Bone Machine

o conceito do álbum é interessante e tal, mas achei arrastado pra caralho de escutar

folk experimental. FOLK. EXPERIMENTAL. vai tomar no cu. paia demais. fui de peito aberto mas sérião, se eu curti mais de 5 minutos foi muito.

Strange dude. It's like an album recorded in a dungeon, with the skeletons keeping rhythm and Tom is in the corner growling about craziness. Percussion stuff was interesting. Quite a singular record, though not something I'll probably listen to again.

Tom Waits has songs that intrigue me and make me wonder if maybe I could be a fan. And then he has four more where he's just growling and shrieking and clearly he thinks it's all really profound or witty or something. Jesus dude, get over yourself.

1 < x < 1.5, cant understand why its on the list at all

Trout Mask Replica for film majors who believe liking Gus Van Sant and Jim Jarmusch makes them ✨not like other film majors✨ ***AND/OR*** Fetch the Bolt Cutters for men with a lot of opinions about Alcoholics Anonymous and how the 12-step program is✨problematic✨ (they would benefit greatly from attending an AA meeting or two). This is where Tom Waits loses me. There’s 3 moments where his sullen, chain-smoking bar singer shines through the cracks, but they’re all pretty bad versions of that shtick. Otherwise, this is just an annoying series of obnoxious bangs and grating blues-based bashes. You can claim experimentation all you want, but you can’t outrun the truth of a terrible song, and Bone Machine has 16 truly god awful songs. I can’t imagine anyone actually enjoys this record, and suspect that the only people who do listen to it are doing so because they are contrarians, teenagers, incels, or man-children — or, sadly, possibly all four.

Onestamente? È talmente terribile e raggelante in certi punti che non riesco a dargli 1. Sicuramente sopravvalutato dai critici perché ammettiamolo è proprio brutto ma capisco un pizzico da dove derivi l’apprezzamento, è “unico”

data la copertina, pensavo molto peggio. a parte il fatto che il povero cantante ha probabilmente bisogno di una Benagol, è "sperimentale" al punto giusto e non l'ho trovato aggressivamente progressive come temevo, a parte quella sul Colosseo, che non finiva più. tutto sommato sono piacevolmente sorpresa.

Weird but I kind of like it. Not an everyday music but still enjoyable

Not my favorite album from him, but has its moments.

I think I like the idea of Tom Waits more than I actually like his music.

WTF this shit is bad...why do I not get it? Tom Waits has to be one of the most overrated dudes of all time. 1/5

One of the worst things I’ve heard in my life.

Great as a troll album

Greatest scene setter in music

I don't really like it, but I do enjoy the execution of it. Will I listen to again: 10%

Like a night before Christmas soundtrack sung by a hobo. Shit

Does it show that before making this album Waits took a music break and had a stint as an actor? Maybe so. I like occasional Waits songs but I find this Schick very tiring to be honest. Everyone raves about his brutal creative lyrics but I genuinely can't make out what's he's saying so I don't massively appreciate that element in this album. I also don't appreciate the general clanging noise that appears on every track. I also don't think shoehorning the word Jesus in every 16 seconds makes the album particularly deep. I will begrudgingly say the end of the album (from whistle down the wind) is alright. Upon further reflection I really did quite like the end of the album, it was just by that point I was so annoyed with the first half of the album I found it hard to admit any part was likeable.

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

It's definitely a rough listen, which I've come to expect with Tom Waits. That said - I really enjoy it, even though it's not an album for your elegant dinner party.

Tom better stop waiting because I will never find his music interesting

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.

What can I say- one of my favourite Tom Waits albums. I still remember discovering this in the 90s - it felt strange, harsh, and beautiful all at the same time. Just listen to Going Out West. I remember downloading the mp3 of Dirt in the Ground on my parents computer on their dial up internet and listening to this on repeat for days. The ultimate memento mori. So beautiful and sad and urgent. I also love ‘A little rain’ and ‘who are you’ - both are incredible songwriting. As I get older, ‘I don’t wanna grow up’ hits so hard. When I’m in my car by myself I sing this at the top of my lungs and I always find it difficult to get through without getting a lump in my throat. How do you move in a word of fog that’s always changing things? The only thing to live for is today.

I like a lot of his stuff but wasn’t so big on this

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

Every Tom Waits album should be called "Bone Machine."

Whoa, something WAY different when I was expecting another fly by night Britpop recording. It is really put on the ordinary musically, lyrically, in every way. For me it had a strange appeal. It is worth a serious, sit back, put the headphones on, no distractions listen.

Not for me at all

4.25

Her var det mye som skjedde, mye bra men også mye snodig

My first album by Tom Waits as part of this challengeand I am not looking forward to this. No matter what he’s doing musically, I just can’t get past his voice. It completely takes me out of the album. I know it’s distinctive and part of his appeal, but for me it’s really grating, and it made this a tough listen from start to finish. There may be good songwriting in here, but it’s hard to appreciate it when the vocal style just doesn’t land at all. Favourite tracks: None that stood out Least favourite tracks: The whole album didn’t click for me Album artwork: The cover pretty much sums up the mood of the album

The incredible run of Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs, and Frank’s Wild Years solidified Waits’ shift from a jazz-inspired singer-songwriter to an avant garde genre-bending freak. Bone Machine is his first album for five years after that landmark trilogy and he kept that momentum going and then some. It’s his darkest record and sheds the extravagant cabaret he sometimes dabbled in for a more straightforward blues sound, featuring some of his grittiest stompers and most heart wrenching ballads, and probably his most strained and haunted vocals which is sure saying something. He raves and rants and croons about growing old and religion and murder over janky guitars, out of tune pianos, and guys beating the shit out of some metal. The whole thing sounds like it was recorded in an abandoned shack in the middle of the woods and I just love it

Underbelly. Dirt under fingers. Flowers growing through cracks in the pavement. This is the world of Tom Waits. He’s a wonderful storyteller and magician with wordplay. I’m not confident enough to say 5 stars but it’s certain exciting.

