Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Musical theater at times, country in others, and orchestral. I like the gravely voice, but not an album I would return to.
Saved? ✅ Would listen again? ✅ Would recommend to anyone? 🤔 Would buy on Vinyl? ✅
I did Tom Waits voice and style. Wasn't quite in the mood for it today but don't have many complaints. Not sure what sets it out above his other albums
Any Tom Waits album is a remarkable journey, and this is a great one.
A harsh 3. If the album was cut down it could probably be a 4 for me.
Well, that was interesting.
Æ skjønne ikke helt det her. Æ takle ikke sjørøver greia, får vondt av å høre på det. Men det e et par 10/10 låter her, Hang Down Your Head, Time og Downtown Train e dødsbra.
Bit too hard work. Veers wildly between relatively normal bluesy folk and the insane rantings of the deranged hobo. I won't be coming back for another listen.
Toller Typ
So richtig warm werde ich wohl nicht mit dem Tom Waits
this is better than other album i've heard from him
I'm conflicted about this album because there are many things that I liked about it, but it still isn't something that I would listen to regularly. The percussion was the highlight of the album for me. There's a lot of variety and unique percussion instruments used, most notable among which was the dissonant mallet instrument used in several songs. I don't dislike the sea shanty-like songs, but I can't really say the same for the Halloween-sounding songs. It seems like he tried his hand at writing a pop song with downtown train, which was an unexpected style after hearing the rest of the album. His voice is unique like many other artists we've heard so far, but I actually didn't hate his uniqueness as much as a few of others. I'm having a hard time rating this. 5/10
Refreshingly different from everything on this list so far. Different instrumentation, different vocal delivery (just listen to the first few seconds of the last track), and different subjects. When it's not giving schadenfreude, its everywhere from the fun of a circus to the glum of watching a drunken vagabond dance. Terrific storytelling and worldbuilding. I would give it a 4 if I was rating objectively, but instead I subjectively give it a 3 because I don't think its an album I would go back to often.
Je sais pas ce que je viens d'écouter, mais j'ai pas détesté.
Okay Tom Waits, maybe there's something to your music after all. But I still despise your vocal performance. You sound like a kid who signed up for Choir to get an easy A and who scoffs at the mere idea of singing with effort.
Weirdly reminiscent of Tim Burton films
This album was interesting. It sounds like if the boogieman from the nightmare before Christmas decided to make an album.
3.7
Klarer ikke å like det, klarer ikke å hate det. Clap Hands og Blind Love er gode, men den whisky-stemmen er bare parodisk.
I wouldn’t go so far to say I liked this album, but it was interesting as a work of art. Definitely the better tom waits album in my opinion. It’s bizarre but objectively well done. Seems kind like a cop out to give it a 3, but here we are
7/10 Best songs: Clap Hands, Big Black Mariah, Anywhere I Lay My Head I've always been conflicted about my feelings towards Tom Waits. I find half of his music absolutely brilliant, and the other half nigh on unlistenable. And... that's exactly how I feel about this album. It's definitely something that everyone should listen to at least once, but I'm not totally sure they'd like it. I'm of the opinion that the second half (the B side) is a bit of a bore. All of that being said, I do sort of wonder if I'd be able to turn myself into a Tom Waits fanboy if I listened to his stuff on repeat - I could plausibly see myself becoming obsessed with enough listens.
This was a bit slow moving for me. I generally like Waits, with Nighthawks being my personal favorite. This was my first listen to Rain Dogs, so my reaction may change in the future.
Gets less annoying as it goes on
This is one of the weirdest, most “out there” albums we’ve had. It reminds me of some of the cool stuff that Harry Nilsson did, but with a grumbly hardass, cigarette forward spin on it. Its not all amazing (a lot of it is kinda annoying), but its all so unique that I am regularly turning back to a few of these tracks. Cool percussion throughout Loved me Big Black Mariah.
i always tire of his deal after 4-5 songs but i do think he has a lot of awesome stuff to offer
Rv
Rusty voice gets annoying in parts but boy is there a lot of creativity packed into a short space here. Like a sad whiskey-soaked Danny Elfman
Très particulier, pas déplaisant. Coup de coeur pour le premier titre "Singapore" !
Tom Waits. Well I wait too Tom. I wait for you to give me an album that gets me going.
Honestly with the cult status of this album I was expecting something a lot better.
While I did get something out of the earlier tracks and their wacky percussion this guys and his weird one off style feels massively over represented. (I appreciate him for adding variety, but variety of variety would be better maybe?)
I expected this to be weirder than it was, kind of disappointed. All the ingredients of a Tom Waits album are there and it's certainly wackier than a conventional album, but I expected more after listening to the likes of Bone Machine. It's alright but not really more than that.
This album feels like the musical equivalent of a Tim Burton film. Its odd sensibility and quirkiness are fully on display, deliberately disheveled with off-key piano chords, warped tempos, and Tom Waits’ creepy, scratchy vocals. It plays out like a seedy Tijuana carnival, freaks paraded for all to see while Waits hammers at the piano and a monkey dances onstage, passing a hat through the crowd. It’s an unmistakable showcase of his signature sounds and warped imagination. I didn’t hate the album, but that doesn’t mean I’ll ever feel the urge to return to it.
Typical for him. It's odd and quirky and that's all it ever is. The off key piano and tempos and scratchy vocals get old quick.
Decent.
All told, this wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. His voice typically grates on me, and yeah at times it does so here, but I actually enjoyed some of this. I like the New Orleans jazz vibe of Tango Till They're Sore. A few songs I can see replaying.
Ah Tom Waits...brilliant one minute and borderline unlistenable the next, song after song, record after record. ‘Rain Dogs’ is no exception.
Not his best album
This was interesting! His voice is so unique. And his lyrics. Not something I would go back to and listen as a whole album. But definitely glad I heard it. Songs sound like they could be on a movie soundtrack. Very unique
Excellent but it sounds like a willy wonka nightmare
Waits' voice is gratingly bad in this, but some of the instrumentals were cool. I liked the NYC concept in it.
