Nighthawks At The Diner

Really enjoy the sound of this album. Recommended listening.

I am familiar with Tom Waits and his distinctive and unique voice. His stream of consciousness spoken word poetry style is his trademark. Before I started this I thought there would be no way that I would rate it above a 3, but I am pleasantly surprised as the album progressed. Funny sense of humor and eclectic word choices made for a fun listen. Would I add this album to my normal music playlist, probably not. But I am happy having had listened to it.

Bastante rollo, pero canta bien y el estilo jazz me gusta.

Wasn't looking forward to this after my last Tom Waits experience but he is definitely suited to the live album and corresponding crowd work. Still don't like his voice but his banter is good and there are a couple of hear string pullers/laugh makers in there.

Now this is how Tom Waits is supposed to sound, I think. Up close and personal, but as a smoky blues half-singer half-spoken word performer. And his improvised stand-up comedy (if you want to call it that) is impressive - not easy to do for professionals and he makes it sound natural. Intro to Better off Without a Wife was hilarious. His backing band is super cool and the whole atmosphere is captured well (slick). A key knock against the album is that it's all over the place. Like we're getting whatever comes to Waits' mind, regardless whether it fits with the last or next song or whether it is nonsensical. All sort of diner-related, but a little frenetic. Still, very cool concept.

Some Tom Waits I love and some I just can't get into. This album has such a cool, downtown jazz club feel to it (by design). Really enjoyed it.

With enough time between listens this album is great. The gravelly voice, the poetic lyrics and delivery, the stand up bass… yeah.

A really interesting album. Waits does a jazzy, spoken word/talking "live" performance complete with a nightclub atmosphere. Waits is brilliant, funny and very engaging spoken with his trademark gravelly voice. The music is low key and quite good. I really enjoyed it, but it might not hold up to repeated plays and he has better records.

Classic Waits, enhanced by a live audience.

Ok this is really good and funny. Makes me wish I could jam with piano like that.

Very enjoyable

Nighthawks at the Diner is the best of Tom Waits' jazz albums from the 1970s. It transports you to what feels like inside a jazz club, very moody and atmospheric. The lyrics are great, sometimes funny, and the piano is always on point. A great record, beaing "Eggs and Sausage (In a Cadillac with Susan Michelson)" the highest point of the journey.

Jazz burlesque stand up poetry, LIVE!!

Had a rough start with this because I expected... you know ... Music! But as I adjusted, I really started to love it. (P.s. it obviously has music, but there are a lot of monologues too)

I can see the wide-ranging appeal, but this wasn't overly fantastic for me.

For me this is Tom Waits the way I like to hear him, jazzy arrangements that sometimes swing and sometimes torch (what's the verb for torch?). I love the banter between songs and to start and end the album. The album is closest in style to my favorite TW album; Small Change...which has my favourite song...Step Right Up. An easy 4.5 🌟 for me.

Standouts - Eggs and Sausage; Spare Parts I (A Nocturnal Emission); Spare Parts II and Closing A very unique sound I liked the jazz-infused instrumentals, and the vocals were engaging with the raspy singing and storytelling The stories in the song intros were fun I've heard of Tom Waits before (I'm pretty sure) but wasn't really familiar with him

It’s a really fun album that give a great live vibe, and really makes you feel like you are there. It would be a great show, but I didn’t really think there was a standout song. But, there’s a good thanksgiving sort of feeling, almost like Alice’s Restaurant

7/10

Really enjoyed this. Lots of charisma. Probably better on vinyl, though

I loved the atmosphere of this album. They assembled such a stellar band for this session. Loved it.

Ugh, this missed Tom Waits' birthday by like one day! UPDATE: This is fucking weird. I love it. UPDATE 2: "I gotta go see a man about a dog" is one of the best ways to end an album

7/10. I guess this album is so early in Tom Waits' career he hadn't figured out he could make his voice sound really raspy and awful yet. That said, I don't enjoy it lyrically as much either. Still I think the fake jazz club setting is kinda fun overall

I liked the live jazz club feel, though it was really long. 7/10

'm a fan of Tom Waits but not heard this one before. He's hilarious. No idea if it's really a live album or not but the crowd interaction ties it all together

Stari Tom je najbolji tom, preciznije 70te. Minimalno 3 albuma su stvorena za lagano pijuckanje uz kamin, ili samo šetnja po noći uz koje svjetlo na kućama, ulici.. Sve u svemu dosta dobar live nastup gospodina.

Really rather a splendid album.

Everything brilliant about early Tom Waits.

This...kind of kicks ass. I was not expecting that, but the jazzy, slow, relaxed feel works perfectly with the rasp and growl of Waits' rough voice. I really like this.

Loved this album!

Love Tom

This isn’t something I usually go for but by the end of this album I was really into it and even sad it was over. I had this unhealthy urge to pour a whiskey and chain smoke throughout the listen.

moody and lovely

He's like an old rascally jazz motherfucker who's got some SHIT to say but coats everything in humor...except he’s only 25. This is a fun album to hang out with.

unique album. it was funny.

Was actually pleasantly surprised at this one

Enjoyed it

According to wikipedia this was recorded live at a jazz club and the opener was a stripper.

.

where my lonely drifers at?? they were here all along. they've always been here.

good background music

Bastante rollo, pero canta bien y el estilo jazz me gusta.

I just love the concept of this. And there's no one like Tom Waits. He does what he does so well.

Boring. Nice, but boring

Me encanta sin entenderlo. Eso debe ser a hostia porque los del club se lo pasan en grande. Buen disco

Beat poems about diners truck drivers and suburbia

Music is smooth and buttery, vocals are rough and gravely. Somehow they fit together nicely. I liked this, but doubt I'll re-visit very often.

I dig this. He so young here. Such a mood music. You can feel exactly where he’s singing about. Helps that it’s got my favorite style bass

A good live album in what sounds like a fairly intimate setting with an engaged audience. Not TW's best songwriting, but the album sets a nice nighthawk mood with the jazz and the iconic gravelly voice. My favorites are "Eggs and Sausage" "Better Off Without a Wife" and "Warm Beer Cold Women" because I feel they best capture what this album is about. "Nobody" is a gem too, and "Big Joe Phantom 309" is enjoyable when I'm in the right mood for it.

I have never liked Tom Waits voice, so it's a big surprise to give the first album of his I listened to a four. This guy is funny

This is a very solid listen. The live crowd feel adds to the vibe.

really nice jazz and storytelling, kinda like a live album so it's best to listen to in order

Heavy jazz influence. Interacting/ storytelling with the audience while playing.

I had this on CD growing up and it fit nicely with my Kerouac/Beat obsession. His delivery of the spoken word parts definitely reminds me of Kerouac's readings with Steve Allen on piano - only with much more humor. Speaking of which this may be one of the best marriages of humor and music I've ever heard. Comes off as effortlessly natural and is a wonderful counterpoint to the slightly gritty and downtrodden world he presents here. And what rich imagery that just flows out if him. I always thought this was a genuine live recording, and in a way I suppose it truly is, just in a studio rather than an actual nightclub. I think the back and forth of the energy exchange with the audience actually makes this work much better than it would on its own. It adds to the atmosphere and probably the way be delivered his performance. A very interesting approach to recording an album.

jazzy v cool

Levy, josta haluaisin pitää enemmän. Leppoisan livetunnelman aistii paremmin kuin millään aiemmalla listan levyllä. Varmasti olisi ollut hienoa olla mukana! Valitettavasti levyllä en kyllä jaksa oikein tällaisia lähes spoken wordiksi välillä meneviä fiilistelyjä. Lyriikoihinkaan ei jaksanut suuremmin keskittyä työpäivän aikana. Better Off Without A Wife erottui joukosta aidosti erinomaisena sävellyksenä. Toisella kuuntelukerrasta (aiempien kommenttien kirjoittamisen jälkeen) tästä saikin jo vähän enemmän irti ja ennakkoarvosana nousi yhdellä!