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...

Interesting, but not for me. There was little I liked about this. It made me anxious

Bone Machine is what happens when an artist mistakes chaos for genius and noise for depth. Tom Waits leans so hard into his gravel-throated, junkyard prophet persona that the entire album collapses under the weight of its own forced weirdness. It's not raw — it's sloppy. It's not haunting — it's grating. Listening to *Bone Machine* feels less like hearing music and more like being trapped inside a rusted-out oil drum while someone bangs on the outside with a wrench. The songs meander without structure, the percussion sounds like it was recorded in a scrapyard, and Waits’ voice — once evocative — now just sounds like a parody of itself. There’s a difference between being experimental and being unlistenable, and this album doesn’t seem to know the line. Critics called it bold and visionary, but bold doesn’t mean good. It’s an endurance test disguised as art, and one that I have no interest in repeating. If this is brilliance, I’ll happily stay in the dark.

Death theme got old. Decent premise

I only liked 1 song

Me gusta Tom Waits, para mi sorpresa. En el papel, no debería ni acercarme, pero dentro de todo el ruido y lo rudo hay melodía y eso vale más.

Mostly odd

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.

This is like an evil Frank Sinatra. A

I didn't enjoy it at all.

Sorry, Tom. Not a fan.

No. Thanks. Listened only through half of it, because i just couldn't take more.

'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.

Man. Dat gerochel in het begin. En dan in het volgende nummer een raspende nare stem. Ben dan al helemaal klaar hiermee. Zo gek als deze nummers maakt Tom het niet de hele tijd. Maar fijn om te luisteren maakt hij het niet. Dan helpt de doffe muziekklank ook niet.

Dit is wel heel rap achter elkaar 2 albums van dezelfde artiest, waarschijnlijk wil het algoritme mij testen of ik Tom Waits wel echt 2x een dikke voldoende had moeten geven. Dit is namelijk wel wat harder werken. Zijn kenmerkende schuurpapiergegrom komt overigens minder vaak voor, hij probeert regelmatig een hees hoog stemmetje op dit album. In combinatie met vrij uitgeklede experimentele rock, die zich moeilijk laat omschrijven. Het is niet iets dat gemakkelijk wegluistert in ieder geval. Uiteindelijk staan er wel een paar prima nummers op, met name degene waar hij wat traditioneler singer-songwrite. Een enkel experiment daargelaten, is het verder wat te moeilijk. Ik heb al 2x bonuspt gegeven, laat ik een keer streng zijn en de 2,5 naar beneden afronden. Dit album had niet op de lijst gehoeven

It took me 3 attempts, but I made it through this album. Musically, this is about as terrible as it gets. Instead of writing up a bunch of negative shit about this dude I decided to spend a few minutes checking out his background. Did you know he has made over 25 albums? I hope to never hear another one. Did you know his net worth is estimate to be between 10 and 25 million? Holy shit. I'm not sure I'd would listen to another song from this guy without getting paid. And I want the money upfront. In conclusion, good for you Tom Waits. I may hate your music, but you appear to have done damn well in your life, at least moneywise. No more though. Please, no more.

2 New decade, same, gruff Tom Waits sound - though, this time around he lifted the name of his album from a Pixies song. Unfortunately, nothing here sounds anywhere near as good as anything you can find on Surfer Rosa. At this point it seems pretty safe to say that this is a dude whose music you either love or hate, and I’m someone who lands in the camp of the latter. I just don’t get - it just feels like a sound collage of banging noise while a dude struggles to sing over it. That to say, I actually don’t think I disliked this one quite as much as his past albums. Maybe I’m just accustomed to his sound at this point, but mixed in all of the chaos, I actually feel like there are some enjoyable moments to be had. In particular, I was somewhat a fan of Goin’ Out West, which has some cool, raw guitar work on it, and I Don’t Wanna Grow Up, which feels like the only conventionally structured song here. Though, my appreciation for the latter likely stems from the later Ramones cover, a song I’m very familiar with (and prefer), so do with that what you will. Those two songs also probably stood out to me the most because I’m pretty sure they’re the only two that have any sort of guitar on them - everything else is either a piano tune at best or straight percussion at worst. Once again, no idea what would compel somebody to put this on, and I can’t even imagine the kinds of looks you would get if you did so after being handed the aux, but I am scoring a half point higher than previous outings with the guy, so maybe I’m learning to appreciate?

Sorry Tom, but I'm just not digging it.

kuollut mies laulaa... luuranko klik klakattaa kun suupieli käypi... jack skellington näkyilevä äidinpaniskelija... skeletor looking mf... en koskaan valita kun tämä kusipää tulee vastaan vaikka olisi paska albumi. tämä onneksi kuitenkin miellyttävää höpsöilyä. kukaan ei tee tälläista musiikkia.. ja tällä kertaa ei sen takia koska se on paskaa musiikkia.. vaan koska muilla ei samankaltaista stalaktiitti syöpä ruoste ääni... KÄRSIVÄ MIES KÄRSIVÄ MIES TEKEE MAAILMASTA KAUNIINNMAN?? monet pelkäävät häntä.... toiset ihannoivat häntä... vaikka ei pitäisi kumpaakaan tehdä... hän vain on.... listen when tom waits is speaking... goin' out west

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.

