nevertheless, I didn't find the slower cuts to be that interesting as the rest (like 'Time' or 'Downtown Train'). Overall, incredible album
I’m not so into the burlesque sound of some of this album. But the blues tracks rock! I appreciate the creativity. Definitely want to give this another listen.
Transports me to a time and place I've never really experienced, but am happy to belong to for a little while.
Very much enjoyed
Fever dream
tom waits funny musig! singapore erfüllt wieder das, won ich vo ihm erwarte hahahaha oke tag spöter versuech ichs nomal, willsmer doch z fest uf de sack gange isch ja es isch funny aber tönt sehr ähnlich, wie ichs ketschte album ich chopf han? wiso mümmer das zweimal lose? ahh mit dem keith richards?? mega funny wennd mit so musig no. 29 ide uk erreichsch, machsch iwie ja scho öppis richtig ich frög mich gad, was ich am fishtrombones album geh han. 3 oder 4 willi gad funny underwegs gsi bin? jockey full of bourbon isch reeecht cool s albumcover isch fantastisch, anschinend ide nöchi vode reeperbahn ufgno tanzo till they're sore isch uuuuhuere geil, es kreiiert es richtigs chopfkino! wie das s achtbeste album us de 80er sötti sii, müssti mier pitchfork aner no erchläre shit ich verfall wieder am charme vo dem umebrüllende huere bär hang down your head sehr schön!! hobbla ja jz ischs eifach gloffe und jz simmer scho bim letschte lied. han mich zerst gnervt, de tubel nomal müsse z ghöre, doch ich hans actually gnosse, bin zwüscheme 3 undeme 4 Die einzelne lieder sind, abgseh vo hang my head oder time, nöd unglaublich aber s album als gsamtwerk isch super okkkkkkkkkja vlt isch das min innere quirk aber 4!
This sounds like it belongs in an old black and white film, yeet is much newer. Very well done I would say. Stamd-outs: Tango Till They're Sore, Hang Down Your Head
3/4
I really didn't like this at first. Just heard bad musical theatre but glad I persevered. Enjoyed the slower songs and can see how appreciation would build with each listen.
Why is there so much carnival music on this list? Fortunately for us listeners, this one is actually really great. Tom Waits seems a little deranged and this is an album that is truly unique to this listening experience, which is refreshing. Singapore is a great opener and tone setter for what kind of twisted Alice in Wonderland journey you are about to embark on. I also liked Clap Hands, and these were probably my favorite before the album started losing some charm. That's not to say the rest of the album isn't worth it, but the shock of the opening tracks was really memorable.
Yeah it’s pretty good but I once again cannot think of something to say
Unique? A mix of styles for sure. I like it, it's very good music. Marc Ribot's guitar is great throughout.
weird
I don't think I had ever listened to something like this. It was marvelous.
Very good and trippy
Bursting with creativity
Something about a man singing in a voice as if he's swallowed a bucket of nails, chugged a pint of beer, and just gotten into a bar fight gets me going.
One of his best. Though better on a gloomy day
I was waiting for one of his. Having developed stockholm syndrome via being force fed Leonard Cohen (good), elvis costello (middling) and morrisey (horrible man) i wasnt sure how id react. It took one listen to get past his voice. But second and third time around this really started to grow on me. The growl has a lovely bluesy feel, the story telling and the playing are top notch. Im now a fan
Crazy how avant garde some of this still sounds 40 years on. Unusual, creative, unsettling. At times genuinely offputting, at others enticing and enchanting, even comforting. He truly has one of the world’s most unique voices. I think because I love Nick Cave so much and there’s quite a lot of similarity, it’s almost surprising I haven’t been more into Tom Waits before, I’ve only ever dipped my toes, so I think I’m going to get into him properly now.
The only Tom Waits song I'd heard before was Flowers Grave, so imagine my surprise clicking on this album expecting to hear a sombre, serious melodic tune, only to get hit with the jaunty pirate waltz that is Singapore. Shock aside, I loved this album. It was entirely different and very enjoyable. Looking forward to exploring more Tom Waits music.
