Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Not my favorite album from him, but has its moments.
I don't really like it, but I do enjoy the execution of it. Will I listen to again: 10%
spooooooooky season
Track 1: The Earth Died Screaming (6/10) This doesn't feel like a song. It lives up to the album title cause it just sounds like a bunch of bones being hit by even more bones. Track 2: Dirt in the Ground (6/10) The piano is nice but I don't like whatever Tom decided to do with his voice here. I respect his commitment to being as weird as possible though. Track 3: Such a Scream (9/10) This is what I'm talking about! This song came straight out of hell. Waits is wailing like a demon and the percussion is all over the place. I love it. Track 4: All Stripped Down (4/10) This is minimalism at It's worst. Tom needs to give up that falsetto thing he's doing cause it doesn't work for me lol Track 5: Who Are You (8/10) It seems like I'm gonna judge the songs mostly based on his vocal performance. This one is pretty stellar, I love the guitar behind it. Track 6: The Ocean Doesn't Want Me (N/A) Hard to rate poetry over dissonance, so I'll skip this short interlude-like track. Track 7: Jesus Gonna Be Here (7/10) Sounds straight out of the 40s. Waits must have sold his soul to the devil to achieve this sound. Track 8: A Little Rain (7/10) A little bit country, a little bit reminiscent of his early dive bar days. Track 9: In the Colosseum (8/10) I love the percussion here, and Tom sounds so evil! Very fun track. Track 10: Goin' Out West (9/10) This is possibly the most accesible song on the album. Pretty rockin', and Tom has so much power in his vocals here. Track 11: Murder in the Red Barn (6/10) The story telling is great, nothing really caught my attention though. Track 12: Black Wings (6/10) I like the guitar, and Tom's vocals feel so menacing. Not much else to say. Track 13: Whistle Down the Wind (9/10) Beautiful. I feel like I'm on a farm, far away from society, pining after a sweet lady. Love the vibes. Track 14: I Don't Wanna Grow Up (6/10) It's fine, but the Ramones did it so much better and I struggle not to compare this version to that one. Track 15: Let Me Get Up On It (N/A) Interlude Track 16: That Feel (6/10) Decent closing track, I like the weird choir vocals that come in. Overall: 6/10 I've always found Tom Waits to be hit or miss. He has some big hits here and a few misses but, surprisingly, I felt a lot of it was kind of meh. I could see myself checking it out again but I'll stick to Swordfishtrombones for the most part. Fav Song: Goin' Out West Least Fav Song: All Stripped Down
Interesting, some of it I like. Especially the music but his voice and delivery is to rough for this kid.
Granted, this is only my second of five (!) Tom Waits albums on here. But this is what bothers me about a lot of this list. Rather than being a collection of truly innovative and influential albums, I feel like a lot of this list boils down to Robert Dimery being a really big fan of certain artists and insisting that you listen to everything they’ve done, whether it’s warranted or not. Early Beatles vs. Sgt. Pepper's Beatles? Clearly a very different band, and it’s worth exploring the evolution given their influence on all of rock and pop music. Seventeen Seconds vs. Pornography vs. Disintegration era The Cure? Might as well be different bands, and each album was hugely influential. Makes sense (but they're also my favorite band, so that's my personal bias). But do we really need five albums of Tom Waits doing his weird Oscar the Grouch sings the creepy blues act? Do we need SIX albums of Elvis Costello whining over the same cliche guitar riffs? There are so many artists who should be on this list who aren’t: Savage Garden, No Doubt, John Trudell, Skinny Puppy, Nightwish, Shakira, Juanes, Maná, Alabama Shakes/Brittany Howard, Brandi, Monica, etc., who are left off in favor of repetitive albums from the same artists or the hundredth cookie-cookie electronica act. All that said, this probably isn’t fair to Tom Waits — I’m clearly not giving this particular album an objective assessment. But even if I was, it would just be an okay album for me. It’s more of the weird, creepy blues that I heard on Swordfishtrombones. Some of it’s vaguely catchy, some of it’s sort of cool, some of it’s just annoying. At 16 tracks, it’s way too long. And I'm not looking forward to going through this three more times. 3/5
Man, as much as I love Tom Waits, he can be challenging. Bone Machine seems to be (literally) shouting “wake up!!” to the collective pop music imbibing masses. This entire exercise for me has been about getting outside known musical lanes, even with artists I think I ‘know’. Bone Machine has no lane, as it careens through the aural wilderness, daring us to hang on as long as we can. I probably won’t go back to it often, but I know it’s there when I need a musical slap in the face.
Interesting and competent, as always from Waits. Not one of his most memorable, though. A pretty spooky October listen, maybe!
Tom waits is always a tough review. He's at his best, for me, with the slow songs. Whenever it ramps up to carnival cacophony I have to hit skip.
Favorite Track: Dirt In The Ground
Her var det mye som skjedde, mye bra men også mye snodig
The second this started I thought 'fuck, that's Tom Waits again' - and not in a very good way. Pretty shocked I gave one of these a 4.5?! The gravelly voice grates at me still but there's definitely something about the story telling and music that stops me from fully hating it...
Death theme got old. Decent premise
Oh fuck, Grandpa's off his meds again. 3/5
I think the FDA had a recommended daily amount of Tom waits. I think this album goes over I appreciate Tom waits for just not giving af. Hard to listen for a hour though.
'I don't wanna grow up,' en dat het wel een beetje samen. Je ziet Tom Waits voor je, in zijn slecht geïsoleerde boerenschuur raggend op wat gitaren en het eerste de beste schreeuwend wat in 's mans licht benevelde hersenen opkomt. De kwaardaardige-kaboutertjessfeer overheerst op dit album, de zeldzame melancholieke stukken zijn hard nodig als afwisseling. Nog wat credits voor originaliteit en eigenwijsheid, maar Tom kan veel beter dan dit.
The first few tracks were challenging to listen to, the rest was quite ok. And as I said before, I can listen to Waits occasionally, but a whole album is too much.
Tom Waits 2 days in a row... Well, I said it yesterday , but I'll say it again: I like Tom Waits' melodies and instrumentation, but I hate his gravely, mumbly, Cookie Monster voice. The worst part is, he doesn't have to do the voice. He has songs on his albums where his voice is still gravely and deep but he doesn't sound like a muppet monster, and those songs are quite nice! I generally like his music and his lyrics and his overall vibe. But he'll probably never be more than 3 stars for me.
8/6/24. First time listening to Tom Waits and had no idea what to expect. Was ready to write this one off with the experimentation and obscure vocals, but the album got better as it went on. The strongest tracks in my opinion are toward the end.
Not bad.
Hmm just couldn't love it. I know in the past I have dived into Tom and enjoyed it - but looking at his albums now I can't think which ones or recognise anything really. Odd.
There's something quite compelling and endearing about Tom Waits' songs and his voice. At the same time, listening to him is a bit like rubbing hot sandpaper against your ears while walking on legos.
It was alright, but I don’t think i’f listen to again.
A little bit strange, like most of Tom Waits' stuff. Was a worthy listen but not overly engaging and not something you would casually throw on.
Bueno
it’s pretty good but i don’t think it’s as good as people think it is
3.5
It's like I'm listening to a failed drunk Bob Dylan. I like it.
These Waits albums are starting to all sound the same
I love Tom Waits but could not remember ever listening to this all the way through. I was not in the right headspace for the first half of this album. It didn’t sit right in my noggin. Then just after halfway in it was like the sun came out or the instruments sounded better or it somehow became more tuneful but I definitely appreciated it more. It definitely deserves another listen because TW has a way with a tale… and I love his voice that’s like an avalanche of stones falling on hot coals. Whistle down the wind and I don’t wanna grow up - gorgeous!!!
