Nighthawks At The Diner

It feels like lounge music with some annoying person talking in the table next to me.

Every other song is just him gruffly rambling about nonsense. I understand how some could think it’s cool, but to me it’s like listening to gravel in a blender… and it’s a double album of this shit!

Tom and Jerry jazz with Spike the dog singing. Absolutely dreadful.

I never understood the hype for Tom Waits. Ok man, we get it, you smoke and you drink and you're some sort of professional bum. I wanted to give this an extra star for the instrumentalists, especially the upright bass player who keeps this from being a complete mess, but this whole genre of "mumbling fucked up guy" is ridiculous.

i was more than prepared to leave this album with a simple "this is my last tom waits album on the list, rest in peace you dumb bitch" but i find i have to give this one its due: this isn't just *any* tom waits album, it's also an excruciating 73 minutes, takes his pretentious shtick to heights i was simply not prepared for, and finally manages to be vaguely racist with Tommy's put-on stereotypical "jazzman" voice. the other musicians are pretty good, especially the bass player who is putting in some serious overtime, so it's a damn shame that it's in service of this pig brained mother fucker rest in peace you dumb bitch

The skits before every song were obnoxious. There were moments that were ok but this record just feels like bad stand up comedy and talking over a light jazz beat.

Disgusting

I don't think I would ever hate a Tom Waits album but I do this one. Like nails on a chalkboard, every 'comedic' monologue grates, and they rarely land. I mean it's an interesting concept, and when the music starts it's generally ok, but you couldn't pay me to sit through that record again.

I’ve always heard that Tom waits has a reputation for being divisive and I see where that comes from. I hated this album and all it had going for it was the jazz house vibe. Otherwise, all of the intros were boring and the actual songs were a slow, unenergetic version of jazz that sucks all the fun out of the genre

I get why people don't enjoy this. It's not an album for every moment in life. But I think it covers a niche music listening experience that we don't all get to experience. Anytime I've wandered into an old dimly-lit jazz bar, often in the Urban American South or East, this is the experience you get. A drunk man singing his woes over a glass of whiskey or vodka with a single companion pulling a lot of weight with his instrument. Drunken quips and stories that make you laugh in the moment, but if you were to record it and play it back it wouldn't be funny. An interactive, sometimes annoying audience. It's just so human. I'm not saying this is that experience, but this feels very similar to the real thing. Enjoy this on a rainy day, with a strong drink, and good company.

First impression of this album was that it felt like a parody of a character that existed 50 years ago but it now long forgotten, and we have this album by Tom Waits as an exaggerated memory of it. A comedy album, a form now nearly extinct. (This is an impression from someone with more familiarity with Waits as a movie actor than from his songs.) But as I listened through and then started over, the whole form of it clicked. It's a fantastic album experience: if it's a parody, it's fully invested, a loving parody, it's also for real, and it's a great performance experience, charming, funny, with deeply engaging songs. The band performance is fantastic. The "intro" tracks are as important as the songs. It's a album out of time now. I'm not sure there's any other way to listen to this than from the start and in sequence. It's probably not great as background music, because it's going to steal attention from whatever conversation or work is going on. I'd say it belongs on a list like this just because of what it represents about the form of the album, the kind of experience it creates. I feel like it's an album that forces me to give it 5 stars.

I think this should’ve been Closing Time, but actually, I don’t listen to this one enough, it was cracking me up. Tom Waits is my Bob Dylan?

Fantastisch

Este álbum destruyó completamente la visión que tenía de él antes de escucharlo, pensé que iba a ser tedioso y largo, termino siendo todo lo contrario porque la voz impresionante y el humor cautivante de Tom Waits me hizo sumergirme en el ambiente del disco y me llevó a estar sentado en un bar lleno de humo de cigarro y olor a zapatos viejos y whiskey, viendo esta increíble presentación llena de jazz, humor e historias sobre desventuras por la ciudad y desamor, sin dudas un álbum que me compró por completo.

One of the recent Spotify features revealed that the very first song I ever played (back in 2011) was 16 Shells From A 30.6 by Tom Waits. So it's no surprise that I am rating this album 5 stars. That's 3 for 3 and I'm already excited for the next one. He is an interdimensional enigma whose natural habitat seems to be with a live audience. This recording truly makes me feel as if I'm at the very edge of the stage, lulled by his sing-songy narrations, chuckling along with the crowd, steeping in the smoky atmosphere, admiring his easy relationship with the piano, and shuffling out into a moonlit night after the show has ended. Nobody does it like Tom Waits.

another great album from a top class artist

My favorite of Tom Waits' barfly lounge singer era. Love the songs. Love the banter.

I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll just barely bump up to a 5, though I'd prefer to leave it there. In order to really enjoy this album, you have to play along with its conceit; you need to be like an audience member here. Tom Waits is in more of a stream of consciousness mode here; still lyrically sharp & one hell of a storyteller when he’s in his groove, but not as concise about any specific meanings to these tracks, save for a few rather clear ones. This is more of a conversational piece, meant to snapshot slices of life that Tom Waits has in his head. It is not one to dig into deeply & analyze like it’s one of the other 4 albums he has on the list. It’s one where you’re meant to listen along with the ride like you’re in the crowd, and be charmed by this raspy-voiced man & the jazz band behind him. For the third album he ever released, it’s a pretty big swing. For my tastes, it’s a swing that hits more often than it misses, as long as you can buy into Tom’s approach. The problem with Tom’s approach here is that he doesn’t start to find his sense of charisma with this crowd until “Better Off Without a Wife”, & he only fully grabs them in by “Warm Beer and Cold Women”. The early parts of this album, where the TV sitcom-esque audience are following along like they were paid to be there, feel a little rough, as Tom just doesn’t have his timing down. It’s trying to be like one of Johnny Cash’s live albums, but without the realism behind it, down to the intros of each track. This album is rougher early on, and while I was charmed by Bob Dylan’s “uselessly conversational” approach back on the final track of “Time Out of Mind”, some of that same uselessly conversational tone just doesn’t feel as effective in the first few tracks. It does, however, feel a bit more effective after “Warm Beer and Cold Women”. Once Tom finds himself a bit more & vibes with the crowd better, that uselessly conversational tone just feels more compelling. Granted, part of that is because I could only hear Macho Man Randy Savage inhabiting Tom Waits on some of the later tracks here, but for the most part, I just found the back half of the album more charismatic. The band’s a little more in sync, able to riff with Tom’s vocal approaches more easily. The songs don’t feel driven by complaints, giving a lighter & easier tone to the back half that I enjoyed a bit more, even on its sadder tracks. I also just happened to buy into the vibe a lot more, going so far as to mime smoking a cigarette while listening. It’s method acting, for sure, but it really helped to set the scene in a much more fruitful way. The back half of this album is strong enough to just barely get this up to a 5. I do think some of these tracks go a little long & a lot of the pauses on some of these tracks only serve to pad out an atmosphere that doesn’t really feel as potent as Tom & the band are going for. This definitely could’ve been cut down by a bit. However, when it works, it works really well. If anything, I’m just impressed that the last Tom Waits album we’ll get ends on him literally saying goodbye to a crowd, looping around on that dive bar atmosphere that most of his later albums give. It’s a very fitting way to end his albums for our group, and I just can’t help but bring this up to a 5 as a result. It also helps that “Better Off Without a Wife”, “Warm Beer and Cold Women”, “Nobody” & “Big Joe and Phantom 309” are all great tracks. As far as Tom Waits goes, I never gave him anything lower than a 4; one of those was a 3.5 bumped up to a 4, but still. I’m very impressed, given that I never knew the guy existed before starting the 1001 Albums, and I now find him to be one of the more potent storytellers on the entire list. Is 5 albums overkill? Well, maybe, but at least he brought something new & different to the table every time, compared to Elvis Costello doing the same thing 6 times over. Seriously, going from this album to “Bone Machine” 17 years later & still managing to sound relevant & worthy for the era is impressive as hell. I’m sad this is the last time we’ll get him, but I feel like I’ve got some listening to do on my own (probably “Mule Variations”, if anything). Hell of a run.

A alcohol fueled journey through the night is for the listener. A bridge between the jazz infused later 1950's to a slow version of future rap observations of life. Too many interesting word combinations to list are found here. A true gem of a live recording.

Essential? Maybe not. But I love it. I love the warmth, humour and pathos in the way he describes places and people. I love the way he talks about patty melts and naughyde stools and other things that are exotic to me. And I love it when the dawn cracks hard just like a bull whip and a dozen other descriptive moments. His best tunes are elsewhere but this captures a moment of brilliance from a wonderful observer and performer.

It's Tom Waits doing peak Tom Waits stuff. Some people seem to hate it. That's cool. I love it. 5-stars.

Like being in a tiny, smokey jazz club, drinking a Manhattan. The banter might be better than the songs, but everything about it makes me want to be there.

Definitely rounding up here but in retrospect I was a little harsh on Bone Machine, and recognizing the whole sui generis nature of this...

This is music, acting, one man show, stand up comedy, cosplaying all in one. An art installation more than an album. A recreation of something that never existed. And it’s wonderful, except for the second hand hangover I got from being a part of it.

Husky

Tom Waits is one of my all-time favourites, and I understand that for some, he might be an acquired taste. This album is a rare gem of a live album where it seems like they bottled up the atmosphere of that LA lounge that night and somehow got it all onto the record. If you settle in with this one, you'll be privy to a night of Tom's peculiar charm and oddly sensical nonsense. I find that it is full of comfort and delight.

Who doesn’t love tom waites?