Great Waits album. You either love or hate Tom but I love him
Zitten echt prachtige nummers tussen!
I only didn’t really like the first song (Singapore), which honestly that sucked because I was a little turned off to the album immediately. Thankfully I pushed through, because the rest of the album was quite good! Ended up really enjoying the variety of styles/genres, lyrics were great. Not exactly my preference for music, but still great album.
Very good
This album was way better than I expected it was kinda fun
Tom Waits is indescribable. Such a unique sound and perspective in his songwriting. This is the kind of album I thought there would be more of on this list. Something not heard before and is truly different.
I’m not even sure how to rate this album – I’m either at a 3 or a 4, and I gotta talk myself into it one way or the other. This is my first time listening to Tom Waits – for some reason, the name sounds familiar, but I genuinely haven’t been able to place it at all. I don’t have any songs from the guy in any of my playlists, so I have no idea what the hell my subconscious is trying to tell me here. If anything, after listening, I’m a bit more confused, with a hint of strange admiration – I have no idea if I’ve ever heard an album that’s this scattered in terms of genres, soundscapes, styles, vocals, or production. It’s not even scattered in a bad way, it’s just scattered in a way that’s really jarring, a bit incoherent, and throws any and all album tradition and structure out of the window. It’s very unique for 1985, especially because the formula for an album felt pretty set in stone at this point, especially post-Thriller. I did like a lot of the tracks on this album, which is where I’m more inclined to give it a 4, but his vocals have such a weird consistent inconsistency that makes me want to go down to a 3, and I really can’t decide what should win out. His vocals have a really deep raspy grit to them, which sometimes works for the tracks, and sometimes doesn’t – I think it really distracts from the instrumentation and lyricism, most of which correctly nails a storytelling vibe. Beyond that, the fact that his vocals sound filtered, recorded away from the studio, while the instrumentation has a really crisp tone to it, makes each track feel weird to listen to with headphones in. Downtown Train is the clearcut example here to me – the mismatch between his vocal quality and the instrumentals is extremely apparent, so much so that when Rod Stewart covered the track, it became a huge hit for the guy. And yet, for whatever reason, I just find myself sort of charmed by this album, in an inexplicable way. It’s not as commercially acceptable as it could be, but that’s still fine. It sets its expectations from Track 1 with how out there and unusual that instrumental is, and never really strays too far from that vision. Does it align with my tastes that much? No, not necessarily, but I really did end up liking a lot of the tracks here for their storytelling and their ability to capture a mood. It’s not the most melodic, but when the instrumentals want to find a groove that works, it really does work. It’s a very strange album, and I’m not sure how much of it I can ever fully return to, but I think I admire its sort of dirty throwback style enough to bump it up to a 4 – you can only make something that sounds like this with a full intention to do so, and a deeper knowledge of exactly how to do it. It succeeds at that, and it does so in a way that doesn’t feel so far astray from the standards of 1985 to really harm the musicality of it all. I could totally go down, but I think I’m good with a 4.
I think there are probably more Tom Waits albums on this list than there need to be, but this one is definitely the best I've heard so far. Tom's voice is its own thing, but I think it lends itself well to this album, and there are some seriously good songs on here.
I was not prepared that I like this record that much. I listened to others by Tom waits before and was not convinced. But this was really great!
Great instrumentation - Very varied, but it all just works out so seamless. Great atmosphere. Great voice. Big 4
7/10 I love me some Tom Waits. So much fun. 11-27-2024
Rating: 7.5/10 What an interesting and intriguing album. I commend Tom Waits on being ridiculously creative and unique with his style. Even if it does not always work for me it's so interesting musically and vocally to warrant 4 stars.