When I first heard Tom Waits, I found his voice rather over the top and slightly annoying. However he grew on me after a few listens and I started to appreciate his music. This album was like listening to Tom for the first time again. It's so stripped back at first that it was a tough listen and I was relieved when the album came back to more traditional Waits territory. However, after listening a couple more times, I found myself enjoying the whole album - bar the cover of I Don't Want To Grow Up - which I could definitely do without. A gravelly foof.

Fav: Who Are You Least Fav: The Ocean Doesn’t Want Me A very interesting album that is beginning to grow on me. Vocals are the obvious weak point but the overall sound and lyrics were quite impressive and by the end I was beginning to like it a little. It may be a 2/5 to me right now but I can see that growing with a few more listens.

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.

It is a masterpiece! I like it.

2.5/10

Except "Goin' Out West" nothing that holds my attention. I like the music much more than the voice! 1,5

i recently watched the original creature from the black lagoon, and i imagine this is the type of music he would make

No

I love Tom Waits, but dear god. This sounds like it was recorded in the shitter. Some of the ballads sound okay, but most of it sucks. 2.1 stars

Hot take: this shit was interesting as hell. It just sounds so maniacal. I have a hard time saying it was enjoyable in a traditional sense, and I didn’t like all of it, but I was eager to hear what strange music would come next. It was a unique and unexpected experience.

Black Wings is the only reason this isn’t a 1 star

Ugh, I forgot there was more of this garbage to come.

It's good when music evokes feelings—positive or negative—but when it makes you want to turn it off, what's the point of listening? That's basically this album in a nutshell for me. I kind of understand what the artist was going for there, but I could not get past those awful vocals. Whenever I was beginning to enjoy the melody or instrumentation, he opened his mouth and ruined it. It's a pity too, 'cause I really liked most of the songwriting on this album. The ideas were great, but the execution... not so much. I'm sorry, but I'd never willingly put myself through listening to this man's voice ever again. I get it, it's art, blah blah blah... but I'm listening to music for fun too, and where was the fun in this sh*t? I want to be objective and base my rating on every aspect of this album, but when the singing ruins everything else, what should my score be?

I somewhat liked the ballads: Who You Are A Little Rain Whistle Down the Wind I Don’t Wanna Grow Up That Feel I hated the rest.

i have so much to say, and not nearly enough words in the english language to actually do so it gets a lot fucking better as it progresses, but i feel like that may just be me getting used to the vibes of this album 2/5, i feel like i'm missing something though i may eat my words later on in life

This is the worst kind of experimental music.

I'm choosing to believe this is satire.

I don't consider myself to be a Tom Waits fan in the slightest, but this really spoke to me for some reason. The highs on here are extremely high. Just get this man some cough medicine finally.

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.

Tom Waits' bone has got a little machine. In his first 90s album, and first since the end of a bonkers trilogy (Swordfishtrombones, Wild Dogs, Frank's Wild Years), the erstwhile troubadour reins in on his ragged batshit musical style while, at the same time, somehow refining it. The result is not just a continuation of an upward trajectory towards hard-won inimitable greatness but the beginning of something else entirely; a moment when the hard swings of the stage light start to slow down towards a certain stillness, yet not quite ready to dim for there are still critters awaiting time in the spotlight. Favorites: The Earth Died Screaming, Dirt in the Ground, All Stripped Down, The Ocean Doesn't Want Me, A Little Rain, In the Colosseum, Goin' Out West, Murder in the Red Barn, Whistle Down the Wind, I Don't Want to Grow Up, That Feel.

My opinion of this changed 10 different times while listening

I am not a fan of the gravelly low voice Tom Waits has and the style of the music isn't really for me. A few songs do sound ok though minus the voice.

Not bad.

Refused to listen by the cover

Why is there so much Tom Waits on this list? This is the 5th album I’ve run into! And Nighthawks was pretty good, but the rest of them (including this one) have definitely not been. Let’s trim this shit down already

Tolle Tiefe stumme

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.

I’m biased. Tom can do no wrong.

Let’s see; I’ve heard Heartattack & Vine, Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs, & Frank’s Wild Years, so this will be my 5th Waits album. The guy at his spookiest. Einstürzende Neubaten would be proud 🥹 But really, the industrial leanings in Bone Machine somehow lend themselves really well to Wait’s stabs at country, blues n’ gospel songs. Why was I apprehensive towards this album? The reviews made it sound a lot more unpleasant than it actually is. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Waits album without some headscratchers. Why does he have a lisp in “Jesus”? What are those sub-minute interludes? Yet even with those in mind, it somehow sounds exactly like the album he wanted to make at the time, even though it sometimes has the air of never before heard b-sides and studio footage. HL: “Dirt in the Ground”, “In the Colosseum”, “Goin’ Out West”, “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up”, “The Ocean Doesn’t Want Me”

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 5 star album

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.

Easy 5 stars !