10/10 just for atmosphere, like gg I 100% believe this was recorded at midnight in a dimly lit speak easy that smells of cigarette smoke. But it wasnt. The format takes a bit of getting used to and I see what the other reviewers are saying about the Mumble mumble mumble bass strum mumble mumble. But you learn that every song has an intro bit where he introduces the song and talks to the audience, and then the actual song comes next. This album is really only 10 or so songs long, not 18 While the stories may be nonsensical, and his voice is rough, the atmosphere is peak and the actual songs here are seeping with talent. I may not add any of these songs to my Playlist but it is very talented and 1 of a kind absolutely deserving a spot on this list. Eggs and Sausage Better off without a Wife Warm beer and cold women

A masterpiece honestly. Phenomenal storytelling and songwriting that's funny, relatable, and just sounds damn good. Everything just works. The concept is so fascinating and I've never seen anything done like it before.

it doesn't get much better than this gamers

tom wait’s persona is so charming, the band is perfect, everything about the recording of this album is so fucking cool what do you mean they set up a full bar in the middle of a recording studio, so much fun but also one of the most experimental albums so far in the challenge.

This is a great jazz album. I loved Tom Waits.

LOVE ! LOVE ! LOVE !

This more than an album. Its the sound, the look, the smell, the feeling of the coolest jazz club youve never been to. But I would pay a fortune, or a semi vital organ, to visit.

This is the best Tom Waits album I’ve heard by a huge margin. Tom Waits sounds like he’s smoked WAY too many cigarettes, but that style really works here. Soulful and funny and evocative of a very specific kind of bar. I was hanging on this album’s every note.

Absolutely phenomenonal album. Waits is really funny on MC, the music is incredible, and I love the atmosphere. Makes me want to sit in a poorly lit, smoky jazz club, sip a cocktail, and hear this live.

My favourite Waits album, even if it's largely an exercise in style. Waits nails the persona, and the tight backing band and faux-nightclub atmosphere do a lot of the heavy lifting as well.

Nails the atmosphere, funny as heck, and the jazz so smooth

SO good.

Immaculate vibes. I feel like I'm there. I can vividly see the painting in my kind that Waits is giving with his lyrics. The band is perfect. Might be my favorite Tom Waits record, it's such a treat to listen to

Splendid stories of 'emotional landscapes' and strange patty melts all across the board. I think the bassist is chained up somewhere (I don't know what he meant by that but it paints a vivid picture in my head so it stood out). I love this album for cleaning, it is one of the most perfect chore albums.

I see Tom and it's a 5.

While I tend to prefer the barbed wire gargles of Swordfishtrombones and later, this one is absolutely a 5. No better storyteller in music.

Wowowowoowow I LOOOOVE this!! The jazz club atmosphere feels so authentic and I love love love this concept oh my god. Easy 5/5 this is so fun, feels like I’m hanging out with a drink by the piano right from my office chair. Musicians are excellent, it’s funny, it’s witty, it’s heartfelt. Love it

Went in with no expectations - left with a favorite album

This album is everything I want in a Tom Waits album. It is the missing link when he sang like a (somewhat) regular person in the 70s but still with the storytelling that was strong with his 80s - 90s music. Listening to this album has made me realize that I need to listen to more Tom Waits as well, since I have been sleeping on a lot of his other albums.

I’m a big Tom Waits guy and this has always been my favorite of his albums (Mule Variations is close second). It's the first step in his evolution from "enjoyable but not especially interesting Leonard Cohen/Randy Newman facsimile" to "old timey hobo jazz man" to his seeming endpoint as "I think this man might literally be the Beast from Over the Garden Wall deep scary voice avant-garde character artist." I dig the vibe here and the concept is strong. You're at a jazz club and there's a crazy man doing a hybrid between standup and jazz. Also he throws in a ghost story. I don't really have any way to intellectualize this, it's just an album that tickles my lizard brain and honestly I listen to it the whole way through probably at least once every 2 months because I wish I was creative enough to make anything like this.

Eigentlich sagt mir mein Kopf, dass ich dem Album wenige Sterne geben müsste. Sehr lang, sehr viel Gerede, sehr viel Eintönigkeit. Aber dem Mann zuzuhören wie er gefühlt an der Bar einen Schwank aus seinem Leben erzählt und dazu ein Piano klimpert hat irgendwas mit mir gemacht. Ich hätte dem noch ewig weiter zuhören können.

Probably in my top 3 Tom waits albums, its just so chill and cool

A wonderful night in a bohemian lounge, house wine, bar snacks, swift repartee and boisterous jazz, with Tom Waits as a carnival barker/boho beat poet

Literally just a dude talking the whole time but...it was good? Head says 3, heart says 5

Sounds like Hadestown i love it

Yeah this is some good shit. Has Tom Waits ever done Broadway? Obviously I know he’s got a celebrated acting career as well but the fact at he sings (at least at this point in his career) is so presentational, theatrical. Like, he woulda been a great Emcee in Cabaret or Lead Player in Pippin; I’m serious! And here he can still sing. I admit to it being harder to get into his later stuff once his voice is really shot (he sounds like a singing corpse), but here it’s still just a pleasing rasp with mostly just a ton of character to it. Many of his vocal stylings and choices had me going “Yes, white boy - Sing!” But yeah, this was a delight to listen to. Perfect for a rainy, snowy, cold day. I was already listening to jazz, so essentially enjoying a one-man Tom Waits jazz evening was perfect. Sounds like a joy to be at; the type of album I need to get in my personal collection ASAP. Easy 5 stars for me!

You really feel like you're in a smoky jazz club in the mid 70s listening to Tom and his band groove. The music's excellent and the asides between songs are a real treat. For 50 years, part of the joy of a live Tom Waits performance has been his riffs and ramblings between songs. So much so, that his most recent live album devoted an entire CD length worth of "Tom's Tales." Don't skip the intros. They're just as much of a delight as the songs. Especially the intro to "Better Off Without a Wife"

One of the great "live" albums. Waits is in his boho drunk philosopher phase while also showing the chops to be a stand up. The inbetween monologues are almost as entertaining as the music! Here he's firmly in the jazz/blues part and the band are *tight*. The audience are fully on board and are having a great time though never having visited or lived in LA there's some references I don't get (but the audience love them so I guess you had/have to be there); you get the feeling you're actually there, and isn't that one of the points of live albums? Best Tracks: Eggs and Sausage (In a Cadillac with Susan Michelson); Better Off Without a Wife; Warm Beer and Cold Women

Great storytelling, love the jazz club vibe.

Such an enjoyable .. dare I say its fun Tom Waits?

What a wild ride! Will this become part of my regular rotation? No, definitely not; but it’s really good, and really unique, and unlike so many “same old, same olds” on this list; this album truly deserves its place on it. Great concept, very well executed.

labelmate. 5 stars for labelmates

Album 1014 of 1089 Nighthawks At The Diner - Tom Waits (1975) Rating : 5 / 5 A longtime favorite, I was genuinely happy to see it come up as the album of the day. Tom Waits has worn several musical personalities over the years, but this is where I think he’s at his absolute best. This is just Waits at the piano, a small group of musicians behind him, and a close, attentive audience. It feels intimate, conversational - like you’re sitting in the club, nursing a drink, listening to stories unfold in real time. The performance is wonderful, but it’s the songwriting that really seals it for me. “Eggs & Sausage” sets the tone perfectly — vivid, cinematic, and oddly comforting, capturing late-night diner life in a way only Waits could. “Better Off Without a Wife” walks the line between humor and quiet heartbreak, delivered with that weary wisdom that makes you laugh and wince at the same time. “Warm Beer and Cold Women” leans into Waits’ barroom philosophy - rough, funny, and painfully human - while “Phantom 309” closes things out with a spoken-word ghost story that feels timeless, eerie, and strangely touching. This album covers the full emotional spectrum - heartfelt, emotional, humorous, reflective - all delivered in Waits’ subdued yet deeply expressive style. I’ve listened to this album for years, and it never loses its pull. This is a special one for me, and one I’ll always come back to.

My only previous experience with Tom Waits, except for casual, incidental encounters with his work, was my review of Heartattack and Vine. I gave that album four stars. I loved the lyrics and the music, but I couldn't get past the distraction of Waits's voice, even in that relatively early point in his career (1980). It just wouldn't let me sink into the music. Not so with this masterpiece! I kept trying to find excuses to award it four stars instead of five, but I couldn't stop listening to it. I even researched and purchased a good vintage vinyl pressing to add to my collection. I overpaid, but it sounds fantastic. This record is pure late-night vibes. Here, Waits's voice perfectly matches his "nighthawk" persona. The banter with the audience is excellent. The humor, the seriousness, even the corny remarks are all so authentic to what he was trying to achieve. Historically and practically speaking, this entire record was contrived. Waits and his team assembled an audience in a constructed club atmosphere in a recording studio. We already know that his musical persona is made up of deliberate choices. And the musical performances are far more professional and polished than we could ever expect if we stumbled into a real-life dive bar. Some find this setup to be inauthentic, but to that I say, "So what?" They pulled it off spectacularly in the end. To me, this is just another unique way to use the studio as an instrument. The audience provided background vocals with their reactions and added sonic texture with their clinking glasses. Maybe they should have gotten a performance credit. I've heard it said that acting and musical performance are opposed. The former requires measured, controlled reproduction of emotion. The latter needs pure emotional abandon. But on "Nighthawks," Waits, a skilled actor in his own right, has built a cinematic experience on record, and I'll be damned if it isn't just perfect. Five stars.

Hell yeah. Waits is the master of bizarre cabaret.

In a world where contextualising music by reference to peers and influences is par for the course, I found this incomparable. That's not to say matchless in a superlative way. But in the way I cannot think of anything quite like this album. For a start there's 10 minutes before he attempts to sing, instead monologuing a pathetic fallacy about his emotional distress. The band improvise but don't take over. The artificial audience feel like they genuinely become a grateful and doting audience, interacting with the band - and whilst I know this is in a studio, it's difficult not to imagine this taking place in a late night smokey New York joint. Which is all to say it's an immersive listen. He also has quite the way with words, such that I happily listened to 'Eggs and Sausage' which is Tom pretty much reading a diner menu. Some of his Homeric epithets are delightful ("a dracula-moon" or a "monkey-shit brown Buick super" or a "skid-mark tattoo on the asphalt blue"). Underneath it all is some rather bittersweet jazz at times - as well as 'Better Off', 'Big Joe and Phantom 309' or the rueful 'Putnam County' are musical highlights. I had been waiting for a Waits epiphany. And it has arrived.

