Reviews (page 8 of 8)
Unlistable
I dont consider this real music, actually
I HATED this DNF Best Song: N/A Rating: 2/10 Stars: 1
what the fuck is this shit this album isnt even worthy of capitalization or punctuation
I hate everything I've ever heard from Tom Waits, and this didn't surprise me at all.
Another songwriter who can't sing for shit. Shit lyrics, swampy and incoherent music. Absolute ass.
Hated it
Laughable inclusion Dnf
Did not finish. WTF is this crap
No me gustó.
Not a fan
Some people love him but I just don't get it
Torture
2/10
Yet another trash ass Tom Waits album. What the hell is wrong with this list?
Very awful It's got it all: - These vocals annoy me - Yo dude let's put this really funny loud song in the middle - Blues - I didn't think it could get any worse but then he goes and covers Downtown Train the boomer anthem Both a bad album and also hits most of the things I don't like in music 1.3/10
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is this? Too weird for me.
Hate this
This album sounds like it was written for a Disney villain
Alright it's been 3 albums now, it's official. I don't like this guys shtick. It's not bad it's just not for me. 2/10
Shits ass bro
Not my style
Not my cup of tea at all
Unlistenable voice. Is he a Disney character? Is this serious music? This isn’t serious music. This is anti-Beatles, no one ever took inspiration from this garbage.
Nah
1. Singapore - 2 Yarrrrr! You're a pirate! Song sounds much like that if you know the song I'm referencing. Not greay vocally. Instrumentally very boring. Could be easily confused with a 90s Disney track. 2. Clap Hands - 3 Instrumentally more interesting but still lacking compelling lyrics. 3. Cemetery Polka - 1 Yarrrr! The pirate returns! Awful sounding track. Like one of those tracks that you'd hear in a musical that would lose all the parts of the audience that are there and not personally head-over-heels for musicals. 4. Jockey Full of Bourbon - 1 You can't make out half the lyrics he whispers them so quietly. Breathy song more than singing. 5. Tango Till They're Sore - 1 Lyrically it falls in and out of pace consistently. If AI were to make a song about New Orleans, this would be the result. 6. Big Black Mariah - 1 I have no idea what those noises are at the start of the track. To be fair you can barely make out what the lyrics are once the singing does start. Really bad vocal sound. 7. Diamonds and Gold - 2 The pirate returns and again sounding like he's speaking through a 1930s radio. Not an inspiring track lyrically. 8. Hang Down Your Head - 4 Budget Bruce Springsteen. 9. Time - 2 Way too repetitive a track, especially in the chorus. Instrumentally there's not really anything there to critque since it's a lot slower and softer a track. 10. Rain Dogs - 2 Song is way too slow pace it comes off as strained as the vocals. Really poor overall. 11. Midtown - 5 Decent jazz tune instrumentally, even if it feels like a public radio or coffee shop vibe. 12. 9th & Hennepin - -1 Absolutely awful track. It's not even a singing track, it's a talking one. Pointless piece of music. 13. Gun Street Girl - 4 One of the better tracks on the album. Better writing and better beat with an interesting collection of instuments. It's still not anything great but it's 100% a welcome change. 14. Union Square - 3 Better but still not vocally sounding great. Instrumentally it's decent. 15. Blind Love - 2 Budget and bad Bruce Springsteen. Way too repetitive lyrics. 16. Walking Spanish - 6 Terrible lyrics. Sax is amazing on the track but the brass is the only redeeming thing. 17. Downtown Train - 2 It's a return to the budget Bruce Springsteen after a song reprise. Lyrics again just repeat the same line over and over again monotonusly in the chorus. 18. Bride Of Rain Dog - N/A Track is too short to be rated. 19. Anywhere I Lay My Head - 0 You can't make out what he's signing because his voice is just way to hoarse. Just listen to this track. If you like it, you'll like the album; if you don't skip listening to it. Average Rating: 2.11 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 1.05 Rounded Down: 1 Star
Am I missing something here? This album seems to be really lauded and I didn't enjoy it at all.