Something of an eclectic mix here, but tied together by the raw power of Waits' voice.
Standouts Time Gun Street Girl
perfetto considerando che sono nel mezzo della lettura del tropico del cancro di miller. stesse vibes decadenti.
Started off as a high 2 / low 3, ended with some low-mid 4 stuff, so evens out at the good ol’ non-existent 3.5
Feels like something I'd like more on relistens.
A begrudging 3. You can't deny his unbelievable talent, especially in lyrics and instrumentation. I like some of the New Orleans-style jazz, but most of his music isn't for me. This album made me feel uneasy, though it seems like that was the point
I think this requires some more listens for me. Musically I thought this was really interesting, but I’m not sure what to think of the vocals. At times they were okay, other moments were just annoying.
love the carnival vibes, so fun
Tom Waits in full carnival barker mode. Very strange, very interesting. Side B gets quite beautiful in contrast to the oddity of Side A. Tom Waits is such a fascinating character. There are records of his I'm much more into but there are some really cool moments here.
Ça atteint à la perfection le centre de la zone de mon cerveau dans laquelle il n'y a aucune activité cérébrale.
Decent - very distinctive voice and sound - enjoyed
Album for lost dogs who cant find their way home since the rain washed away the scent. Downtown music made for misfits and unfortunate. Sound is made out of unconvetional instruments like chair, bins, junked drum set.
Another album of demented carnival music, for a 1980s idea of a 1930s depression era travelling circus - hokey accordians and a carnival barker lead singer warbling on about film noire protagonists, twisted lovers, and dark dealings in the underworld. His voice is not as obnoxious here as on some of the other albums. But. the best bit of this by miles is the dark twisted demented guitar work of Marc Ribot - pure skronk: bluesy leads through the looking glass, huge leaps in the melody, harmonic minor scales, sharp overdriven tone, repulsive and alluring all at once. Lots of very fun raunchy saxaphone leads, swinging jazzy grooves, and lively bass lines.
This album was a Journey. Not "Journey" as in the band, but just such a trip that it felt like it needed emphasis. This is classic Waits with his dirty grungy take on blues, however it's essentially a concept album about pirates and/or the spirit of being a pirate. This album introduces a lot of interesting swashbuckly characters and thoughts, and of course with it comes Waits' own take on loosely adjacent sea shanty music. Tom Waits, again continues to be a mixed bag for me, but something about this album was more appealing for me, AND I love a concept album, so he earned himself a 3 from me this time.
Truly a rough start to this album. But as a whole I think it's pretty cool and unique. Clap Hands is a legitimately fun song. I also liked Tango Til They're Sore. It's funny that this album is full of accessible songs like Downtown Train, while also being peppered with songs that will probably give Dani nightmares. I also had fun reading about how this guy would piss off recording engineers running around hitting random objects with a 2x4 and refusing to use a drum kit or pre- made effects.
Maybe it was just the day, but this felt like Halloween music with a random top 40 edit thrown in the middle.
Kinda weird vibe, not bad though
When I am in the mood to listen to ominous carnival sideshow music I will play this, but that does not happen to often
Het is dat je weet wie Tom Waits is en wat hij nog meer gemaakt heeft, want verder zit je je enkel maar af te vragen: waar luister ik eigenlijk naar? Vaak klinkt het alsof Koekiemonster een geestverruimende stroopwafel heeft gegeten en aan het musiceren is geslagen. Met potten en pannen, een banjo, een ouwe piano, een harmonium en meer op zolder gevonden instrumenten. Eén verstild nummer (Time), een beetje jazz, verder gekkigheid die maar niet boeiend wil worden. Tom kan beter dan dit. Vraag is of hij dat ook wil.
Tja, deze hadden we al gehad toch? Ruwe pratende stem met wat rare geluiden. Toch wel sfeermakend. Hoe vaak moet ik dat nog opschrijven? 2,5 ster
Tja, voor de zoveelste keer Tom Waits. Ik snap niet zo goed waarom de beste man er zo vaak in moet staan. We kennen het trucje inmiddels en je houdt ervan of je vindt het helemaal niks. Ik kan het aardig hebben en dit is zeker geen slecht album, maar ze hadden hier echt moeten selecteren qua albums. Een vergeetbare 3 maar weer eens.
The amount of Tom Waits on the project is baffling. This is the first album I actually connected with so maybe it's working. Just an absolutely wild take on instrumentation and vocals.
This is my second Tom Waits album this book is going to force down my throat until I submit to adoring everything about him and his music. Okay, it isn't that bad, but five albums is still a lot of albums for a guy who is more of a niche type of artist. The songs on Rain Dogs are shorter than the ones on Bone Machine (the other album I heard) and I have been looking forward to hearing this one. I'm still not exactly sure how he comes up with his songs or how Waits gets such a loyal following, but alas, I've only tried to get into him a few hundred times. No one can accuse him of being boring. As always, I could have done without the instrumentals, though they were short and non-invasive. I did enjoy Bone Machine more than Rain Dogs, though if someone is looking to get into Tom Waits then I would probably recommend this album over Bone Machine. There are good songs here.
Not for me
At first I was a bit skeptical, but it's definitely good music. I think the issue is that this is the kind of music that only resonates with me in a intimate live setting, and the lyrics don't resonate with me. (Proper review pending for later)
What the fuck
This one caught me off guard in a good way. I knew Tom Waits from a few songs and never really cared for his voice, but it works well with the off-beat and colorful instrumentation across the album. There are some really soulful moments between the weird stuff too. I enjoyed it way more than I expected.
vreemde ritmes gefluisterde zang
Wierd. Not great. Not particularly objectionable though.
I think Tom Waits has got to be an acquired taste because this is my 3rd or 4th album of his and I've grown to like/tolerate his style a little bit more each time. It's one of a kind. It's dark imagery and lyricism with a silly cartoonish delivery.