kipu...kivuissain... aaaaaah... AAAAAAHHH the pain... kärsimys. nyt oijoi nytt tuntuu pahalle nytt tuntuu pahalle aijjjaijjai nyt nytt tuntuuu muuten pahalle. terv. tom waits... maailman sylki.. kurakadut, rumat kulmat.. mikään ei säikäytä. maailma on likainen.. kaikki paska nähty... tätä se on, prkl, tätä se on.. revi kaikki kauneus, naamari pois ja mitä on jäljellä? yhteiskunta.. nyt oijoi nytt tuntuu pahalle nytt tuntuu pahalle aijjjaijjai nyt nytt tuntuuu muuten pahalle. aha... sataa taas... heh... vesisade... noh, siinähän se on... heheh.... ai että, sehän sen selittää ... hehe... muussakaan ei pahemmin järkeä loppujen lopuksi ole... tämän ymmärrän... rain dogs
Tom Waits is such a weird artist it's hard to describe what he's even doing. He's making traditional music is the most unsettling way. This album feels timeless and scary. My only complaint is that it gets a little "normal" at the end.
-this is so interesting damn. Not at all what I was expecting but I really liked it, it makes me feel like an Italian-American gangster in New York -The variety and the sort of quirky instrumentation and vocal styles keep this feeling consistent and never boring. I fw it -Favorites are Clap Hands, Jockey Full Of Bourbon, and Gun Street Girl
I like it. It's like an improved version of captain beefheart with a bit of the residents blended in. Favorite song: Cemetery Polka.
sick. eclectic, and i loved the spoken word stuff
I've seen a lot of reviews that love or hate this. Personally I think this is pretty good. Waits voice is so unique and couple that with some bayou jazz and this is a winner.
Pretty good. Another album with amazing vibes and a glorious voice. For me peak Waits is Bone Machine. I’m not very familiar with this album, and it might be the first time I listened to the entire thing. Maybe Rain Dogs will get up to five stars after I become more familiar.
Many years ago, (more than I want to think about tbh) back when I was a teenager, this album was my introduction to Tom Waits. I bought it as I was curious about hearing the original version of Downtown Train, which Rod Stewart had a hit with. I remember being taken aback when Singapore started as it really wasn't what I was expecting lol. Over time the album really grew on me and I explored more of Tom's catalogue. It was fun to revisit this one.
Cool album, but I’m not blown away by it. 4/5
If there is one thing I found Magnificent about the Tom Waits album it is the fact that it sounds so natural that it is pretty much unlike anything I associate with 1985. I absolutely adore the sonics he was going for. As for the material I'm a little less sure where I want to go as far as rating it because I enjoy it but it's not something that I would want to pull out and listen regularly. But it is rather charming in its own right. I really kind of dig a lot in the early part of the album the kind of New Orleans feel. In some ways it kind of almost made me feel like I was listening to a musical production by Tim Burton. So I imagine Danny Elfman was very inspired by this album. I must admit I did not know that he wrote "Downtown Train" which is never been one of my favorite Rod Stewart songs. I do much prefer Tom Waits mainly because Rod Stewart at the point where he recorded it was basically making everything sound like a bland pop song where Tom Waits almost gives like this springsteen-esque delivery that gave it some urgency. All in all it's a real solid four for me though (8.67) ★★★★
4.5
Had potential to be pretentious tripe. Some really emotive songs, Downtown Train and Time. Some strange songs, but never boring
Pretty enjoyable. I like the atmosphere it creates with the rough vocals and rickety sounding instruments
8.5/10. The album did feel a little bit overdone, but I really enjoyed it. :)
I get it. I finally get it. I understand the appeal of Tom Waits. When I listened to Nighthawks at the Diner back in February, I didn't see the appeal. I just thought it was mumbling over some decent jazz instrumentals. Surely there was more to Tom Waits than that, right? Well, it's September now, and I've listened to Rain Dogs, an album that is considered by many to be the best Tom Waits album. I've become accustomed and open to "weird music" in the 7 months since Nighthawks. Because of those reasons, I was very hopeful that I would be able to see what makes Tom Waits so great because of this album. Fortunately, I was right! This is a great album! This album is just so weird and all over the place. But you know what? That's what makes this album great. I respect this album because each song feels completely different from the last. Comparing the opener, "Singapore," to the closer, "Anywhere I Lay My Head," really makes you appreciate that. Like, how is a beautiful song like "Time" on the same album as something insane like "Cemetery Polka"? I don't get it, but I also do! Tom's vocals are also very unique and characteristic. I feel like I was way too critical in my Nighthawks at the Diner review, and me calling Tom Waits's vocals "not great" was wrong of me. What was I thinking? Do I need to relisten to that one? Now I feel that his vocals add to the strange feel of this music in a good way. The writing is pretty good too. While I don't love this album as much as others do, I feel like it's really opened my eye to the appeal of artists like Tom Waits. I sarcastically said in my Nighthawks review that I was "excited" for there being 5 Tom Waits album on here. But you know what? I'm not sarcastic about that anymore. I genuinely want to see what those other albums are like. Maybe, just maybe, I will become an actual Tom Waits fan. I wouldn't go that far now, but I do see the appeal of this album. High 4/5.