Like Alice's restaurant in the middle of a desert

Fun blues covers, not as heavy as I had hoped, but an interesting listen nonetheless. I had high hopes since this is considered proto-metal and <strike>paved the road</strike> walked the footpath of one of my favorite genres. It's nice to get a glimpse of where it all started.

This is a live jazz album which I wasn't expecting. I like the commentary, and even though jazz isn't my thing I really liked the music.

I liked it! I dont have a lot of listening experience with Jazz, but it was relaxing and not overly distracting.

Atmospheric

Pretty cool atmospheric and background music. Like the combo of spoken word and jazz music.

Has Tom Waits ever seen an ENT specialist? Good songs, but you cannot distinguish most songs from each other.

During the first few tracks, I thought I would dislike "Nighthawks at the Diner". I got used to it by the second half. Waits' voice is grating; I know, I've already listened to two albums of his. The jazz accompaniment throughout "Nighthawks at the Diner" compensates for this. I could do without the intros, though. 3 stars for "Nighthawks at the Diner".

I like it although I’d like it better about 1/3 shorter.

I haven't liked much I've heard of him, but this album had a nice atmosphere. 3/5.

That bass player slaps, and it was kinda fun to hear him talk and use poetry as humor, like talking about how someone wanted him to dress nice and he used a lot of extravagant words. So I liked it more than I thought I would, even if he used some rapey phrases.

Really nice, but also a bit boring. It could play in the background, or not?

Jazz can often be sensual so it’s nice that Tom Waits was out there making it horny

Enjoyed this more than the previous TW album. Good listen for a stiflingly hot day

Не можна не відзначити класну атмосферу та настрій цього фейк-концерту. Я б ніколи не подумав, що це не запис справжнього концерту. Мені тут забагато матеріалу, забагато самого Уейтса. Я трохи втомився за альбом від його споукен ворду.

I went on a real journey with this. For much of it, I found it intensely irritating, because I really didn't want to hear him twatting on to his audience with a series of bon mots that they found inexplicably hilarious. And then quite a few of the songs weren't even slightly worth the long spoken word intros. But there are some songs on the back end where Waits' good voice comes out - the voice that makes his Waltzing Matilda so unbearably beautiful - and it's earth shatteringly good. I think overall, I'm just simply not the kind of man whose personality is 'I'd like to wear a smoking jacket, drink brandy and pretend it's 1950', so I'm not going to absolutely love this, but I am the kind of man who likes to be overwhelmed with sad emotions, so I do really love a few songs on it.

Rough and rowdy in the right way, although as a non-English native speaker it's a bit of a challenge to understand all of the rambling from mr Waits.

This is basically stand up comedy set to jazz. The album goes on too long for the concept - I was ready to be done with it by the end of side 3, but I stuck it out to the end. If I want to listen to funny jazz club antics, I much prefer Judy Henske's self-titled album from 1963.

Not my favourite tom waits album, but still has a lot of the early tom waits charm 3.5*

What a strange little fella Tom Waits is. The atmosphere on this album is pretty much exactly what they were going for, and the band is smooth and loose. It’s hard to evaluate a “fake” live album with few traditionally structured songs like you would a normal album, but I’m not sure Waits has ever made a normal album, so what’s the difference?

I enjoyed it. I had a bad prejudice against this but Its really enjoyable

Interesting. Loved his voice. Mildy funny. Music was a vibe.

Tom Waits isn’t for everyone, but I enjoy his gravelly banter, weird poetic turn of phrases, and odd story songs. It gives me a an American noir vibe. That being the case, some of these are too story teller / too long for me.

Ol’ divisive Tom Waits! I get it…his voice evolved into a Marlboro rippin’ Cookie Monster(I like his voice outside of his 3rd and 4th albums). The time of day you listen to Tom Waits really changes how his albums hit you. Every one needs to be at night time or early morning, the exact time frame his music evokes. He is a master of setting mood. I enjoy all of his albums at varying degrees and feel this is one of his misses due to its spoken word slower tempo. However, the first time I listened to this album was in the fall at around 5 in the morning…I enjoyed it then. Today it was 65 and sunny at 5 AM and the album did not fit the mood. So, to be fair, I’m giving this album a 3 because it has the typical moments of Tom Waits’ greatness on display but can also be a real drag of an album with the subtle, continual jazz behind a grating voice. Parts of this album really feel disingenuous to me, as well, where Waits’ voice borders too much on characterization. For those who rated this 1 star or have given up on Tom Waits as a whole, I suggest you listen to his first album “Closing Time.” It is one of my favorite albums ever, taking me by surprise as I thought the Waits you hear on “Nighthawks” was always that way. Instead you get a calming set of finely crafted singer-songwriter-like tunes that evoke similar feelings of early Springsteen.

Good. Good.

Not something I'd throw on, I don't think, but probably classic in some capacity.

I've given Tom Waits a 2, 3, 4 and 5 so far, but this avoids the straight :) My issue with this album is that even though i liked each of the individual songs, an hour and a quarter of it is too much, and they all start to blend into each other. I liked Warm Beer and Cold Women best; the bass in it sounded really good.

I enjoyed Tom Waits wit enough, and not having enough exposure to his stuff, is this his normal shtick, does it need to be for an entire album? In reality, my biggest knock is the fact that it was recorded in a studio, with a small crowd to simulate a jazz club. Why not just record it in a live jazz club. Tom Waits is kind of an acquired taste anyway, that I have definitely not sampled enough drinks with yet. It's not horrible, just not a Tom Waits connoisseur.

I've always enjoyed Waits and his boozy story-telling schtick and it works really well in this setting, in a jazz club setting with a great backing band. I laughed out loud a few times and this album could be considered a comedy or novelty album in some ways. But, Jesus, a little of this goes a long way. A double album of it is a bit much. There are some very good songs like "Eggs and Sausage," "Better Off Without a Wife," "Nobody," and, especially, "Big Joe and Phantom 309" a great, haunting story song. If he had made just one album and tightened it up it could have been a lot stronger.

A continuous performance of a sax/piano/drums/upright bass jazz combo with Waits rambling beat-poet-style or sometimes singing gravelly or raspy over the top with club crowd encouragement heard in the background. The music is good, and this third record by Waits showcases his story-telling imagination and creativity - a unique voice in both senses of the word. This list has 5 of Waits albums and this, the first one is also the first one that came up for me. I have most of his late-period stuff with more varied and experimental content and find it more compelling.

This was tolerable.

Not fully my type of album, but I absolutely get what Waits was going for. In the 300 some albums I’ve listened to, this has been the closest thing to a comedy album that I have heard. This is a storytelling album and a jazz album with a layer of sincerity dipped in a lot of satire as well. And I think there are a lot of people who expect this list to be all rock and roll, and can’t conceive of albums that explore artistic expression through other means.

🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑 (rounded up because I know I'm being too cautious, but truly, I wish I could give this an actual 2.5 exactly) Love Tom Waits's voice, the jazz instrumentation is really smooth, and the atmosphere, overall, is great, but I'm having some reservations about this one. It should bug me how much of a performance he's putting on—like, I know all music is performance, but I hate when someone is trying to be someone else so hard. Except—and I'm not sure about this, especially given the length of this album—I don't find it all that grating. It's almost, like, sooo overdone that it becomes like a cartoon character. The dimwitted goon laugh, the lisp, the ashtray, the slurred murmuring... it was just so rich that it sort of became enjoyable. True, some cracks started showing in the inconsistent humor and more inconsistent accent, but I guess my disbelief was sufficiently suspended. Still, there's some discomfort in the fact that he's obviously doing some kind of blaccent? And even more discomfort in the fact that I'm less bugged by this and more bugged by the runtime. 1: Bad | 2: Okay, No Desire to Revisit | 3: Good, Conditionally (OR Inconsistent Mix of Qualities) | 4: Great (OR Technically amazing but missing the sauce emotionally) | 5: Amazing

Unique concept for a record and I really like the atmosphere and the banter between the tracks. It’s just kind of missing the standout tracks other TW albums have to tie it together and outstays it’s welcome a little bit.

I listened to the whole thing but this was too long. A couple spoken words or ramblings would be fine but an entire album like this got boring. 3 for uniqueness.

really like this guy's voice and the really gravelly sound to it. also he knows how to have fun! love his interactions with the crowd and had lots of fun even though i don't usually enjoy spoken word. probably the most fun i could have while also admitting that i probably won't listen to this on the regular. just because i don't think it fits into my daily playlist fave track: putnam county may 29 2025 edit he was really not that funny idk what i was thinking 3 ⬇️

Am interesting contrast to Bob Dylan's live album from yesterday. I know this one was staged, but the audience is much more engaging/part of the experience. Unfortunately, Tom Waits tends to annoy me after awhile, and there was just nothing particularly remarkable about this particular album (beyond the live staging).

Far for being my favourite Tom Waites work, which I could state for every album of his I’ve heard aside from closing time. Bonkers in parts, unsure what to make of the fake live effect too. Mid.

I like the live feel of this. It wasn’t exactly my favorite but I could appreciate what they were doing.

I didn’t actually hate this. Instrumentally it’s fanatic, I love Jazz like this and it sounds great. I think Tom can be jarring at first but his perfectly suits the vibe of music he’s going for. It’s certainly different and probably not one I’ll listen to again but I enjoyed some of it.

Shady lounge lizard that is doing a stand-up routine with jazz orchestration. ok to listen to it once, not sure if i would listen to it again.

Not my type of blues or jazz. I prefer the bb king, Stevie Ray Vaughn type blues. This ok to listened to once in a while

Interesting and funny. This guy has a funny look on life. I enjoyed it.

Live recording of a smoky jazz performance. This is my first experience of Tom waits and enjoyed it.

Very unique and full of character. It's too long for my taste, but nevertheless a cool experience. 6/10

Really not the most interesting thing Tom Waits has ever done, has a cool live feel but it really is all the same, definitely some cool tracks here and there though

This is my fourth Tom Waits album, one day after getting my 5th PJ Harvey album, but I'm not quite as annoyed by Waits having another album in the book. His sound tends to vary from album-to-album a bit more than PJ Harvey's music seems to. Still, I questioned whether we needed a 3rd Tom Waits album in here and I still have that question for Nighthawks at the Diner. I listened to it one time with the intros and then listened to it after that with just the songs. My conclusion is I could have gone without the intros, but I also understand that is part of the conceit. Nighthawks at the Diner does have a "jazzy club feel" to it, so in that way Tom Waits succeeded. I think I have another two Tom Waits albums after this one, including his debut album, which I am excited to hear. A lot of these songs sounded very same-y to me and I have a feeling this one is going to take multiple listening's before it can be enjoyed, or maybe I just don't worship Tom Waits enough to love this album. The cumulative score for this one is a "3" and that's absolutely a perfect score. It's a fine album and the music is fine. If you don't like Tom Waits, then this won't stand out for you and if you worship Tom Waits then this will be brilliant. Count me in the middle...still.

yeah yeah old man

Es como si fuera un Jazz con milonga, como si fuese la payada yankee. No es algo que me encante ni que pondria de fondo, pero no es malo al oido, no se dificulta escuchar. Y me parece buen arte. 6/10

Disco para para oir a la noche y pensar que estás en un club de jazz. No sabía que existía. Es para amantes de Tom Waits.

What a mood.

Pretty fun album. I liked that it was live - made a difference for sure.

Thank you Mr. Waits for another ROPE… of SAND!

Not really a Tom Waits fan but this was at least done in a way that was entertaining, I appreciated the jazz band playing along with him.

I really enjoyed this. More than I was expecting. Would listen again, late at night, maybe.

tá, é melhor do que eu achei que fosse ser? 100% beatnik de barzinho, o que ainda não é bom vou dar absurdas 3 estrelas aqui pela ambientação, mas continuo não gostando do tom waits

a voz dele me irrita e o album eh mei longo mas a ambientação é maneirinha. e eh bem puxadinho prum jazz com spokenword, só falano besteira. é o melhorzinho dele até agora. genuinamente gostei de warm beer and cold women. mas ainda nao eh mto pro meu bico nao

Unique and interesting but this man’s voice is so grating you’ll grow tired of it by the end of the album.

Review - not his best work. There are some good songs and he's a good performer, but I don't like that it's recorded in a fake jazz club. Something really bothers me about the fakeness of it all. It becomes a bit of a self parody after a while, a not quite jazz singer, singing his not quite jazz songs in a pretend jazz club atmosphere. I just don't like it. Rating - 5.5/10 Need to hear? YES

A rollicking night at the diner w a true vagabond poet

This is more like stand-up with songs. It's enjoyable? But I don't find Tom Waits voice enjoyable. More of an entertainment experience than an album. Cool in concept, would be better in person. Wouldn't listen to it again though.

3/29 Interesting. Can't describe it any other way

I get that it perfectly sets a mood, but Tom Waits has better efforts

I can't entirely decide if I like this or not

I'm gonna say yes.

This comedy club style album mostly falls flat, but the relaxed jazz is good enough to have on in the background.

Primer álbum en directo para Tom, y no de cualquier manera: Michael Melvoin al piano, Jim Hughart al contrabajo, Bill Goodwin a la batería, y Pete Christlieb al saxofón. Era una sección rítmica completamente de jazz. Como público un montón de amigos, un bar, patatas en las mesas y dos conciertos completos, el 30 y el 31 de julio de 1975. Al comienzo había una stríper. Después entró Waits y cantó "Emotional Weather Report". Luego se encaró a la banda y leyó los anuncios clasificados de la prensa mientras tocaban... Impresionante Better Off Without a Wife, con su intro, su melodía (recuerda a Martha de su debut Closing Time apenas 2 años antes) y su romántico final. Una experiencia que no se debe perder.