0/5 This whole album is disgustingly awful to listen to. Tries to cling onto the 20's/30's music style, but misses the sophistication. This is proper trash.
Yo, ho, ho and a bottle of rum. Was this intended to be a parody of pirates and their shit shanties? I just don’t get the appeal of this man and what he inflicts upon peoples ears.
Hard listen, all songs sound the same with a sprinkle of circus music.
Clearly he inspired later Dylan , who at least delivers the gruff delivery with some grace.
Ass
That sounded like a parody of a villain in a video game that they make sing before a boss battle. Dude sounds like he gargles with rocks
🫠 I don't need anymore of his music
Whoever listens to this recreationally needs to be investigated. 1/5
Is this a joke? Does this guy actually get paid to produce this rubbish? Zero stars if I could.
Can't...even...listen.
became listenable for a minute about halfway through and then became weird again
Nisam ovo baš mogla slušati, smara. 1/5/, 1/10
Makes me wonder how I am not famous musician if this guy is a famous musician
Tom Waits dragging his heavy voice through a carnival junkie melodies. Not for me but good for what it is
Community theatre ass album
One of my least favourite albums of all time. Find his vocals grating, the instrumental choices obnoxious, the songwriting annoying. Hang Your Head is this album’s one saving grace. I like him in Licorice Pizza tho.
I do not like Tom Waits
This is like a novelty album but without good singing
Not a fan
There were like two songs I could listen to.
Can't stand his voice
Artiste inconnu. J'ai détesté le premier morceau, avec son instrumentation type fanfare et la voix éraillée du chanteur. Cette voix éraillée reste sur les morceaux suivants. L'instrumentation change un peu selon les morceaux, alternant fanfare et ... autre chose, parfois dissonante et/ou originale, parfois plus classique. Mais la voix reste insupportable. Un vrai calvaire. =>1/5
More spoken word from T. Waits? I still don’t see it.
Horrendous vibes
Did not finish. Slam poetry in musical form is not for me.
Tom, some real SICK shit there. Who would buy this CRAP?
Yeah… this is too weird for me
Kut
A bit too silly. It's ok to do silly music, but this might be a bit too much.
As much music as I know, I never got Tom Waits. And I love some of the weirdest shit out there. I'll admit, I gave it a try again. But I just don't get it. Maybe I never will. Funny seeing the reviews are either 1 star or 5 stars on this. I guess it's a guy you either love or hate. I wish I could see what the 5 star rating people liked in this, but I just don't.
I feel like I am listening to a cartoon character singing jazz. Almost sounds like Bigweld from Robots (I know that's Mel Brooks but still). 1 star
"Have you ever listen to Tom Waits? If so, fucking shoot yourself." ~Joey Diaz. Tom Waits is the most talentless bum on this list and it's not close. The fact he appears multiple times on this list is legitimately insane. 1/10.
1. zingapore - 0 2. clap - 0 3. polka / - 1 4. bourbon - 1 5. tango - 1 6. mariah - 1 7. gold - 1 8. head - 0 9. time - 1 10. rain - 1 11. pin - 1 12. gun - 1.5 13. union - 1.5 14. blind - 1.5 15. zpanizh - 1 16. train - 1.5 17. bride - 1.5 18. head - 1
Not for me
Oh my GOD. What is with this author's obsession with Tom Waits?! How did this man with the most obnoxious gravelly voice, the worst opinions on instrumentation, and poor songwriting skills (IMO) become popular enough to have even one hit, never mind multiple albums on this list?! It really boggles my mind!!! Needless to say, this is a one star. I can't believe I had to sit through this.
smells like raindog in here
Not sure what I was expecting.. but it wasn't this....