Pretty fun

One of my all time fav albums. 5 stars.

The quintessential early Tom Waits experience. It was a stroke of genius to put out a manufactured live recording so early into his career. The life and energy wheezing through this album, you can almost smell the cheap cigarette smoke. Wait’s drunk poet character is at its best here. I prefer his later more experimental records, but this album nails the tortured lounge jazz artist thing so perfectly, it’s always a joy to listen to this through in full.

Tom Waits makes music for cool and hip people, like me.

There are a couple of standout tracks, but this is one of those cases where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I love this album. I love how it was recorded (in front of a small audience like it was a jazz club). I love that Waits's voice isn't quite as gravelly as it is when I started to listen to him (late 90s). Just great. Love this as a genre-bending gem.

This is one of my favorite Waits albums and I'm thrilled to see it on the list. Great feel to the album with its live presentation. Outstanding stories and music that grooves. Bravo.

Caralho que foda!!!!!! Conta uma história q eu n entendi, mas o instrumental eh mto foda KKKKKKKKKM SLK 10/10

A great one from a great one !

"All i know is... if i said half the stuff ol' Tom says on this one, i'd be arrested... but... what a cool album... like a night out at a jazz club from another world... a world where you happened to be there the night a guy like Tom Waits was doin' it... it mystifies me how a middle class, California white cat could be so LA/NYC, seedy side type "singer"... in the vein of a Scatman Crouthers, let's say... or Cab Calloway... if you were in that otherworldly club... that night... you'd be witnessing a genius artist at work... i'm sure New Orleans at night is like this... i can't really recall... i was a bit inebriated at the time... and Tom "acts" like he is a bit tipsy... which allows the "wise fool" to spew whatever he likes.... and you are entertained by the audacity... and the musicality... to be in this guy's band would be a challenge to say the least... most of all, Tom Waits is a master story teller... FIVE STARS"

Hilarious entertaining and peculiar

They had to close that diner after the nighthawk infestation. There were eggs in the microwave and large, ominous nests on every table. Ol’ Tommy is back with an old album and I’m pretty excited. He seems to be a weirdo with a sense of irony. That’s a good start, but to make light of the nighthawk diner incident where we lost two fry cooks to talon related maulings, that may be a bridge too far. Win me over pal. Opening Intro - See, the bass is great. The weird, ironic club singer with his bow tie all loosened is funny. The word choice is fascinating and I’m hooked. Emotional Weather Report - We’re continuing in this vein? Hell yeah. He’s crooning a little bit but the poetry remains gripping and I’m all here for it. Intro to On a Foggy Night - is this really live? Is this really love? Monkey shit brown Buicks is crushing with that one guy. On a Foggy Night - All upon a fucky night. I’m pretty sure that’s what he says. This the cutting edge analysis you can expect if you subscribe to my reviews. I will no longer allow you to read them Eggs and Sausage (In a Cadillac With Susan Michelson) - I can’t keep doubling up the reviews. This isn’t shaping up to be a banner review anyway. My brain is truly failing. If it wasn’t, I would give everything to write like this guy. It’s hilarious and still somehow evocative of a deeply rich atmosphere. I’ve had some pretty dangerous veal cutlets myself. Better Off Without a Wife - uh oh. The old ball and chain anthem. Being married so many times that you’re covered in rice marks is fantastic. Listen, this is probably the worst song so far with the dumbest concept, but it fits the overall aesthetic of this whole thing. Keep it rolling. Nighthawk Postcards (From Easy Street) - Ah man, you’ve been to easy street?? Oh no, wait he’s across town from easy street drinking cleaning products. I have to admit. That’s a downgrade. Hope it has gotten better for Tom since then. Warm Beer and Cold Women - I think we’ve all reached the end of an emotional cul-de-sac at one point or another. How often is that emotional end at a convenience store/bar. This one is like a Randy Newman song for drunk adults. I don’t hate it. Putnam County - The poetry continues in a pleasing vein, but the piano is a little grating here. If this is a real live audience, he seems to have completely enraptured them. I count myself amongst the awestruck throng. Spare Parts I (A Nocturnal Emission) - YEAH! Fuck up that night before, Dawn. YEAH GET HIM. Or Them. FUCK. The car noises into the admission that he doesn’t own any Stan Getz records? Gold. We’re through the looking glass here folks. Nobody - We have a left field love ballad with what feels like an earnest attempt at singing from an inebriated performer who periodically remembers that he’s supposed to be doing Kermit the frog. I kid the man. Nothing is going to change the feeling I have about this album, and this song is actually pretty decent. Big Joe and Phantom 309 - Oh no. Are we going to get a TRUCKING SONG?? This is the ultimate muse for a true artiste. That bass is just RUMBLING. I love it. I love this. I am the Tom Waits kind of white guy, I’ve decided. Spare Parts II And Closing - Preausre and Plivelege to listen as well, gang. If this is a real concert and audience, this may have to go in the hypothetical Time Machine tour that we all inevitably imagine for ourselves. I have waxed non-poetically over this poetic piece of wax for its full duration, so I assume if you’ve made it here, you’ve either skipped my yapping or know that I loved this record. I’ve run into this a few times, where I’m struck with the possibility of a glimmering five stars upon the first time hearing an album. It seems disingenuous in a way, because albums need time, but I can’t fully describe to you the itch that this scratched. The self-aware goofiness, the brilliant, yet down to earth poetry, the virtuosic bass playing. I loved this and I’ll be damned if the fry cooks who were disembowelled by those nighthawks suffer any tribute beneath the rank of perfection. I’ll begin work on my Time Machine while you chew on this celestial display. 5 HIGHLIGHTS: On a Foggy Night, Eggs and Sausage (In a Cadillac With Susan Michelson), Spare Parts I (A Nocturnal Emission)

El álbum de Tom Waits que más me gustó. Ya de por sí me parece un artista excelente, pero a veces se vuelve demasiado ronca, como si hiciera gargaras casi, y eso me distrae. En este caso la voz es rasposa, pero con gusto. La narrativa que construye a lo largo del álbum es espectacular. La interación con el público y su enorme carisma te hacen sentir que estás ahí presente entre el público, tomando un trago, sin ninguna preocupación en el mundo. Las transiciones y la dirección de la música son estupendas. Puedo decir que sin duda es hasta ahora mi álbum favorito de Tom Waits.

Haven’t listened to early Tom Waits before and this was an absolute joy of a record. So so good.

Loved this. Truly feels like you’re in a tiny jazz club watching watching someone spin tales. Waits has a voice you either fall into or bounce off of. I can’t get enough of his raspy drawl. Album is often more spoken word than song. Rarely listen to albums twice in one day but for this I made an exception. 5/5

Brilliant concept and execution. Waits is at his most melodious and entertaining. He hadn’t yet turned to the abrasive and abstract sound characteristic of his later and more well known period.

It's a vibe. Tom Waits haters gonna hate. Jazz club haters gonna hate. General feeling of enjoyment haters gonna hate. It's honestly bordering on 5 stars. The jazz musicianship backing is incredible, the live audience adds a whole lot fun, and Waits interludes/comedy bits are awesome. Actually in writing this I have now changed it from 4 to 5 stars. It's not an album you can throw on on a Sunday morning before you go to a family brunch. It's a dark, sarcastic, smoke-filled booze-y album that pairs perfectly with a stormy Saturday night's TV Dinner after a terrible week.

That's a superb album. I shouldn't like the jazziness of it, but Waits's voice and general style carry me through that effortlessly. Five stars. Would listen again - and again.

Waits is 1/1.

Part jazz concert, part stand-up, part performance art, entirely a good time with a an intelligent entertainer.

Fav: Warm Beer And Cold Women Least Fav: On A Foggy Night Tom Waits never fails to surprise me. Three of his albums I’ve heard and none have sounded similar at all. Hoping he’s done more jazz because I’d love to give it a listen

Marca un abans i un després en la discografia de Tom Waits, un directe del tot diferent, íntim i musicalment molt potent. Un bon exercici de jazz de club.

Diner

"I'm so goddamn horny, the crack of dawn better be careful around me" Tom Waits is an absolute class act and this album is like lightning in a bottle, only quicker. This is an album of monologues with a light jazz accompaniment, i.e. my kinda shi.

My first thought: oh no Tom Waits, we all know what that means, luckily I've heard his music before so I'm pretty good with his voice. This is a brilliant album! It's funny, jazzy, great vibes, great voice. I introduced Tom Waits to Sarah with this on the way to Beetle and Wedge, got her warmed up to it by saying his voice is a cross between Louis Armstrong and the Cookie Monster. Really enjoyed this one!

This is a good album!!

One of my all time favourite artists. Great live album with a mix of stories and great songs. Brilliant.

Don't be fooled by what sounds like the gravelly ramblings of a drunk streetwalker. This is poetry of those streets, backed by amazing blues/jazz players. Waits is a storyteller who paints a beautiful picture of not-so-beautiful scenes from the streets. Liked Songs Added Emotional Weather Report Eggs And Sausage (In A Cadillac With Susan Michelson) Putnam County

Day587 - did the people at the club know what they were in for? i don’t know how much of this was improvised but he’s such a great story teller.

This is after his early jazz period, but just before he became the Devil in later albums. Its pure beat poetry, unfiltered Americanah. He really saw it all happening in front of him

Awesome. Amazing how well the band interplays with Waits’ lyrics. So cohesive. Such a cool environment.

The king of detail. Imagine this level of musicianship and storytelling at age 26. Genius

Great

Not listened to much of Tom waits before this album project. Really enjoyed this and in particular, 'emotional weather report'. There is a genuine warmth/sadness to this album. Yes, it wasn't recorded in a New York jazz cafe in the 1940s, mainly because it's from 1974 and it's acting.

Absolutely love this. Huge fan of slightly later Tom Waits, but you can hear the brilliance here as well. And the drinks.

I am normally a Tom Waits hater, but this was really cool! The jazz club atmosphere worked so well with Waits' voice and delivery. The live audience really showed off his ability to work the crowd as well as his humor. The supporting jazz group was awesome too. The album cover is really cool and is reminiscent of Hopper's Nighthawks (definitely intentional).