Not my favourite Tom Waits album. Because of all the comedy and spoken word and because it focuses on mood rather than songs, "Nighthawks at the Diner" isn't an album I would listen to again and again.

5/10

I know I would’ve loved being in the audience for this one, but it was a little too long/repetitive to listen to while stuck in traffic. The first few songs were fine, but I found myself wondering if anything would really hook me. Then “Better Off Without A Wife came on, and for at least a little bit I was completely locked in. I haven’t felt as strongly about a song on an album that I was otherwise lukewarm on, so it gets some props for that. 2.5-3

Bluesy growl

This was tough because I really like Tom Waits, but this is my least favorite mode for him. I think it's cool that he captured the jazz club vibe, but I don't like jazz. I think it's cool that he mixed comedy and spoken word into a musical album, but I didn't actually enjoy it that much.

At first I thought I was going to hate this, but it grew on me. I'm not sure if it's a bit or if he was trying to be funny... it kind of matters because if he was trying to be an actual comedian, it was very hit and miss. If he was playing a character of a mediocre comedian, he nailed it. Anyway, the backing band was awesome, and there are a lot of really cool lines throughout the songs. I'd have to listen to it again to let it sink in. Pretty solid.

I enjoyed it at first, but after listening to a song that was 8 consecutive minutes of Waits rambling about breakfast food over the same piano chords, I started to become fatigued.

Well Thomas, I liked this album, *despite* your voice. Actually his voice works okay in this one.

Hifiman HE6se v2 SE Artwork: ☕🍽️🚬 Production (Remastered): 😌👂🧈 Music: 🎷🍸🌃 Rating: 🍳➕🌭/5

It is inexplicable to me that I didn't hate this. I can't ever see myself intentionally putting something like this on. But at the same time, I don't mind it as background music in the least.

His voice is too gritty and pungent. Jazzy music is very solid and balances his vocals. Overall it’s a pleasant listen. But then this album is tooo long. -1 star for the length.

after completing the album, i was reading reviews of Kollaps from other folks to gain some prospective. some of the reviews gave me an interesting viewpoint, where people were rating things not about how they liked it, but how they valued it as a work of art. that said, i am not musician. i am not much of an artist in any way. but, i think there is something cool, yet incredibly pompous, about this man creating an entire character, studio set as a jazz club, and then recording an album in it. in terms of likability, i would give this a 2.5. its a fine listen. Tom Waits clearly feeds off the crowd and theyre having just as good of a time. the speaking parts are filled with jokes, but i think a lot of those haven't aged particularly well. in terms of concept, its a cool concept. it does feel pretentious, but its a good reminder that sometimes art is pain, or whatever artists say. ill give it a three, combining the "artsy" review and then how much i like it. overall its a cool concept, and i dig the live show vibes even if its a studio. i think, honestly, i would like it a lot more if it wasn't Tom Waits. the studio musicians he has are great, and carry him along so seamlessly. all in all, thats art, baybee

I like it! Tom Waits is such an odd bird. Great songwriter with interesting views on the world and life. Not a great voice, but sometimes that growl just works for what he's doing. Having heard a few of Tom's albums, I was a bit shocked by this one. Never even heard of it before. But I love the vibe with the small jazz club feel. It's honestly the most Live Live album I've heard. It makes me feel like I am sitting in a crowd in a small bar. I like the banter and the song choices are cool. It's one of those albums that I can understand why people don't like it. But I think it's a cool experiment that paid off well. The bassist is dong a TON of heavy lifting on this recording. All the musicians seem qualified, but he's taking the stage. Is this groundbreaking? Did it change music? Did it influence other bands? Nah. Is it worth listening to at least once? Will I come back to it again sometime? Definitely!

"Nighthawks at the Diner" is the third studio album by American singer, songwriter and composer Tom Waits. Spoken word and jazz are the Wiki-listed genres. The album was recorded over four sessions at the Los Angeles Record Plant Studio in front of a small invited audience, organized by producer Bones Howe, to recreate the atmosphere of a jazz club. Tom Waits is on vocals and plays piano and guitar. The backing band included Pete Christlieb (tenor saxophone), Bill Goodwin (drums), Jim Hughart (upright bass) and Mike Melvoin (pianos). Commercially, the album reached #164 on the US 200 Billboard Chart and, critically, it was acclaimed for its mood setting, capturing a jazz-club atmosphere. The album opens with an intro with jazz music playing and Tom Waits with his gritty voice saying hello and telling jokes. Some pretty good ones too -"I'm so horny the crack of dawn better beware." The first formal song (if you want to call it that) is "Emotional Weather Report" with Waits reading a weather report and equating it with his post-break-up emotional state. Bass and tenor sax lead the way. Waits takes us down the road of a late-nighter in LA in the 11-minute "Nighthawk Postcards (From Easy Street)." Some jazz improvisation as well as lyrically. A bluesy beat pervades "Warm Beer and Cold Woman." Waits is actually singing in a soulful voice. A sultry sax. More heartbreak and loneliness drowned out or enhanced by alcohol. "Nobody" is a love song. Piano led. Waits' vocals are heartfelt. I have to be honest, I was initially confused listening to this. I'm thinking "is this a comedy album? And why is this part of the 1,001?" I used to the Tom Waits uniqueness but this one had me. It eventually came around for me with the jazzy background with the sax and piano. Waits' delivery is spoken word and singing with his unique voice. The lyrics can be humorous, poetic, melancholic, heartfelt and sometimes meaningless. Is this an album for everyone? Absolutely not, but if you are a Tom Waits' fan, it's one you'll want to check out.

🙂 it grew on me

Tom Waits has a swagger about him that is undeniable. I can't see myself putting this on randomly, but I do enjoy it. I probably won't spend much time with this album after this listen, but I do wonder if this would get better with time or is it just a novelty?

I still don’t enjoy Tom Waits and can’t believe I’ve had to listen to three of his albums on this list, but I think this is the first album where I kind of get it

I kinda think every Tom Waits album sounds like he’s singing in a nightclub, so this seems fitting

3.5

Jazzy improvisational story telling that was a bit humorous at times. But the whole album kinda sounded the same throughout, so hard to keep track of when each new song started and ended.

Interesting and odd.

Thought I would really not enjoy this and not get through it, but actually listened to all the songs. Could see myself watching a live show in a club. Probably not sit listening, it feels more of a be there live type of thing.

Have to give it a bit more credit than his other albums, his voice sounds better and it’s an interesting experience with the long spoken word segments. 3 stars

Tengo un soft spot por TW, aunque eso signifique que no puedo escucharlo delante de otros, porque comienzan las miradas raras y las solicitudes de que saque al voz de tarro oxidado y cambie la musica.

Tom's a weird guy

1 hora de album :0 FAVS (top 3): on a foggy night, eggs and sausage, better off without a wife mençoes honrosas: - é um album ao vivo, me rachei com as risadas e as palmas KKKKKK n prestei mt atençao na letra mas é um bom album ambiente, mas nada taoooo surpreendente, é legal pelo menos, parece q tu ta nesse lugarzinho ouvindo uns jazz etc mas acho q nao é um album que DEVA ouvir antes de morrer, principalmente se vc n gosta, eu gosto ent ta safe. mas é bom ouvir ele sequencial e inteiro pra ter a vibe, por ser um projeto de ouvir inteiro aumenta os pontos cmg nota final: 3/5

It's bordering the line between music and a comedy show, I can give it no more than a 3. It's a good listen but I think its better as a story rather than an album.

oneon

5/10

Tom Waits' stuff is a guaranteed intresting time. This grabbed me less that some of his later stuff I've heard, but was a fun listen nontheless.