Can't say I enjoyed fully it to be honest. I like the spooky vibe of Tom Waits in small doses, but the sum of the parts is far worse than the individual tracks.
That was quite surprising.
Initially I found his tone off-putting. I listened to the record a few times and while I still didn't like his vocal tone, the overall impression improved. The songwriting is good, and the performances are strong. I just don't think he's my cup of tea.
Nice
Tom Waits is still odd but this was better than expected.
Definitely one of the 1001 albums you should hear before you die. Not because it’s conventionally good music, but because it reminds the listener that unconventional music can be great. That being said, I don’t know when I’ll ever be moved to reach for this again. ✨
Essa lugu on juba suht tsirkusemuusika :D Päris sürr kuulamine üle terve albumi. Mõned palad on kergemad kuulamised, aga paljuniski on muusikat, mida pole võimalik isegi süstematiseerida. Täiesti uued kõlad minu jaoks, väga põnev.
Not bad but not my type of music
A voice like a pirate with weird lyrics
None of his best songs, but still Tom Waits. No idea what genre this falls into
Funky but hard to get used to and at times it’s not musical enough for my taste - as many other Tom waits albums are for me.
Had a friend obsessed with this album when we were younger. I remember finding out that Tom Waits wasn't a real drunk and being disappointed. Anyway, there are some killer songs on the album. Waits can write really good music and sometimes performs it ok. Other times he sounds like a vomiting dog but it still works ok.
Fun, weird Tom Waits. Cemetery Polka is definitely a highlight.
I didn't click with this one I'm afraid, it seemed a little light weight for a Tom Waits album.
It’s unique, some of the songs are pretty clever.
What's not to love. This album has it all to feed your ADHD. Sea shanties. Blues from the soul. Quirky cadences. And songs that sound like what I imagine how people who choose to live outside in an urban jungle under steely structures and concrete matresses feel ...the really disheveled, eyes wide, haven't eaten for days ....
this had some really entertaining elements, i enjoyed the nasty sailor shanty vibe of the first few tracks, felt like i was hearing a drunk gypsy wander through nawlins at 3am looking for a hooker however it kept going far too long and his voice became comical, almost batman-like and i started wondering if this could be batman's creative outlet, moonlighting as tom waits.
A Tom Waits album I didn’t hate or love That’s a new one as he normally only ever falls at one extreme or the other
Buen disco, pero con canciones muy duras como es tipico en Tom.
Favorite Track: Singapore
Heel apart album.. gaat echt alle kanten op. Van lekker blues vibes naar tim Burton movie soundtrack achtige nummers. Al met al geef ik het een 3, maar denk dat geen een nummer echt een 3 was. Het was of een 2 of een 4. Interessant to say the least.
I felt like I was stuck in an old time cartoon for a spooky house with those dancing ghosts. This one was better than the first one.
For me, some high notes and some low notes. Big fan of the bluesy, Big Easy feel. Probably an album I won't revisit much, if at all.
pretty good i guess
3 Tim Waits has grown on me over the months with this list, however, there are simply too many of his albums on here. Pick one!
434/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
I like voice and sound. Good, I don't have to focus on the lyrics.
This list really likes Tom Waits and I think he is fun but I don't think he should have that many albums on here
I mentioned on his last album we reviewed that Waits is really music I have to be in the mood for (or at least open to letting it change my mood.) When I am in the mood for it (often drunk,) it is fantastic. An entire album of it, sitting at my desk, at work, does not seem like a fair environment to listen and assess. But we play the hand we are dealt. This is one of his better albums. And I learned for the first time today on Wikipedia that the guy on the cover is NOT Tom Waits.
Now I see why people like him! I somewhat enjoyed it too. But I found the first part of the album more engaging than second. Nice listen, though!
Ну очень необычная манера исполнения, пока не понял, насколько нравится (или не нравится). Временами интересно слушать, временами немного режет слух. 6 из 10 и это, вероятно, не окончательная оценка.
A crooked, slurred, meandering funhouse journey. The soundtrack of motion sickness. Perhaps one too many dings and clangs for my taste, but I respect the artistic vision.
Long but pretty good, somber. I think too much Tom Waits leads to waking up drunk in the gutter. Top tracks: “Downtown Train,” “Clap Hands,” “Singapore”
Hmm - I've tried, honestly I have but finding it hard to like it. I appreciate it but not really my bag sadly.
I sometimes wonder how some people get record contracts. Waits does some interesting and thought provoking material. I like some of his novelty songs. This album is okay too many songs that are not that good drag it out.
You know what, I'm gonna be a contrarian, to myself, and give this a decent score. I really enjoyed the music, and I won't submit to my own annoyance at Tommy's singing voice. Funny enough, I would quite enjoy if he did basic spoken word poetry. But incorporating music starts to grind my gears. To be fair, he's probably a fun hang, and has so crazy awesome stories.
Decent album
Weird but good. I feel like I’m going to say that a lot
Interesting album, but a bit uneven. There were a lot of cool tracks, but also some duds...I think that gravelly voice works really well but can also be grating at times.
Genre: Experimental Rock (Singer/Songwriter) This was a very interesting listen. I want to say this is my second time trying this out, and I don’t think I found it more enjoyable than the last, but I understood it more. Sort of a series of musical vignettes, different characters, different forms of sleaze and grime taint them all in unique ways. All are brought to life by Tom Waits incredibly unique growl. It’s for some. But not for me. Might go back to relisten one day and appreciate it more. 3/5
Un desarrollo del estilo marcado en el anterior disco. El rugido de la voz sigue siendo imponente, transmite muchísimo. 6/10
I found this more interesting that I thought it would be. Not bad but not great.
How does one rate an album that treats the line between breathtakingly beautiful and god-fucking-awful like a three-year-old with a coloring book? There’s a legit GOAT-level blues album hidden somewhere in this mess.