666

This was great, I think it's the only album with skits that I've really loved.

Rather than record a live performance at a night club, Waits created his own night club in a studio space and acts as leader of the house lounge band. Waits is a charming and deliciously clever and he weaves tales with beat eccentricity and a devilish grin. There's spoken word, crooning, and a bit of cool jazz, all of which are delightful. The whole album is an experience, and may be among my favorite live albums, whether is strictly adheres to that definition or not. I have never been a big fan of Tom Waits, and I've been very vocal about that fact. Swordfishtrombone opened my eyes (and ears) to Waits' potential as more than just a weirdo with a carnival barker's gravelly howl. Nighthawks At The Diner cemented the idea that Tom Waits could be cool. Here, he's still the tramp, the drifter, and poet with stories and songs aplenty. This is an earned 5

This album is always a trip.

Frequently crude poetry in blues. Must hear.

My first Tom Waits album from this list. And kind of an odd one to start with. I know that a lot of people sort of took offense to the 'fake jazz lounge' concept of the album. I think it would have been cooler to be a real jazz bar for sure but maybe this is a little more controlled and less real life which I think was probably the intent. Tom Waits seems like he'd be an interesting guy to talk to. Especially back in 1975. Especially now, for that matter. I've always liked his music - he's got such a unique and fantastic voice. Particularly as he got older. It's definitely not for everyone. This album specifically, he sounds great as ever. I love the loose feeling of this record. The upright bass, piano, drums with brushes, sax - it all comes together and fits so well with what he's doing. I know it's a fake lounge but take it as you would a movie - you know it isn't real but you can imagine being there in person to experience it. It would have been so much fun. I think a lot of people (most?) would get a little bored with this. It plays basically like a long monologue accompanied by music. I love it. 5/5

Loved this, I’ve listened to a lot of Tom waits, but never gave this album a try. Definitely a 10/10 and will be in constant rotation for me

The first Waits album I was exposed to. I think my wife loves it even more than me (if that’s possible). Great sound, great playing, great songs and the wonder that is Tom Waits.

There is no artist whose body of work rewards the listener for going in chronological order the way Tom Waits' does. Here, as Prince would later do on 1999, the artist refines his persona and his technique across an impressive, sprawling double album into something incredible, heretofore only partially glimpsed in his previous work. In both cases, the best was yet to come, but it's incredible to hear Waits see the whole picture, to feel it all click.

Well, I'd heard about Tom Waits for years but never made the effort to listen to him before. I've got catching up to do.

Brilliant

It's a vibe.

9/10 far from his best album, but he’s having fun and I like it :D

Another gem.

I love Tom Waits so fucking much :-)

Tom at his best. He has me at “I’m so god damn horny the crack of dawn better be careful” He’s great, the band is great, the crowd was great. Love it.

I remember this night. Houmous & chutney were the warm up act. Tom was late. We managed to keep the crowd buzzed for some time. We weren’t sure when he’d arrive. When he did, 4 hours late, he tried to apologise. Without taking a breath Len looked at him straight in the eye and said ‘Tom Waits For No Man’ a remarkable moment! 4.8

Was a vibe and I absolutely loved it. The talking bits were great, the songs were great, the piano. It was just perfect for me.

What a lovely evening this would be

I am surprised how much I liked this. It's like Raymond Chandler with a fantastic band.

I was not prepared for this album, but the raw and unfiltered energy that comes from this mournful grizzled old crooner who jumps from beatnik poetry to smooth jazz vocals to highly hilarious crowd work is both personal and breathtaking. I couldn't look away.

Tom Waits is perfect as always! Super album.

I loved this.

Overall: 9/10 This album is all about the mood. I feel like I'm in a seedy dive bar, half in the bag with a cigarette in one hand and a glass of scotch in the other. It's the kind of album you truly need to give full attention to and let the atmosphere wash over you to fully enjoy it. Tom Waits is the ultimate showman. He has more charisma and charm in his pinky finger than the rest of us have in our whole bodies combined. He seems like the type of man who would treat everybody like his best friend. It's no wonder that he ended up getting into acting as it seems like that was the next logical step. The idea to make an album like this is honestly genius in my opinion. If you don't want to hear a man basically do standup over some light jazz then this may not be for you. If you want to lose yourself in another world and vibe then you'll not find anything better than this. This may also be the highest rating I give to an album I don't plan on listening to often. Fav Song: Spare Parts I (A Nocturnal Emission) Least Fav Song: Putnam County

The recording setup is great, and the show is quite entertaining to listen to. :)

Didn't know what to expect, loved it. Very funny too

This was surprisingly good. It's so palpably Tom Waits, but also funny, earnest, and endearing at times. It's long, but it's a worthwhile listen. Shout out to the production crew for really capturing the ambiance.

Brilliant.

Sipping coffee while listening to Waits yapping over a saxophone just hits different.

I was surprised to find out that this is a live record? The instrumentation is sharp, and Waits' is as entertaining of an MC as he is a crooner. Relaxed, sexy, and breezy.

Tom waits for nobody

So good. So Tom waits

Unless you know what you’re getting into with this album, it might catch you off guard. The first time I listened, I wasn’t sure what to make of it, but now I know to save it for when I’m in the right mood. When I do, it really pulls me in. Despite the album title and the audience engagement, this isn’t actually a live album, it’s his third studio album, recorded in the studio with a small audience to capture that live feel. The whole thing feels like a performance in a smoky, dimly lit jazz club. Along with the shift in musical style, Tom Waits’ voice takes on a much more gravelly tone and a laid-back, almost lazy delivery. As for the singing, it’s more of a blend of spoken word and beat poetry.

Waits is absurdly compelling and magnetic on this faux-live recording from the greatest fictional venue since the Star Wars Cantina. And JESUS that is a well-playing band!

I'm still trying to figure Tom Waits out, but I guess we all are. Whatever this genre is, it's awesome.

Hilarious and classic. I love it.

The Good: First Tom Waits album on the list The Bad: The smirky giggle he does ones too often The Ugly: That the album is classified as Folk and Singer Songwriter Consider me a Tom Waits fanboy, which means I’d love to have a talk with all the people who give this album a 1* star, and complain about his voice… it is all an act, one large monologue almost, while playing the piano, and improvising… Pure poetry. Having said all that… not my favorite Tom Waits album. This is one where you really need to sit down, in an environment that oozes disconnect, with an ample supply of your favorite spirits… As a fanboy, I should give 5*… right? After all, there’s a blur drizzle down the plateglass, as a neon swizzle stick is stirring up the sultry night air...

Emotional Weather Report 2025 My little fluffy dog's got an appointment at the salon and I've got my Ugg boots and black Columbia puffer jacket on. It's winter with no hint or notion of spring or suntan lotion, just snow showers and snow plowers and a slow two hours browsing spare parts in Target instead of driving around in the slushy mush. There's a weak warm front coming in the form of a Starbucks Cortado, no rush in this suburban El Dorado. This coffee's not strong enough to defend itself from the hurricane of Karens tropical storming the shelves. I'm on a mission for diapers and a new brush for my windshield wipers. Listening to Nighthawks at the Diner and laughing at each one-liner. Yeah, Saturday morning expect things to be uncool but cold, that's getting old, that's life but I'm still better off with a kid and a wife. From Monday to Friday, we anticipate high pressure and slogginess, Friday night may bring a pleasant fogginess and the weekend's precipitation is familial frogginess, so I'm slogging through errands while I wait for her dogginess. It's freezing. Sneezy breezes with a high percentage of drips and coughs and congestion will recede following Mucinex ingestion. They're calling for 4 to 5 inches of the white stuff, and 20 minutes of labor shoveling out my neighbors because I've still got the right stuff. The emotional forecast improves with the introduction of tunes that move and groove, an album that is boisterous and humorous for a morning moisturous and cumulus. “Shopping music that's not too interruptive” might not have been the goal, but I'm a cold woman in need of chili in a bowl and Tom Waits for the soul and a warm beer. It's a high of ‘25 with a real feel of feeling real good this year.

When someone mentions Tom Waits to me, two things come to mind: "The Wire" and Nick Cave, the first one being one of the greatest TV shows that have graced our screens, the theme song of which is created by Waits, and the second one being one of the most profound and ingenious songwriters whose sound, heavily influenced by Waits, has graced our sound systems. Where to start? The excellent five-piece band led by Waits, the fact that this was his third album, at only 25 years of age, the fact that, even though it is a studio album, gives the listener a feeling of a live, unplugged album set in a jazz bar, his audience, his lively and humorous intermezzos between songs, his coarse voice, which adds to the realism of this record... I could go on, but none of this could present you even one percent of the record as well as listening to it would.

Definitely going back to hear this one again.

Kosmisk kaos stemning på = Eggs and Sausage. Det er klart det nummer som jeg er gladest for. Albummet er den, indtil nu, mest hyggelige, atmosfæriske, og intime live plade oplevelse. Det er langt, men der er ens tid værd.

Fantastisk stemning. Fantastisk stemme. Et suverænt album til at drikke øl med gutterne til

Such a defining album that helps appreciate the groove Waits finds and rides like a wave.

Tom Waits is one of my guys, if not my definitive guy. That said, I've not listened to too much of his pre-Frank's Wild Years albums. This was a delight start to finish. I would have loved to be in that audience. I would start smoking just so I could be at a little cabaret table with a tiny lamp in the middle, smoking unfiltered Lucky Strikes. Album Cover: (A)

I loved everything about this album. Tom's voice is awesome, the lyrics are funny, the crowd interaction is fantastic, and the jazz is immaculate. It's a very unique album. I love the concept. It was recorded in a few sessions at an LA club with the aim of emulating a classic jazz club. They definitely succeeded in that. It all blended together in a good way for me. It felt like one long experience rather than individual songs. I don't have any specific songs to shout out. It was super long, but that didn't bother me. 9/10

This put a smile on my face when it came up. First time I heard Tom Waits I was blown away. I enjoyed this album tremendously for several reasons. 5 stars.