A bit weird and noisy in parts, but still a few really great tracks. 3
Bone Machine I quite like Tom Waits, but he’s not really someone I ever think to listen to. I’ve listened to Swordfish Trombones and Rain Dogs but not much else. His voice is definitely marmite, but I like it, it’s surprisingly tuneful and emotive once you get used to it, even if it can still sound silly from time to time, ie the opening verse of I Don’t Wanna Grow Up. I enjoyed this, the spartan arrangements are very effective with his voice, and the little instrumental textures work really well, the muted horns on the first two tracks, the guitar on Such a Scream, Jesus Gonna Be Here Going Out West, the lap steel on A Little Rain, the Piano on Whistle Down the Wind. The double bass also does a lot of great work, tying everything together. Musically and atmospherically it has a similar feel to Oh Mercy and Time Out of Mind, a pared back but roomy sound. Lyrically I like it, lots of earnest biblical allusions and death and decay and honest work, but with a slight knowing wink, or at least I think a knowing wink. It reminds me a lot of Nick Cave on that front, but maybe not as humorous. Kept expecting Way Down in the Hole to turn up, but it seems that’s on an earlier album, but musically it wouldn’t sound out of place here. The percussion is the sort of thing I normally hate, that kind of tool shed Stomp type stuff I absolutely hate, but it works really well here. Maybe it’s the skill or the fluidity of it, or that it suits his voice, but it’s great. Highlights for me are Earth Died Screaming, Who Are You, A Little Rain, Going out West, Murder in the Red Barn, Black Wings, Whistle Down the Wind and That Feel. It’s probably a few too many tracks and about 10 minutes too long, as it does start to drag and feel quite samey. I liked it though, somewhere between a 3 and a 4. I’ll be Percy-monious and go 3, but I’m definitely going to listen again and try some other albums from this period. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Not as compelling as Rain Dogs, but some good songs on here will keep your interest. Unless you're not into noise.
I actually didn’t mind this. There are a lot of albums worse than this on the list - I’ve had them!
More Tom Waits! This dude really loves his bamboo stick xylophones or whatever percussion thing he has going. It is quite similar to the 'Rain Dogs' album we had before, and gives you the same familiar swamp-like pirate cove feel. It does digress a bit from this pattern with 'All Stripped Down', and 'A Little Rain', for example, which comes unexpected but changes it up a bit. I think I've gotten used a bit to Tom Waits and can appreciate it a bit more than last time. And while quite interesting, I don't quite feel like it's my jam entirely. Still fun to listen to. Strong 3 for me!
I feel it has the same vibe as "Rain Dogs" but not as strong hits. The combination of heartfelt ballads and more idiosyncratic tracks really works though. I think my favourite track was "Black Wings". I listened to the album twice and it grew on me the second time. Maybe i just need to listen to it more. Strong 3 for now.
eh ja, sehr düster, rauhe sprechstimme, aber eigentlich tolle instrumentalisierung! Whistle Down The Wind ist für mich ein Highlight - typisch Tom Waits.
Since the ratings skew harsh between those who love Tom Waits and those who don't I'd like to posit, as a Tom Waits fan, that this album is pretty good but like five tracks too long. Some of my favorite Waits songs are here (Dirt in the Ground, Goin' out West, I Don't Wanna Grow Up, That Feel), but nobody wants The Ocean Doesn't Want Me.
Ever wonder what a leisurely stroll through hell sounds like?
Over the years someone will invariably ask me, so what do you think of Tom Waits? And I'll tell them that he is a quirk that I have not been able to wrap my ears around. That Tom's voice and lyrical obsessions takes me right out of the songs. They will nod like knowing parents and ask me, but have you sat down with one of his albums. And I'll say yes, but I couldn't get through them. Until today that is. For, as I was put off by just about every Tom Waits thing I had heard from his albums that changed when I heard BONE MACHINE today. Still not one iota of interest in his lyrical obsessions, but man do I love me some quirky percussion driven soundscapes, and holy hell does BONE MACHINE have it. I enjoyed the weirdness and did not enjoy the throwback traditional songs. My favorites were "The Earth Died Screaming", "The Ocean Doesn't Want Me", "Black Wings" , and "Let Me Get Up On It". Now having said all that, 3 songs and a fragment earns only a 3. Still think he is way overrated. Just like Nick Cave, Joni Mitchell, and Bob Dylan are way overrated.
I love early Waits (the drunken piano ballads era) the best, but sometimes the later stuff works for me. Other times it sounds like an ogre screaming as someone throws silverware on the floor. The stuff that sounds like Beefheart is the best, and there's some of that on here so I'm okay with this album.
Someone mentioned, when Waits is in the zone, he’s at his best, but man, when he isn’t, or he’s off-key, it’s a tough listen.
the ballads on this (like on Rain Dogs) touch the soul. Tom's rasping vocals give tender texture to his mournful musings on life, death, and time. I never realized how much Modest Mouse drew from Tom Wait's (especially on Good News) until hearing this. In some ways this may be the truest blues record a white man ever recorded. I don't love the aggressive and weird tracks on there like I love Who Are You and A Little Rain but it's hard to deny how well Tom crafts this albums atmosphere. His performance at minimum is fascinating and commendable even if it doesn't always quite appeal to me. At its lowest moments this album still sounds more cohesive than that Cream album from earlier and more angry than the Slipknot album too.
Crazy and insane as he is, but overall not bad. 3
I like Tom Waits and I'm partial to Nighthawks at the Diner and The Heart of Saturday Night. I'll have to give this a listen with headphones as I'll likely appreciate more of the music's subtlety. For now, I think a solid 3 on first listen.
Tom Waits is such a character but also weirdly doesn't feel like one. I enjoyed the album. The Ocean is a great example of what Tom Waits makes work that no one else could.
this was all right and i'm glad i gave it a try, but this may be one of the most not-for-me albums i've heard in a while.
Annoying but not as annoying as last week's Tom Waits album
I know several of Tom Waits albums but this one I had never listened to. Unfortunately, this one did not convince me. There are a couple of songs, like A Little Rain or Black Wings, which I find very nice. But too many, which (in my opinion) are not that good. Albums like e.g. "Blue Valentine" or "Alice" (and others) are by far better.
This really grew on me as I listened to it. It’s amazing how he can take something that’s kind of harsh to listen to and still find a way to create catchy, memorable moments. I think I’ll regret going this low as this continues to grow on me.
Some of the percussion on this is quite interesting. I quite liked the first song, but the more I listened to the album the more I thought about how Tom’s singing voice sounds like someone taking the piss out of Nickelback. After that I couldn’t really take it seriously.
I didn't really like the more avant-garde ones that are just percussion and vocals and little else (e.g. Such a The Ocean, In The Colosseum, Let Me Down Up On It). I started to warm a bit to the album in the second half, there are a few tracks I liked and I don't normally enjoy Tom Waits. Maybe I just need to listen more. The piano-led tracks are my favourites here (A Little Rain, Whistle Down The Wind) which maybe isn't the point of the album, given its experimental nature. Anyway hard one to rate so I'll go down the middle in that case
Different gruff voice - enjoyed Goin out West and general sound
I can't tell whether I love or hate his voice. There were some songs I absolutely loved, while others (In The Colosseum) just sounded like nails on a chalkboard to me. I'm going to give this album bonus points for how unique it is, especially compared to some of the album this site has been generating for me recently.
mmh strano 3
not my thing but it is cool
I'll be kind and round up to a 3.