Not really my type of thing
3.5 I was already familiar with this album, like would be too strong a word. I think I like Tom Waits in smaller doses, this is too long for sure. 'Hang Down Your Head' and 'Time' I especially enjoyed
Dette er rare greier. Men jeg liker det...tror jeg? Litt mye pling plong-tendenser da. Men gøy? Jeg er forvirra.
When I’m around much cooler people than me, I pretend to like Tom Waits, but really I don’t. I mean, I get it, admire it even as a curiosity and a cultural relic but I don’t really enjoy the experience of sitting and listening to it. Unlike Bukowski or Carver, artists who are sometimes mentioned in the same breath with Waits, I don’t see the beauty here amongst the squalor.
Did not like this as much as I thought I would. It was alright.
Liker konseptet og stemningen, men blir litt fôr ensformig i lengden.
Best tom waits album, which means it’s average 3/5
12/07/2025 I can't give him more than this, his music just baffles me and I'm not sure if I actually enjoy it.
Quirky album
Different and enjoyable. Theatrical and imaginative.
I feel like I liked every song. The voice is strange and strange at the same time. Some songs were so strange that they didn't flow well with the other. But you know the good thing. My music app has given me more music that is really cool now that it has noticed I listened to Tom Waits.
At first I didn’t get it, but by the end I was onboard
Really cool stuff on here but not an album I can listen to all the time. There are other Tom waits albums I enjoy more. I do like it a lot and I think it's one everyone should hear at least once but since I can only listen to it sometimes I feel it's probably closer to a 3.5
I struggle with Waits. I don't feel like I'm getting it. Clap Hands is a great song though.
Sounds like Tom crawled off an old salty ship after a long voyage, slept in an alley in the rain with only a piece of cardboard, smoked a carton of cigs, downed a bottle of rotgut, spiked a vein or 2, and made his way to the nearest dive bar to sing all about it...and I liked it! I was not bored or tired of his short yarns and bluesy pirate music. I really can't say any song stood out, the album just rolled along like a rusty old jalopy. The man has a good amount of work so I will be playing it on shuffle to get more exposure. Rain Dogs gets 3.2 stars from me.
So you all get bent out of shape over the Residents record, but this album, which can be considered a stylistic sibling on a lot of tracks, gets high marks. Make it make sense. Anyway, the best part of this record is that there are so many songs that clock in at less than 3 minutes, which, I’ve discovered, is exactly the amount of time I can stomach a Tom Waits song. Of the Tom Waits records on this list, this is his best. I hate his music with a fiery passion, but even I can tell this is a creative peak.
5/10 El principio del disco es insufrible, es muy dificil acostumbrarte a la vos de el. Un poco mucho. Tiene cosas desde lo percusivo interesantes y sobre la 2da mitad se clava unos temas salvadores, donde se le agarra más cariño a la lirica y la manera de cantar. "Hang Down Your Head", "Walking Spanis", "Dowtown Train" y "Anywhere I Lay My Head", los mejores.
I really couldn’t get on with the singing or lyrics, though musically there were a lot of really interesting ideas. I’ve read and can hear that it’s an acquired taste, and believe that’s possible, but there’s just too much good music at there already I don’t have to train myself to like. My gut reaction was that it’s a 2. but I recognize it’s well put together and found the music interesting enough to bump it up to a 3.
What am I? A pirate?
Decent
Interesting, diverse.
Weird as hell, but never boring
An album full of barroom atmosphere, crooked anecdotes, and the darker sides of life. Waits paints vivid portraits of lost souls and back alleys with his raspy, theatrical voice and a jumble of junkyard blues and twisted melodies. There are definitely moments of intensity and character, but over time, it all starts to blend together. It’s like being stuck in a bar at 4 a.m. with a man who doesn’t know when to end his story. Moody, yes. But also tiring. There’s little hope in Waits’ universe, and for me, that makes the album more admirable than lovable. 3/5
Not terrible
An album full of fun sounding music which I found to be more enjoyable than Bone Machine. high 3/5
Tom Waits' voice is weird but almost Springsteen like on certain songs. excellent songwriting but hard to get over the strange vocals sometimes
One of kind voice and peculiar percussions…Waits is…Unique.
disney villain ass music
Could not access on Tidal. Interesting vibe!
3/5. Tom Waits is very interesting and intentionally so. I believe he makes a certain kind of music, partly because he thinks it sounds good but also because he knows some people won't think it sounds good. Granted, I do like Waits but I think this album needs to grow on me. Seeing the 10/10 scores and being hyped up when it would show up on this list considering I've listened to all his other albums on here, it kind of left me underwhelmed. Like one of the draws of Tom is the weird aspects of him, and all of the songs on here didn't hit that same energy as his other stuff. I guess this is one more "accessible" which reaches a larger audience. But that feels like a downside. It was an okay listen, I'll have to relisten again. I enjoyed the album, don't get me wrong, just didn't feel like his magnum opus. Best Song: Hang Down Your Head, Clap Hands, Jockey Full Of Bourbon
3.5
I absolute love Tom Waits's voice. It's gravelly quality makes it very unique, and I could listen to him all day. That being said, these songs weren't my favorite. I still think it's good, for the most part, but there are a handful that just weren't all that great lyrically or music wise. That being said, this is still a solid Tom Waits album and deserving of being on this list as one of his best.
Interesting listen. Some song were really good, while other too out there for my taste.
Not many Tom Waits songs I can get into, want to like it but it doesn't click
I could get into some songs but not really the project as a whole. Favorite Songs: Jockey Full Of Bourbon / Midtown
Absolutely fine. I do not like his voice, but the songs were more interesting than I had expected.
Tom has a unique voice. Some of these songs are a bit strange. Overall a decent listen, even if I'd probably not reach for this album again.
very "tom waits" of you
What an eclectic album. Him and Kate Bush really needed to collaborate, they would've been amazing. I think every song was interesting, but only a couple stood out, so fair 3 imo.
