Rain Dogs

I just cannot get into this guy. Sometimes there are moments where I think there’s a chance, but then he comes in with his raspy and disconnected voice and then we’re back to square one. Power to those that dig him.

Wayyyyy tooo long this - Tom is a weird guy

The Venn diagram of Tom Waits music, bad Bruce Springsteen impersonators, and axe murderers is a circle. I just do not understand the appeal of this man. When he sings normally it’s actually good, which is why “Time” is my favorite song on the album. Also liked “Downtown Train” even though it was a chaotic mess. This was probably my “favorite” Tom Waits album so far, but the bar is in hell.

I do not like this. Tom Waits is not for me. I do not understand how these albums end up in this list.

You can’t just mumble ‘bout a one-legged clown in a rainstorm And call it symphony cause the city cascades when wet A growl is just a cough looking for a melody to call home, And noise don't get soul just ‘cause you scraped it from a shoe Now I just need to down a bottle and throw a box of instruments down the stairs, right?

I don’t like it. The music is definitely unique, but it still ultimately feels like a singer-songwriter album. Yes, the instrumentation is very unconventional, but the album as a whole still retains that minimal, relaxed, vocal-forward vibe most singer-songwriter records have that I don’t enjoy. There was just nothing to get excited about. 5/10

I have mixed feelings about this one. There were a couple of fun tracks that I enjoyed listening to, but it felt overall a bit lengthy. It's a solid 2 (and a half!) for me.

Atmospheric music (Jazz and its infinite sub-genres) filled with figurative rambling that rarely goes anywhere... That's Tom Waits. His weirdness does on grow on you...like mold. You can keep cutting it off to get to the tasty cheese beneath, but ultimately it just keeps growing back, until eventually everything great about the cheese is completely subsumed in decay. Sounds kind of like a Cirque Du Soleil musical routine only without the extreme gymnastics to entertain the eyeballs. If I have to engage in Tom Waits odd ballery, that is easy on the figurative language and hard on the ears, I prefer to listen to BONE MACHINE. Otherwise, not really a fan of Tom Waits. Honestly when I need that kind of avant garden jazz, I'll just listen to Angelo Badalamenti, or otherwise, I'll just listening to scores from Cirque Du Soleil albums. You get the weirdness, and because they are often singing in French or Hungarian, I still cannot make out anything they are singing about. Otherwise, too much poetry, not enough music. Only track I truly enjoyed was "Downtown Train", and only when others cover it. Sincerely, this is the kind of music that I might enjoy in a live setting, but I would seek to listen to at home. A novelty live act thing to do once every few years on a lark, rather than a diet that brings pleasure at home.

Couple of good songs

I don't know what kind of circus pirate 50s surf music this album is going on about. Interesting? Certainly. Listenable? Debatable. I'm just confused about this one.

Tom waits is weird and talented, but this was not enjoyable to listen to.

2 stars because I love tom waits other stuff

Tom Waits har mye bra i repertoaret, men det her fikse æ ikke. Mislike dette av samme grunn som æ mislike Kaizers.

*Some of the alternative blues with the raspy voice is good *Overall I have never liked Waits' vocals and this does not help *At times if feels like an attempt to do a Trout Mask Replica type album, but its not even close to that level of interesting music

pretty funky. had a cool grumbly voice but didn’t love the lyrics.

This one seems too gruff and annoying for my taste.

Not my jam

Good

Bit unsettling to listen to. It clearly succeeds at what it’s going for, but I couldn’t get past Waits’s vocals. Sounds like Bruce Springsteen smoked a carton everyday for 5 years. Some of the songs themselves would be good had they been done by someone else. One song in particular I really liked but needed a cover version to be able to listen to.

A struggle for me. Feels a bit emperors new clothes - what am I missing? I generally don't listen to lyrics so the genius of the lyrics is mostly wasted on me.

Horrible mixing vocals are scary. Stop growling in my ear. Weirdly some songs are somewhat nice without vocals, while others are genuinely bothersome

Jockey Full of Bourbon and Downtown Train are two of the best written songs

Okay, Tom Waits

First track and I’m already thinking this is going to be a struggle to get through. Vocally unique - haunting, swamp-like, pirate-like in parts. ‘Jockey full of bourbon’ is actually quite good, good rhythm. Never heard anything like this in popular music, almost sounds like it should be in a film or a musical. The odd bit of beauty, for example ‘Time’ shining sun-like through this dark and gloomy cloud of an album.

Odd voice, some interesting songs but not really for me. Seems like a cool guy though, Irish wife was involved in his work taking a more odd turn.

strange theater performance music?? like i could see someone on stage performing these

Unique, but not for me. Favorite from album: Hang Down Your Head

I'm a pessimist so thijs album was half shit

My fourth Tom Waits album and today. Four. I appreciate that this guy was somehow influential and there are enjoyable elements in his weird, DIY, mouthful-of-nails-voiced schtick but nobody in this world is going to get through three or even two of his albums and think "shit, I simply CANNOT DIE WITHOUT HEARING MORE". I'm going to go back and listen to yesterday's Robbie Williams album again now. This is what you've done to me, Dimery. I hope you're happy.

Pretty spooky. This could have been higher if I cared to listen better.

I didn't realise Tom Waits wrote "Downtown Train", and there is a story going around that he might just have written it with the intention of having it covered by people with better singing voices than his own, so as to make lots of money. Whether that's true or not, it's the best song on this album, which otherwise can only appeal to listeners who have acquired the special taste for Waits' music, which I have not.

2/5

Tom may be Waiting for the Dogs in the Rain but holeh moleh did I hate the off-tune jazzy moments in this album, which were unfortunately quite a lot. The first and fourth songs had quite nice moments, and I think it was the fifth that was pretty alright, but there were bits that were just so annoying, it was crazy.