This is a strange album that circled all the way to being engaging to me.
some good songs that cut deep, others didn't hit the mark for me
Came out after the Pixies song, just sayin.
Great
okaaaaaay?
Tom Waits is one of those artists whose voice is just as much an instrument as the piano, guitar, etc. The singing is a little hard to take at first, but the more you listen to him the more it “works.” At least, it worked for a couple tracks on this album. Others, it was a distraction. “Closing Time” is a far better album from him.
Only had time to listen once. Would like to go back and listen again to get a better feel for this one. Loved the percussion and rhythm in a number of tracks. His gravelly voice is a rough listen though.
Though i'm getting more acclimated to Tom Waits' style, i found the music a bit uneven for my enjoyment. I'm just getting used to the smoke & whiskey gravelly voice mixed with anguish. Dirt in the Ground, Who Are You, Whistle Down the Wind and That Feel are good examples here. Also really enjoyed A Little Rain. There is a lot of other items to like, though i am still thrown by his more adventurous experiments: all stripped down, in the colosseum, and ocean doesn't want me which pulls me out of the vibe. Overall engaging and interesting.
Some silver linings but also what is this
Sigh… Tom Waits voice is almost unlistenable to me. First song just jarring (musically cool and interesting though!), making me feel so tense I was wondering under what possible circumstance I could possibly enjoy listening to it. The next several, I kind of settled into his gravel and expression but about half way through I couldn’t continue. I will listen to him in the future only in small doses. (Thinking of his rendering of It’s All Right with Me on Red, Hot and Blue which is similar musically and voacally to Bone Machine.)
Some cool bluesy and generally wierd songs.
Not bad. Very bluesy, rootgrass kind of music
Yup definitely Tom Waits with this cigarette stricken voice. Always reminds me of Dr. Joe for some reason. Just like the previous 2 Tom Waits albums there were some things I really, really loved. In The Colosseum reminds me of The Wall at some points. Unfortunately there were things that I was confused why he would include. I think I liked this one the best out of the 3, but I still can't warrant a 4 for it. Overall happy I'm listening to these though as I had no knowledge of Tom Waits beforehand.
It's definitely Tom Waits. Not my favorite of his, but interesting at least.
Such a raw and primitive sound. It sounds incredibly rough around the edges which could make this a really hard listen for most. I wonder if Tom Waits inspired Isaac Brock's music at all. I feel like Modest Mouse is a bit of a more polished version of this. The existential lyrics are powerful and thought provoking. I like that this album goes back and forth from super rough and raw to more melodic.
Sometimes too experimental for my liking, but definitely has its moments
I liked the vocals at first, then the novelty wore off 3
This guy's got 3 different voices and they all sound like bad guys from a Muppet movie. I had another album by him already, so I was ready for it, but it's still so rough. Like a carnival in a fever dream. Definitely unique. Favorite track: who are you
Love the room sounds. This album is wild. I feel like it doesn’t really make sense without reading through the lyrics.
Not as bad as people are saying, but I probably wouldn't seek it out to listen to.
Listened Before? N As usual, this Waits album was weird. Not really my cup of tea but I can appreciate the art. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Goin' Out West
Creepy sounding, weird dark lyrics. I like it. never heard anything like it before but I have known of the existence of it. over all very slow and not really my style so i wont go back to it but I did not mind it as much as some of the other albums I have listened to
What first sounds like someone jokingly singing in Mr. Krabs’ voice opens up into heartbreaking and actually very good songwriting. A lot of the riffs are memorable and the progression of the album works - as the last song ended I reached for my phone to turn it off, intuitively knowing the song was the conclusion. Overall, I’m extremely impressed with the songwriting, music, and subject matter. His voice is integral to the sound, but also makes it jarring and inaccessible. Make Adele cover this album and every song would be a hit, but it would be empty without Tom’s voice. I give it a three because it is compelling, but inherently flawed. I will be revisiting this album.
This was interesting. There were creative moments that gave almost the same vibe as Pink Floyd The Wall, just not executed at the same level which were intriguing. There were also moments I thought it had to be a Mr. Krabs AI. Somewhere between a 2 and 3 for me realistically.
Meh
Some good songs on here. Definitely seems like it'd be an acquired taste.
Spooky tunes from a guy with a sore throat .
i respect it but i don't want to hear it
Has it moments for sure but an entire album of Waits get's old fast. There are times I question how genuine he is and not just an act to make money.
You have to sift through a lot of Tom Waits to find the gems. He’s a good case for making greatest hits records. Who Are You and I Don’t Wanna Grow Up exemplify the Waits I enjoy. The Earth Died Screaming, no thanks. Averaging out to a 3 between the treasure and the trash.
Like most Tom Waits albums, I like some of the stuff, and I don't like some of the stuff. The stuff I like is really good. But I only like about half of the stuff on here.
Har egentlig ikke noget forhold til Tom Waits, så det var fedt at høre en hel plade. Den var mere varieret end jeg havde regnet med.
Rating: 6.5/10 Good album overall. Has a lot of great songs but some that I did not like at all. For better or worse, I really appreciate the emotion in his voice, he sings each song with a lot of passion. I prefer when he sings in a clean way rather than his signature raspy voice, the clean/slower songs were my favorites. Favorite songs: Dirt In The Ground, Who Are You, Jesus Gonna Be Here, Black Wings, I Don't Wanna Grow Up, That Feel. Worst songs: The Earth Died Screaming, In The Colosseum.
Может показаться, что это полное говно. Ну, во-первых, треки угарные. Не каждый решится весь альбом петь хриплым противным голосом, да еще и с такой удручающей мелодией. А во-вторых, музыка все-таки красивая. Это интересный опыт.
I like some songs here honestly, it's got a cool dark vibe. There's also a lot of stuff I could never listen to again and be perfectly happy. I think the 3 is fair, it's a touch over a 2.5, so 🤷
Not my favorite Waits album
Different style but nice things to take in this album
This a 2.5 stars but im going to go up to 3. It feels like I am on a raft in a never ending swamp pushing through the muck with a long stick. If I ever want to change careers to be a nocturnal aligator hunter/guide that says strange things to tourists, this will be the soundtrack of that life. My biggest issue with Tom Waits is that the lows are incredibly low, ear bleedingly low. but when I imagine myself on that swamp it makes me enjoy it quite a bit
Bonkers The instrumentals sound like a blind man parading round a scrapyard with drum sticks. Tom sounds like a deranged lunatic. Tough one to rate for me, I didn’t really like it bar a few tracks, but I give it some credit for just being so weird and singular. 2.6/5
Bone Machine gives you the feeling of being in a dark room listening to the musings of an old man. There is a strange mix between a more traditional rock sound, but then there are parts where it feels like you are truly listening to an unhinged man wailing country sounding songs at you. I'm not sure if I really enjoyed the album or I was just intrigued because I didn't know what was going to come next. Best: Goin' Out West Worst: I Don't Wanna Grow Up Note: Had to listen to "That Feel" on YouTube Music as it was not available on Spotify.