I'm a Tom Waits fan and it pains me to give this a 3. Probably my least favourite Waits album. Would have been better live, I'm sure.

This man is performing standup jazz??? I don’t think I’ve heard anything quite like this.

This is a strange one. I wouldn't say I liked it, exactly, but I got soaked up in the atmosphere. I'm there with the crowd. I appreciate the art rather than the singing. I get it. Doesn't mean I like it, but it's well done. It's pretty immersive and engaging. Reminds me of the bar in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

Interesting album in that it's a "studio" album that was recorded with a live audience over the course of two nights. It definitely makes you feel like you are just listening to a live band playing in a little jazz club. Definitely great as background music for me, but it was quite long and seemed a bit repetitive.

First tom waits, I mostly enjoyed it!

Gillade ändå mer än väntat! Trots att det är mer åt poesiuppläsningshållet

Tom Waits is, deservedly, a legend. His gravelly voice is unmistakable. In this album, he plays a carousing, rapscallion served over a warm & comfortable jazz lounge act sound. The skill required to riff this way, for this long is remarkable. This is an album about a raconteur— so there’s a lot of talking, even when Waits is not “singing.” It’s great — but the intros would wear after multiple listens. An excellent performance, but a 3, as an album.

Waits in lounge mood. Not the best Waits album, but I still enjoy him a lot. 3.5 stars

Feels like a jazz club in many ways. Not unpleasant but not my favourite. Great on me through out.

Wasn't sure at the start with the intro discussions to each song. But this did grow on me over the album and raspy voice and jazzy tunes work for me.

Gravelly voice, plinketty plonk fingers, jazz club whooping. Hubba bubba.

Quite liked some tracks

This was my intro to Tom Waits and I’m…confused. The music is good. All jazz for this album. The lyrics are ok? Lots of silliness, lots of breakfast food descriptions? Not really sure what to do with this.

I like this even though it was odd. It felt like he was building up to something but it never quite showed up. Too bad because I like the ambiance that this created.

Too many talking intros. Otherwise, decent enough. Eggs and Sausages is a good song.

My least favourite of his 70s albums. Fine to go conceptual with the live in the studio as a jazz club thing capturing Waits' with an audience but he just didn't have the songs this time to pull it off. I can also understand why its uniqueness would be catnip to music writers. However, Small Change would be a much better choice.

Thoughts before listening: I enjoy Tom Waits in general. He's definitely an acquired taste, but I like the jazzy, bluesy persona as well as his songwriting. I know that this is an earlier album before he had evolved his persona into more of a demented carnival barker. In these days he was more drunken beatnik poet. I think I'll like this. Review: So this is a live album which I was not expecting. To be exact, its essentially a fake live album with a jazz club manufactured in a studio to try and capture Tom Waits' live persona. Its okay. I really dig the non-stop jazz music backing these songs although Tom Wait's coffee shop open mic style comedic spoken word is not necessarily what I was hoping to hear. This is almost more of a comedy album than a music one. While there are certainly some songs on here, its hard to really distinguish them as such since its essentially a continuous monologue from Tom. I'll give this 3-stars for the actual music and overall vibes, but this is not my favorite from Tom.

This has a great feel.

Probably my favorite of the three Tom Waits albums I've listened to on this project so far. Stand up comedy set to bluesy jazz music.

They chose the weakest of Tom Waits' 70s albums LOL what are they dooooinggg

Yet more Tom Waits? The author has a man crush. Fine: A rambling drunk with a pretty good voice and a gift for gab. In this case, a live album comedy routine, and far better than his more serious endeavors. He’s climbing in the charts for me… not saying much.

I was unfamiliar with Tom Waits. This first struck me as kinda odd spoken word, but the more I listened to it the more i started to enjoy it.

Nighthawks at the Diner The recreation of a smoky jazz blues bar is spot on, but I can’t quite work out whether it’s in earnest or tongue in cheek, and either way I didn’t really care for it that much, I found it a slightly irritating affectation, and it really reminded me of the scene from Weird Science when Anthony Michael Hall is drunk in a bar pretending to be a blues man. Still, the band are great, particularly the double bass and as it’s Tom Waits, it has a degree idiosyncratically brilliant charm, and some of the songs are very good, particularly On a Foggy Night, Eggs and Sausage, Nighthawk Postcards, Spare Parts I and Big Joe and Phantom 309, all of them evoking the Edward Hopper feel he’s going for. But ultimately it's not my favourite of his, I think the other albums on this list are a bit more interesting, and the gimmick of the jazz club atmosphere is tiring, so I’ll go 3. 🌃🌃🌃 Playlist submission: Big Joe and Phantom 309

J'ai mis 2 au Johnny Cash de Folsom Prison. Ici c'est plus ou moins la même chose sauf que c'est pas des bandits mais une fausse audience. En plus le gars a la voix du méchant dans Kingsman 1, mais pourtant j'ai bien vibé.

Interesting pick for Waits. I don’t know how catalog that well but am a fan of his later work. This was an interesting insight into his early work but something I’ll come back to

3

At first I thought, wow this is cool and different. And then after 5 cigarette voice songs and lots of jumbled words that I couldn't understand I was over it. I'm glad I know it though.

Got that I just smoked 2 packs and I am ready to tell you a story vibe. Cool concept to produce a studio album that feels like a live jazz club recording. Tom is witty and the music is decent, but not something I would revisit.

Waits always has an interesting vibe with him.

It’s been a minute since I’ve had a Tom Waits album, and here is my fourth album of his to review (also, this is my third album from 1975 this week). My most recent Tom Waits album was Heartattack and Vine, which I reviewed over 500 albums ago. I thought Heartattack and Vine was fine, I thought Bone Machine was really good, but I absolutely loved Rain Dogs. Reading the description and reviews of this album does give me some pause though. I enjoy hearing Tom Waits sing, and it doesn’t sound like he does much of that on this album, instead opting to deliver spoken words over jazz music. Hmm. Well, I guess it’s time to go to Tom’s Diner… er… Nighthawks at the Diner/Studio. I have a lot of feelings about this album. I really thought I was going to hate listening to this, and is it got started, I could feel the bitter hater inside me start to come out. But as I got settled in, I kinda enjoyed Nighthawks at the Diner. The live audience was a mixed bag for me. There were times that they laughed at things that weren’t really that funny, and it felt really awkward. But the presence of the audience really gave this album an excellent atmosphere. Before listening to this, I read that it was recorded in a studio, but part of the way through this album, I thought to myself “man, it’s really cool that he recorded this in a diner.” I don’t know how this album managed to gaslight me so heavily, but it did. As for the spoken word element of this album, that was a mixed bag as well. I think Tom Waits is a great storyteller, so even though I was bummed that he only sang once on this album, I didn’t wind up minding the fact that most of this album was spoken. However, some of the longer songs just went on too long for my taste, and I felt kind of bored listening to them. However, I did really love “Big Joe and Phantom 309.” The only song that Tom Waits sang on, “Better Off Without A Wife” was easily my favorite song on the album. One of the things that drove me nuts on this album was when Tom would throw in phrases like “with my disconcerting, precarious emotional situation” or “used car salesmen dressed up in Purina Checkerboard slacks and Foster Grant wrap-around.” Seriously Tom, shut up. You sound like an asshole sometimes on this album. Musically, I thought this album sounded good. I thought the bass playing was the best part of the music, and it seems like the guy who played bass has quite an impressive list of career credits to his name. The piano playing was really good too, and I tended to really enjoy the songs the featured the piano more prominently. Nighthawks at the diner was a bit of mixed bag, but I could see myself firing this album up again on a cold night with a nice beer in my hand.