Sere muy cerrada de mente?? Que es esto??? Todas las canciones suenan a un viejo en un pelicula de disney contandote una historia, no entiendo el puntaje de aoty no se si sere yo wtf se siente como musica de halloween

Quite a weird album, sounds like it should be the soundtrack for The Nightmare Before Christmas. Unique sound and a unique voice. Couldn’t get into this one.

Tom Waits is ridiculous. Too complex to just enjoy in the background, too weird to legitimately say, "this is my thing".

Kind of not a great christmas eve album?

Quite an interesting concept album.

have listened before i can see how influential this is (was definitely hearing a lot of fetch the bolt cutters). i HATE his voice tho and so much of it feels so unlistenable. second half better than the first fav: hang down your head? i guess?

Rain Dogs is, by some distance, the best Tom Waits album I’ve listened to so far. That’s not to say it’s without its problems. There are some genuinely horrible moments, most notably Anywhere I Lay My Head, which really highlights everything I dislike about his voice. The remastered version’s take on Downtown Train is also particularly unpleasant and does the album no favours. That said, unlike other Tom Waits albums I’ve tried, Rain Dogs does at least show a much wider sense of variety. There’s more going on here musically, and for the first time I actually found myself enjoying a handful of tracks. Clap Hands, Diamonds and Gold, and Hang Down Your Head all stood out as songs I could appreciate in isolation. Even so, those highlights aren’t quite strong enough to pull me back for repeat listens. While this is clearly his most listenable album for me, it still doesn’t fully convert me. Favourite tracks: Diamonds and Gold, Clap Hands Least favourite tracks: Anywhere I Lay My Head; I also didn’t enjoy the title track Rain Dogs Album artwork: A cool and distinctive album cover

Carnivalesque

Tom Waits walks the plank. Yarr landlubbers, it be difficult to conjure up pirate themed stuff. Yarrr uhh maps and DOUBLOONS and scurrrvy yarr. Let's uhh rob a maritime vessel. Rain Dogs seems to ride that line between poetic, humour-tinged genius and hackneyed showtunes cut from high school productions of either Robin Hood or Peter Pan. The start of this album brought to mind the latter, yet as this kept going, the silly lyrics and absolute grit of some of the tracks brought me the old feeling that I was hoping for from a Tom Waits record. This feeling was short lived though. Many songs had me questioning how I'd ever enjoyed Tom Waits. I'd been entranced before, why now does this feel like a fitful dream? Some of this was great, the rest, underwhelmed me with its musicality, and overwhelmed me with its stench. Ol' Rain Dogs smelled a bit like wet dog, and I'm starting to think they should be outside hounds. I'll be nestled inside the Nighthawk diner listening to tongue-in-cheek avant-garde poetry, trying to forget the stinkier cuts on Rain Dogs. 2.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Tango Till They're Sore, Big Black Mariah, 9th & Hennepin, Walking Spanish

Listening to this felt like I was in The Nightmare Before Christmas, but also like I was at the sock hop idk; really liked Downtown Train though!

Det här albumet är curveball efter curveball. Vissa låtar fattar jag inte hur de kommit med på albumet och sen kommer Blind Love som är hur nice som helst. Högst oklart, helt enkelt.

I mina öron, extremt stökigt. Så svårt att lämna ett omdöme som faktiskt beskriver hur skivan låter. Man måste nog lyssna själv. För mig är det inte. Tom Waits har en cool röst och ett par, bluesiga låtar är najs. Även om jag inte lyssnar på genren. Men förutom dessa få spår, är det mesta väldigt okonventionellt och i mina öron experimentellt. Nae, sorry.

2.5 (53:46, 19 tracks, 1 is spoken word, 1985, 9th album) Experimental Weird genre, apparently I have to get used to Tom Waits as he has 5 albums on the list. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Some good instruments. Album takes from so many different genres it's hard to define. Waits voice is gravelly. The album is best described as avante garde. I like the song Downtown Train the most but it seems out of place on this otherwise weird album.

The circus sideshow aesthetic really fits. Still not my bag tho.

I feel like I'm the victim of an elaborate practical joke where people are pretending to like this shit. I don't understand how else Rain Dogs (or any Tom Waits album for that matter) can get a perfect score from pretty much every critic. Putting Tom's voice aside (which is hard to do), there's so many other annoying sounds throughout many of the tracks. The clown horns on Singapore and whatever is being used for the drums/percussion on Clap Hands, as an example. Most of the first half of the album is completely intolerable. I'm giving this a 2 rather than a 1, because I don't feel like it's entirely without it's merit. There's a few songs that are ok, and one which I thought was good ('Blind Love') - however, I will not be returning to any of them ever again.

Halloween spookies. Unique, but not my thing. 2*

Godawful.

if the drunken sailor from Drunken Sailor sampled the soundtrack to a point and click pirate adventure game for their beat poetry and ballads about the urban dispossessed of new york city. or like bruce springsteen gargled sand before his recordings. i listened to most of it while i was playing a cowboy game and it kinda fit ngl. favorite song is Hang Down Your Head

Yeah I'm Tom Wait-ing for a good song. Not many dogs out of 10 lizard wizards

Would not buy.

That was unexpectedly hard work.

i feel like this is supposed to be some kind of masterpiece but it's not for me sorry

tosi ainutlaatunen i'll give him that. must tuntuu etten ollu oikeessa mindsetissä tätä kuunnellessa koska tää on tosi spooky ja vähän triggeröi ehkä jotain ahdistuksen tunteita mussa mut vaan koska olin jo vähän ahistunu.. siisti ääni ja cool konsepti kuitenki!

Just about half-way through and not really enjoying it at all. It's not turn it off bad, just more of the same of based on the other 3 or 4 albums of his I've heard via this site. I fail to see why he's so highly regarded. This has got 2 stars written all over! It got marginally better in the second half, but not enough to swing it to 3 stars.