Great voice, interesting tunes
Interesting but ultimately not something I would choose to listen to
As someone who's reviewed 4 of his other albums, I can't really say he does much innovation on this one. What I can say is this is probably the most coherent of his discography. He's mature in the mood he's going for, which is Southern Gothic altering between heartbreaking, depressing ballads and unpredictable, unsettling mechanical tunes. There's more of an emphasis on the old Western atmosphere and harsh membranophones. I also like some of the song transitions, like "In the Colosseum" to "Goin Out West", or "Such a Scream" to "All Stripped Down." I found it to be less memorable than his other albums. Not just due to the lack of innovation, but also the lack of any major highlights. "Goin Out West" is probably the most accessible song on here, especially that sick riff, and certainly fitting for Fight Club. After that, my personal highlights were "Jesus Gonna Be Here", "The Earth Died Screaming", "Murder in the Red Barn", and "I Don't Wanna Grow Up." I've never been a fan of ballads, and I personally found all but "Dirt in the Ground" to be boring. The biggest issue is the length, not just of the record, but of the individual songs. There's a stretch in the 2nd half where 4 out of 5 songs are 4:30. With how slow the songs are, they don't keep my engagement. And if I don't care for the song, it feels like torture waiting for the next song to appear. The only entertainment is the lyrics in the stories or poetry he tells, but sometimes that doesn't do it for me. For example, I couldn't find anything redeemable about "Whistle Down the Wind." Why does "In the Colosseum" need to go on for almost 5 minutes? Cut a few songs, and cut the lengths. Strong start, but a very weak closing. The last very 4 songs are a bit of a mess, losing that consistency, and "That Feel", although an appropriate closer, wasn't that interesting.
Not for me but I was expecting worse
Many will find this difficult. I like it, give it a try. A few tries.
Je pense que j'ai mieux aimé que son autre album que j'ai eu de lui. J'aime le côté vraiment plus expérimental de celui-ci. Je suis toujours pas complètement séduit par sa voix et son style très typique blues, mais je comprends parfaitement le statut de cet album. 7/10
Having listened to one other Tom Waits album before today, I’m quite excited for this. I remember being quite blown away by his voice and how unique he sounded. Here’s hoping for more of the same today. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Earth Died Screaming, Who Are You I may have said this about the previous Tom Waits album, but I could completely understand if somebody loved this or if they despised it. It is as unusual as I’ve come to expect, with Waits’ voice being a gravelly baritone in the foreground with odd bluesy rock in the background. For me, I did enjoy this but I didn’t feel to be my favourite album of his so far. It wasn’t bad, but also wasn’t amazing.
More gospel sounding than I remember but still some good tracks including the Fight Club song and 'I Don't Wanna Grow Up'
It was alright! Liked some of the songs.
Jotain ehkä perversillä tavalla mielyttävää tuon miehen äänessä on. Kuuntelin kolmesti läpi ja viihdyin.
The voice of a rusted hacksaw
This album is very odd but I actually quite enjoyed it
Joo paras Waitsi tähä mennessä, mutta ois voinu olla ainoo Waitsi tällä listalla.
objectively good but not so playlist worthy
After the five-year break that followed Swordfish Trombones and Raindogs, it seems like Tom picked up where he left it off, continuing on his journey into the depths. As with the prior LPs, there are a few songs that I connect with, like “Jesus Gonna be Here”. The overall sound on this one is more stripped down, less interesting, and within the context of the prior two albums, it’s not offering anything new. I’ll round up to the score that I probably would have given it if it was the first LP we were offered.
Inte helt oävet.
it's strange but I fuck with it
Some good, some bad
Agh Tom Waits. I feel like I should, by prestige, like Tom Waits but I just don't get it. There would be snippets where I'm into it then it would quickly go somewhere I was not into at all. His voice shifts bug me. I dunno what to make of it all!
I like Tom Waits for being an innovator, pushing the boundaries of music, not repeating himself. The Bone Machine is one of the records that polarises opinion. It ain't an easy listen! It has a very industrial sound, percussion heavy and the production is cold and raw. Thank god for artist like Tom Waits however, music would be bland without him.
The swampy blues has a vibe. 3.5/5.
Exhausting Listen
Heel erg experimenteel. Het gevoel dat het in een kelder is opgenomen is alleszins aanwezig.
decent album, liked it better than the other one on the list.
Another Tom Waits collection of songs. This album is a good one of his for someone looking to investigate his legendary tone.
I said what I said about Tom Waits already, twice before. It’s getting tiresome repeating myself. This is the best album cover of his by far, this photo with the title and font is perfection. Dark ruminations here, it’s a very philosophically intense album, but he needed to let that all out. I hope he feels better now.
Well, I didn't hate this like the previous two Tom Waits albums. I'm not calling myself a fan but perhaps the gravel in his voice has filed down my hatred a smidge.
I prefer the sound of this album to Heartattack And Vine. It’s more rustic, raw, feral, in a way that really suits Waits’ voice. Especially the drums that sound like bones. The songs aren’t always as good as the general atmosphere is, but there are some corkers on there, and the second half of the record is pretty consistent (kudos to his wife, who appears to have co-written most of the second side, as well as the excellent ‘Dirt In The Ground’). 3.5
Tom Waits is weird. Some of his music have great melodies and jazzy vibes, others are just bizarre.
Genres: Experimental rock Formed: Los Angeles in 1972? Run time: 16 songs, 53 min, 29 sec The eleventh studio album. The most popular is track 10, “Goin’ Out West” with almost 13M plays on Spotify. There are seven other tracks with over 1M plays and the remaining eight tracks have over 600k plays. I’m not familiar with Tom Waits’ work but I guess his deep, gravelly voice makes him easy to identify. His lyrics often reflect the darker side of life and that is the case with this album. Although lyrically quite different, Waits sounds very similar to Van Morrison. If you just catch a bit of him singing you might mistake him for a rambling drunk. It requires some concentration to understand what he is singing and what the song is about. That said, he bangs his own drum and follows his own path. He is a trailblazer, but it’s not to my taste. Listen Again?: No My Rating: ***
Tom Waits revient une énième fois pour essayer de nous prouver qu'il peut obtenir plus de trois sur cinq sur un album. Encore raté.
Not sure Mr Waits is for me, it fine, just mo chance I'll listen again
I have such a weird relationship to Tom Waits. I feel like I should like his music, and lots of people with great taste in music like his stuff, but it always leaves me wanting to listen to something else. I did really enjoy Nighthawks at the Diner, which I got on this list a few hundred albums ago. And the music that I make keeps getting compared to Tom Waits (generously, of course, I'm nowhere near his level of talent and skill). Individually, I like some of these songs, and I find most of the others interesting. As a whole, they start to grate on me when put into the context of an album, since it feels like a lot of them are similar in weird ways. Or maybe I just don't like his voice, idk. Regardless, I continue to feel about Tom Waits the way that I've always felt about him, which is that I feel like I should like him, but there's just so much stuff that I actively enjoy listening to more than this 3/5 I can see the merit in it, so I don't think it deserves a sub-50% grade, but I also can't justify anything higher, since I'm feeling pretty glad right now that the album is over
I was dreading, and I mean DREADING listening to this album given my prior experience with Tom Waits on the list. Found myself shocked that Waits opts for a less growly and more melodic vocal approach here, one that allowed me to focus better on the creative instrumentation and melodies building up each track. While I don't know if I would return to this LP, I did not hate my experience with it and that's much more than I expected!
lol bone machine
I love Tom Waits. But this feels like a fuller version of what he's done before on Swordfishtrombones and Frank's Wild Years and such. It feels like he's gone from a broader pallette to just sticking to mutant blues. I think the Grammy win has deluded the author here.
I'll be honest, sometimes it's a bit of a strain. But then again, some tracks really land. Listened to half of this before. Have precious memories about The Ocean Doesn't Want Me because I heard it first on Gorillaz Pirate Radio. + The Earth Died Screaming + All Stripped Down + The Ocean Doesn't Want Me + Jesus Gonna Be Here
Sometimes he overdoes the deep, dark, gravelly voice, and it just sounds silly; when he reigns it in, he sounds awesome. I like the really stripped back bluesy ballads of murder, murder ballads if you will, like 'Murder In The Red Barn'. Not bad. 3 / 5 stars.