I think Downtown Train has potential, but Tom Waits might be my least favourite singer ever. I think his vocals are agonising on the entire album. Unfortunately some of the instrumentals are also agonising.
Muito peculiar. Tem que estar com paciência. De fato, como muitos reviews aqui, parece um pirata bêbado cantando uma história, do começo ao fim. Apesar de ser um som bem peculiar, não me agradou, pois a diferença está "toda" nesse fator do cantar meio arrastado tipo bebado com uma levada comum e como se tivesse contando uma história, e não na musicalidade diferenciada. A levada comum é meio folk, meio blues, ora orquestrada, ora somente um banjo. Passo longe. Tentou ser diferente mas não inovou em algo relevante.
First listen Saved 1/19 Top track: Clap Hands
i want to go back in time and stop myself from ever learning about this website
It feels like this album is somehow super strange and pretends to be normal. It’s unpleasant to listen to each track as if it was torn from different albums of the same strange ones. 1/5
I found his voice to be incredibly grating, only made it ~1/3 of the way through the album before I had to turn it off. Doubt I’ll be coming back to it any time soon.
#232. Tom Waits. Again? The last album of his I listened to was literally the worst album I have ever listened to in my entire life. That is not hyperbole or exaggeration. Seriously it filled me with rage that it even exists. Like fuck man, I'm still pissed off and that was months ago. Thankfully, this album is not nearly as bad. It's still not good or anything, but you know, compared to Heartattack and Vine, this is lightyears ahead. It's fucking weird, it seems like he was going for some kind of Halloween kid's movie soundtrack vibe or something, but there were a few songs that were almost listenable. This album is borderline between one and two, but because of the simmering rage that remains from my last experience with this asshole, I'm going to have to round down and go with just one. 1/5: terrible.
That was rough
Never been a fan of Waits
Is this some sort of fucking joke?
Sorta like Zappa
I don't get him, it sounds like an album by the cookie monster.
Not available on Spotify.
Thanks, I hate it 👍🏻
Horrendous start and if this does not switch up soon it might be the worst album yet. No but like wth did he try to accomplish here. Seriously I have no clue. Unlistenable.
Meh not my cup of tea
Not my thing. It’s like campfire smoke.
Wow this was weird. He’s kinda got a bayou/Nola vibe but I don’t think his voice really fits it. Almost sounds satirical. I think his voice fits the delta blues-style tracks like Gun Street Girl. Overall very weird and disjointed and a lot of it was kinda bad. Did not enjoy.
This was weird but not in a good way.
I know it’s not a joke, but it sure sounds like one. Terrible.
I still vividly remember my first listen of this album in 2019, cold wintery day walking to work and thinking, is this a parody? If it is a parody... What exactly is it a parody of? Is the singing a parody of some style i am unfamiliar with? If not, why is this on so many lists of 'the greatest album', is there something I am missing? Is everyone on planet earth just loving this, and i'm sitting there thinking, is this even music? On this revisit, I can't say my views have changed too much. Unless something really strange happens in the future, I can't imagine ever listening to this album after today. I kind of think, this is actively bad. Especially the first song. I kind of think, people are pretending this is good. It's not even that long at 52 mins, but it feels way way longer than 52 mins, it feels like it just keeps going on and on and on and on. NINETEEN songs! 19!!! if i get through a second listen today i would be surprised. Theres more to life than this album, and I have to believe people are pretending to like this, because if they actually like it... what am i missing? Downtown Train sounded like, i might like this if it was by someone else. But its by this clown. Clown music for clowns. Tom Waits for no man, I guess i am no man, because i really really don't like this album at all. I hate it, I hate the idea of it, i hate thinking about it, any second listening to it, could be time spent listening to a better album, a better song or even just a better silence. make it stop, stop pretending its good, its bad, its actively bad, and pretending to like something that sounds like this, doesn't make you cool, it just makes you someone who lies about the music you listen to, and if that makes you happy, then good for you. If i listen to this again, something has gone wrong somewhere, something has happened to me and i am not safe, i am in danger.