Sounds like a Simpson’s episode where they never leave Moe’s. The music is fantastic, the speak singing gets old fast.

A really interesting and entertaining album. I won’t likely listen again, but glad to have had the experience.

I generally enjoy Tom Waits' music. From listening to this album, I've learned I'm not a fan of his spoken word. The re-creation of a jazz club in the studio was a novel approach, and he pulls it off well in terms of mimicking the vibe and feel of the setting. I just thought the banter before the songs was overlong and frankly boring; maybe if I had lived in 1970s Los Angeles I would have enjoyed/appreciated the banter and references more, but by and large it felt like cosplaying rather than any authentic connection with the audience and environment. The more they were playing music, the more I enjoyed the album. And the bass player deserves massive credit - the playing is great, and anchors the music which was otherwise all too fleeting. I admire the concept of the album, the mood and vibe, and a good bit of the music. But overall I don't see myself being drawn back to listen to this.

First draft Bukowski in front of a really good jazz ensemble

this whole thing is weird. and not just in a wow, tom waits is such a strange guy kinda way. this is basically a standup comedy album with mediocre, haphazard jokes, performed in front of a studio audience that's trying its best to sound like a live audience, covering nothing in particular in the most roundabout way possible. that said, the bassist absolutely makes this worth hearing once. favorites: eggs and sausage (in a cadillac with susan michelson), better off without a wife

Highlights: Putnam County Eggs & Sausage Nobody Jazzy spoken word. Humorous poetry.

Tom here is trying to sing the blues. I can't say whether he's doing great at it or not. The background jazz is good. I had to stop listening when he got to the bit about cranking it and the audience was cheering. I couldn't handle it.

kinda music to drink whiskey, smoke cigs, and cheat on your wife to

(not sure what it says about me but) feels like Christmas

an album and a comedy set all in one neat package

me gustó y me atrajo, aunque es un disco que se disfruta más si hablás inglés nativo. SIendo hispanohablante me cuesta más que me lleguen las historias que cuenta, o prestarles atención

Interesting. Not what I expected. Probably would have enjoyed it a bit more if I listened to lyrics. I thought the background music was the best part as I like lounge jazz. But it also sounded a little like a “joke” or novelty album - maybe the voice but sounded a bit like Dave Chapelle, or the Fraser theme song

I like Tom Waits, this one could be shorter tho Will I listen to again: 22%

The weird and wild world of Waits. Listening to this is likely staring at a car wreck.. you can’t look away. Do I really like it? I don’t know. Definitely original. And he sure is a poet. But as far as the music goes?

3- Stars (7/15)

It certainly inspires the feel of a small club. Feels a bit forced sometimes though

This guy is so crazy I respect it! But I will never listen again

I think in the omnipresent lexicon of music as an art form no other artist creates more poetic tension that never resolves quite like Tom. Part of what I find so unique about his writing is in parts and times of my life he describes a charcter with the exact motivations and thoughts I do, all whilst never quite saying something cathartic enough to make me see where I've gone wrong in my ways. Nighthawks at the diner is a fine example of this where every song starts off with an intro telling you the motivation behind the piece, followed by the poem which falls into that thematic limbo I described. For example, Putnam County - my home county. I was eager to reach this point in the song to see if Tom had cracked a nut on my fellow townsfolk and had something to say that would help a young man understand his home. All but to be left with a generic description of small town America and themes of the usual NYC barlife. I was hurt, shocked, ashamed and allbeit befuddled. But I guess in the sense thats a stylistic choice and not something to really take offense to. But what I'm really trying to say is a lot of songs felt unfinished or unending. Hard to determine when the last ends and next begins. Which is unusal for some of the other Tom albums we have on this list. I wish I had kinder words. I like Tom's attitude, the story, the music and the overall vibe. But music is art and this felt like a play more than an album.

That was......interesting. I'm not sure if that's what Tom Waits sounds like all the time, but it wasn't what I was expecting. However, his word play and storytelling is quite impressive. As a listener, you feel like you've been dropped into a sleezy, smoky, after-dark piano/jazz bar taking in the live entertainment that evening. Albums that make you feel like you're in their environment and a part of its unfolding are always some of my favorites to listen to, but parts of this one felt like they dragged on a little too long for me. With all that said, the "Intro to" and "Better Off Without a Wife" had me locked into its melody and lyrics. I thoroughly enjoyed that one. That track alone moves this from a 2 to a 3 for me.

All Tom Waits stuff is pretty knee deep in cariacature. I like Nighthawks At the Diner, especially Better Off Without A Wife and Big Joe & Phantom 309, but the general take on Waits is that his best stuff is yet to come. This early jazz stuff is fun but kitsch even for him. I prefer his stumbling drunk evil clown stuff from the 80s. The actual jazz band here rocks and the appearance of a live set is well tweaked here. It's a great concept and Waits executes it really well but it's sleepy by design. By the end, you're drifting off which makes sense - you're supposed to be eight beers deep. Favorite Tracks: Better Off Without A Wife, Big Joe & Phantom 309, Nighthawk Postcards

Waits is quite an acquired taste. I like his experimental approach but over a full album it tends to be a bit much. This definitely falls into that camp at over 70 minutes and the fake jazz club conceit. Some of the one-liners and surreal storytelling was entertaining at first but about halfway through the whole thing started wafting over me and I just wasn't paying any attention. I want to check out more of his later Asylum output but I don't think this was a particularly good place to start.

The storytelling is incredible, took me to a dingy bar where I was drinking whiskey on the rocks. Sadly I listened while on a drizzly morning dog walk. Very good album.

Enjoyed listening to the story told, always loved Tom's voice. So dark and unique. Not something I casually listen to all the time though.

“Live” album of Tom Waits doing his thing. Weird lyrics. Jokes. Sparse instrumentation beyond the piano. Definitely not up to the standards that he will hit later in his career but a lot of fun here. Wish it was tighter as a single album though.

What quite sure what to expect from Tom waits album. I think I recognize him more from from appearances and a few random songs. Entertaining story teller. Could easily picture being in crowded room listening to him, much like the cover of the album.