My first TW album and I'm sure there will be more to come. I understand that TW has a consistent groove thing and I admire that, but it doesn't mean I like it. It puts me on edge and I suffer for his art. (Mostly because of his voice)
Si Tom Waits so’ essere un figo, ma qui canta da ubriaco. Ne tengo 3 da riascoltare ma farò fatica a tenerle
Tom Waits has a wonderful gift for songwriting, composition and storytelling, not so much so for singing. He's for sure an acquired taste and won't be everyone's cup of tea. I enjoy it his music, albeit in spurts and small doses. Great record, but not one I'd listen to in regular rotation
Tom Waits is always an adventure, this time was no exception although it was just a decent adventure
Believe it or not I'm actually a big fan of Waits, have been since I first heard his vocals in Shrek 2 (little drop of poison). There are some great moments on this album. Stand outs: dirt in the ground, who are you this time, a little rain, goin' out west, whistle down this wind and that feel. This really feels like music for the apocalypse, either that or for the orcs of mordor or from some travelling circus in the mid-west in the thirties... In fact, I can't properly place it. It's chaotic, scratchy and raw. Lyrically Tom is pretty entertaining, it gets both absurd and vivid after a few listens. There are some numbers that don't quite hit imo, but there are also some worthwhile additions to his overall catalogue here. 3.5
Rating: 6/10
Tom Waits is certainly one-of-a-kind. I find him to be an acquired taste, and I'm not sure whether I have quite acquired it. I usually appreciate his work, but I only like listening to it in small doses. When I read that this album was recorded in a cellar with "just a cement floor and a hot water heater" that made perfect sense. While I think cellars with cement floors and hot water heaters are interesting to poke around in, I'm not sure I want to spend a lot of time there. 3 stars.
Debería volver a probarlo con un whisky en la mano. Las letras un puñal al corazón como siempre
Very enjoyable but wouldn’t be listening in my spare time
4/15, 27%
Interesting stuff.
I've never been able to digest Tom Waits but I respect his artistry. I cannot give this a 1 becuase of it. Am extra star for the fact that this album wasn't completely unlistenable for me, it had some decent moments.
The bones are their money
Weird
Very interesting from the begging. From someone else's commend - dark but not depressing. Cool, raw sounds. But it just continued as more (and worse) of the same and in the second half I just got bored. Last 3 songs made it better. Hard to decide between 2 and 3 stars.
I've seen people say that you either love or hate Tom Waits' music, but I'm pretty in the middle, at least regarding this album. I know one or two Tom Waits songs, but this is my first time listening to an album of his. It was nice. I'd say that a lot of the songs could stand to be shorter, but that is the curse of singer-songwriter albums; you write so many verses in an attempt to tell a story that the song has to be at least four and a half minutes long, minimum. Still, even if a lot of them were long, the songs weren't bad. There are some very interesting sounds present in these songs. Anyway, this serves as an interesting entry point into his music. I hope I enjoy some of his other albums even more. My favourite songs were Dirt In The Ground and I Don't Want To Grow Up.
The prior three albums to this one are my favorites; this one felt like where the schtick tipped over into almost a caricature of itself. I don’t hate it but it’s never been the Waits album I’d reach for.
Another Tom Waits album. Not bad. Not my thing. Very specific taste to enjoy this, and I could never see myself sitting back and listening to this.
I liked Rain Dogs considerably more, although there's a darker vibe to this that I appreciate. Tom Waits is a unique artist and while I don't always love his songs, the overall aesthetic is intriguing and puts you in a different world.
Interesting sound. I think I like it but still need more time.
SHACK for PM. tom waits doing what tom waits does here. of the 3 we've had on the list this one is the best yet. i don't know if that's a compliment or not.
Still waiting
Things I learnt from The List number 74: Tom Waits is a much more challenging listen than I had expected prior to starting The List.
(listened to first half) I definitely respect it and he does an excellent job at what he (presumably) set out to do, but it's weird to imagine actually listening to this. That rain song was genuinely pretty good though
Not bad, soulful voice
I mean, what happened to this poor soul's voice?
Who do you voodoo, bitch?
good sound but a little same-y
This is the second album I've gotten of Tom Wait's. He is such a weird, eclectic, unique musician. While I enjoyed it at face value, this is not something that I would regularly listen to.
Strano?
Boner madick
bloke majeans
5 albums in the 1001 is too many. He's ok but not that earthshatteringly groundbreaking. Once you've heard one they all merge into one grungy gruff throated barroom lowlife soliloquy. Still, they make good listening.......
Two Ton Waits records in the same week? Lucky me! This one was not anywhere as bad as Heartattack and Vine thank god. The vocals are much more bearable, but hardly discernible. 5/10
Reading about this album I expected to hate it, but wasn't all bad. The 'experimental' tag can go either way but there was definitely some good songs.
Really, who knew someone could find a million different ways to growl? My favorite growl styles were what was on display on tracks such as The Earth Died Screaming and Dark Wings. I am good with gravely vocals, but I sometimes felt like he was all growling, warbling, or mumbling, and no singing. I'm coining the term growlbling™ to identify this. Either way, I wasn't a huge fan of tracks where that was on display. Honestly, I loved a lot of the music; the minimal sound with very forward drumming, percussion, and/or morose piano made for a very dark/gothy blues vibe, something almost tribal or bayou voodoo. This album was southern gothic genre before southern gothic was cool. Goin' Out West was my absolute fave on this album; if I didn't know better, you might could have convinced me that it was from some unknown Rob Zombie unplugged session (coming soon to an MTV near you). You know that one Devil archetype -- the deep southern, prohibitionist-era, bluesy, mysterious, smooth-talking dark but not particularly evil figure? Yeah, THAT Devil's soundtrack is this album. I didn't love every song; hell, I didn't even love half the songs. But this made for a super interesting listen.
I didn’t get to listen to the whole album but I liked what I heard. 3*
I love 70s Tom Waits. Less enamoured with later stuff.
There's something about Tom Waits that I still totally can't wrap my head around. His vocal range goes from anger to an almost Bruce Springsteen-like crooning. I imagined that when Springsteen got older he was going to sound a bit more like Tom Waits. I think my first impression of Waits was on Primus' "Tommy The Cat." The scat-like voice he used was just so... bizarre. (Makes sense since Claypool is on this album.) Listening to this album, he went from songs angry to almost Beefheart-like. "Who Are You This Time" and "Whistle Down The Wind" were both very haunting. I guess my point is I'm still not sure of his work, like Beefheart. It's something I may have to listen to numerous times. It's just so... odd. So I'm going to give it a 3. Hard to believe this is album #200. Really?
I don't know. I'm just not sure an artist like Tom Waits should get more than one entry on this list (if he gets any). But maybe this is it. I could not stand the opening track (The Earth Died Screaming) and it reinforced my belief that his work is just strange and his voice is awful. But I quickly found myself enjoying other songs - nice musical arrangements, lyrics I could actually hear (which I admit are fantastic), and vocal styling I could tolerate. Dirt in the Ground has a soft sad jazz feel made even more despairing by his lyrics. All Stripped Down feels like a Dr. John kind of song - cool funky sound, although In the Colosseum felt like a far inferior version of this. Who Are You This Time might be his most beautiful song on the album - plays like a sad country song. A Little Rain and Whistle Down the Wind are close seconds - similar feel but each with more piano and guitar secondary. Jesus Gonna Be Here is a strange blues song but it might be his best vocals. Goin Out West felt so familiar - it is his coolest, funkiest, and rockiest musical arrangement. Knowing the Ramones version of I Don't Wanna Grow Up, I was eager to respect the original - not bad. With how bad a start this album got off to, I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. I almost gave it a 4.