The infamous “pirate” album, with none of the fun of sea shanties. This is an album only a music critic could love. I couldn’t make it all the way through a single song.
I feel like this is some kind of inside joke I'm not a part of. 6 songs in and I still don't know what's happening so I'm going to call it. Abysmal.
It was like trying to drink a can of bad tasting beer. You’ll get through it eventually. Hard to believe Downtown Train turned into the version it is today. After reading Waits’ bio, I would have rather been assigned his earlier stuff.
Still don't get it. There's a lot of albums I haven't liked, but I understand what other people could see in them... But I really struggle with Tom Waits to understand what people enjoy in a lot of his work.
2/10
Bizarre sound
This is not a good album. Its discordant and generally unpleasant listening. Maybe thats the point? But in any case, one star. 1/5
Went into this expecting more like what I heard on Nighthawks at the Diner. Instead I got instrumentals and vocals that were grating to listen to for almost an hour.
No one can explain to me why Tom Waits is such an influence on other musicians, and no one can explain the benefit of his "music" if this album is indicative. I'm not surprised he hasn't had commercial success.
Two Tom Waits albums in a row. Give me a break.
Like listening to a really shite Leonard Cohen song. I hope Tom is still waiting. Utter tripe.
Not a big Tom waits guy in finding out
I ALREADY RATED THIS YOU IDIOTS
This shit has to stop - he's probably worse at singing than Roger Waters, but at least Roger Waters can write a tune...no more Tom Fucking Waits
Decent 3
Håpe detta e siste album av Waitsebassen?
Какая-то хрень
Not into it.
The problem is, he just sounds like the Cookie Monster, and I can't get that image out of my head....
Barely got through one listen
Nah player , take it on the road with the circus . One song was sweet and made me feel something. Nexttttttt
1/4 songs is fine and the rest was retarded carnival music, basically unlistenable.
Weird...
Don’t get the hype.
Fucking clown music
Garbage. Like all of Waits stuff. Only voice worse is Bob Dylan
A little too werid for me.
Not for me, too experimental
Nah I'm sorry not for me
eh
Couldn’t finish it, as the third song started like a man out of his mind, kicking down the door while wearing one of those tuba drum type contraptions on his back. I haven’t enjoyed a single one of this guys albums and I’m starting to wonder if it’s coincidence that Waits rhymes with Hates.
The instrumentation on this album is so good. The groove, the melodies, the music is absolutely fantastic. Moments of pure enjoyment and appreciation for how well the band plays each song, only to get interrupted by Tom Waits. Tom Waits is the villain in this album.
nicht so meins
Not a fan, Kinda waited for it to be finished
Totaal mijn ding niet
Tom Waits is certainly creative, but I can't handle his voice. I like Step Right Up, but it's not on this album. I think that's all I can listen to of his.
This is lame
Pile of shit his voice is crap and creepy
Yikes. Scary. Unlistenable.
Saw 53 minute album of 19 songs and immediately thought of the Ramones. Very far from anything like the Ramones I struggled with most of this album and almost quit. Stuck with it a found a few songs I didn't think were too bad. The last half of album got into a blues and rock vibe. Songs I thought ok include Union square, Blind love and walking Spanish. Tough, but made it through. 1 to 1.5 for me
1.5 I'm really not sure what sure I expected from this album, but it wasn't... whatever it is. Clearly I'm missing something, because I'm pretty sure Tom Waits is a pretty esteemed cult musician, but feel like I just listened to The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack played backwards. I really tried to look past its rough outward exterior as well (as I've had to do with artists like Bright Eyes to learn to appreciate them), but I'm just really not sure what I'm supposed to find. This album ranges from okay to rough to unlistenable for me, though that being said, I'll bump up to 1.5 stars for Time. Favorite song: Time
holy sh$% why? going to be a big nope from me...