Good Jazz album

love the piano, need to read the lyrics

A very interesting album that I'm having a hard time rating. I thought the performance was fun and engaging especially once the album gets going towards the end of side 1, but a lot of the meandering felt out of place for a music record. This feels like an album that would have been best to experience in person. Lot to love here, but suffers from inconsistency and parts that don't translate well without a visual component. Top tracks: Eggs And Sausage, Better Off Without A Wife, Nobody

This is the first Tom Waits album (out of 5 so far) that I'm giving over a 3. And just barely. I thought it was conceptually quite interesting, but I still don't find his songwriting musically compelling or his voice tolerable. 3.1/5

Spoken word accompanied by a jazz quartet. I enjoyed the story telling, but probably won’t listen again in a long time. 3/5

3.4/5 feels like i’m there at his show the banter and transitions make it come to life

3.5

Waits is super funny, he has a ton of personality and carries the record very well. The instrumentation is great too, I particularly liked the piano. I felt the fake jazz club vibe worked really well, it didn't feel forced to me, it's a great vehicle for Waits' spoken word parts. I found the album to be a bit overlong and at some points a bit boring though, around the halfway point (around "Better Off Without A Wife"). The best were "Warm Beer and Cold Women", "Emotional Weather Report" and "On A Foggy Night".

One part jazz, one part standup, and twelve parts a man just talking at a crowd for the hell of it. And for why was this enjoyable? I’m not sure. I desperately need someone to explain this album to me. It did run on quite long though, but I really enjoyed how he designed this album to sound live. Made it feel like you were really there in that diner on a late night just having a good time listening to this charismatic guy with a gravelly voice croon over a microphone. It really did run on long though.

Atmospheric and moody, this record is unique and breaks the mold but is difficult to appreciate as a standout album. It is far more impressive as a recording than a collection of music, but still impressive as that

Correcto

Tom Waits er jo bra nok, liker musikken, men ikke det albumet eller de låtene som har truffet meg mest. 2-3

not bad, love the vibe

not my favorite of his. 3

A bit too long and the live thing might be a bit of a gimmick but personally Tom really makes it work with his personality and humor, just truly a fun record with a noir film type of vibe. Not as weird as his later albums or as sweet as his debut but it works well anyway

Not a bad way to spend an hour.

Nice album for a long drive. Would have been a 4 if we'd been driving at night.

A little too raspy on the vocals for me but I liked it enough to add it to my library.

I bet this guy smokes. I normally wouldn't go for an album like this, but this wasn't bad. Interesting stories and a bit of comedy. Many of the references I wouldn't get, because I didn't live in NYC in the mid 70's. I did get the Bowery Ballroom reference, because I saw Mineral play there. I'm still not a huge Tom Waits fan, but I give this a 3. It was a fun listen.

Tom Waits is a difficult one for me. More of a spoken word poetry album than a "Music" album but good none the less.

Good but a bit too long. I'm excited for the more iconic Tom Waits albums on the list

Almost got 4

Konseptet er gøy, og jeg får faktisk følelsen av å sitte på en sliten, røykfylt jazzklubb. Men som på en ekte jazzklubb kjeder jeg meg midtveis og lengter etter å gå ut med røykerne for å få et avbrekk og sosialisere. Føler jeg burde like Tom Waits bedre, men det blir liksom aldri meg og han. Særlig på "Nighthawk Postcards" og "Warm Beer and Cold Women" høres han ut som Daffy Duck

Een soort fake-live album met toch wel een aardig sfeertje. Ome Tom had blijkbaar door dat 'ie eigenlijk geen geweldige zanger is, dus is hij op dit album overgestapt naar vertellen. Een prima keuze wat mij betreft. Het scheelt bij mij toch wat ergernis. Verder heb ik weinig met dit album. Het is enigszins fijne achtergrondjazz, maar de kans dat ik dit nog een keer aan ga zetten lijkt me nihil. Het is vooral geinig vanwege het hoge CKV gehalte. Ik sleep er een 3tje uit, want het is wel weer een aparte ervaring en dat is altijd beter dan een nietszeggende ervaring. Plus het is verre van het vervelendste Tom Waits album op deze lijst.

This is a concept album in essence, and it works. Once you get Tom Waits you understand his schtick. Nighthawks isn't my favorite Tom Waits album but it is my favorite painting. 3.5/5

I've known about Tom Waits for years but hadn't gotten around to listening to him. I can see why people like him, I just dont love the spoken word set to jazz in a raspy voice thing.

Music is great, I just can't handle his voice. I'd love an album of cover versions of the set.

yeah man I'm not a talking type guy but this is talking the talk and shit, man.

2.6

Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: Eggs and Sausage, Warm Beer And Cold Women I don't know. The first time around it was a novel enough experience to enjoy it. There's crowd work, comedy, improvisational jazz, wildly creative lyrics and vocabulary. But honestly, by the end of the second listen, I was done. 2 hours and 26 minutes of Tom not shutting the fuck up was a bit too much. It was too light on the jazz, improvisational or otherwise. Perhaps that's harsh; No one made me listen to it twice. I liked this, but the novelty wore off quick.

While I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as Rain Dogs Tom Waits really shows off his personality and humor here while creating really great imagery through his lyrics. Music for rainy nights watching movies that don’t exist. I was so ready to compare this to that famous painting of the diner at night until I googled that painting and realized what was going on and how stupid I am. I am art illiterate. Favorite songs were Eggs and Sausage, Better Off Without A Wife, and Putnam County.

Tom Waits is ond of my favourite artists. Tom Waits early jazz stuff is my least favourite Tom Waits, well behind ssd folky balladeer Waits and junkyard Waits. Over an hour of him being sort of weird and jazzy is still better than most jazz but beyond Eggs and Sausage only a couple of tracks I could say I really enjoy. Perhaps my least favourite of his first 3 albums. Not sure what the audience is laughing about half the time!

Listened to this on a long drive. Really fun live album. Might get into more Tom Waits now, he had so much fun doing this.

Not really my vibe

More a drunken comedy act than a piece of music. The instrumentals are servicable but what makes or rather breaks this is Waits' drunken recollections. The laughing track was set way too sensitive, maybe the audience in the studio was seeing something a listener can't. We'll never know. Interesting idea but as a piece of music it scores low.

I love Tom, this album is nowhere near his best though...

Bon album de jazz chill, un peu répétitif

Blues / jazz. Ambiance de bar, tard le soir !

Les instruments sont sympa mais je n'ai pas trop aimé la voix. Jazz qui s'écoute bien. 3/5

Pretty cool

Un álbum de estudio que pretende ser un club de jazz de esos lleno de humo, público medio o del todo ebrio, y mucha clase, en el que Tom Waits a medias canta y a medias narra una serie de historias costumbristas sobre bares por la noche, restaurantes de carretera, personajes urbanos, corazones rotos, conductores fantasma, y otras cosas de la vida. Las protagonistas son las letras, inteligentes y mordaces, aunque no haya comprendido muchas de las referencias, cantadas con esa voz de fumador carretero típica de Waits. A veces parece más un humorista de stand-up con una banda de fondo que un álbum al uso. Pero es que Tom Waits no es un artista al uso, y no se le pueden negar su agudeza y estilo tan únicos a la hora de contar historias. Y, envolviéndolas perfectamente, una banda de jazz muy buena que dota al álbum de una atmósfera íntima y acogedora. La verdad es que comprendo lo polarizante que puede ser Waits. El álbum es muy largo y su voz supongo que es un gusto adquirido. Además, las letras y esa imitación de club de jazz en vivo pueden resultar pretenciosos. Pero con todo, me ha molado y, aunque tampoco sea de mis artistas favoritos, me alegro mucho de que esta lista me lo haya dado a conocer.

A bit of the knowingly charming-but-twisted showman starts to creep into Tom's work here, perhaps the most playful of his early work and my favourite from before all the really good stuff.