It's a Tom Waits album, what else can you say? You either like it or not. Well I guess I'm the exception that proves the rule because I kinda like but I'm not a fan. One TW album sounds pretty much like the rest. For me, in small doses I can find enjoyment. 3 🌟
First time listening to a Tom Waits album, this is fun weird and wonderful album that makes me want to listen again.
too much tom waitz.
Too strange for me.
Hyvin onnistunu koherentti teema saundien, lyriikoiden ja levynkannen välillä. Mutta en kyllä voi sanoa että tykkäsin musasta muuten.
Sama kuin Rain Dogsiin, eli upeaa ja voimakasta, paikoin jopa hyytävän vahva tunnelma, mutta vähän liian outoa, että kuuntelisin useammin. 3.5/5.
Tykkäsin kyllä enemmän Rain Dogsista kuin tästä, mutta en oikein osaa sanoa miksi. 3/5
His voice takes some getting used to but I like it
I'm a huge Tom Waits fan. I'm least familiar with this era of his (early 90s), so that probably factors in to me not loving this album as much as some of his others. His voice can be a bit much even for a seasoned listener and this album features some of the more trying aspects of his vocal stylings... I get why some people loooove this album, but I feel like he's done better versions of this style of his. I suppose that's only because I have the knowledge of his future albums, though. If I were taking this one in when it first came out, it woulda probably blown my damn mind.
I think people will either think he is an absolute genius or he is complete garbage... So I expect a lot of 1 and 5-star ratings here. That being said, I'll give him 3 stars to contradict what I just said and comply with the craziness of this album...
Bone Machine by Tom Waits (1992) Ya gotta love Tom Waits. With uninhibited, poetic lyrics surrounded by God knows what musical inspiration, each song is wonderfully discomfiting and attractive. There’s just enough rhythmic and melodic convention to keep it from falling over the edge—which seems to be just where Mr. Waits wants us. I, for one, am content to sit there with him and enjoy the auditory panorama. It is reported that when Waits was informed that he won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album for this record, he replied, “Alternative to what?” (Uh, pretty much everything, Tom). One wonders what kind of natural disaster caused the uniquely sour baritone timbre of Waits’ voice, but it’s worth celebrating. And his fascination with sticks (yes, sticks) on an album that is fixated on bones leaves the listener with an aural theme that’s unmistakable. If you only listen to one track on this album, try “The Ocean Doesn’t Want Me”, to get a sense what it must sound like for a guy who yearns for death by drowning, but who’s foiled by an uncooperative body of water—an excuse, of course, which is a mask for some other unexplained something that is, if nothing else, hideously humorous. Three cheers for the “strangels” and the “braingels” and the ocean which will all still be there tomorrow. “Goin’ Out West” is a must addition to your road trip playlist, especially in the ‘annoy the bejeezus out of the passengers’ mode. And special appreciation is due to Keith Richards for co-writing, guitar accompaniment, and backing vocals on the closing track, “That Feel”. He sounded old thirty years ago, and will likely sound old thirty years from now. Give this album a listen when you’re tired of everything else, or oftener if you please, and I hope you do. 3/5
Some good songs mixed with strange vocals but overall quite enjoyable. Favourite songs: - Jesus gonna be here - in the Colosseum - I don’t wanna grow up
Det kan noget. Voodoo-blues med rygerlunger
champ
Wel bijzonder maar niet geel luisterbaar
I don't hate the idea of experimental music, I think it has an important space in the overall musical landscape, I also think it's unlistenable. The work that it inspires will be great, and with that in mind, it's not a 0-star album but I would never listen to this by choice
70 pack year smoker sings the blues
Not my jam, I think. I didn’t not enjoy it, but it’s not something I’d miss if I never heard it again
Po meni ima Tomica boljih.
Good but lacking in variety. A bit Tom Waits by numbers.
I like Tom Waits. I definitely have to be in a certain mood to listen to him, and I don't often find myself in that type of mood. I appreciate his unique sound and voice.
In generale ho trovato quest'album molto interessante, a tratti dissonante, imperfetto, sperimentale, e Tom Waits un artista e interprete geniale, a cui piace giocare con la sua voce (e la sua tosse). È stata un'esperienza talmente ricca che a un certo punto è diventata pesante. Ho provato ad ascoltare l'album una seconda volta, ma ho abbandonato perché stremato. Il discorso è che, per me, prese singolarmente le tracce sono molto interessanti, ma messe tutte insieme trasformano l'album in qualcosa di troppo difficile da ascoltare. Dopo le prime due tracce, ero partito con un "minimo 4", ma a malincuore scendo a un voto più basso per via dell'ascolto indigesto. Forse me ne pentirò, forse avrei avuto bisogno di più tempo. Voto 3
Molto difficile da valutare perché non si capisce bene se siamo davanti a un'opera con profondità o no, a tratti sembra come se musicalmente non ci sia molta sostanza però in altri momenti ho la sensazione opposta. La sua voce è un pò la gioia e la condanna di questo disco perché accentra l'attenzione, il tono è efficace e complesso, ma di conseguenza confonde enormemente l'ascolto che fa fatica a concentrarsi sulla parte musicale che sembra nascondere cose interessanti. Alla lunga la teatralità mi stanca però mi l'espressività del disco non mi sembra finta.
You know, Tom Waits. It's cool if I'm in the mood, but sometimes I like his earlier stuff better.
When it hit it was kinda good. Too much boring stuff tho.
I love Tom Waits but this one is honestly a very middle of the road album for him. still, about half the album slaps so I suppose you could do worse.
A slightly darker and huskier Tom than I’d choose to spend time with. Though the ‘back 9’ is an absolute joy.
So far Tom Waits has accounted for 3% of the albums generated in this here group we’re in. Now I’m not saying he doesn’t warrant it - manifestly he’s a singular, extraordinary, influential voice in storytelling songs - it’s just *interesting* is all. Now: to the album. I enjoyed it. There’s more creativity and exploration in any single track than most artists manage in their whole careers. Here is an artist who gambles on weirdness like a man at the tracks where all the horses are called Weirdness. And it works: it’s inviting, obtuse, odd; the voices Waits conjures here are fantastic - a few featuring a high-pitched departure from his usual concrete-mixer grind. But (isn’t there always a but?) I didn’t feel this had enough to delineate it from Waits’ usual offerings to truly stand out. Perhaps if I’d heard this before Rain Dogs, or Swordfishtrombones I’d be talking about it differently. To me this just sounds like a fine Tom Waits album, rather than one of the 3% of albums that I absolutely must listen to before I die (or else!!!!).
I can respect it, but most of it just isn't for me.
I'm still new to Tom Waits, and I'm not sure if I should like him more than I do. This album is getting 3 stars because of rounding - and an assumption that the album might grow on me a little after a second listen.
Pretty much what you'd expect from Tom Waits. Intense singing, quirky instrumentation. Not pleasant, but interesting.