Listened with my teen. Within first 2-3 tracks he said "What genre is this?! Disney villain?!" And honestly I think he nailed it yet again.

I honestly think this is the most torn I’ve ever been between giving an album one star or two stars. On the one hand, about half of these songs are absolutely torturous – they sound like they could only be enjoyed by that one snarky peer who clowns on everyone else’s music taste, but listens to villain themes from Disney musicals in their free time. On the other hand, there is legitimate musical talent here if you’re willing to listen for it. I also can appreciate how many different styles Tom Waits attempted on this album, even if that destroyed any semblance of cohesion Rain Dogs had. A lot different things could be said about this album, but I think everyone can agree that Tom Waits really went for it here. He took some big swings on Rain Dogs – most of them were misses for me, but it takes balls to make an album like this and I can respect that enough to at least give it two stars. Highlights: Tango till They’re Sore, Big Black Mariah, Time, Union Square

Oh dear. It's one of the few albums that it got stellar reviews and five stars by critics and fans alike, and I really didn't like it despite of the fact that I like many experimental, weird and dark music. The production is great and it doesn't really sound a mid-80s album and he is an obviously talented songwriter...but I don't like his singing style and voice, and most of the songs sounded like drunk circus songs. I probably need more listens and read the lyrics carefully, but as of now it's only two stars.

I want to like this very unique and strange album, and Tom Waits in general, but I find that I can't actually enjoy any of the music despite the creative talent. It's penis music.

Distinct voice, some remind me of a dark carnival. I only liked the blues songs he does, not so much the eclectic talking ones

Funny one this - not a fan of tom wait’s music really, but I like the idea of him? Why. Didn’t enjoy this album (I know, that’s my problem) he sounded drunk / drugged like he was about to kick the bucket any second

Dude, this guy is nowhere near as good or important as his platoon of fans seems to think. And I know that the editor isn't responsible for the categorization, but just vanilla rock? Seriously? Influence 4 (inexplicably). Hits 1 (sure, several people covered some of these songs and did well). Quality 2 (dude is a technically worse singer than Dylan). It's a no from me, dog 1.

I only listened to the first two. I’m sure I can’t get into any more of it. ———————————— My non-musician scoring system. 5 - Love it. Would play anytime, buy, see live… 4 - Good music. 3 - Average playlist. Depends on time and setting. 2 - I can’t listen to entire songs…skipped ahead on all of them 1 - No.

Definitely not my thing, felt like an album from Captain Hook at the bar in Shrek 2

If the crash and honk of 1983's Swordfishtrombones upset Tom Waits fans weaned on beat poetry and piano ballads, then Rain Dogs had them crying into their bourbons. Musically, Swordfishtrombones was Waits arriving in a new town and trying to find his place; by Rain Dogs, he had made himself at home, albeit in a battered tin shack a long way out by the freeway. Whether the romantic boozehound Waits played in the 1970s was born from autobiography or imagination has long been a matter for conjecture, but he is certainly in character here. Rain Dogs tells of a demimonde populated by Chinese barflies, blind firemen, one- armed dwarves, a slaughterhouse boss named Uncle Vernon, a Puerto Rican mistress with a wooden leg— and that is just the first three songs. It is a song cycle about life on the fringes of society, were a society this unbalanced ever likely to exist. The dementia of the lyrics finds echo in the music, a rag-and-bones, Weillian clatter of thumped percussion and parping horns, beer-hall pianos, and twitchy guitars (played chiefly by Marc Ribot, though Keith Richards guests), accordions, pump organs, and banjos. The fragile “Time” evokes Seventies Waits,”Blind Love” is as close to country as he has ever come, and “Downtown Train” was tamed by Rod Stewart, but Rain Dogs is defiantly liberated from compromise and convention. Naturally, it turned into his biggest selling record, since when it has become a staple in press surveys listing the best albums of the 1980s.

too wierd

“Oh here we go” I thought on the first track. I respect the vision but this kind of music will never implant in my head as being “real”. The over the top vocals just make me envision this as background music to TV show montage, or a goofy joke, not something you’d sit down to to enjoy listening to. If that makes any sense

5 Some days I love tTom Waits nd some days I don't want to listen to him

Never been a fan of Tom Waits. I appreciate him as an artist, but he’s not for me.

I think I just don’t like his voice and tempo

There were two whole songs I knew from this album. None of the others really added anything to my life.

Unique sound. Belongs in a Tim Burton movie

I felt like most of these songs are a great example of what would happen if the singers from the Haunted mansion ride at Disney met with the people who play the instruments for the background music on SpongeBob. Or if the claymation characters of the Nightmare Before Christmas started writing music after listening to surf music. Or if that drunk dude with one eye behind a piano in New Orleans just started winging it I've never heard anything like it, if you don't count the score to every Tim Burton movie. This album has all sorts of accolades and people telling us this is important music. To that I say, huh, really? I can't hear it's influence on most anything I've listened to, besides possibly a Avenged sevenfold song from 2008, which I'll admit is a banger. What would you call this music? Extra dirty and sopping wet blues? Music you can only really sing when you don't have all of your teeth? Yesterday I cosplayed as Jack Sparrow and woke up with pink eye? You would think that I would be a perfect candidate for this music, I don't have a great relationship with my father, I grew up in a city deeply afflicted with meth, and I have a pocket knife for reasons I don't want to talk to you about. Even still I only found it mildly charming during certain moments. There's a time and a place for this music, and it's probably a low budget haunted house. Oh sweet reader, do you remember when I said I'd start listening to music to try and appreciate it for the art? I lied

I'll say that I didn't hate it it just is very different than what I usually listen to? Diamonds and gold or clap hands was probably my fav The way I can describe this album is greasy man who I would try and stay away from... his singing is just not for me but it was an interesting album 2.5/5 -- 2/5 6.55/10

This is probably the first album of this journey that I would say that I don't like. I think some of the later tracks like Union Square, Blind Love, and Downtown Train are very good, but overall I found this one unpleasant to listen to. Perhaps the biggest obstacle to enjoying this album for me is Tom's vocals. It seems he is one of the artists where his voice grates on me and it detracts from the rest of the music. However, I would also say I am not the biggest fan of the instrumentals either. A lot of the songs kinda sounded they came out of some Banjo-Kazooie game, and it was quite the juxtaposition with the tone of the lyrics.