Good port, horrible singer.

05/08/2025 I honestly can't work this guy out. Is he good? Is he naff? It just baffles me.

Didnt enjoy the live audience part much. But the music was solid. Standouts songs: Nighthawk Postcards Spare Parts I

2/3

A bit a weird album to be on this list. Love Tom Waits, but this was too much at times.

Found it quite interesting and entertaining. Lasts a bit long and not sure when I'll put it back on though.

Lounge singer vibe; classic gravelly voice

One of the funniest albums I've listened to for sure. Appreciated the food listing in eggs and sausage.

This was actually quite entertaining. I'm not a Tom Waits fan, but I can listen to a track now and then. This jazz club live recording felt real, even as it was staged in a studio. Jazz isn't my thing, but I can tolerate it if it's well performed, like it's the case here. Tom's skits might have been ok in the '70s, but now they are massively outdated.

His 3rd record and his final form as a mostly-traditional jazz troubadour. Small Change comes next and the music and the persona begin expanding. If you’re in the mood for this vibe, it will provide. I return more often to either Rain Dogs or Mule Variations, but he had to be this incarnation to become the Wacky Jack of all musical trades he eventually blooms into.

Good artists teach you, through their work, how to experience their work. Tom Waits does exactly that. This was so unique and interesting: cafe society jazz with a layer of grizzled beat poetry on top. It was the wrong decision to listen to this on the airplane, so I paused. Leaving it for this morning’s coffee and stroll through the San Francisco fog? That was the right decision. Tom Waits, you’re a good teacher.

Felt like I was in the jazz club watching it live 🎶

Immersive and good vibes but went on too long. Would definitely hit more in person

This is different from the Tom Waits I'm familiar with, but it makes sense. He's always been primarily jazz and blues, and secondarily weird, so a jazz/beat poetry album fits. It works, I guess, but there's nothing specifically to recommend musically here. There wasn't a single track that I perked up at.

Not my style. Obviously talented and unique, but one listen is enough

I like it

Spoken word over jazz.

Pretentious sounding mf. Not too bad, but the in studio, but also live setting is a bit weird. Bass player is insane of course. Loved the bass sounds throughout. Altogether it's not better than a 3 tho

I feel like I just listened to "Alice's Restaurant" six times in a row.

I loathe Tom Waits, but this is seemingly the only setting and gentle in which he feels natural and not like a pox on the entire concept of musical expression. The studio audience really added to the whole conceit. I very nearly liked it.

It's a really cool concept, sounds nice as well. But I don't see myself revisiting this all that often

I was waiting for Tom Waits! This one didn’t really do much for me, apart from that voice, it sounds more like A Nightclub, which isn’t my scene. Holding out for Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs, Blue Valentine, and Frank’s Wild Years.

Not my jam. But a fun concept nonetheless. Tom Waits + jazz band ain't too bad

Not terrible. But too long. Just a drunk at a bar telling stories over some light jazz. Would definitely be entertaining live, with a drink in a dark bar atmosphere. Going to be generous with a 3. But it’s just over the 3 line for me.

Originally ruined my day seeing another tom waits album. This was surprisingly tolerable

I see the significance of this album regarding influence on other musicians (also a lot of Rolf/Dr.T from the Muppets) but it’s just not my thing, the spoken lounge/jazz music - although the lyrics are impressive.

LOVE the opening intro...until he 'sing talks' So honestly I didn't expect to like it this much - but it's 100% because of the jazzy tones behind him. Most Tom albums will sit at alike a 2-2.5 for me. But this might be a 3.5. Once again wish we could give it halves...but here we are! Keys are absolutely awesome. Also fun that the sax player is the same sax soloist from Steeley Dan's 'Deacon Blues'. An underappreciated legend who worked with: Chet Baker, Quincy Jones, Count Basie, Vince Guaraldi, and of course Mr. Waits. Music's a funny thing, man. You have gifted lyricists with incredible voices, you have incredible voices with shotty lyrics, and then you have Tom Waitts. Who during the recording, allegedly turned around to face the band and read the classified section of the paper while they played. 'It was like Allen Ginsberg with a really, really good band'

my high school's mascot is the nighthawks

Waits’ other album was at least strange in an interesting way. This one was a little disappointing; a lot more spoken word poetry which I don’t really like. Still an alright album

Aight

Enjoyable enough, I liked the second to last song

Also has letst wuche glosst und sisch scho sehr speziel. Aber au fun. Findi cha mer mache. 3 motivierti biz verrücktig eichhörnlis

I liked this album. And I don't usually like live albums, but this one feels more like a comedy album set to music, and I like that about it. I like pretty much all of the songs, and though his voice is unconventional, it's only really off-putting on a few tracks. Overall very enjoyable. 3.75

Tough one to rate. I thought I was starting to get a taste for Tom Waits after Heart Attack and Vine. I didn't enjoy this one so much. The actual songs are pretty good here when he decides to perform something that sounds like music. Some great lyrics and storytelling as you'd expect, but about half the album is just talking and intros. That puts a cap on my score

Koncept jest niesamowity. Muzyka na żywo, instrumenty, śmiech, mówione wstawki. Jak w jazzowym lokalu, pełnym dymu i niedomytych szyb. Czułam się jakbym siedziała na wysokim stołku i sączyła łychę z kwadratowej szklanki. No ale… sama muzyka niezbyt domaga. Jest zbyt monotonna. Lubię waitsowy bełkot, ale tu każdy kawałek był taki sam. Nużyło mnie to. 6/10

Wel leuk, maar iets te verhalerig

Didn’t really get into it.

Good album

This is my first time listening to Tom Waits and I really like it! This made me laugh a ton, his voice fits the music, and the intros and interludes and stuff are engaging (even if a few of them didn't have to be separate tracks). I do think the album fell off a bit after Nighthawk Postcards (from like a 9 to an 8) but besides that I really really enjoyed this. I hope Rain Dogs is like 10x better because I think that's his magnus opus, right?

далековато от меня. на концерт бы сходил

This album really gives the vibe of a live jazz performance, and I've never heard an album of his, it was great, and the segments, the commentary really bring everything together. A notable record.

Слишком высокие требования к знанию английского языка, спокенворд сплошной.

3/5

Love me some tom

-this was a very interesting idea! Fake live album set in jazz club… I don’t think I’ve seen anything quite like this in the list so far. Tom Waits has some cool ideas -it was a pleasant and convincing thing to have sort of on in the background, with some great individual songs, but definitely went on a bit long. oh well I guess that was part of the bit -Favorites are Eggs and Sausage and Better Off Without A Wife

Jazzig und ganz sweet

I like his weirder records. This is too normal. Kind of boring.

I don't like Tom Waits, so this album was quite a surprise. I did like this album, but I likely won't ever listen to it again. The atmosphere created for this album makes me want to have attended the "show." The crowd sounds fun, and the seemingly improvised nature of Waits' performance sounds like a good time. The band is great too. I don't much care for when Waits actually attempts to sing, as he does in Warm Beer and Cold Women

3.5? Kind of interesting for something different. Gravelly stranger voice but an interesting album.

An odd record for me. Blues / jazz spoken word, which intros to each ‘song’ that are barely distinguishable from the actual song itself. Not bad, but I would definitely need to be in a certain mood, and I’m not sure what that mood actually would be, to want to listen again.