1. earth - 1.5 2. dirt - 1 3. zcream - 1 4. ztripped - 0 5. time - 1 6. ocean - 1 7. jezuz - 1 8. rain - 1 9. colozeum - 0 10. uuezt - 1 11. red barn - 1 12. uuingz - 1.5 13. uuind - 1 14. grouu up - 0 15. let me douun - 0

Seems very robust

Here we have another album returning from my tier list project with Bone Machine. I have a friend who is a huge fan of Tom Waits and with an album like this, i can absolutely see why. Tom Waits has one of the most unique and original styles of music and singing that i have ever heard and this album truly brings it all out. The songs could go from a haunting show with some crazy instrumentation to a somber and mellow piano ballad which can really move you. Tom also really knew how to adjust his voice to each and every style and made it fit very well with every song. This is truly one of the greatest albums i have done for this project. Best Song: Goin' Out West Worst Song: A Little Rain

Someone take my boy to the doctor.

Funny at least

Bueno

Technically, I probably should love this album and artist, but I just don't.

If a friend recommended this album to me, I'd assume they were a secret serial killer

This cover reminds me of the bad guy ghost that chases you in the Halloween version of Space Mountain. The delta blues influence is STRONG- especially in this opening track- this is totally not what I expected. I don’t know how much I like his voice, but I appreciate the musicality. I like “Dirt in the Ground” and the instrumentation in “Such a Scream.” And “Who Are You” has a lovely ballad sound to it, so does “A Little Rain.” I also think “Black Wings” is kinda groovy. Need to listen through again.

看封面就不想听

Tom Waits in his coarse glory

He has better albums, but he’s still Bob Dylan with writers block and a head cold.

certainly has it's moments but also has it's awful moments

Difficult to listen to. Did not enjoy.

big call here after just one listen but i think this is fantastic. chilling, heavy, melancholy, aching and beautiful.

This dark and haunting album is part gospel, part folk tale, part voodoo witchcraft, and all Tom Waits at his whiskey and cigarettes and gravel voiced best.

it’s pretty good but i don’t think it’s as good as people think it is

one more tom waits album and i'm gonna do it forreal

3.5

Tom Waits is a unique individual and I was blown away by this album. I’m familiar with some of his older works but this one was something special.

I don’t think I’ll wear this one out, but it’s really good and unique and a work of art

Can confirm still not a fan.

Good grief is Tom Waits awful

It's like I'm listening to a failed drunk Bob Dylan. I like it.

Do not the ocean

A very, very strange album, as if the person is becoming more and more crazy with each subsequent track and his speech is becoming more and more incoherent, 2/5

The junkyard instruments work perfectly with the junkyard voice. The ballads (Who Are You, A Little Rain, Whistle Down the Wind) are heart-wrenching because of that voice.

Liked it a lot more than the other Waits album I’ve gotten. It’s like if pirates made rock music. Rating: 3.9

These Waits albums are starting to all sound the same

4th Tom Waits album we've had, and it's diminishing returns. Couldn't get into this one.

Very weird, but I liked it

Bone Machine is a raw and challenging album that delves into dark themes with gritty honesty and unconventional instrumentation. Released in 1992, it's a departure from Waits' earlier works, embracing a haunting atmosphere and poetic yet unsettling lyrics that explore mortality and despair. Despite its abrasive sound and difficult themes, the album received critical acclaim for its boldness and originality, making it a compelling listen for those drawn to Waits' fearless approach to music and storytelling. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 4 STAND OUT TRACK - Whistle Down the Wind

Oh no no no. Too much, Tom, too much.

Dan, I was just saying the other day how when I was a kid I used to throw a blanket over my head and dance around the living room to "The Earth Died Screaming." I thought it was such a weird, spooky song. I think I was originally making fun of how strange it sounded and how crazy it was that my dad actually liked this music. But there's something about that rhythm and that bluesy melody. It's powerful. It's a good example of the magic in a lot of Tom Waits songs: they sound strange and foreign at first but once you realize what an incredible songwriter he is, you hear the beauty and pain and humor in his music. "Dirt in the Ground" is a stunning song. Gut-wrenching and beautiful. "All Stripped Down" is such a jam. There’s a bunch of unconventionally rocking songs on this album. "In the Colosseum" is another catchy one and "Goin' Out West" oozes swagger. "Who Are You" has a lot of great lines but that opening line is incredible: "They're lining up to mad dog your tilt-a-whirl." And of course "I Don’t Wanna Grow Up" is a classic in my books. Such a true, real feeling that we all know. In a way, I think I’ll always be a kid and this song reminds me of that.

Tom Waits is a king at bringing you into his world. Sometimes to me he comes across almost like a charismatic villain from something like a Batman movie; he has his distinct delivery, his lingo, and he could draw you into whatever world or scheme he is cooking up. This is a solid release that is packed with great tracks. I love the album artwork; it echos his twisted and otherworldly sound.

What I said before about his voice. I can't listen to it.

Classic good, growling Tom Waits.

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!!!

Another teetering between a 4 and 5. This is the best blend of Tom Waits in many ways — the weird careening compositions, the stark strange arrangements, the mood of despair and danger, the generally avant-garde approach to art and music... it's all here. So I guess I just wrote my way into a 5-star. I mean, what else do you want from the guy? I suppose I'm hesitant only because an album like this requires a lot from the listener, and its bleak eeriness also requires a certain mood — otherwise this could be a chore. But good art can be challenging, and I think that's what we've got here.

I never loved this one the way I did Rain Dogs of Swordfishtrombones. And on this listen, I liked it even less. Those other two really capture lightning in a bottle. This one seems to be going through the motions. A few songs still hit, but I kinda got tired of it about halfway through.

The Tom Waits soundscape endlessly thrills and delights. Opening with Earth Died Screaming feels like an aural rollercoaster that at 50 mins is still too short but simply perfect.