It’s crazy that I have gotten at least 3 Tom Waits albums in the last couple months. I appreciate his music more than I enjoy listening to it. 5/10
When I started this album I was not very keen, I can get behind the instrumental parts but the vocals aren't really for me. However it did grow on me as the album progressed and there were a few tracks I enjoyed, but I can't see myself revisiting it as an album or any of the individual tracks.
Not the type of album I've ever listened to genre wise before. Very interesting sounds. A couple of tracks I was vibing. I didn't hate it but equally didn't love it.
I thin kI needed to be on a metric shit ton of lsd
This dude sounds like the villain in an animated Disney musical soundtrack.
such playful darkness
Not bad. I've heard a lot about Tom Waits over the years but never checked him out for some reason. Good introduction to him.
It's weird but fine when I get past the voice. The storytelling is where it's at
Ok?
Another dramatic Tom Waits album. It's OK. I can see why British people would think the American sounds on Rain Dogs are interesting.
Not my favourite tom
There are some parts I like and other parts no so much. 3 stars or C.
I feel like I have to be in the right mood to like Tom Waits. I've never actually been in that mood yet, but I still believe it.
Hahahah wat is dít dan weer voor album? Een soort piratennummer met Singapore? Dat is tenminste de vibe die ik er van krijg, maar het gaat compleet los vanaf nummer 2. Ik kan dit ook niet echt in een genre plaatsen, is het blues? Ja dit is echt een vreemd, bizar album. Als je me verteld dat Tom het hele album straalbezopen is, dan geloof ik je echt meteen. Zo klinkt het namelijk compleet. Kan me goed voorstellen dat je dit niets vind, ik vind het zelf ook vrij lang duren, maar het is wel echt compleet iets anders dan wat ik al ken. Daarnaast, dit komt uit 1985??? Het klinkt echt eerder als iets uit begin 1900. Ik stel me hier een soort piraten kroeg bij voor, of dat dit in een cowboy film zit ofzo. Qua muziek en genres zit alles een beetje door elkaar heen, maar dit album is op 1 ding wel echt consistent: vibes. En dat is stiekem 1 van de belangrijkste dingen. God, duurt wel ballen lang hoor, zó leuk is het ook weer niet... Ik ga hierna wel even een rummetje pakken. Het is vast ergens 5 uur toch? FAVO: Singapore,Clap Hands, Time, Gun street Girl, Downtown train
Sometimes it sounds like a pirate singing songs and sometimes it sounds like a pirate singing songs well.
Tom Waits. Let's have this one out. He's clearly a genius of sorts, and loads of people rave on and on about him. But...he's also quite silly and often a little annoying. I think I said this on a previous Waitsy album, but he needs to seriously tone down the jazzy ones and focus more on trying to make me cry.
Very strange. . .not something to listen to on date night (unless your date's a goth, perhaps), but the lyrics are compelling as is his ability to keep the music coherent. There are depths here that aren't obvious on a casual listen.
Ja, ok. Schrägi Stimm. Isch nüd zum pauselos lose. Spannend isch allerdings Instrumentalisierig. De Keith Richards hät bi einige Lieder mitgwürkt. Das Album isch i de 80er erschiene - Mainstream chammerem würkli nüd naasäge. Das git än Äxtra-⭐️
de scheiss isch mega weird, ich los ihm no gern zue. aber ich checks nöd. es will glaub au mega komisch sii. es isch soo kabarett chlikumst irgendwie. clap hands hani ehner langwilig gfunde. cemetery polka isch au ehner nervig, ich checks wüüürkli nöd. aso s macht easy spass zum lose und het mega e faszinierendi siite aber ich checks afoch nöd. ah uf big black mariah isch de keith richards druff. gitarre tönt geil. bin etz bi gn street girl und chume langsam drii. sehr bluesy. union square und blnd love findi no cool. glaub da git e 3, vilicht höcher wennis nomol wür lose. ich weiss selte was er will sege. downtown train tönt mega nochme guete 80er popsong bitz springsteen. nice. er transportiert eim scho ine welt irgendwie. sehr e seltsami.
The gravel-voiced troubadour crafts something truly singular that earns my sincere admiration, if not my subsequent plays.
52/100.
Very different.!
Waits has never been my cup of tea, though I can appreciate his musicality
You really just have to be a fan of his eccentricity to get this album. I catch glimpses of it sometimes, but ultimately it doesn’t quite resonate with me. That doesn’t change that this is creative genius and a massive collection of comedic, dark, and complex songs.
This is such a strange album, but I can't help but admire it rather than be put off by it. It's kind of ramshackle and down and dirty, but there's a real artistry to it. It's not really my thing, but it's bold and I like that.
Finde Tom Waits macht sehr spannende Musik und ich liebe einzelne Lieder. Bei dem Album waren mir zu viele Lieder irgendwie piratenmäßig und ein ganzes Album würde ich mir von ihm wahrscheinlich nicht noch mal anhören
Raspy vocals
I like the lyrics and musical styings.
Het eerste derde van het album is echt moeilijk raar, en het weet zich maar gedeeltelijk te herstellen. Nummers als Time, Gun Street Girl, Downtown Train en Anywhere I Lay My Head kan ik wel waarderen, maar de kans dat ik dit album in zijn geheel nog een keer terugluister, is klein. 2.75/5
Gun Street Girl kinda slaps tom waits might be a little insane
Singapore - 3/5 Clap Hands - 4/5 Cemetary Polka - 5/5 Jockey Full Of Bourbon - 5/5 Tango Till They're Sore - 4/5 Big Black Mariah - 4/5 Diamonds And Gold - 4/5 Hang Down Your Head - 2/5 Time - 3/5 Rain Dogs - 4/5 Midtown - 2/5 9th & Hennepin - 2/5 Gun Street Girl - 5/5 Union Square - 3/5 Blind Love - 3/5 Walking Spanish - 3/5 Downtown Train - 4/5 Bride Of Rain Dog - 2/5 Anywhere I Lay My Head - 3/5 Average score: 3.4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ it's like that one chop shop song in the movie Robots, but for like an hour jokes aside, was almost certain I'd hate this whole album when i heard Singapore for the first time, but this grew on me the more i listened. some of the tracks have a creole-y, jazzy vibe to them that I can appreciate. there were some off-putting spots, but i could see myself listening to a good portion of this album in the future. weird but somehow likeable
Well that was fucking weird. Ok, but different, which I guess is why I'm here
3 out of 5. Not bad for a first time listen.