Ziemliches durcheinander an Musik. Manches ok, manches nervig. 2/5

2 stars. I like his voice but didn't care about the lyrics or sound.

It sounds like a very classic halloween character decided to make a music album. Its… weird but not horrible? Mastering is shoddy, depends on the song. Sometimes it's decent, sometimes the vocals are masked by whatever the drums are doing. Some songs sound kinda like blues while others I can't even describe.

Oh boy, he’s back for the second time. Tom Waits strikes me as a pretty cool guy, but man is his music one massive mixed bag. I can understand the appeal of his deep, gravely voice, but do we absolutely NEED 5 entire albums of this?? It’s just not for me, which doesn’t automatically make it bad, it simply is what it is. To his credit, I think I enjoyed this more than Swordfishtrombones as a whole. “Clap Hands”, “Jockey Full of Bourbon”, and “Gun Street Girl” all stood out as pretty good to me. So there’s enough to save it from getting a 1. Unfortunately, the majority of this album is just something I would liken to bad circus or pirate music. I don’t absolutely despise it, but I for sure don’t like it very much either and likely won't be coming back to it any time soon. It’s another Tom Waits 2/5, a tradition that I foresee continuing with his other 3 albums. Really it’s just more of the same from him, about what I expected.

I didn’t hate this quite as much as I thought I would. It started out decent and then I swear his voice got worse with each and every song. I’ve always hated his voice though.

i dont get it at all. tough listen

A good number of songs are clearly showing his writing genius. But there are just a lot of ones I can’t really dig. The voice isn’t for me.

Me and Tom just don’t get along

Had fun with a few songs but it felt like this album really dragged on and I can’t handle his voice for that long

I can't get past the voice.

Pretty terrible and long.

Non un gran fan del blues ma c’è qualche chicca

Why does this guy bave 3 albums on this list? This one is marginally better than the other 2 but the bar is pretty low. Just one of these albums would be enough to explain this guy

Couldn't get into this

Weird, theatrical, and full of character—but not really my thing. I can appreciate the creativity and storytelling, but the sound and style didn’t click with me.

it was a bad day and an even worse album

Not for me

Yeah I do not like the gruff shouts of Tom Waits over often discordant tones. "Midtown" notable for having the most discordant tones, but no shouting.

I don't really get people who genuinely like this. hard to listen to his voice. Music grew on me a little but not enough to make me want to listen again.

This is the first album I was recommended and each song is very different than the others. This album spans a lot of different genres, from Jazz to Country. I’m not too familiar with UK culture in the 80’s, but this didn’t resonate with me much. I think the way I’ll rate each album is by comparing the number of songs I’d listen to again to the total number of songs, then converting them into the rating system. I’ll list each song I enjoyed and add the “rating” at the bottom. Tango Till They’re Sore Big Black Mariah Time Gun Street Girl Blind Love Anywhere I Lay My Head 6/19

Goofy ahh cartoon music

This album had me one minute then lost me the next - Big fan of the songs with the small town but something's not quite right vibe, not so much on the spooky scary skeleton songs.

Eh

Just don't understand why anyone would listen to this.

Some of this is alright, but the other parts are shit, and that's what will stop me from revisiting this at a later date. Also, can someone please get this man a Strepsil?

Weirdo musical vibes, kinda reminds me of the jungle book or something. Not for me.

There's nothing quite like Tom Waits. That voice... But the general funky percussion dirge of the sound is interesting. Despite being interesting, I can't take it (paired with his gravelly grumble of a voice) for a full album. It's like descending through New Orleans and going down to Hadestown. And down. And down. And down. But at last, after five albums (at least 2 too many), the Waits is over. With apologies to my college roommate, Tom Waits is another artist the 1001 has way overexposed me to who I will be avoiding for the foreseeable future.

The voodoo witch doctor (I picture Dr. Facilier in Princess and the Frog) vibes are strong here. Sometimes it works, sometimes it's interesting, but almost an hour of it is too much.

Bad music. Poor vocals. Sometimes it works, but not often.

I appreciate what this is but it isn’t for me.

Just not a tom waits guy

His best album I've heard so far. That's saying something. 🤡 music

Some good tunes, 19 songs is quite long, cracking voice

Terrible unserious clown music. I know he’s influential, I just cannot for the life of me understand why.

Not sure how I feel about this one. I still don't like his voice and many of these songs sound like they belong as the soundtrack for a weird Tim Burton movie. 2. And I feel like that's being generous.

Like a ROPE OF SAND.

I just don’t get it. The gravelly voice is interesting by man but beyond that is tedious at best.

1001 albums to kill yourself to

I tried.

Not for me

Didn’t really care for this one

Whenever Tom Waits gets on the marimba I become Dom Waits, as in “Dom waits for the song to be over”. I was kind of feeling Big Black Mariah and then he hit us with another Donkey Kong type beat. I think Tom is at his best when he’s outwardly sentimental, so I fuck with Time and Downtown Train heavy, the latter of which is practically a The Cars song lmao. At some points on this album it’s like he’s doing chamber pop Slipknot, and I surprisingly found myself appreciating it. This is better than Bone Machine. I should have given that a 1.

I think I understand what he’s trying to do and certainly think it’s a unique sound but I just don’t like to listen to it. It’s like deconstructed folk with an old timey feel. The type of music you put on at the end of the night to get everyone to leave the party

Scooby doo treasure island

Feels like a soundtrack to a Tim Burton film.