This album opens sounding like a bone machine, as if the percussion is being pounded out on the bones of people, the earth screaming like a mother forced to swallow her own increase, her children unable to escape the devouring dirt because we're all chained to her--all because one brother slew another, and the dust cried out for vengeance. Yet this is our home. For all its ugliness, it's beautiful. For all its grit and grime, it's smooth and clean. So sing a grimy gospel tune and keep your eyes open. Stand in the rain and open your mouth to soothe your sandpaper crooning. If you think of Earth as a hotel, you're gonna wanna complain to the manager. But if you think of Earth as a prison, it's pretty damn nice. Hey, you know what's east of Eden? West. This album won the Grammy for Best Alternative Album, and when Waits found out, he said to his friend, the filmmaker Jim Jarmusch, "Alternative to what?" Good question, Tom. Waits' wife co-wrote half the songs on this album, demonstrating Brennan's growing influence in the creative evolution of her husband.

A bit weird and noisy in parts, but still a few really great tracks. 3

I see greatness here. Such imagery. A dirty floor of an album: people walking over life not seeing what is under their feet. Rainbows in puddles. Moonlight creating shafts of light in an abandoned coal mine: light getting in through the dark and finding hidden depths that were once used to keep us warm. A weird tree in a desert, with jangled notes for leaves. A shady spot with its own cloud. Are you still jumping out of windows in expensive clothes? I love this.

Rattle them bones :) They sure do, and create a wild, swampy, bluesy, even funky racket! I love it! At times it sounds like they are raising the dead; grave diggers, or murderers, or body snatchers, as musicians. 'In The Colosseum' is brutal, 'Murder in the Red Barn' makes Nick Cave sound like Ed Sheeran! The slower ones are wonderful too, beauty among the madness, especially 'Who Are You', A Little Rain' and 'Black Wings'. Got me listening to The Pixies 'Bone Machine' too, now there's a track.

Despite his creativity it just is genuinely dreadful if you actually have ears.

Please god make it stop I can see some decent songs buried somewhere here. But they’re made obsolete by some questionable mixing/producing and his strange voice. Clear your throat man!

Delightful and engaging the entire listen!

This is a top 10 album.

i was glad when it was finally over

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. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Awful

The more I'm exposed to Tom Waits, the more I love him. Part of me completely understands why so many people dislike him. These aren't exactly accessible, radio-friendly pop songs that you put on for a nice dinner party. But another part of me thinks you're all crazy for not loving this raw, humorous, genuis mess of a person. Waits is a rare combination of vivid poetry, rough authenticity, and experimental musicology. His use of unusual instruments add to the feeling of being in the shadows of polite society. 'Bone Machine' leans heavy on percussion and was recorded in an echoy boiler room, to further cut into the listener and remind them of death and decay. Ok, fair enough, it really isn't for everyone. The two more stand out songs 'Goin' Out West' and 'I Don't Wanna Grow Up' are equally memorable but completely different. Such a great album.

i can understand why this won a grammy in the 90's. its a weird exploration piece about death and how we all return to it... but having never really listened to Tom Waits at all and then jumping into this album is a bit jarring.

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.

Ffs why is there so much Tom Waits. 1.5

Three songs in: nah, not feeling it.

Strange dude. This is like the easy listening version of Trout Mask Replica. I’ve heard other music by Tom Waits that I liked much better, stuff that was more standard blues/folk, less experimental.

"Troll in the basement playing barely functional instruments Tom Waits" is my favorite Tom Waits. And, despite its dark weirdness it holds together in a way that other deliberately weird albums (looking at you Beefheart) fail to for me.

My husband did a pretty decent imitation of this album stomping the hardwood floors and banging on the table while unintelligibly shouting like a muppet. It was about as good as actually listening to this album, if slightly less creepy. 'A Little Rain' is okay.

spectacular. Tom Waits sounds like Louis Armstrong went to hell and learned the blues from Robert Johnson. he brings this cold and moody album to life. in every technical aspect this album excels too, the production choices are kind of insane sometimes but they all work perfectly. everything is so minimal but completely fills the soundscape. this album goes above and beyond in every way i can think of. 5/5

True classic. Jesus gonna be here 6 stars

Definetly not for me, I dont get the hype for tom waits

Tom Waits is a true treasure on this desolate, lonely planet, and I truly hope his legacy outlives me and everyone I know. But holy shit I still am not a fan of his music. I really REALLY want to like it, and I SHOULD love it, but I just can't.

For fans of: gritty seaside shanty towns, smoking two packs a day, xylophones made from bones, drinking alone, backyard percussion with rusty tools, apocalyptic gospel hymns, etc.

Sleep inducing

eh ja, sehr düster, rauhe sprechstimme, aber eigentlich tolle instrumentalisierung! Whistle Down The Wind ist für mich ein Highlight - typisch Tom Waits.

Wäre ganz OK mit einem Sänger, der singen kann...

Wie soll ich sagen, war wieder mal schwierig. Habe dann nicht fertig gehört, darum nur die Hälfte der ursprünglich angedachten 2 Punkte

Don’t know why I keep sleeping on Tom Waits albums. Every time I listen to one I find myself enjoying it immensely. I was already a fan of Swordfishtrombones and this feels like a spiritual sequel to it stylistically, so of course I Loved it. He has a great sense of creating music that is creepy, sinister and macabre, the perfect soundtrack for a Halloween night.