I hate this.
At university I happened to make acquaintance with a guy called Nick, who was a friend's housemate. Nick was an odd fellow. Infamously, one drink and drug fuelled evening, he declared to another two housemates, both named Tom (who incidentally adored him) that he was so heartbroken that he would stab himself. Which he duly did, with a penknife. Fortunately the injuries were only minor but afterwards he delighted in recanting this story, chuckling all the way. The other odd thing about Nick was that he was obsessed with Tom Waits, and would listen to him endlessly. So when I saw this come up on my feed, I wasn't overjoyed, but being open minded and some 20 years on from my experience of Nick, I put this album one. My goodness, what a load of shit - it's so bad almost to the point of parody, in fact I spent most of the time listening to it trying to figure out if it was a parody. Just awful.
Not a fan. Sounds like a cross between a pirate shanty and a theater production.
This is bad Tom Waits. I don't like much of his stuff, Heartattack and Vine was okay, this is just unlistenable dirge.
oh my god. this album made me want to rip my ears out and tape them on my worst enemy but then again i would not wish that on my worst enemy. this was honestly one of the worst albums i’ve ever had to endure.
The other night - very late - I had a giant 3 scoop bowl of ice cream with chocolate sauce, and a small glass of tequila afterwards. ... to describe the nightmare I had after falling asleep soon afterwards would be to listen to "Cemetery Polka." Man... This voice. It all seems absurdly affected. I'm trying. Well, I tried. I know I know - it's "cool" to like Tom Waits and if you're not cool apparently you don't get it. See also: Leonard Cohen (n.b.: don't.). I don't care about how great his lyrics *might* be - not that I could tell. They might be unreal, hell I'll give it without knowing - sure, amazing lyrics so I'm told. I can't listen to this. I don't get it. That's it. That's the review. I'm tired. I don't get it, I don't appreciate it, and I don't like it. 2/10 1 star.
dude never coughs
Fuck Tom Waits!
Not for me - I understand that it is good, and that it has had an impact. But my brain can't cope with it.
Dogshit
If I've learned anything from participating in this it's that I fucking hate Tom Waits
i hated this. so much
Attempting to get a hernia by singing?
Interesting, but not for me.
Not for me. Awful
Horrible
I never got Tom Waits and I was hoping this would change my mind. It did not. I've never been able to appreciate the lead singer who can't sing, and I have trouble getting past it, even when the songwriting and lyrics are good.
Not for me
not for me
I like artistic forms of expression in music. But the music still has to sound good.
3.5
Singapore was disconcerting. Blind Love is fine if a bit honky tonky. Clap Hands is annoying to listen to. Cemetery Polka feels like a comedy show’s background noise. Jockey Full of Bourbon is... fine...I find his whisper singing annoying and his growling voice contrived. And then I basically stopped listening... felt like chaos for the sake of chaos.
Never actually listened to Tom Waits before. It started off ok - didn't hate it as much as I expected. I like the percussion, the dark tone and minor keys in Clap Hands. I don't usually listen to lyrics but found myself doing so here. But then it all started to go downhill with Cemetery Polka, Rain Dogs. Is this a joke? It's like circus music. It's one I'm struggling to finish.
I feel bad for those of you who listened to the whole album.
The first song.... what the hell haha this whole album sounds like it is based on sea shantys but with a Halloween influence. His voice is so god damn grating to me. Yeah I can’t listen to this.
Husky random crappy tunes
false
Not my thing.
I'd never heard Tom Waits before but I was expecting something a lot different. Maybe I'd confused him with Tom Pettty? (the first song spotify tried to play after the album finished was a Petty tune). It was basically one of those "wacky Gen X" albums, sounded like Nick Cave with the offbeat attitude from that Pogues song "Worms" - I can imagine one side-2 song being like this, but the whole album? No idea who would actually listen to it for fun. I sure wouldn't lol. 1/5.
8/10