I turned on the first song and hated it. Once I started paying attention to the music, I thought it was the best thing I'd heard in my life. I'd definitely sit at that damn with a slice of pie and some tomatoes for times he won't shut the fuck up. Fav Songs: Eggs and Sausage, Warm Beer and Cold Women, Putnam County

Unique classic, pure Tom Waits

Favorite Tracks: Better Off Without A Wife

Tom Channels a Rodney Dangerfield turned philosopher poet. Best SNL sketch ever. Musically I don't know that it was that special, but as a comedy sketch character study, five stars, glad I listened, would listen again.

Tom waits ist ein Künstler, den man mag oder ablehnt. Seine Stimme ist durchaus gewöhnungsbedürftig. Ich mag seine Alben , ich mag seine Arrangements der Melancholie und Baratmosphäre. Diese Scheibe kannte ich noch nicht. Aber wer Tom Waits erwartet, bekommt Tom Waits. Und das ist gut so.

Super moody, felt like I was in a Smokey jazz bar watching the show

Rarely can a man sound like a chainsaw cutting through a tortoiseshell in a hailstorm and still be enjoyable. Tom Waits is a unique specimen, in the best way.

God i love this mans voice. the vibes of this album are so good

Reminds me of going to local open jams at jazz clubs. Good vibes.

I ended up quite enjoying this album. The atmosphere works for me, the humor and rambling nature of the songs evokes a storytelling feeling. Favorite track is probably "Emotional Weather Report."

BL: Familiar with some of Waits' other work however I have never listened to anything on this record. So it'll be a blind listen. AL: this album reflects an anger which was rife within American society within the 70s. The idea of straying from the path and being present at the gig of a man your parents told you to worry about. The spoken word poetic jazz really strikes strongly here. The lyrics combined with the simple loops and interpretations and improvisations really change this into an astounding record, Waits is a showman - and completely deserves a standing ovation for this one FT: "Spare Parts I (Nocturnal Emissions)", "Better off Without a Wife", "Spare Parts II & Closing" 5/5

Fantastic. Very fun and cool listen

Amazing live performance that encompasses every bit of talent Tom Waits has. His players are amazing too.

Cool album. Funny crowd interaction. Jazzy and easy listening.

Hahaha, dit is niet eens in een echt theater opgenomen, maar toch echt in een studio (dank Eric en Wikipedia dat jullie me deze illusie hebben afgenomen). Want het album zet dat verlopen jazzclub-in-een-keldertje-sfeertje steengoed neer. In feite is het meer een cabaretplaat dan pure jazz of pop. Vandaar dat ik hem meermalen geluisterd heb om zoveel mogelijk tekstuele vondsten te kunnen volgen. Waar Waits debuutplaat Closing time nog erg verstild was, worden hier alle gekte-registers opengetrokken. Een soort kruising tussen Maarten van Roozendaal en Jules Deelder, om in cabaret-termen te blijven. Muziek uit de randen van de nacht, ik heb me er prima mee vermaakt.

What a ride! Love Tom Waits (and his wife who is the George Martin to his career).

cool

Excellent live recording of a wonderful performance from Waits and his jazz combo.

Makin' a scene with a magazine ... filled with pics of Tom Waits. ... When I say 'I Love this album,' it takes on a new meaning. I saw Short Cuts before I knew who Tom Waits even was and then I discovered him and realized Altman wrote that role based on TW, the musician. They are one-in-the same, (tho I do feel the need to throw in a little Ron Pearlman and Bukowski for good measure). There's something poetic about the loneliness that drips out of this album as he performs in front of a live audience. Tom Waits is an average musician, subpar comedian and slightly above average lyricist which is why it's so easy to appreciate and relate to him. Great album to listen to while riding a bike on the dark, dimly lit streets at the edge of town in the middle of the night.

This album is an amazing fit for Tom Wait’s voice. After the first two albums we had of his, I had minuscule hope. Boy oy boy was I surprised. Tom’s growling, low voice is fantastic with the underground, seedy jazz club feel. The jazz players are great. And Tom is fucking hilarious with his joking banter. Home run!

Waits ability to drill down to the most excruciating detail is what takes this from artifice to a painting with sound that comes alive. Putnam County kills. Thoroughly great beat proto rap jazz club quintessential Tom.

A tough one to listen to while working as, like hip-hop, much of the appeal lies with paying close attention to what's being said. I prefer Waits' later, weirder stuff, on the whole, but this banter heavy nightclub replication is awesome. I want to go to there. Fave track - "Spare Parts I (A Nocturnal Emission)" made me laugh out loud!

Wow, I am truly growing to love this artist. This is my third album of his and each one that comes I rate it a lil higher. Tom really set the atmospheric mood on this one. 1975, but I felt like I was there at that diner with him and other people. Laughing at the jokes moving my head, just feeling relaxed and chill. Sets up his stories and built interest. Comedic relief and great jazzy blues. This album was a FUN experience. As a whole it was amazing. Don’t really have a top banger list, but I am gonna add “Eggs And Sausage” to my playlist as a token of a perfect listen. Easy 5!

Amazing blues by the genius Tom Waits

Love it! This is like going to a dive bar and seeing the greatest show you've ever seen and wondering how this is happening here and why can't I stay here for the rest of my life! Witty poetry from a master of words I can't get enough of these stories and songs!

Love it

I absolutely love this. I can smell the smoke, taste the whiskey, and feel the dank air in the dingy basement lounge. His charisma is palpable. Love the jazzy arrangements, and the players on this are impeccable. The stories and jokes make it feel like he is the resident musician at this divey jazz club. I don't really have any criticisms of this album, but it's still not a perfect 10 for me. 9/10 rounded to 5 stars.

This is the album that got me into Tom Waits. And I love Tom Waits. 50% sleazy jazz, 50% musical stand up comedy. If this doesn't tickle and intrigue you I don't know what you get out of life, honestly. It's not his best album - ask any different fan and you'll get a different answer (the correct answers are Small Change and Swordfishtrombones) but still well worth five stars.

I love Tom Waits. The 70's Tom Wait was a development of Tom Waits the persona, while his later work was more musically creative and incredibly eclectic. Both are equally compelling to me. Because this is live, we get to meet the burgeoning persona with a live audience to play off. His backing band is superb and helps to flesh out the character that inhabit his songs. Yes, the small audience were invited rather than paying customers, but that doesn't change the power of the set. Essential listening for me.

Nobody's that stroooooong

Listening to this, I kept reaching for the non-existent drink and cigarette that were conjured up on the imaginary table in front of me by the atmosphere this album created. Even when I didn't get the 1975 Los Angeles references, the audience's delighted reactions made me share in the enjoyment. I loved the storytelling feeling of this, with Tom Waits' always amazing turns of phrases, e.g. "Just like a bastard amber Velveeta yellow cab on a rainy corner." His piano and guitar, and the rest of the jazz ensemble were wonderful. For being a longer album, and a live album, this held my rapt attention as I enjoyed the whole show.

I wasn't expecting an album like this from Tom Waits. It was delightful. I very much appreciated his laugh (when he amused himself). I do hope that this is his natural laugh and not the laugh of some character he was playing...

Well, I was apprehensive about what could possibly follow the perfection that is Lou Reed's Berlin, and seeing our fourth Tom Waits album had me wondering how this one was going to stand out from the others. I shouldn't have worried. The 1001 Generator had my back. Nighthawks at the Diner is an intimate night in mid 70s Los Angeles with a performer who is doing precisely what he was meant to do. The songs themselves are wonderful but so is the interstitial patter, poetic and musical enough that it was likely scripted and rehearsed but seemed completely spontaneous. Waits often laughs at his own jokes and had me laughing out loud, when I wasn't tearing up. Really fantastic, start to finish.

I listened to this without reading the wikipedia article and thought I was listening to a live album at some cool nightclub wishing I was there. It was a real surprise to discover this is a studio album with a small invited audience designed to simulate a jazz club. No wonder it sounds so good. Really fantastic. The band sounds amazing. The recording crystal-clear. Tom sounds perfect. The audience interaction perfect and natural. They really succeeded at setting the mood for this recording. It’s quite a feat. I love listening to this. There are laugh-out-loud moments, arresting moments, and a lot of near-perfect moments. And a jazz remake of Phantom 309? I’m stunned.

It’s just Tom waits talking with jazz in the background 5/5

This is the first Tom Waits album I had. I didn't buy it - since I had no clue what a Tom Waits was - and don't remember who gave it to me. I need to find out and thank them since it is one of my ATF albums. The first words Tom slurs are " An inebriated good evening to y'all". This  perfectly sets the stage for what is to come. There are some classic songs like "Better off Without a Wife" with the timeless lyrics "she's been married so many times she has rice marks all over her face". As good as the song is, it plays second fiddle to the intro which has such classic lines as: "maybe you whistled it but ya lost the sheet music!"; "by about 2:30 in the morning you end up taking advantage of yourself";and "makin the scene with a magazine". I can't think of a better album about drunken debauchery.  I expect the songs came to him without much effort and were simply songs about what happened last week. "Eggs and Sausage" and "Warm Beer and Cold Woman" are two other classics both of which also have excellent intros.  Warm Beer . . . includes the line: "I kinda reached the end of an emotional cul de sac one evening." and also includes the moniker "Last Ditch Attempt Saloon" that I've borrowed umpteen times to describe watering holes around the world. The line " . . . getting a lot of verbal and visual insubordination  . . ." is another one I've  borrowed repeatedly.  The best song on the album is Putnam County. This bad boy would never make it onto any respectable list of all time greatest  songs, but it's at the top of my list. With lines like "swizzle stick legs jackknifed over naugahyde stools" and  "mixed feelings over mixed drinks" it should be on everyone's GOAT list.

Excellent! felt similar to a jazz club atmosphere on an album.

Super!!