Not giving it a 1 because I see the appeal. But I just don’t really like Tom Waits.

Not for me

O que é isso?

Some of the most unique music I’ve ever heard but that doesn’t make it good.

Holy fuck what a strange album

I don't get it, I feel like I'm missing context or something? DNF, wouldn't relisten

Someone give this man a lozenge.

Once, I was delivering pizzas on a rainy summer night in Phoenix, Arizona, struggling to find the house numbers in the dark. 9th and Hennepin came on while I listened to this album and I was very scared. I like Waits when he sings songs, and I don't like him when he's spooky or weird. This one has incredible songs, but far too few of them. I don't think I'd have been as scared had Downtown Train or Blind Love come on when I couldn't find that house.

Tom Waits certainly keeps me waiting...for something to liven up on his albums. I've said it before, I'll say it again, I just cannot vibe with what he wants me to vibe with. I understand the appeal, but these albums seem to be hell bent on boring me to death.

what the hell is this

Enjoyed a couple of the songs, but ultimately didnt do it for me. I appreciated the subject matter, but the musical style wasnt for me

didn't listen super in depth: jockey full ofbourbon was my favorite song, or time. new strange sound. doesn't sound like eightes. Cool, but not my thing.

I can maybe understand the inclusion of one Tom Waits’ album in this list but this is getting painful now.

Just not my thing, but sure is unique. Like an avant garde Bruce Springsteen in my opinion who is influenced by Dr John and the whole New Orleans sound.

Not for me

Like a bad pirate love song

I want to like Waits’ music, I really do. But I don’t and it’s unlikely that I ever will. I’d love to have pints with him though. 4.2/10

Almost didn't make it through the first song ... in fact, I skipped ahead after only a minute in. The rest wasn't so bad. But, He's not going on my list of must listen to's ...

weird

I think this list has taught me that I’ve transitioned past enjoying Tom Waits. And I mean that literally. Tom Waits appeals to precocious young men in liberal arts programs who think that their desire to become an alcoholic novelist makes them interesting, smart, and better than you. They believe the rules don’t apply to them, and Tom Waits, in his endless journey of I-don’t-give-a-fuck-ery, speaks to these types of young men intellectually, and maybe even emotionally. But there’s no emotion to this bullshit; it’s just Waits taking the piss, and that’s funny, and sometimes leads down interesting avenues where he finds the capital-A Art™️ in kitschy Tin Pan Alley music, but none of it seems to come from a place of sincerity. It’s edge lord music for 19 year old boys who fancy themselves tortured poets just because they black out at house parties and don’t know how to talk to women, let alone anyone, without referencing Plato for some goddamn reason even though they’ve never read a sentence Plato wrote. Which sucks, because occasionally, Tom Waits is also a folk singer, a piano player at the bar downtown that feels nicer than a dive bar but is still populated with townies going nowhere, and he sings them songs about how he is also a townie going nowhere. This was always the Tom Waits I loved most, and when he comes out on Rain Dogs, I wonder if I’m being too harsh, because those moments are genuinely enjoyable (although they’re never so amazing that they win me over completely, and they’re way too infrequent). But then he’ll go back to piss-take carnival barker bullshit, and I realize that the year I pretended to like Tom Waits after only listening to Closing Time was all posturing, all part of the worst period in my life when I tried so hard to lean into being masculine, much to the detriment of my mental and physical health. Now, as a full grown adult woman, I can’t help but find this shit deeply insufferable, adolescent, and toxic. I’m too much of a Doll to give a fuck about the drunk ramblings of an edge lord.

I struggle with Tom Waits. There are glimmers of a top tune or a good vocal and then it all goes quite odd and it’s a no. Great lyrics though. He would make a great poet. I feel the same about Leonard Cohen

Not really my cup of tea. Some of it was alright.

So unique. HIs plethora of short songs all feel like scenes in a larger performance that I don't necessarily grasp.

Strange album. Not always in a good way. Appreciate the various genres attempted, but it sometimes makes the album feel disjointed. 2/5 Won’t listen again

what is this, the peaky blinders theme song?

Three Tom Waits albums in now, I just don’t see the appeal. His voice and style is weird, which is great and all, but it doesn’t make good music to me. I really would not like to go back and listen to many of these songs. At its most interesting the album sounds like the soundtrack for an evil villain in a kids movie. Fave Tracks: Time, Downtown Train 2.4/5

I didn't hate it but I was done with it by the end. One and done.

Sounds like I accidentally hit play on the Nighmare Before Christmas soundtrack. Having said that there are some redeeming songs. Not a fan of the whispy distant vocals on some of the tracks.

Just a bunch of silly Sesame Street bordello songs and Halloween tunes. Feels like puppets are singing and playing along to every clink clank beat and junkyard rhythm. Even prettier ballads like Time, Downtown Train and Blind Love are a bit comically overwrought and hard to take totally seriously. The vocals on Blind Love are absolutely outrageous by the way. Like the Cookie Monster trying to crap out a massive boulder. The last song Anywhere I Lay My Head is the Cookie Monster crapping out another boulder whilst transforming into a werewolf with Last Post military brass playing underneath. Super eclectic overall but sunk to 2.5 stars because half the tracks are really annoying.

That voice.

It starts off sounding like someone lost their voice and is still trying to sing. Then, it ends sounding like a dying Bruce Springsteen.

hated it at first, grew to like it kinda not really. 3.5/10

I wasn't sure what to rate this, but pretty sure I didn't want to listen to it again.

Мюзикл про грустного сатану получился

I don’t know if I vibe with this interestingness.

i can’t begin to work out what this album is trying to be. at times it’s a spooky, halloweeny type, then it’s a melancholy, introspective story - such as the track “time”, the only one i really enjoyed - and i can’t figure out what i initially aimed to be. none of the tracks are particularly memorable, writing this the day after, and for the most part i was either bored or confused.