I'm very open to Tom Waits, but this is not my favourite album
Fucking odd but interesting
6/10. I really wish I didn't dislike how Tom Wait sounds so much, because I like his songwriting. That said, this album sounds a lot more chaotic and unpleasant right off the bat than Heartattack and Vine was, and the songs are more all over the place. "Who Are You This Time", and "A Little Rain" are pretty good though. If there was anything that would justify how bad some of this sounds it would be the lyric "In the colosseum, we call 'em as we see 'em". Honestly this is growing on me as I listen through it. "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" is nice too.
I find some of the songs more enjoyable than others. Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of gravelly voices, so it’s not my favorite, but it’s okay.
Not my stuff
Production: 14/20 Songwriting: 13/20 Innovation: 16/20 Bangers: 5/20 Emotional response: 8/20 =56 Interesting and enjoyable Tom
I'd give it more but it makes me want to cough the whole way through. Great songs, great lyrics, great atmosphere. Waits' voice is just a tad too much for me though.
There were some songs that I liked and others that were not it for me. In my eyes there are definitley a couple of good melodies and beats on this album. The way he was singing was sometimes destroying it a bit for me though.
ja best vet, super rauw en anders maar wel comfortabel om naar te luisteren. gekke gast wel 3/5
Rugged album
I have to be in a certain mood for Tom Waits. This album is good, but not great, in my opinion. I like quite a few of the songs, but it seems really disjointed. But definitely a 3.5 star more than a 3.
More or less insufferable. The music is interesting, but it cannot make up for his particularly unlistenable growling and howling on this album.
Man’s got a voice like a bag of rocks going through the tumble cycle on a side-loading washing machine. I find this marginally more listenable than when I last gave Waits a shot 20 years ago. 1 down, 4 to go. Dimery, you sadist.
I don't like Tom Waits.
God I despise Tom Waits.
Definitely the inspiration for Vic reeves pub singer
Not bad but I don't think I will listen again
Heel vage muziek. Industrial country of zo? Niet mijn ding, al erger ik me er ook niet echt aan. **
Standouts Goin' Out West
not my thing but there are fleeting interesting moments
Ehhhhh… I don’t know. It’s really interesting musically and quite experimental but ive not really listened to any of Tom Waits other stuff so im not sure if this si standard for him. Honestly its not bad, it did age me a while of on nd off listening though as I did get a bit bored of it. Hear me out… it wuld work really well as a soundtrack for a villain. I do love the eeriness of the tracks i dont think it deserves a 1 maybe a 1.5 similar to khaled maybe higher if im honest like a 1.75….
Antes de empezar pensé que es esta mierda, al empezar dije me va tocar escuchar 1 hora de esta mierda cuando terminé dije que mierda escuché
Boring i fell asleep. Sounded like it was recorded with a smartphone
I expected to hate this, but I found I enjoyed a few of the tracks
I like early TW, this stuff not so much. 2/5.
This was a very challenging listen; it’s grating, noisy experimental rock/folk. The lyrics are deep and there’s a lot of heart in the music, so that’s gonna save it from the basement of the ratings, but that’s where the positives end. Mr. Waits recorded this in his concrete basement, so the sound is shit, and he was going through an experimental percussion phase where he would just whack metal objects with hammers; it was not nice to have that piped directly into my ears. Also, his voice was described by a music critic as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car." Elvis Costello also loves this album, so you know right away it’s gonna be pretty bad. Very low 2/5
No. I still don’t like Tom Waits. Have there already been four others on here? Will more pop up? I don’t need to hear anything else by him ever.
JL : 2, A Little Rain (legit almost a 1 but at least it was interesting)
No fui fan
Time Waits does have an interesting thing going it's just not my interesting thing
Weird.
I feel like by the end of this, Tom Waits may become my nemesis. I don't think I've ever felt such a disconnect with an artist who receives such overwhelming critical praise but feels so inauthentic to me. Bone Machine is at least less derivative than the previous two Waits album I've had to review so far (Heart Attack & Vine and Swordfishtrombones), and it's probably the best one, although to be clear this is faint praise. Waits' affectations vary widely enough. Sometimes he's an apocalyptic preacher, sometimes an old bluesman, sometimes he's George Thorogood and sometimes he's Oscar the Grouch, so there's a little variety to maintain some interest across the album, if not within the actual songs themselves. There are some good backing tracks here ("Such a Scream," "Goin' Out West", "Murder In The Red Barn") but Waits himself is monotonous. You can listen to the first five seconds and know that's going to be the entire song. There are no peaks and valleys. His vocalizing is little more than an affectation, and that's why he feels fake to me.
Only time I come across Tom Waits or when I intentionally hear him is when he crops up on this list. Just checked and this is the fourth time. Bad news is that there’s still another album to come (endure). All my previous reviews go on about his voice or lack of it. This is no different. As I’ve also said previously this is a pity as there is the occasional musical interlude which is worth a listen. Which makes me wonder if by now a significant anniversary of an album has occurred and as is customary nowadays on such events a remastered 6 disc box set is released. This normally includes a previously unreleased instrumental version of the songs. Now that could be worth buying - well eventually when seen in a record store bargain bin - I’m not that stupid or made of money. 2/5 8/8/26
Tom Waits might be the exact opposite of “Easy Listening”. His gravelly vocals make Dylan sound like Pavarotti. I was actually glad that this selection popped up, so that at least I could sample his oeuvre; and I even found a couple of his repetitive phrases (“Earth Died Screaming”) sticking with me. But I can’t imagine a circumstance where I would say, “Hey, let’s put on some Tom Waits”, (unless I was sitting alone in the dark, smoking a cigarette and fingering a loaded revolver). Once was enough…
I've had a run of Dimery's "terrible male singers but cool to be into" albums. This one was tough to get through. There are so many great singers in the U.S., Dimery. You don't need to do this to us.
its ok
I really like Tom Waits, but this album just didn't really hit for me. There were a small handful of great songs, but most felt kind of "empty" to me and lacked the emotional punch his songs typically have.
Gravelly voice and random creepy musings. Don't really get it but has some interesting parts in it. Weird swamp music. 2/5
He's like durian fruit. Unfortunately, for me, it wretched and makes me feel sick. Gets two stars for the bluesy tunes.
I was going to try to be edgy and give this a 3 but there's am awful load of gruff crap. If someone that wasn't Tom Waits released this album it wouldn't be on the list
I love Tom Waits. I really don’t like this album.
Oh dear, it's another Tom Waits album. Swordfishtrombones was the first. Even beheaded this music is too much. Gave that a one. Since then my depths have sunken to kid rock so Waits that's your low bar. We're sinking cap'n an there's nothin I ken do. Tom Waits the falsetto. Tom Waits the distortion. Tom Waits the why? You know those guys who did "We love the moon, rathergood.com?" All stripped down sounds like he's imitating them. They were doing it for the lols. Tom, not so much. Catchy groove tho noah gonna lie. Ok now He's doing the vocal equivalent of blackface. Jesus Gonna track. There are several tracks with some seriously nice grooves. Goin' Out being one. We are in 2 territory.
Tom is never gonna be for me
I think there’s a lot of context I’m missing to Tom Waits, but in both acclaimed albums I’ve now listened to, I’m just really not compelled to seek that context out. I’m sure there’s plenty of people he appeals to, but not me. I do appreciate the really creative instrumental direction and subtle production, but that voice is basically intolerable.
What’s the point of listening to a Tom Waits album if “Step Right Up” isn’t on it?
Who is this guy and why does he sound like that
Uplifting.
Seems like a very divisive album - some love it, some hate ut. Unfortunately I’m on the side of those who don’t like it. Creepy at moments, with a sometimes umpleasant voice. It does sound authentic and original, I’ll give it that. It’s also certainly cohesive. Music to ambient a haunted mansion in halloween.