Like much of Tom Waits, I want to like it more than I do. HIs voice affectations can be a bit much. The acoustic organic sound making is nice. The lyrics are ok.
Sehr kompliziertes Konzeptalbum mit echt schrägen bis fast unhörbaren Songs. Es gibt aber auch sehr ordentliche Stücke, die die Einordnung des Albums des Songwriters und Tausendsassa ein wenig retten. Hierzu zählen „Hang down your Head“, „Time“, „Gun Street Girl“ und auch „Downtown Train“.
I had Swordfishtrombones about 6 months ago and I wasn't a fan at all. Something felt different about Rain Dogs though. It was remarkably varied, and the title track especially was quite the earworm. It's not enough to convert me into a true Waits fan but I'll still give this collection a hearty 3 stars.
Unusual
Étrangement, malgré le style très typqiue "Tom Waits" de cet album, je l'ai bien mieux aimé que beaucoup d'autres qui figurent dans cette liste. 7/10
This wasn't terrible.
Rain Dogs - Tom Waits The first thing that immediately popped out to me was the already strange instruments he tried to combine. Plus it has this sort of honky tonk rhythm like the band Primus. Basically if you are into this sound, this record is killer if not, then you might hate it. It really sets a mood for a long walk thru New Orleans at night. His voice is so hoarse it seems over the top at first but it’s genuine, and it grows on you. Especially after Rain Dogs, that is when it really clicked for me. Funny how he goes “1,2,3..” for a lot of the intros. It feels like he’s playing for you individually. And the more I read about his life it makes me all the more curious to see a performance on YouTube or something. It’s a very like “oh I’m gonna drive for a while” vibes. Again circa Americana. It just is so smooth that it surpasses time and generations. I get it. 3/5 though I sometimes just cannot hang with this mood. I mess with Gun Street Girl but not like Union Square. He sounds like he’s about to pop a vessel on that one haha. Tom has crazy vocal range in Walking Spanish. It’s like he has peanut butter in the back of his throat and he’s just hawking it out. My god the beginning of Anywhere I Lay My Head has a jump-scare right at the beginning. But it comes around and you again can feel his genuine take on this sad song.
A bit too experimental, but you can still hear the Waits.
Quite repetitive
Pretty cool, guaranteed it will be rated low
maybe bc i listened to swordfishtrombones first this one didn't hit as hard. what i did get from this one is what justin vernon wishes he sounded like when he shouts! good to know waits was accompanied by pretty fun instrumentation more than once. definitely made me curious to dive deeper into his stuff
I didn't care for most of the songs. I did like Hang Down Your Head.
Jockey Full Of Bourbon // Tango Till They’re Sore //
Ehkä 20 minuuttia tätä albumia riittäis, sitten tunnelmointi ja temaattisuus alkavat painaa. Tehokeinona ne toimivat mulle paremmin. Makee ääni toki, ja onneksi tarpeeksi vähän karnevalismia.
Waits kirjoittaa (ison) kasan biisejä saadakseen aikaan levyn. Onko ihme, että biisit kuulostavat omaksutuilta, eivät sävelletyiltä? Ja silti artisti on kehittänyt niin toimivan kaavan, että hänen tekeleitään ei voi ohittaa viihteenä - ei vaikka kuinka vierastaisi Taitelijan maneereja. Kuulemisen arvoista? Peräti.
This is another album with some beautiful songs but a lot of this is bad. I have a hard time figuring out when I'm supposed to listen to this one. It feels a bit like two albums mushed together.
more shenanigans from tom waits. his delivery is certainly unique and while i wouldn’t say i love it, i don’t mind it. it’s different enough to where i would have to be in the right mood to listen to it. having said that, if there’s one thing the man can do it’s paint a picture with his words. he’s a gifted writer for sure and the songs set a mood often feeling as if you’re actually there in the story. and i think that ultimately that’s the hook that draws people in; his weather worn voice combined with his lyrics have an authenticity that’s often lost in most music today.
Ett unikt album, med bra låtar. Kanske inte riktigt för mig dock
A strange duck
I was surprised by this. What genre even is this? There were more tracks I liked than I thought
Interesting... Some songs were okay, others were just too much. Too much of that awful voice.
Bueno
I find this album uneven... some really good songs and then some that seems like they are just filler.
Good bits are great some is too whacky though
Unique voice. Good music.
Big improvement over Heartattack and Vine, but still not my cup of tea. 3.5, I guess?
Such a unique sound. Not 100% what I’m into but I enjoyed it. 3.1 stars
After enough Tom Waits albums I feel like I could make Tom Waits Song Character Generator, where you put in your intials and birth month and it gives you an anachronistic profession, a characteristic (a personality flaw, perhaps a disfigurement?), and a place of origin that only sounds sketchy because it's being mentioned in the context of a Tom Waits song.
Favorite track: Rain Dogs. Woof.
M'n derde Tom Waits voor de lijst, van de in totaal 5 als ik het goed zie. Ook dit album begint weer als een soort schijtlollige grap die ik niet begrijp. 19 tracks is veel als het zo het hele album door gaat. "Hang Down Your Head" vind ik wel een lekker nummer. En zo staan er wel meer op. Daar staan natuurlijk een aantal nummers tegenover die te clownesk zijn, maar ook een aantal nummers die eigenlijk best wel te pruimen zijn. Het valt me op dat het ondanks dat het vrij apart is me nergens écht irriteert qua geluiden. Dat had ook nog gekund. En je went er wel een beetje aan. Een stuk beter dan dat rochel album. Ik vind dit wel geinig eigenlijk. Terwijl ik er tegelijkertijd ook wel een beetje een hekel aan heb. Ondanks de verschrikkelijke start kom ik toch op een 3 uit. Het is in ieder geval een ervaring.