I cam dig the smokey lounge singer. I loved nighthawk. I can't do the kitchen-sink carney approach. Some of these songs were comically bad. Not a Tom Waits guy. Saved Songs: - Clap Hands

I like early TW not so much after seventies

I managed to know who Tom Waits was, but never really listen to his music at all until this point. The first two songs immediately made me think of The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack for some reason. Otherwise the rest of the album was just okay to me. Nothing much to write about it.

This is not the album to introduce people to Tom Waits. Small Change and Closing Time are "better" albums. Rain Dogs was hard to get through...

Too weird

Two Tom Waits albums in as many weeks is too Tom's too many thanks. Actually even one was over my limit. Two stars too.

There are moments when I think I like it but they always go away.

Average

Ooga Booga-musik

Noteworthy songs - 808080808 Magical Dream - Kinda catchy synth, but the rest is bland. Ancodia - Good background noise. Cobra Bora - Actually kind of cool, reminds me of Bomberman Hero. Pacific 202 - N64 vibes, but melody isn't great. Donkey Doctor - Nothing too special, weird ending. 808080808 - Really cool beginning. A little slow in the middle but stays interesting enough. Sunrise - Nothing remarkable. The Fat Shadow - Eerie. Very short.

I just don't get it

Silly but better than Bone Machine.

Didn’t really care for this on the whole.

Uniquely different, creative, & definitely not my thing.

Interesting and theatrical but not my cup of tea :(

I couldn't do it

Fucking hell why is Tom waits so unbearable. I can't get on board and there so many albums. I'm happy to accept I am ignorant and just don't know it. But I remain unmoved. Irritating.

Sometimes I love Tom Waits, sometimes I can't stand him. I definitely struggle to listen to a whole album...

what the hell was this

Very well produced I will admit but this just wasn't for me. I was thoroughly confused from start to finish

A real alternative listening-experience. Sometimes weired, sometimes interesting and always with a driving beat. That´s why I´m doing this project - but definitive not a every day choice. 2,5

I enjoy Tom Waits, but I have to be in a certain mood to listen

Tom Waits? The actor? I’ve always found Tom to have a voice that is very polarizing and a loving billboard of why not to smoke. But then again he’s a famous musician and somewhat of an actor. So maybe that means smoking is that cool. If you like older, emphysema sounding music this album is for you. For me it’s not all that great. 4.7/10

Agree it us one to listen to before I die. It is unusual, - a very unique voice and interesting intelligent lyrics -just not my bag

I never knew Danny Elfman had an alias

I don't get Tom Waits. He sounds like Bruce on steroids. I don't get Bruce either.

funky monkey Halloween music besides 1st half way better than 2nd half.

I do not like his voice

Have you ever been to the “House on the Rock” in Wisconsin? It’s the home of an eccentric man who assembled a very eclectic, sometimes haunting, sometimes beautiful, mostly bizarre collection. You either love it, or you hate it. I feel like this album is the musical equivalent. I just didn’t get it. Although I give it an extra star because of “Downtown Train.”

Lyrically interesting, musically disjointed

Quirky to say the least, interesting, but not really my cup of tea.

As with Dylan, I prefer covers of Waits songs to the originals.

Eccentric hurdy-gurdy from someone that’s living inside a Tim Burton movie. Niche.

Not for me

Low, raspy voice with kinda folky guitar/percussion. Very slow, didn't catch me that much

This album reminded me of those animal books you could order thru the commercials, zoobooks?? idk about this one dawg...

Bourbon voice. This is how I imagine New Orleans sounds like.

I liked this better than some of the others. How many more to come?

This dude has seen some shit Most of this sounds like it would be playing in some smoky underground club where all the spooky creatures hang out in a dark animated movie. While I couldn't get past his singing at all, I thought his range in styles/genres was impressive

Tom waits seems like a creepy fucking guy. Album was kind of a drag to listen to. 2.5 stars

Found this one to be slightly more 'listen-able' but I really just can't get over his voice. Not a big fan. 2.5

Yeah, still not a fan of Waits. The music and lyrics are interesting and the album is wicked eclectic with style, but not an enjoyable sonic experience for me

This album has higher highs but lower lows than bone machine. I think Waits’ voice is less forced in this album, but I’m still not a fan. DNF.

Nie bałdzo

Her: I'm gonna pull a Tom Waits song out of my ass RIGHT NOW: On a Thursday the rivers run raw His garbage mitt can't catch the claw The jailer-man don't obey no law He planned it out, he killed his Ma On Friday all the beggars fry A rat-burger below the bigger sky And now and again amongst the rye We make all your mamas cry There ya go. I'll be back later to pick up my Grammy.

Maybe for some. Not for me.

This album was okay. I did enjoy some tracks but I was not impressed with it. Tom Waits' signature gravelly voice is impressive but the bluesy, experimental sounds did not work well in my opinion. I would at least recommend a single listen before judging. Favorite Song(s): "Cemetary Polka", "Jockey Full of Bourbon", "Gun Street Girl"

sounds just like early Primus... and then I remembered he is the voice of Tommy the Cat! But ooof... there are apparently 5 "tom waits" albums in this list meanwhile Madonna, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Eagles, Chili Peppers all only have TWO.

Not my cup of tea, but would be fine in the background

This is the 5th Tom Waits album on this list. Completely unnecessary. He didn't shit gold with every album or really any album. I just don't get it. Sure it is completely different from mainstream music but this many albums? I do the appreciate the humor and making fun of other styles of music but it is rough.

Gear: Moondrop Variations Mix: ungewöhnliche, gut im Raum abgebildete Instrumentierung Music: teils zu dissonant, aber immer interessant. Kein riesen Fan von Waits' Vocals Rating: 2/5

I can understand how Tom Waits style, particularly with this album, at the time it was released, would be something extraordinary. Unfortunately, I only liked one song on the album, "Downtown Train." Otherwise, it was a chore to listen through due to the style of the music that sounded more like a soundtrack for a film about Carny Music. I have no doubts about Tom Waits skill as a lyricist and songwriter, but I would rather listen to something more stripped down or more of a rock tilt.