I may have turned a corner. I found myself driving to work actually liking some of this. In the past TW has just sounded like a man barking at the moon. I think I get it.
A mix of Americana and weird carney back alley music. Waits is a singular creature. I don't think I'll revisit this but I'm glad it exists.
Another super solid album by Tom Waits, with his usual, extra-recognisable style and amazing stories. It's not something I would like to listen too often, but it's a real piece of music, this one.
Man, Tom Waits is just so damn interesting. Definitely not a singles album, and I can’t imagine turning this on around anyone else…but there is something so manic and strange about his style that really draws me in and made the 54 minutes fly by.
OK I really like this albym! Time is an all-time classic
everyone else in my album listening club: MORE tom WAITS how many can there BE why must we be TORTURED like this me in the background, wearing a silly little outfit with perhaps a silly hat that trails behind me, carrying a bongo drum and doing a little conga line dance as Cemetery Polka plays: uncle VIOLET / was a PILOT [shimmy shimmy *bop bop* shimmy shimmy *bop*] I did not really care for the instrumental though
Weird but in a fun tom waits way
Typical Waits album. Raw voice, raw lyrics and raw music. I'm here for it.
Uneven first half. Spectacular second half.
As I learned to expect from a Tom Waits album, it's unexpected. It's hard to say if i liked it, but it of course crossed some boundaries and if I didn't lost the count, it's the last album from him that I'll got, so it deserved the 4 stars.
Such an amazing voice. Enjoyed listening, but probably not going to listen to it all the time. Fun though!
I’ve said this before, but I adore Tom Wait’s voice. I’m inclined to say that he may have the best voice I’ve heard. His music here remains as interesting as I’ve come to expect, mixing rock and roll with cabaret. Diamonds & Gold sounded unusually close to Chim Chim Cheree from Mary Poppins, but otherwise everything here sounded very unique. I’m not sure I enjoyed this more than Heartattack and Vine which remains my favourite, but I did still enjoy this.
I did not this album to sound like it does. It has a mixture of rock genres, and feels at times like it is from the 60s, but with a twist. It is unique, and surprisingly enjoyable. It feels fun and full of creativity.
Great songwriter. Voice? If you're in the mood it's superb but otherwise it's grating.
For the most part this sounds like music in a spooky biker bar, but then Hang Down Your Head comes on and its a huge tonal shift. This album makes me think Jack White wants to have the vibes Tom Waits gives out in spades. I enjoyed it way more as it went on. Will I listen to it again? Probably not, but it was fun.
What a tremendous album! Have always been aware of Tom Waits but any time I tried to get into him I wouldn’t get far. Hang Down Your Head was such a shock when I heard it. “This is just a normal song! Almost sounds like Springsteen”. I thought Tom Waits just did haunted Mardi Gras/pirate music. Still the kind of music you listen to in private and then wait a long time before sharing it with loved ones or friends. It’s a big gamble but if they did it then brother you’ve got a friend for life!
Tom Waits always comes through. Some good tracks and way more enjoyable than anticipated especially with his singing.
As with the other Tom Waits album I listened to (Swordfishtrombones), I found the start of this album jarring and abrasive, but I was surprised by how quickly I warmed up to it. Weird in the best kind of way - unsettling, atmospheric, unique. Sounds like nothing else, and I’m glad it exists.
Always love Tom! He may bot be for everyone, but his voice and music ability is awesome!