This is the kind of gem I started this 1001 Albums thing to find. I’ve come across Tom Waits a few times and knew he was some sort of eccentric, folk-bluesy, spoken word type of artist. I hadn’t heard of this album however, and the concept is wonderful - recorded in a studio made up like a late night jazz spot, Waits becomes this sleazy master of ceremonies character, delivering lengthy rambling intros to each song, slur-singing his way through, lapsing into a sort of standup comedy. The faux-audience whoops and applauds and laughs along, and you’d be forgiven if you thought the whole thing was impeccably recorded fly on the wall audio from an actual jazz bar. The music is clichéd in an achingly endearing way, Waits’ lyrics are lewd and poetic. I read a few negative reviews complaining that Waits keeps almost forgetting that an album needs songs. To that I’d argue that you need to expand your conception of what an album can be.

So. Bloody. Good. Eight stars.

Incredible piece of mood setting

Tom Waits always gets a 5. A legend. This album is fun and stands out with its pseudo-club setting. As I always say with Waits: if you get it you'll love it, if you don't you may well hate it. I get why he isn't going to appeal to everyone. No snobbery intended.

Poetry

Intro tem um monólogo interessante (ver tradução). On a Foggy Night também. Basicamente monólogos.

Everybody who hated this listened before 11pm

This was the first Tom Waits album to do well. It captures the feel of a smoky jazz club with its live audience. Waits is a natural performer and certainly knows how to work a crowd. As always, his lyrics find themselves with the overlooked of society and the music is loose but well arranged. He has a unique ability to capture the profundity in the profane and this album hints at his best work yet to come.

Tom Waits is such a crazy cat that I genuinely can't be certain whether there is a real audience or if it's a recording of an audience throughout the album. I'm about halfway through at this point and I'm enjoying it, it's very jazzy, spoken-word with "intros" to every song that are basically as long as the songs themselves and just Tom rambling about drinking, life, women, the weather, breakfast foods, drinking bleach, and whatever else comes to mind. I love this.

Caught me by surprise. I love easy jazz, and great lyrics. His distinctive voice fits the music well...

So Rowlf

What a storyteller

I completely understand why someone may not like this album. If that someone is you, I just want to reassure you: It is okay to be wrong.

I think there is definitely something about the street level storytelling and mumbling delivery that does it for me.. I'm easily a Tom Waits fan now.

First time listening to Tom Waits on purpose. Did not disappoint and I will definitely listen to more

Aw man, I fucking love Tom Waits. The playful banter on the album, the smooth delivery, the humor sprinkled in...it's the perfect calming soundtrack for a Sunday. A crappy college friend of mine loved this album, but I won't hold that against Tom Waits. Though now, of course, I regret waiting on Waits. Unlike that friend, Tom Waits is a compelling personality and genuine talent. Fave track: Warm Beer, Cold Women. Bonus points to thi album for being funny and witty as hell. Felt like having a conversation with a cool whiskey-drinking bachelor uncle.

I’ve never really liked Tom Waits, but this album is wonderful. Quite a joy to listen to, he really shines here.

Потрясающе

Прекрасен

Stand-up & blues concert at one time? It’s Tom Waits!

I actually already have listened to this one. In fact, I have it on vinyl. Its really a special album, and my introduction into Tom Waitts. The atmosphere of this album really makes you feel like your in some dingy diner late at night listening to the wise advice of some traveled troubadour. Truly a phenomenal album.

Cool album

This is the Apoclypse Now of ablums you need to hear! Maybe it was the rain coinciding with one of the opening tracks being a weather report but I was immediately hooked on the vibe of this album. Mostly amazing poetry but it was also funnier than most other comedy albums I've heard over the past few years. And the fact that it's all live was the icing on the cake. Someone once told me that Apocylpse Now is such a good movie but it's a shame you can't put it on all the time... You have to SET aside time to really soak it in, and that's how I feel about this album. Definately time well spent. A real treat from a geniuine and honest artist.

cool

Приятная болтовня под музычку

Tämä oli hauska ja tunnelmallinen levy, joka piti otteessaan pitkästä kestostaan huolimatta. Tässä pystyi hyvin kuvittelemaan klubin ja näkemään raspikurkkuisen viihdyttäjän kertomassa tarinoitaan yleisölle. Huumoriakin oli mukana. Ei hittibiisejä, mutta kokonaisuutena loistava!

Tom acompaña y reconforta.

Gold

perfect

One of my fav Tom Waits records. Brilliant.

I always thought this album was a live recording. But reading the wiki taught me something.

Always love Tom. Dont think much about this as music but more of a story telling with instruments. Its an amazing storyteller best by a mile. Not for everyone its an acquired taste

Humorously poetic featuring delightful improvisation and uniquely slurred vocals.

This guy diners

What is it about this guy that endears me so much? By most of my metrics, I should not like Tom Waits. He rambles, he does not have a great voice, his songs are a-rhythmic at times. It's a live album. And yet, there is just something about him that makes me want more. He speaks with the tone of an old, hard man. Yet I think he was relatively young when he made this. He wasn't even 30 when this album came out. But his bravado and voice betray his youth. I just can't get enough of him. While I do like this album a significant amount, I would prefer other of his albums. Still, I find myself wanting more of it. What a legend.

This is #day687 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's my third Tom Waits record already. An apt comparison I came across while reading about this album is that it's like hearing Allen Ginsberg backed by a jazz band. Yes, it is. The whole thing is atmospheric and makes for a perfect Friday afternoon listen. The fact that it's performed live, with no lyric sheets in sight, gives it a special kind of spice. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day688.

Not necessarily my style, but a good album still

Kind of silly but I really like it

This adds to the ambience of a nice dinner.

Прекрасний "концертний" альбом Тома Вейтса (як відомо публіка просто сиділа в студії щоб імітувати атмосферу маленького джаз клубу). Не та його ера, яку я люблю найбільше всього, але це топ.

The coolest album of the 70s? It isn’t the best Tom Waits album, and it’s not the one you go to for classic songs. But as an experience, it comes pretty close to sitting in the audience for a smoky, drunken jazz bar show.

endlich es tom waits album wo d band dörf richtigi instrument spiele. und er isch huuuuere funny und selbstbewusst und het s publikum im griff. hammer bis etz. ah shit ha mega wenig notize gmacht aber has fantastisch gfunde au wenn irgendwenn lang und nöd sooo abwechsligsriich aber er isch en suuuuper gschichtenerzähler und d band isch coooookin! christlieb on the tenor haaammer. vieri. guets vieri. jetz checki langsam wiso de tom waits so respektiert isch. das war sehr sehr gut.

This is what i imagine the diner actually sounded like. Cool and relaxed. A little clogged and stuffy but otherwise very well done 7/10

I thoroughly enjoyed this and would definitely listen to it again. I love the way it was recorded to sound like it was performed in a small club. The lyrics are clever and a few made me chuckle. I've always stayed away from Tom Waits because I've never found his voice enjoyable to listen to but this album made me reconsider and I'll likely check out more of his albums now.

I loved the "intros". Otherwise it was good.

Enjoyed this one, creatively scened and funny!

O clima desse álbum é tudo. Soturno porém divertido. QoA Vesper.

Album's got good vibes, what else can I say? 3.5 bumped up to 4.

Kinda liked it weirdly

Interesting stuff, and new to me. May well listen again and explore more (perhaps the studio stuff rather than live - it's all a bit 'jazz wanker' in the background)

Love me some tom waits! This was a great album! I really liked it quite a bit! Good jazz

Crazy lounge act and I love the performative style and banter. For everyone who is like 'I don't get Tom Waits' and honestly, I consider myself part of that group, this should be required listening. You might not like this either, but it made his appeal clear to me. Still like his acting better than his singing, but all of these 'standard' sounding songs being original is insane.

As spoken word faux live jazz albums go - this is great. In the right place and the right time this could be a 5. Other times a 3 at best. As an album I could do without some of the intros and applause. Accessible for TW and (more than) solid non challenging jazz musicianship to back up. Will go with the average.

I don't mind this album. It has a lot of personality to it.

Turned 3pm on a sunny afternoon into 3 pm in a smoke filled jazz club. Amazing atmosphere and some good songs.

This was SUPER fun. I loved so much about this. I loved the live feel. I loved that you felt like u were in a dark dingy smokes filled basement bar. I loved his voice. I loved his lyrics. I loved the humor. I loved the easy listening piece of it.

This is my first time listening to the loungey version of Tom and I have to say I’m into it. It’s not something I would casually listen to, but I appreciate that it exists.

You either love Tom or you hate him, and I sit on the former.

Big fan of Tom Waits. Wait, he has five albums on here?? hahaha okay chill out

Can’t believe that’s his real voice lol

Impeccable vibes, LOVE the patter between songs.

Tom Waits - elite songwriter and storyteller. This is exactly what you'd expect and want from a young Tom and for the most part it is delightful.... But I have to knock off one star for how jarring and conceited the pre-song chatter is at times.

Not usually my thing but really grew on me over the week really loved eggs and sausage and warm beer and cold women. Instrumentals were great and as stated funny mans funny voice really grew on me

This is a transformative album in the Tom Waits catalog. And it’s different for a couple of reasons. First, because his voice took a significant turn on this album specifically becoming more gruff and gritty which would define may of the later albums. Second, because this is not just a collection of songs it’s a conversation with his audience and almost comes off as a play of sorts. Knowing that he would later soundtrack movies and play roles in other movies this makes sense as an avenue to explore. Theres also a couple of all time Tom tunes on here. Specifically Eggs and Sausage (which is kinda the title track) and Better Off Without a Wife. Both signature waits piano diddys with rich storytelling and soaring melodies. My gripe with this album is while the format is interesting the added skits/dialogue make it a slog to get through. All that said a Tom Waits B+ is an A+ for most artists and I will revisit this again.

I'd heard the name Tom Waits before, but this was not what I was expecting. I didn't think I would like the more spoken word parts as much as I did. He's a hell of a storyteller and that gravelly voice mixed with the soft blues in the background really kept my attention.