Tom walked into the kitchen, started banging a bunch of pans and spatulas and ladles and screaming like a toddler who smokes 5 packs a day, and somehow made it sound good! 4 irritated mothers out of 5 😠😠😠😠

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?

Surprising that music with little melody, no harmony useless rhythm and a bad voice can make it here.

i really wanna like tom waits more but i just cant figure him out. his debut is great and i love experimental music but when it comes to his later stuff its just too much. still interesting, just not something i care to come back to. i did like i dont wanna grow up and that feel a lot and ill probably make myself listen to this again some time but its only getting a low 7/10 for now

Keep feeding us this whatever it is and sometime I will have a brain fart and appear to like it. 2 Tom Waits albums? Really? Might have to end my listening here.

ok

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.

If you like Tom Waits, you probably enjoy the smell and taste of cigarettes. I can't imagine anyone sitting down, listening to this, and thinking they need to listen to it again. I can see the artistic value here, but I can't see how anyone would find this enjoyable.

This album was very divisive for me. The opening 4 tracks were not a pleasant listening experience for me to put it lightly, and I considered skipping the rest. While I do enjoy some unconventional singing voices in music history like Leonard Cohen and Neil Young, Waits' voice was particularly grating to me, and the instrumentation had me picture a random assortment of percussion items being thrown against the studio wall. However, in sticking to it, the more folksy tracks like "Who Are You This Time", "Jesus Gonna Be Here", and "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" opened me up to the potential of his soulful songs. If this album had been all tracks like that, I might regard it higher, but the majority of the album being more experimental and "artistic" bring this down for me. 3/10

Crazy and insane as he is, but overall not bad. 3

This is such a hard album to properly review, because it swings so violently between dark, sombre, interesting ballads, and just utterly weird, maniacal shit. And then I need to consider how much I respect and appreciate him doing something interesting and unique, with a real particular voice, against how much I actually enjoy the album. So... I really like the ballads. They're quite affecting, and dark and brooding. I don't like his voice in general, but it does work on these tracks. The rest of the album brings it way down, because it's just nonsense and complete shit. 2.5 rounded down. I have spoken!

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.

I enjoyed this and I think I'll even try to re visit it in the future. Fun stuff, stream of consciousness like. But it's something else. Sounds like me when I'm doing drunk karaoke. It's like someone that listened to a lot of music on really old 45s doing an impression of the way it sounded to them, plus whiskey.

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.

Respectfully, fuck this man’s voice.

This is delightfully weird. Musically, it's all over the damn place. There are traditional sounds - guitar, drums, shaker - but there are all kinds of pops and cracks and just a general cacophony that probably shouldn't work, but does. And speaking of things that shouldn't work but do - Waits' voice. It sounds like he smokes 5 packs a day and gargles with razor blades but there's not a single misplaced note on the album. Who Are You is a song that's sparse, stripped back musically, putting his voice in the spotlight and, goddammit, it shouldn't work but it does. Even though the instruments are in the background, there's a standard 4/4 beat but there's a guitar, or banjo or something in the background that is definitely *not* playing the same beat/time signature and the rest of the song...but it works and it isn't distracting. I get the impression almost like I'm listening to a demo, and not in a bad way. There are always these drums and percussive sounds that sound like they're in the background; not turned down, mind you, but like Waits and co. are huddled around a single microphone and the percussion is farther away from the microphone. It has a rawness and authenticity, a lack of polish, an honesty of musicianship that is rare. I didn't know what to expect going into this album and, to be honest, I'm not *really* sure what I'm thinking after listening. I'm not sure I'd listen to it on repeat, but I'm pretty sure it's awesome?

Tom Waits is his own genre - there is no one that sounds anything like him. His gravel, hoarse, rough voice one of the defining elements. The vaudeville-esque, cacophony of horns, piano, and percussion from a seeming assortment of found objects create the concoction that is Waits' folk/blues/ballad/blech. His music is beautiful for the use of all of the ugly, out-of-sorts components he orchestrates.

Annoying but not as annoying as last week's Tom Waits album

Album cover 5/5

Bastante raro. Pero creo que le voy a dar un 4.

Sounds like he’s intentionally trying to make a funny voice.

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.

I know there is a market for this guy and he seems like someone only musicians and songwriters can respect. I just don’t get it. And I think that anyone that likes him likes him because it could potentially be perceived as “cool” or “hip.” For that reason I give it a 2. I don’t get the “genius” of Tom Waits.

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.

I've always enjoyed Tom Waits', what, studied weirdness(?) and his singular ability to defy genre categorisation. There's a wonderful mix of the odd, the cynical and the romantic in his work, as Bone Machine showcases superbly well.

The Earth Died Screaming? I may die screaming. This is the first of five Tom Wait albums, can't wait. Obviously it is interesting and different, but that doesn't make it something you want to experience over and over again. Maybe my taste is very pedestrian. 2*

Album. It sounds a lot older than it is. It has steel of folklore folk songs that sung for many generations. I think Tom Waits has the most surprising voice and I have always enjoyed creativity and songwriting. 4/5.

goste da voz

Nope. Not for me.

This was the best Tom Waits album so far, which isn’t saying much.

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 swear Bone Machine is some practical joke or listening experiment because it's not music, it's fucking awful. I then looked back at my previous reviews of Tom Waits and got "Yeah I'm not having this as music, fuck off." so I'm really not sure how this guy ever had a career.