I like Tom Waits...usually. This album, not so much. The lo-fi production, kindergarten class percussion, and the bizarre (even by Waits' standards) vocals just make a combination that I don't enjoy. The lyrics are interesting, but there's just too much noise to get through to appreciate them.
achei um horror, lamento
Not my thing unfortunately, made me continuously uncomfortable. Which is the point in a way, so it's not quite getting one star.
🤪
I guess it has some artistic merit, its certainly unique and interesting. But man will I never listen to this one again, in fact probably would have been just fine not listening to it at all.
- i cant ts genuinely not for me - its so gotham city walk down the street with grayscale to the max - id rather suck dih than listen to ts - i owe burger music apology
Nicht mein Favorit
Bah
Great
3/10 Not my thing, dude sounds like he needs a sip of water so badly.
Hold on, are you telling me this guy has more albums on the list than Pink Floyd?
that was weird.
I like Tom Waits voice, reminds me of The Wire theme song he did.
Tom Waits is interesting but a little goes a long way for me. Favorite track: Goin' Out West
Really not my favourite Tom Waits
Je n'ai pas compris l'album qui -disons le poliment- est expérimental avec une bande de copains bourrés qui s'essayent à la musique... mais quelle voix !!! Par sympathie je lui donne 2 étoiles
Starts off intriguing, but the gravely vocal schtick and pared down instrumentation gets really old really fast. Maybe would have if it had half the runtime, but there's nothing all that musically interesting. At its strongest when the songs are songs instead of abstract set pieces. Top tracks: Dirt in the Ground, Goin' Out West
Not the worst thing I've heard, almost started to enjoy it.
Tom Waits has one of the most unique voices in the alternative scene. In truth his music is rarely like anyone else, a combination of spoken word, miscellaneous growling and voodoo blues. That said, I actually didn’t like this album. Get why it’s here, and respect toward fans and artist, but if felt too Danny Elfman meets Screamin’ Jay Hawkins in a backwoods bayou Deliverance kind of way. Jesus Gonna Be Here and Who Are You were key tracks, and A Little Rain was pretty and soulful, but not enough to save the whole album for me. If I could give this album a 2.5 I would.
Random thoughts: * Tom Waits is definitely an acquired taste. * It took me months to go back and really listen to this one. I really struggled to get through this album the first go round. * I was able to listen to this through in one sitting and it made for a more pleasant listen as I read and played games on my phone. * I can see why Tom Waits is on this list. However, it really takes some getting used to listening to Tom. * I was catching some Modest Mouse vibes from this record. And seeing that Les Claypool was also on this list, you can hear Tom Waits influence on Primus too. * Some songs on here were too abrasive while others hit just right. I wasn't listening close enough to tell you which ones to stay away from. * I see there are 4 more Tom Waits albums awaiting us on the list. Yikes!
Meh.
I like Tom's voice as long as he uses it "conventionally". His high pitched pressurized (I don't know how to put it) singing is not for me, neither is the experimental nature of this album. One or two Ok-ish songs.
Tom just isn't doing it for me.
Yeah it’s fine
Gear: Hifiman HE6se v2 SE Artwork: 😱🩻⬛ Production (2023 Remaster): 😐👍🆗 Music: 😌🎤🤦 Rating: 🦴🦴/5
This album was rusted. I enjoyed the unique echo vibe my boy had going on, and how he kept that but had several vibes cooking at once throughout the album. However, it was just not the most enticing musically, so sorry buddy. Interested to explore more of Tom Waits' work, but this ain't quite my tempo. Favorite track was The Earth Died Screaming.
I'm too old for this shit
Don’t really get Tom Waits
I like Waits early stuff but this one doesn't do much for me. It was the critics darling but to me it's not musical and just odd. 2.5 stars
Bro what's the point of this The only track I kinda liked was Black Wings because of the instrumental.
Not for me.
Sonically very cool, love the percussion. But musically does nothing for me and found it rather boring.
Some of these songs aren't bad. Murder In The Red Barn for example. It's fine on its own, but after listening to practically the same song 10 times in a row it gets boring. The vocals aren't that bad and the instrumentals are very limited, but I think it works. At least it can work and in some songs is does. But as a whole, it just makes for a forgettable album. I like the cover though.
2.1 Second Tom Waits album in 11 days, yikes. Saving grace is that this was a lot better than Swordfish trombone, but that isn't saying much. There's actually some interesting stuff on here, but it gets ruined by too many songs just being shite and unnecessary. I think a refined approach, stripped down songs, less intensity on the accented vocals, would make it a palatable album. But at the end of the day that's not what he's going for. I respect that, but I still think it's shite because of it.
Tom Waits is always a weird one for me. I love the grit in his voice, but sometimes he just sings...weird. I don't know how to explain it. There's songs where it sounds like he is actually singing authentically, and there are others where it sounds like he's "putting on" a voice to fit a theme. This, in the case of this album, often does not work to its benefit. However, there are a fair amount of songs where Tom does use his actual voice, and it sounds nice. I like the "working in a coal mine" or "hanging out in a tavern" vibe. It started out pretty bad, but it fortunately did improve a bit with time. Still, one of the weaker albums from Waits' discography, in my opinion.
I only liked "The Earth Died Screaming", the rest it was unbearable to me.
4.5/10
Some of the music itself was interesting, but the vocals were a bridge too far.
We get it you smoke a lot of cigarettes
This is my first Tom Waits album and I am not very impressed. It is not good, the deliveries are annoying and it is too gritty, too bad vibes on purpose and not a fun or interesting album overall. I got "in the collesseum" for a week in my head and it was like torture. 2/5
This is definitely interesting and there are parts of the chaos that I actually really enjoy, and then there are parts where I just get annoyed.
Just not for me.
I was familiar with Tom Waits, though not with this album. “Bone Machine” has changed my view of him—and not exactly for the better. In the first four songs, he manages to completely hide his undeniable talents as a singer. After that, it sounds as if Tom Waits is singing in the kitchen and accompanying himself with the sounds of whatever objects are lying around. It actually only gets a little better when he finds the piano in the next room—“A Little Rain,” for example, is a real song, and not a bad one. Overall, I view “Bone Machine” as an experiment, and it’s simply in the nature of experiments to sometimes fail. However, on this list, I would expect only the successful ones.
There might be a good song or two in there somewhere, but Tom does not make it easy.
1.5
#880. I see that, at the time of this writing, that this album has an average score of 2.84, and I find that odd. Not because I think it should be higher, but because it is the lowest rated of all his albums on here, and if anything I think it's the best of the five, and all the other shit heaps should be rated even lower. This was really the only one of his that I found even slightly tolerable really, but I think maybe it's because I listened to it as if it was Zachariah Rigsby from Seven Psycopaths singing. Because Tom Waits is a real person, so if he's out there making music this terrible, then shame on him. But listening to it as if it's a serial killing psychopath singing, it fits much better. I noticed that my ratings of Mr. Waits' albums on here somewhat align with the five stages of grief. First, I was in denial that Heartattack and Vine could exist in the first place and be so terrible. Then, with Rain Dogs, I was angry that more than one of his albums were on this list, and angry at myself for listening to it. And then the bargaining step with Swordfishtrombones, where I gave it 2 stars, trying to convince myself more than anyone else that I was still having a good time. Nighthawks At The Diner filled me with depression and nearly caused me to rage quit this entire list altogether. And now here we are at Bone Machine, where I've come to accept that there's just a lot of shitty music out there, and there's nothing I can do about it. 2/5: fuck it, it's not like any of this matters anyway.