Carnie music for real, his voice is too deep and scratchy for my liking but I can see the influence

its alrght

I’m not enthralled with the clank toot of Wait’s 80s music, but this does keep to his “gutter” blues style on the whole.

Very surprising and unique, but the voice isn’t quite it.

Weird. Not my style

didn't listen

Tom Waits' voice is grating at the best of times, sounding like someone who has smoked a pack a day since birth, and chooses to gargle broken glass and barbed wire. At points on this album, it sounds like a drunken lunatic screaming into the night. Many songs on this album are just strange, like Halloween music, the use of marimba, and the electric guitar stabs combined with staccato notes makes for creepy, yet comical at the same time, music that could be the soundtrack to the Munsters. Other songs sound like a New Orleans Mardi Gras celebration, or one of their famous Jazz Funerals. The one song I recognized was "Downtown Train" I thought he was doing an awful cover of the Rod Stewart hit, but apparently I was mistaken and this is a case of a cover being far superior to the original. I did not enjoy this, I'm not sure who would voluntarily listen to this album.

Odd

I’m really not a fan, 2 stars for being unique though.

Weird moments where it kinda breaches something cool but doesn't stay there long enough to make this worth listening to.

A bit like Tim Burton's Boogeyman.

Interesting but not really my thing

Cantautor americano con voz profunda, a ratos parece que contando relatos. Algo rítmico y con pocos instrumentos.

I didn’t know what to expect, but this surprised me. It wasn’t horrible, but it’s not something I’d willingly listen to.

Tämmöne juopporokki vähä vituttaa. Osa biiseistä ok.

Vakava känni_äiä_ukko uuh. Ei vaan jaksa.

I dunno, it's okay I guess and I respect Mr. Waits, but I don't think I'll be returning to this one willingly.

I really want to like this because it's so interesting, but I can't lie to myself.

I still think he sounds constipated and he's really baring down on that shit while singing at the same time.

I had a lot of trouble and turnoffs with this guy. Most of all the vocal performance, sounding like someone who just ate about an ashtray worth off cigarettes. But also the general sound they go for in the songs. It’s too I don’t know, dark, grim, jazzy, I didn’t connect with the sound unfortunately. 3 out of 10

I reckon this is a voice you either love or hate. Can’t say I’m a fan. As a note, I don’t like marmite either.

Not a fan

Haven’t listened much of Tom Waits before and most likely won’t listen after this album either

I didn’t hate it, but it’s a bit too vaudeville and goofy for my tastes. I can definitely see that it has a time and a place but none of it stands out as something I’d regularly return to.

veldig rart og minne litt om kaizers innimellom

My fifth and final Tom Waits album. I can't believe this guy got so much space. I just don't get it. I didn't hate this as much as the other albums, but he still got super annoying in a lot of tracks. Never going to listen to him again.

Can't stand his voice

Couldn’t take this album very seriously. It sounded like novelty music. I get why some people may like it and it’s experimental sound, but I hated it

So many eclectic styles in one album. Some people hate his voice. I think it’s quite cool. Just can’t stand the tracks with the extremely 80s saxophones and the carnival style songs.

Singapore sounds so much like Colonel Hathi's March from The Jungle Book that I actually looked up whether or not Tom Waits was part of the soundtrack. Anyway back to this album. Same as it ever was for him: gritty singer singing over non-gritty instrumentals. I hate his voice, and I mostly like the background. There did not need to be 3 (and counting? 😩) albums of his in this exercise.

Its interesting, but not my thing. Nothing really stoodout to me, sometimes reminding me of like an Addams Family or Tim Burton soundtrack.

Välillä tuntui parodialta mitä on humalassa veistelty. Levyllä oli mielenkiintosia kohtia jotka piti mielenkiintoa mutta ei kestänyt loppuun

This is just odd. The music. The lyrics. The vocals. Just odd.

I still don't know what to make of Tom Waits. I know I said this last time, but I still need more time to form an opinion. I feel like I SHOULD like this, but I just wasn't feeling it today. And let’s be honest, I probably never will.

This is a yard sale of albums. A random assortment of junk with a couple scratched up gems mixed in.

Really not sure what to think of this album.

Whenever I listen to Tom Waits it just makes me want to read his poetry instead. Can't really get into this one with his vocals over "carnival" style songs.

Interesting lyrics and many tunes had a circus like vibe. His gritty voice is unique but I’ve never really seen the appeal for his music overall

strange sounded like children’s film music a lot of the time

Not for me

Don't think I'll ever be a Waits fan, but this is certainly the most listenable thus far.

Wasn't a fan of this

вообще не понимаю Тома Уэйтса

Too gruff. Though I like him as an actor.

Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: not really, felt and sounded like just a lot of nothing really? Favourite song: didn’t have one

Only two songs I'd ever listen to again.

Singapore? WTF. Clap Hands? OK, this I like. The rest? I don't know. What is Midtown doing there after a song where Tom Waits tries to sing like a dog? What a wild ride.

A bit off the wall but i really just can't stand his voice so it was a struggle!

me gustaron muy pocos temas

this is the best album associated with captain beefheart

Not a fan of his voice, or his attempts for songs to be "weird"

This album was very hit or miss for me. Overall, I enjoy the concept and I think it's effective in capturing a dirty NYC. I also really enjoyed Tom Waits' vocals regardless of the track, and the lyrics and imagery were constant highlights. The more blues-inspired tracks were astounding, and I kind of wish they were more present on the record. Bangers like Big Black Maria and Gun Street Girl add a folksy edge to some awesome blues rock, and tracks like Time, Blind Love, and Diamonds and Gold are so packed with emotion, in the lyrics, vocals, and atmosphere. What really brings the record down for me is the more polka/sea shanty inspired tracks, which unfortunately are what most of this record is especially in the first half. I'm already not a huge polka fan, but these tracks especially felt ver melodramatic theater-core. The singing was always great, but it wasn't enough to save those tracks. Overall, a very hit-or-miss record.