I've probably written pretty much exactly the same thing about Tom Waits before - I like it when he sings relatively tunefully, I quite like some of the spoken word stuff, but I really really don't like the stuff in the middle that is half spoken and half growled, it sounds awful. This is mostly the latter, so 2/5 it is. There are some more tolerable songs, it's not completely awful.

Again with Tom Waits? Previous review applies again. No need to wait; Tom can go.

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.

awesome

Die Stimme trifft nicht meinen Geschmack. Und die Songs sind, abgesehen vom Klang des Schlagwerks, auch nicht gerade originell. Nicht so mein Ding. Erzeugt in mir leider Langeweile.

mmh strano 3

Great album. One I have heard, and would put on any list. From the growling tones, to the remarkable lyrics, this is amazing.

That was hard work. Good grief. A truly horrible vocal performance. But something about this prevents me from giving 1 star. There is some really nice music hidden under it and it's full of variety and intrigue. In a way it's a shame he ruins it by singing over it, to the point where I never want to listen to this again in my life, but I do have an appreciation for the character and craft on display.

This guy has an atrocious voice. Some of the songs are terrible. It could've been an improvement if Tom sung better. There's an occasional good moment here. Tom Waits has 5 albums on this list. Why? I think I'll have to give it a single star.

Heb hier helemaal niks mee. Instrumentaal vaak nog wel aardig.

Was this a joke? I knew 2 seconds in that this wasn’t for me.

No ❤️

This is the kind of shit theatre kids cream their jeans to and pull lines from for their yearbook quotes.

Pretty cool

Tom Waits has some very interesting albums.

2 y ayudándole

not my thing but it is cool

Possibly some cool songs but I just can’t get past the vocals

Very interesting album. I like that he has a unique style, even if it’s not quite my thing.

Awful. Why would anyone finish listening to this. I had to turn it off.

This is a flaming turd slapped on top of a pile of throw up.

I'll be kind and round up to a 3.

No no no

A lot of weird songs on this album.

This is a strange album that circled all the way to being engaging to me.

The sound of a man progressively losing his voice during a late night bender. Stop shouting Tom, you're just making it worse. I like me some Tom Waits, but this one isn't doing it for me.

You either like the music of a psychotic carnival barker singing over nothing but weird percussion or you don't. I do.

BL: After listening to "Nighthawks at the Diner" which was my first proper Waits LP i'd listened to the whole way through, I was eager to hear more. Thus the generator has presented me with another offering. This one often regarded as his best, or atleast most notable one, so we will see if its rightly famous, or infamous. AL: I was originally going to write that this was not as strong as NHATD, but then I considered that these two records are not at all comparable. While that captures the discontentment of the working class in America, and the angers spoken in blue collar art and poetry this focuses on something much more harrowing. Concerned with themes of death and the nihilism that comes with pondering such sober thoughts - this captures a feel seen more in the likes of Jason Molina's works. This lives and breathes the discontentment of the rust belt, where nothing ever really lives - and humans are bone machines to their masters until they wilt away and return to the dust they came from. This is absolutely amazing and almost certainly a definitive album of a time in which rock music was oversaturated with RHCP and Grunge. FT: "The Earth Died Screaming", "Dirt in the Ground", "A Little Rain", "Goin' Out West", "Whistle Down The Wind", "That Feel" 5/5

Can't listen to that.

This is too 'stripped down' for me. Voice is grating. Not my cuppa

sbam

Kellermensch fik mig til at høre den her perle for mange år siden, numreret Dirt in the Ground er fantastisk. Rallende og nærmest growlene. Fedt at det ikke er behøver at være hele bandet som spiller på hvert track, hver gang. Fedt at dosere sine virkemidler.

Berolingende og foruroligende på en gang. Melodisk og hakket opbrudt. Tom Waits har måske verdens mest cool stemme. Ikke mindst på hans senere dage.

some good songs that cut deep, others didn't hit the mark for me

Repeating below my previous Tom Waits review with the album number updated. Honestly, there are so many interesting albums in the history of music. And so many artists who don't sound pretty much the same on every record. Did we really need 5 Tom Waits albums? Hrm hr grumble grr, 5th Tom Waits album hrrmgrr. Disney-ruffian-style cabaret grrr. Mmrrrmh. Grgrgrr smokey bar backrooms. Hrrrr grumble grumble.

Came out after the Pixies song, just sayin.

Love some weird Tom Waits

Un poco difícil de digerir ya que no escucho mucho música progresiva.

Descriptions for these songs are like bowery blues, acid torch songs, music from the depths of tortured souls. Such quirky wonderful compositions and sounds. Favorites are Earth Died Screaming, Who Are you, Goin' Out West, Black Wings, Whistle Down the Wind, and That Feel.

Great

I dont like Tom Waits at all. Not one bit. I feels like it's supposed to be bad This album is way better than rain dogs

Tom Waits the goat. I find him very hard to describe but I like his performance every time.

okaaaaaay?

Those that love Tom Waits LOVE TOM WAITS. He is such a mess of a musician, nothing beautiful, graceful or elegant. It's all thumpy, gritty and anguished. I bloody well love it. I've two of these albums, and had a third but it got swiped. I listened to it late at night during dark long countryside drives. Magical. Mesmerising. Disturbing. Illuminating. It taught me something about being male. No idea what, but something. High 4 stars. About as high as you can get without being 5.

Open the door. The Joker wants to come in

This album is a beautiful meandering masterpiece.

Very fresh

Bastante raro. Pero creo que le voy a dar un 4.

raspy

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.

Rough. I know a lot of people like him, but MAN, those vocals. Couple songs I sorta liked. But the arglebargle is nearly unlistenable.