I never really figured Tom Waits out before. It takes a few listens but there is some pretty great songwriting hidden in there under the ridiculousness and strange singing.
"Rather have a bottle in front of me, than a frontal lobotomy" - Tom Waits
I live next to Tom Waits and he came into the Apple store I was working at at the time. I have heard some of his music, do enjoy it very different. Excited to check this out. I really enjoy this style of music.
Y’know
Growly and raw, but lots of songs remind me of other songs.
This is my 4th Tom Waits album on this list. Two I really didn’t like, one I really did. This one kind of falls in the middle. There are some great songs on here, particularly Clap Hands and Time. But there are also some definite misses, and it probably didn’t need to be this long
It’s no Heart Attack and Vine (the GOAT) but it’s at its best still leaning even further into the scuzzy fictional characters that reek of old-timey New Orleans folklore
Finally something decent from this guy!
Weird pirate vibes. Unique sound but sometimes too much dissonance for me. Not bad but not going into the rotation
Chato
Bear with me....at first I was super confused...then it reminded me of "Money Makes the World Go Round" from Caberat (which made me think of Schitt's Creek) and then the album started to make more sense if I listened to it as a soundtrack for a musical. All those weird Lousiana/Bayou characters (except Hang Down your Head, that is a New Yorker) signing and narrating all of these crazy bad evil things happening around them. I am not sure if I would listen to it again, but it helped me contextual the music and be able to get past the initial weirdness to appreciate it.
kinda ok not a huge fan of his voice but nice songs
I mostly know Tom through his work with Primus Starting out I get a feeling this may be a slow burn rather than an easier listen. Definitely a unique sound My rating does not come from a place of wisdom.
Close to a four
I prefer his ballads to the shouty songs.
This was interesting but not really my thing. I may try to listen to it again, but am not sure at this point.
Not my favorite Tom Waits, but it's Tom Waits. You can't go wrong with Tom Waits. Never heard a bad project from the guy. Never even a bad song from him.
Tom Waits seems really out of time and out of place, sounding like a NYC subway performer, or maybe a 50s cabaret singer, or a slam poet who accidentally wandered into a recording studio. I don’t always love Waits’ music, but I love the weird shit he does and how much he’s been able to experiment over 4 decades while keeping relatively the same feel to his music. Hard to say whether or not this is my favorite Tom Waits album, I like just about everything I’ve heard equally.
Very interesting but not my style
It's definitely Tom Waits. I've tried over and over again, but I just don't get it.
In a mix of quick successive ~2 minute tracks and slightly longer more complex ones, Waits’ 55 minute blues-driven effort is an interesting listen, primarily due to the somewhat alternative vocals. The slightly more drawn-out Clap Hands and Gun Street Girl are the standouts for me, not to discredit the remainder of the album’s (shorter) catalogue.
Inconsistent but it certainly has its moments (clap your hands, gun street girl, union square). At its low points it sounds like the bad guys’ theme in a Tim Burton cartoon, which really isn’t that bad.
3.5 With a gigantic caveat. I have always been aware of Waits but have never really got into the music for whatever reason. One listen probably isn't enough to "get it" or appreciate it on a next level. That being said I thought the percussion stood out more than anything, unique and set the tones for each song
i was dreading listening to another Tom Waits album. but i shouldn’t have been this time!! this one was very Robots sounding in a way i’m guessing his other one i listened to wasn’t? i don’t remember why i gave it a one but this is apparently a big improvement
Felt like three different albums. I could picture Tom giving out quests as the head of a circus.
Not my favorite of his — I prefer his older stuff.
Evil Bruce Springsteen.
Good vibe
Good album, but there are better ones from Tom Waits.
Acquired taste
Tom Waits is so a unique fuck... sometimes you love him other times I hate him. This was a good amount of fucked up
If tiki bar fever dream was a genre, this would be it.
So weird but ok
Classic Tom Waits
Much better than the last album I had on this list from Tom Waits.
Name an instrument, any instrument.... Go ahead... Chances are this album contains it. I realised this during the Marimba infused "Clap Hands". It's really an eclectic mix of weird as fuck songs, hard to get into but harder to put down. Like riding the Alice in Wonderland ride at Disneyland while tripping.
What the hell did I just listen to and why was it so catchy?
i mean theres some really beautiful songs here but most of it i just dont get. that last song goes absolutely hard though
Okay.
Good
I've never been a Tom Waits fan and this album is an illustration of why I’m not. Singapore and Cemetery Polka - actually, a bunch of the tracks - are the stuff of nightmares. I did enjoy Clap Hands, Time, and Gun Street Girl though.
I like Tom Waits but i have trouble listening to a fill album at one sitting. I really like his sound but in smaller doses.
Pretty difficult album to rate. I thought I was headed to a 4.5 on some songs until some of the more avant-garde tracks knocked it back down. I settle on a 3.5, with 3 being the ultimate rating.
This is the second Tom Waits album I had to listen to here. Rain Dogs had much more material in it that I liked than Swordfishtrombones. I can listen to him occasionally, but a whole album is too much.
Didn't hate it, didn't love it. Eclectic and probably has a place and time, but not in daily rotation. Surprised Tom and Tim Burton haven't put together something weird.
Love Tom Waits. Not super familiar with this album though. This record is pretty fun. It sounds cartoony at times, almost like "A Nightmare Before Christmas" (even though this predates that). Some of the songs are aimless in a beautiful way. Some of the songs stick with me in an unexpected way. Standouts for me are "Jockey Full of Bourbon", "Tango Till They're Sore", and "Downtown Train".