Tom Waits seems to be quite a polarizing figure in music. I previously reviewed Swordfishtrombones, and absolutely loved it. Checking other reviews, I found that most people despise Tom’s music. I don’t understand why. It’s evocative, clever, atmospheric: almost everything you could ask for in a record. Nighthawks is no different. We find ourselves on a cigar smoke laden, whiskey soaked night at a seedy lounge where Tom is the piano man that puts Billy Joel to shame. I just don’t know how anyone can hate this music. 4 stars (4.5 really)

Tom Waits is really his own genre, and this album is a perfect way to showcase what he does best. He’s surrounded by a bunch of terrific musicians on this album, including, on piano and electric piano, Mike Melvoin, a member of The Wrecking Crew and the father of Wendy Melvoin of Prince’s Revolution and Wendy & Lisa.

Absolute blast of a jazzy conversational album with a sprinkle of political/social/slice of life commentary. Lot of fun

I tried to deny Waits’ character and presence, but as the album went on I once again found myself enraptured in this theater of the mind album. The imagery excellence starts on “Intro To Eggs And Sausage”, which rolls so nicely into the melody of its following song. Waits is at his best a few songs later on “Better Off Without A Wife”. I sense breaks in his bravado and persona, that this one isn’t just a story to be told, it’s a peak into his heart. It’s like watching a kid stub his toe and try to convince you he’s fine even though you can see he’s holding back tears. “Nighthawk Postcards” had me enraptured in the picture he was painting around 5:30 into the song. Lastly, “Big Joe And Phantom 309” was an endearing story that, much like the unfolding of this album, felt a little slow at the beginning, but by its ending I was hooked. I have two small issues with this project worth pointing out. One, as I mentioned just now, it’s a little slow to develop. I can’t blame listeners for wanting to turn it off early. Two, Tom Waits sings almost purely from the throat for this whole record. On Heartattack & Vine, he finds a more appeasing, full voice that comes from his gut. I liked that a lot more. I don’t think there needs to be this many Tom Waits albums on this list but damn I just can’t deny how he set himself up for success here. Light 4/5

Tom Waits confuses me. I dislike "singers" like Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Lou Reed because, well, they can't sing very well. But Tom Waits "sings" like a man who's been drinking bourbon by the gallon, smoking a carton a day, and gargling gravel for 50+ years...and I love it. Maybe it's because he's an absolutely peerless lyricist, or that his delivery is perfect on every line, or that he absolutely embraces the, er, uniqueness of his voice rather than trying to mask it in any way. This is a set recorded live with a veteran jazz quartet, and shows Waits in full showman mode. It's not his best work, even from this era (that would be Small Change), but it will definitely let you know which side of the love it/hate it Tom Waits divide you're on.

Really interesting hearing his jazziest album. Feels like this record is a turning point from his straight bar fly/singer songwriter schtick of his first few record but pre his really experimental stuff in the swordfishtrombones -> mule variations era.

This thing hit me at the right time, I guess. It felt a little like a randy newman album where you need to imagine yourself as part of the crowd/audience. The split between monologue and song is great for playback and wow were some of those long Some duds, aged jokes and yes his voice gets annoying, but damn, some of the banter is really funny and there are a few good tunes. I really liked Better Off Without A Wife. Im at a 3.5 and rounding up because the experience was super unique.

I don't know how he didn't ruin his voice with vocal fry. Overall, a very enjoyable album, though it was hard to listen to while doing other things. I can see this being a good one on a road trip.

Opening a set by talking about being horny enough to screw the crack of dawn certainly creates a tone! The storytelling and comedic asides made the jazz feel more accessible and entertaining. I’m starting to see what all the fuss around Tom Waits is about.

I don't think I would listen to this on a regular basis, but its a very fun album!

86/100. Some genuinely funny stuff on this record. It perfectly captures that smoky jazz bar, Friday night atmosphere. I loved this, it’s clever, charming, and full of character.

Feels like we are in the club with tom, cozy jazz with fun vibes. Like how he brings up the wedding march theme by mendelssohn in the track "better off without a wife" :-) Favorite track: eggs and sausage other picks: emotional weather report, better off without a wife, warm beer and cold women

Spoken word/sung jazz style brings the feel of a small jazz club to life. Relaxing and hilarious, Tom Waits nails his characterization. Would have loved to hear the recording with those in the audience. 0 songs added to playlist, but added album to favorites. It should be listened to as an album.

--(Opening Intro) --Emotional Weather Report...definitely seems like a fun hang --(Intro) --On a Foggy Night...sounds like he just got punched in the throat but it's still so silky smooth. how? --(Intro) --Eggs and Sausage (In a Cadillac with Susan Michelson)...dammit now I'm hungry --(Intro) --Better Off Without a Wife...elegant and sweet. and funny! --Nighthawk Postcards (From Easy Street)...I'm having fun with this but it's very committed to a particular vibe. not sure the second LP is going to be able to keep my interest. we'll see! --(Intro) --Warm Beer and Cold Women...something a little more serious. not a total vibe change but it adds another flavor --(Intro) --Putnam County...7.5 minutes is long for what sounds like an inside joke --Spare Parts I (A Nocturnal Emission)...we up the tempo a bit. still a fun hang but it's getting long in the tooth. honestly this would've been a solid closer but then the second side of the LP would be blank. can't have that! --Nobody...very nice but the lack of variation continues --(Intro) --Big Joe and Phantom 309...we drop the piano for a while and it creates something more intimate. I have complaints about the length and the lack of variation in the production but this does have just enough surprises to keep things interesting --Spare Parts II and Closing...thank you and good night

4 Ok, that's a good time

Let me tell ya a story about a chilly Friday evening a lil while ago, when I was called upon to help a pal in need move a dresser. I had to be towards the bottom of the furniture mover friends list, in part because of my pipe cleaner arms and refusal to do any non-cardio exercise. I just like going for a run, that ain't a crime. That dresser took some finagling. They had to capture their cat in a travel crate first, then we had to go through the front door and around the perimeter of the house with the bulky item, but we got the job done. We toasted the accomplishment with (cold) Michelob Ultra and (stale) Christmas cookies, and put on some records. I feel like this was a fitting preamble to what happened next -- my first time hearing Tom Waits -- as my old college roommate Brandon Slone dropped the needle on Nighthawks At The Diner. I mean, man does this challenge my understanding of jazz, of the album, and of music. It's equal parts comedy set and freeform jazz. It has these dense, bizarre, and poetic intros with impeccable wordplay. I don't think this album clicked for me til' today, months after my initial exposure. His observations (whether sharp, silly, bleak, or all of the above) just hit the spot. Combining that with his scratchy voice and jazz backline produces something so subversive. I appreciate now, that like a good hang after lugging furniture, Tom Waits has fun with the mundane parts of life.

Ok, Toma sm se potihem kinda veselila, ker mam filing, da mi bo mogoče všeč? Ne vem. Ampak, dj no, spet čez 70 minut? Uf. Hmmm. Not what I expected. V bistvu je zasnovan k live nastop v nekem jazz baru, kjer on skor da ne beat poetry izvaja & občasno pripovedno poje ob jazz muski. (Mislm, če bi bla zjutraj pozorna - nad časom albuma, kar sm seveda opazila, lepo piše 'spoken word'.) Zj pr četrtem komadu, "On A Foggy Night" končno mal bolj padam notr. Mogoč zato k prvič properly poje? (Alliteration <3) "Putnam County" je bil hud. (Na splošno, kul.) Fak, ne, fajn je bil. Padeš notr in je k da si del občinstva.

One of the coolest concept albums EVER!!!

To be clear, Tom Waits is one of my all-time favourite artists. The man has never put out a bad album in his entire 50 year career. Rain Dogs was my entry point - his most acclaimed album - and as a result I've always gravitated toward his weirder, more avant-garde later work. But I do still love his first few albums. However, Nighthawks was one of the last I ever listened to, in part because it's firmly in his early years but also because it's a live album. And yet, if a live album's purpose is to transport you to a time and place and make you feel like you're in the room, then this absolutely succeeds. Whenever I listen to this, I immediately feel like I'm there in a dark, seedy and smoke-filled club. As an artist, this is a different type of Waits, more humorous and direct, spending almost the same amount of time interacting and joking with the audience as he does singing. As such, it's an amazing snapshot into an artist who would soon be on the road to reinvention, leaving behind this blues and jazz-tinged period and venturing into the weird and wonderful music that I love him for.

How do you listen to this and not think it’s one of the most endearing records ever? This is an absolute delight, and Waits’ personality is on full display. If you told me before today that my favorite Tom Waits album will be the one with the staged jazz bar audience, I would have collapsed to the floor in disbelief.

Not at the top of my TW pyramid but this one sounds real good on a solo road trip. Must engage with it fully to appreciate it.

I liked this way more than his other album. Fun and funny and feels like hanging out with a friend in a smoky bar at 2 am