Preferred him in mystery men. I'm sure people in dark clubs smoking French cigarettes would love this but not for me I'm afraid. Wonder what Joy's await us next?

Personally found this one to be a difficult listen, just sounds very messy and incoherent - a shame.

Couldn't get past his voice. What a waste of a les claypool feature

I have to stop listening to this. I'm not sure there's much redeeming value to this one.

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.

Have to be in the mood. I rarely am.

Some silver linings but also what is this

Did not know tis one that well. but thoroughly enjoyed it, Black as the night,, music and lyrics. My favourite song is Black Wings". Give me lyrics like "I can't stay here and I'm scared to leave." and I'm happy. 4 stars only because compared to albums I know better, Swordfishtrombone, Raindogs and Franks Wild Years music was bit less varied.

I appreciate he is a legend, but this just does nothing for me. I couldn't wait for the album to end. Sorry, but not even going to pretend that I thought this was a good album.

No, Tom's voice isn't pretty, but it works okay, and he's a good singer. If his voice was what people considered traditionally pretty, some (most? all?) of these songs wouldn't work as well. I feel like this is one of many 3.5 star albums, but Tom is a 4 star artist, and this is one of his best albums, so I'll round up.

5/5. Wild how this is not only a super uncomfortable record but so strangely beautiful at the same time. Each song is so minimal in instrumentation but feels so different, less is more and Tom knows how to use each instrument to its fullest potential. I feel passion and sincerity in some songs, and then the next I am listening to a serial killer, also sincere unfortunately. Awesome album, just really unique and well-written.

I did not know him. I especially liked Whistle Down the Wind.

Sounds like a bloke I met in Piccadilly Gardens in a sleeping bag

Struggled with this one…

I really, really, really want to like a Tom Waits album. I hear the odd track in a film and scramble for Spotify to listen to some more....only to sigh three tracks in and move on......

This is ass. 1.

I enjoyed this album more once I got past the grit of his voice.

Had this album on tape when it got released before buying a cd copy at some point. One of these albums that is hard to listen to in heavy rotation, but obviously very high quality and very listenable. Not the same impact as Franks Wild Years but clearly 5*.

Probably the album I was most familiar with before checking it for this list, remembering it coming out back in the early '90s. Bring out your pots, pans and cutlery! It still sounds great.

Typical weird Waits combination of hotseknots and ballads that somehow works perfectly well.

As I learned from the list, Tom Waits is always unexpected and always a pleasure to listen to, even when the songs have too many drums for my personal taste.

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.)

I have no idea why this man has 5 albums on this list. 2.5

Some cool bluesy and generally wierd songs.

Lyrically intense and poignant. The style is not for me.

👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻

Not bad. Very bluesy, rootgrass kind of music

One of those albums that sounds like it was around for years before ever being recorded. Rough and dark.

An extremely rough sounding album. I usually like experimental/avant rock stuff but this album is not my jam. The music makes me want to sleep and his voice is just weak. No, thanks.

Off to a wild start with The Earth Died Screaming. His usually distorted and gravelly voice with some muted guitar and a smattering of percussion. Chorus is composed of a demonic howl that reminds me of a drunk football fan shouting obscenities. Goin Out West was a standout. Ya know, there was a lot of emotion in here, and I feel like in a different mood this may have connected. Today, however, this just wasn't doing it for me. I didn't find too much that I really enjoyed on this Monday afternoon, and I really was pretty worn of Tom's gravely, strained voice. Production and compositions are certainly interesting, but I just couldn't sink myself in. 2 / 5 for me

Not really vibing with this one. It is very raw and his voice doesn't really jive with me. I get that some of it is exaggerated, but I don't really understand the gravelly voice. Is that his natural voice? Is he trying to sound like that? A Little Rain was actually good I would be upset to see Tom Waits show up on this list a 4th time.

I think I am done with Tom Waits I hope this is his last album on here. He has gotten weirder and weirder as the decades move on. His crazy voice made this album way worse, but it did have some cool instrumentals. This album was dangerously close to a 1.

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.

Great album

I've acquired the taste for Tom Waits long ago after seeing him live in Columbus, OH. Must've been 15 or more years ago now. Still one of the best shows I've ever seen and we were in the nosebleeds. Bone Machine isn't one of his albums that I'm super familiar with. It doesn't feel like it will topple my favorite (Swordfishtrombones), but it has all of the elements of later-career Waits. That snarly voice, the non-traditional instruments, old-timey yet industrial, whimsical yet dark. There's no way I'd ever rank any of his albums lower than a 4.5.

More like boner machine

It's definitely Tom Waits. Not my favorite of his, but interesting at least.

Terrible

Fällt mir schwer zu bewerten. Seine Stimme und Art ist sehr speziell und sagt mir nicht immer zu. In den besten Momenten ist es sehr düsterer, morbider Blues/Folk; im anderen Moment wieder belanglose Rezitation (auch wenn das Teil seines Genres/Stils ist). 2,5

Only critique of the album is that its super spooky and scary and kind of got to be in a certain vibe to get thru it all. But it has so many songs that can get stuck in your head like "Murder in the red barn" "In the Colleseum" "Earth Died screaming" and then there is some real heavy hitters like "Goin out west" "I dont wanna grow up"

I’m glad I’m aware this music exists, but I am so ok never hearing it again. It’s cool to see what other artists have drawn inspiration from - but it should not be it’s own album.

Gloomy day. Perfect for Tom Waits

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.