Was ok
If Tim Burton wrote an album.
Not for me, although Gun Street Girl is excellent 3/5
so interesting
Lot of noise
clap hands, rain dogs
Unusual. Started a bit weird but I kinda liked it by the end. It's good.
I don't know if Tom Waits is a genius or just a weirdo, but I love him. I don't know why. On the one hand, his songs are dumb but - from a technical perspective - they're also unique, thoughtful, and well executed. This isn't my favorite album of his, but solid.
It’s no Bobe Machine but it’s still good
Haunted polka-core out of the gate on Singapore. In a way it makes me think of King Krule. Cap Hands reminds me vaguely of Gris Gris. I think due to the atmosphere, vocal roughness, and heavy reliance on polyrhythmic percussion. Really love this song TBH. Cemetery Polka is a wonky song and low point on a campy album. Diamonds and Gold is almost the same song as Clap Hands, but with the added layer of a more melodic vocals and a wandering guitar line. Once again, this hits well for me. Time is really pretty. Love the acoustic work and the vocals are as if from a completely different person than most of the rest of the album. This album is wild in its breadth. Downtown Train could pass as a disheveled Bruce Springsteen song complete with echo-laced guitar and 80s cheese. I found this album really interesting. At times, I hated what I was hearing (Cemetery Poka); at others, I absolutely loved it (Diamonds and Gold, Time, Clap Hands). Lot of different styles under the hood that contribute to an overall campy, eclectic vibe. I would say the good outweighs the bad and I was interested the whole way through awaiting each turn. That said, this is a high 3 from me. I'll probably come back again for certain elements, but the whole ride through is wild.
I had a bit more of a review that I accidentally deleted but here goes: First song sounds like an R-rated Disney tune. This is not the Tom Waits that I remember... This is an album that likely gets a lot of praise from its lyrics. It feels like the music surrounding the lyrics on this album aren't great sounding, but that's the purpose. It sounds like this album is about economic disparity, especially among immigrants. This album definitely warmed up on me as it continued. Climbed all the way from a 1 to a low 3. I'm sure if I was reading the lyrics as I listened I would enjoy this a lot more, but that's not how I listen to music so it doesn't gain that benefit. Diamonds and Gold and Hand Down Your Head were standouts to me.
This sounds like songs from Nightmare Before Christmas. That was pretty cool but very very strange at the same time. I am glad I listened to it once, but you would have to pay me to listen to that again. I definitely liked that album the longer it went on cause boy that was rough in the beginning. It was a weird combo of blues and spooky cartoon music.
This is strange af. Cemetery Polka sounds like it could be in Nightmare Before Christmas. Honestly a few songs sound like that. This album was a little bit goofy but I really liked random parts of it. His voice is the same where sometimes it works for me and others I’m just ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Love his voice. Theme was fun. Too jazzy.
Not too memorable
I keep trying Tom Waits. I feel like I should like him more, as I enjoy interesting songwriting sung by different and interesting voices. But it just never connects with me. I will keep trying though.
After listening through about 3 times I finally get it and I can say this album is pretty decent. Some doesn't work for me, but it has some extremely strong highs where I can listen in awe to how great the music is. I love the feeling of this album, and Tom Waits's work in general, delving into the middle class underbelly of society. I love how his voice complements this theme, although it does get out of hand in some instances. The blues poetry feel is amazing at some points and extremely hard to listen to at others. Overall, more positives than negatives, but it is weighed down significantly by those negatives.
Reminds me of an industrial disney soundtrack. Oddly unsettling, a good album to listen to while it's raining.
My first Tom Waits album; not what I was expecting. Grimy and eclectic
This would be a high 3. I just think i like other TW albums better. This is an important album but the listenability is lower than others.
Eh
Singapore - 7/10 Clap Hands - 6.5/10 Cemetery Polka - 8/10 Jockey Full of Bourbon - 6.5/10 Tango Till They're Sore - 6.5/10 Big Black Mariah - 7/10 Diamonds and Gold - 6.5/10 Hang Down Your Head - 7/10 Time - 7/10 Rain Dogs - 7/10 Midtown - 6/10 9th & Hennepin - 6/10 Gun Street Girl - 7/10 Union Square - 6.5/10 Blind Love - 6.5/10 Walking Spanish - 6.5/10 Downtown Train - 6.5/10 Bride of Rain Dog - 7/10 Anywhere I Lay My Head - 8/10 TOTAL - 129/190
Some of it was super cool and fun to listen to. Some was actively unpleasant and had to skip. Overall, super unique sound that I have never heard before and an iconic guy.
interesting, to say the least
Parts I loved. Parts I hated. 3/5
Pô pire pô pire...
Au début c’est incroyable, tu te dit que du blues de vampire c’est vraiment hot et original, mais après 15 minutes le concept est déjà pas mal essoufflé
Its good and interesting in that staring at modern art kind of way. I wouldnt listen to it on repeat. Once is good enough.
There was some stuff that was good on this album, other stuff not so much. I thought his voice was going to be a major turn off, but turned out it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. I don't expect I'll listen to it very much in the future, but it was at least an enjoyable listen.
The third Tom Waits Record and I like this one the most. My favourite controversial artist at this point. Its not Music i could rreally listen to at some point but its always interesting.
I remembered it a lot weirder. It's not. But also, it's not my type of singer.
Have to give this a 3 for originality at least. Didnt know what to make of it- various styles, unique voice.
I didn’t dislike this one as much as previous albums of his. It has more musicality I guess. It’s still weird as hell but easier to digest.
Ihan ok, ei erityinen.
Didn't enjoy this as much as the other Waits album.
3.5
One of these Tom Waits albums is going to completely grab me to the point where I'm going to stand up and scream, "I get it" like Tony Soprano did while dropping acid in the desert. Maybe I just need better acid, but we're getting closer.
This album may not be something I would sit down and listen to on the reg but the musicianship and weirdness of it all is fantastic. Lyrics are also fantastic.