A good bit more tolerable than Heartattack and Vine, but it still just sounds like someone doing a bit.

did not like. listened to like 4 songs and couldnt listen to anymore lol

Damn, Tom Waits album number four. As usual, the guy sounds like a cartoon skeleton singing in a jazz bar in a Tim Burton movie. There were a couple songs on here that I actually enjoyed, but quite a few others that are frankly unbearable. In other words, the usual. Favorite tracks: Gun Street Girl, Clap Hands, Anywhere I Lay My Head (hilarious vocal performance). Album art: I like this style, it reminded me of London Calling and maybe a Smiths album? The bright font border is cool, nothing else to keep this in my brain though. 2.5/5

I think I like the idea of Waits music more than I like actually listening to it.

Sideshow Bob vibes on a couple tracks.

Too odd for me, couldn’t get into it

Weird weird, but some nice

Like the story-telling but not really the instrumental. Reminds me of music from medieval times.

Not my favorite

Very interesting, but not my cup of tea. Such a distinct voice. 2/5

weird. felt like i was at a circus. that said, his version of Downtown Train is my favorite.

Kan fortfarande inte "fatta" Tom Waits. Min tidigare review gäller då albumet fortfarande känns kaos och många låtar håller inte.

Never heard of this one! here are some of my thoughts throughout the listening: already sounds fun! could be in an old movie if it isn't already. this dude could be a voice actor as a disney villain. very interesting.. alright, i did some research and some of these songs are in a soundtrack to a movie if i understood right! interesting beats and interesting voice! "Hang Down Your Head" and "Union Square" are probably my favs Not something i would put on my playlist but as an experience cool! Overall 2/5, not really my thing

There’s some artistic value here I guess but not for me and isn’t really any different than bone machine, has no business being the first artist I’ve seen twice and this barely gets the second star

His voice is annoying

Tom Waits has an amazing voice but the songs cant’t awe me.

Most of these seem like the soundtrack to being shitfaced drunk, stumbling through New Orleans and falling face down into various gutters. Strange music played on randomly chosen instruments and sung by a crazy old pirate.

Not my vibe, great inspiration for the crusties, buskers, and folk punkers though. A tough listen but a couple decent sounds out of the bunch: Big Black Mariah, Clap Hands, Hang Down Your Head, Anywhere I Lay My Head. I don't see myself revisiting this.

This may have been more compelling if I was deeper through the list, but it was a bit strong for my pallet.

Mér fannst þetta bara einhvernveginn drep leiðinlegt. Var kannski ekki vel peppaður í þetta.

If Tim Burton had a lechy old uncle who lived under a bridge and accosted passersby for cigarettes and viagra, this is what that guy's album would sound like. It doesn't feel good. It doesn't sound good. It's just not good. Tom Waits. What a hack.

this fucking sucks

Weird. I can see the appeal. Chaotic but still organized? Idk man

This'll hit a whole lot better in October... weird spooky vibes. Not sure if I really HAD to hear this before I died, but whatevs. Okay it's getting more normal (Hang Down Your Head and Time) NEVERMIND WE BACK This isn't a bad album at all. I like the more regular songs. As a whole album, it doesn't resonate with me though, and I don't imagine I'll revisit it a whole lot in the future.

Variatie graag! Ik hoef echt geen drie platen van Tom Waits te horen voor ik doodga. Doe mij dan ter afwisseling maar iets van Feist of Moloko ofzo.

This was the rejected initial soundtrack for Tim Burton's "The Corpse Bride."

First, let the record show this is the 4th Waits album served to me by this list. Obviously, its authors hold Waits in very high regard. As for me, this was my usual Waits experience: a left of centre album that works at a different wavelength to mine. Sometimes this is the recipe for a hit, but not this time.

Like a wading motorist, I was taken by surprise by this one. And not in a good way. Too piratey/carnivaly to enjoy. Yo ho

What a bizarre listening experience. Am I at a musical circus?

Album chiant

je viens d'apprendre que 5 albums de Tom Waits sont dans le classement je suis dévastée

Not a fan of this album, I think I liked maybe one song.

Reminiscent of a dark musical, perhaps less connected. Raspy with percussive undertones. Tough to listen to at times.

The most enjoyable of Waits albums I’ve come across while doing this, while I was nicely surprised of not hearing him trying to puke over the microphone in any of the songs, I was very baffled when I noticed I had been on this for 13 songs and had still 6 to go.. props for not regurgitating on the mic until “union square” and for publishing this kind of music while everybody else was with that new wave shit. Again, and I hope for the last time: I hope he damaged his vocal cords while recording (some of) this shit.

"Singapore" sounds like if Leonard Cohen were trying to sing in the style of "The Monster Mash" but right after smoking an entire pack of cigarettes. "Clap Hands" was just weird and I can't believe there is a polka song following it. I listened to the rest of the album, but I couldn't be bothered to trying to assess it any further. I can see how some people like him. I am not one of those people. His voice is just gross to me. The music isn't terrible, but it's simple. Maybe his four other entries on this list are better, maybe I'm finally just accepting that Robert Dimery is a bad music critic.

no no no no no no, weird ass shit

2

I like this much less than the previous TW album we had. In places, sounds like a parody of himself - the opening track in particular is pretty painful to listen to. That said, I do really like his voice when he doesn't try to go too fast/jolly with the music. Hang Down Your Head works nicely, and Downtown Train is superb. There's too much weirdness on this album for me, which keeps it firmly in the 2 category.