7.5/10

C'est parti pour une nouvelle entrée dans ce foutu marathon des 1001 albums. Aujourd'hui, on retourne en 1975 et on s'attaque à une bête curieuse, un disque qui sent le tabac froid et le petit matin désespéré. J’avais 5 ans à l’époque, donc autant vous dire que je n’écoutais pas encore ça en boucle sur mon mange-disque Fisher-Price. Non, ma rencontre avec Tom Waits, c’est venu bien plus tard, quand j’ai commencé à traîner mes guêtres dans les radios indés et chez les disquaires. Soyons clairs d'entrée de jeu, Nighthawks at the Diner n'est pas le Tom Waits que les fans de Rain Dogs ou de Bone Machine vénèrent aveuglément. On n'est pas encore dans la ferraille, dans le cabaret industriel concassé ou dans l'expérimentation sonore qui ferait passer Captain Beefheart pour de la pop FM. Non, ici, on est dans le "Early Waits", le Waits crooner, le Waits beatnik, le clochard céleste qui se prend pour un mélange improbable entre Louis Armstrong et Charles Bukowski. Cet album, c’est un concept, une arnaque magnifique, une pièce de théâtre sonore. L’ambiance ? "Club de jazz", mais pas n'importe lequel. Pas le club aseptisé où l'on boit du champagne en écoutant des solos de saxo polis. Non, ici c’est le rade du coin, le "diner" crasseux ouvert 24h/24 où viennent s'échouer les âmes en peine, les insomniaques et les poivrots. Le truc génial — et c’est là que le côté "arnaque" intervient — c’est que ce "live" n’en est pas vraiment un. Le mec a littéralement invité un public dans le studio Record Plant à Los Angeles, recréé une ambiance de club, fait couler l’alcool et enregistré le tout comme si c'était une soirée improvisée. C'est du cinémato-audio, et ça marche car dès les premières notes, on s'y croit. On entend les verres qui tintent, les rires gras, la fumée qui pique les yeux (oui, même ça on l'entend presque). Musicalement, c'est du velours. C’est jazzy, c’est bluesy, ça swingue avec une nonchalance calculée. Le piano de Waits trébuche juste ce qu'il faut, la section rythmique (Jim Hughart à la basse et Bill Goodwin à la batterie) est impeccable de discrétion et d'efficacité, et le saxo de Pete Christlieb vient pleurer par-dessus tout ça comme une sirène de police au loin. C'est chaleureux et organique. Pour un mec comme moi, né en 70, nourri au post-punk et à l'indie rock, écouter ça, c'est comme mettre des pantoufles fourrées après une marche dans la neige. C'est confortable et rassurant. Mais... car il y a un "mais". Et c'est là que ma note de 4 sur 5 prend tout son sens. Elle n'est pas de 5, et il y a une raison bien précise à cela. Le "blabla", bon sang Tom, tu parles, tu parles tout le temps. Entre les morceaux, pendant les intros, parfois même pendant les morceaux. Je sais, je sais... C'est le personnage. C'est le "hobo-poet", le raconteur d'histoires, le bonimenteur de foire qui essaie de vendre sa sauce. C'est du stand-up tragique. Quand j'étais disquaire, dans les années 90, j'avais des clients qui adoraient ça. Ils trouvaient ça "authentique". Moi, avec mon background de radio indé, habitué à plus d'urgence et d' efficacité brute, j'ai parfois envie de lui dire : "La ferme, Tom. Joue, bordel." Il en fait des caisses, il cabotine, il joue son rôle de loser magnifique avec un peu trop d'application par moments. Les "Intros" qui durent des plombes avant que la chanson ne commence vraiment, ça peut casser le rythme. On a envie de la musique, de cette voix rocailleuse (qui n'avait pas encore totalement mué en gargarisme de gravier, elle était encore un peu "mielleuse" à l'époque), et on se retrouve avec des sketches. Certains sont drôles, c'est indéniable avec un humour noir, cynique et urbain. C'est du Raymond Chandler sous acide. Mais sur la longueur d'un double album (car oui, c'est long), ça peut lasser. Cependant, et c'est là que je nuance mon propos (je suis un mec nuancé, malgré mon amour pour le drone monolithique de Sunn O))) ), en y réfléchissant bien, c'est aussi ça qui fait le sel de l'album. Si on enlève le baratin, on se retrouve avec un disque de jazz vocal assez classique, voire un peu pépère. Le "blabla", comme je l'appelle, c'est la texture, c'est le grain de la photo. C'est ce qui transforme une collection de chansons en une nuit d'ivresse racontée par votre pote le plus lourdingue mais le plus attachant. Prenez un titre comme "Emotional Weather Report". C'est brillant. Le mec nous fait un bulletin météo de ses états d'âme. C'est drôle, c'est fin, c'est désespéré. Ou "Eggs and Sausage", rien que le titre me donne faim et la nausée en même temps. Il décrit le menu d'un diner avec une poésie du quotidien qui force le respect. On sent l'odeur de la graisse de friture et du café brûlé. C'est une peinture d'Edward Hopper mise en musique. Et puis, il y a cette filiation évidente avec les artistes que je vénère par ailleurs. Nick Cave, par exemple. On ne peut pas aimer le Nick Cave narrateur, celui qui raconte des histoires sordides, sans reconnaître ce qu'il doit à ce Tom Waits-là. Il y a cette même théâtralité, ce même amour pour les bas-fonds, pour les personnages brisés par la vie. Sauf que Cave le fait avec une austérité biblique, alors que Waits le fait avec un clin d'œil complice et un verre de whisky à la main. Quand je réécoute "Better Off Without a Wife" ou "Warm Beer and Cold Women", je ne peux m'empêcher de sourire. C'est misogyne ? Peut-être un peu, ou du moins, c'est le point de vue d'un personnage masculin un peu pathétique, un célibataire endurci qui essaie de se convaincre qu'il est heureux dans sa solitude crasseuse. C'est une caricature, bien sûr. Waits joue un rôle. Il n'a jamais été ce clochard qu'il prétend être, c'est un bosseur, un intellectuel de la musique. Mais on s'en fout de la vérité, on veut la légende. Alors oui, 4 sur 5 car c'est un "bon album de Tom Waits". C'est l'album parfait pour une fin de soirée, quand les invités sont partis, que la vaisselle s'empile dans l'évier et qu'on n'a pas envie d'aller se coucher parce qu'on sait que le silence sera trop lourd. On se verse un dernier verre, on allume une dernière clope (même si j'ai arrêté, l'image est belle), on met ce disque, et on laisse Tom nous raconter ses conneries. On s'imagine accoudé au comptoir, à côté de lui, à regarder la pluie tomber sur le tarmac de Los Angeles. C'est un disque d'ambiance, au sens noble du terme. Il crée un monde et peu d'albums y parviennent avec autant de force. Au final, le défaut que je lui trouve (le trop-plein de paroles) est aussi sa plus grande qualité. C'est une immersion totale. On n'écoute pas juste de la musique, on passe une heure et quart avec un type. Un type un peu chiant, un peu bavard, un peu trop porté sur la bouteille, mais un type qui a un cœur gros comme ça et un sens du swing indéniable. Pour conclure cette chronique, je dirais que si vous aimez les ambiances feutrées mais pas trop propres, si vous aimez le jazz qui sent la transpiration et les histoires de loosers magnifiques, ce disque est pour vous. Si vous cherchez juste de la musique de fond pour un dîner aux chandelles, passez votre chemin, ou préparez-vous à ce que votre rencard vous demande pourquoi le chanteur n'arrête pas de raconter n'importe quoi entre les chansons.

A fantastic Tom Waits live record. It feels like a real experience with all of his asides, and it was clearly recorded in a small venue good for the kind of jazz Tom Waits used to write.

Enjoyable

This is a good record, executed well. It's interesting, but he'll go on to do much better stuff. Waits records are best when they mix things up a bit. This one drones on too long like the stranger you pony up next to at a bar that has an interesting personality and a tall tale or two for a couple of drinks then gets annoying by the third.

I need to be in the right mood for it, and it's certainly not my favorite Waits, but I still do enjoy it. 4/5

The best execution of a concept album of all time.

Really cool music. Great storytelling.

Classic Waits. You get a real feeling of a sleazy jazz club about the whole album, which was I think pretty much the point. Great album

Really feel like I'm in a mix of a jazz club and an Edward Hopper painting right now. Surprisingly humorous too. Faves: Eggs And Sausage (In A Cadillac With Susan Michelson)

Really fun. The jokes stand up much better than I expected - I guess most of them are just absurd. Love a few of the more serious songs. Love the whole atmosphere and vibe. Not peak waits but definitely a good time.

Some great lines in this.

Spare Parts I was my favourite song. Atmospheric album. Comes with its own ambience.

Favorite Track: Eggs And Sausage (In A Cadillac With Susan Michelson)

+ jazz + fajna melorecytacja + big america vibes + transik + ciekawe / ,,inne” + idealne jako podkład do gotowania + sama z siebie bym słuchała + fajny klimat kameralnego koncertu + gościu wydaje się mega mordeczka - niby nudne, ale w sumie that’s the whole magic of it - w sumie chyba nie mam się o co doczepiać

Weird but good

Amazing

What a unique album. Loved the jazz club “live” feel. Along with the banter. It’s a long album. Lot of depth to his storytelling. Not sure I could listen to it often but it’s definitely something that could be a “warm blanket” every once in a while.

Um belo disco de jazz, intimista. À despeito do exagero de momentos de falação de Waits.

None of these songs stand up on their own, but the album as a whole is great. I don't tend to like live albums, but I'd make the exception for this one. To me, live albums seem to be crappier versions of songs you like with added background noise. This one felt like a conversation.

While I do not believe this is Tom Waits' best album, it does give a pretty good understanding of what he is about. Every sone being met with a comedic story makes it fun, but after an hour, it can start to feel a little old. Still a very good album.

Tom Waits when he was more jazzy and hadn’t discovered pots and pans yet. Yes please.

Entertaining! Only Tom Waits could pull this off.

very funny, groovy, unconventional

Tom is such a weirdo, and I'm here for it. The spoken word bits are especially fun, like a standup routine. Top notch work, yo!

*Nighthawks At The Diner* I really like this one, but not for the traditional reasons that I like albums, which is concise musical statements of an artist at the time. But I like this one because it sets a character and a scene. I can almost see this character in a Scorsese film playing in a in a seedy Jazz lounge as the main character do their dirty business. And I absolutely love his flow of conscious delivery, which I'm assuming was scripted, or at least somewhat hammered out before recording. It absolutely feels off the cuff. If this is 100% acted he did he hit this mark perfectly. I'm starting this at a mid four stars and I think it could rise up on further listening. It's definitely one that I think I could revisit . I do like the atmosphere of the album because it really puts you in that in that setting. But when I think about it as an album itself, it doesn't feel like what I would give either a four and a half or a five, but maybe on further listening it may rise (8.4) ★★★★

hes so fucking funny dude

No idea what to make out if it, but I think I rather enjoyed it.

Entirely unique did not think that this would be anything like it was something I will go back to you to revisit. It’s to really fully formally my thoughts I don’t think I can do this off one spin but very interesting. I don’t know. I don’t know what this is piano man music but this isn’t piano man is this what Billy Joel was talking about as the piano man interesting is all I can say that’s all that comes to mind. Interesting. I wouldn’t say it’s my most favorite shit but it’s pretty cool it’s not often. I hear stuff that I feel like I haven’t heard before so for that alone, it gets a forward from. four from me.

My favorite Tom Waits album of the bunch.

Lovely