Bone Machine

Ok ig

wow, even worse singer than Dylan, can't stand his voice, rootsy backing tho

fine

I like Tom waits a lot but this was a rough one for me. Maybe I’m more of an “early Tom waits” fan? I appreciate the stripped down nature of it. It sounds like recorded it with one mic in his living room, which is endearing in a lot of ways. The stories and lyrics are still what I’ve come to expect, but he just kinda sounded like he needed to clear his throat the whole time.

Bone Machine is the eleventh album by American singer and musician Tom Waits. This critically acclaimed experimental rock album performed moderately well on the charts around the world and won a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album. It features a stripped-down rock sound, heavy on percussion, and with dark lyrical themes. This was an interesting album. At moments it had me bobbing my head along to the drum/bass beat, and at other moments I was lost in a soundscape of dismal sounds and weird lyrics about death and/or religion. Not the type of album to play at a party, but it can be appreciated for its experimental nature if one is in the right head space.

Cannot get into Tom Waits

Silly. Didn't hate it.

I like Tom Waits when he’s in Blue Valentine mode, but this is just too much for me. I find it hard to follow when it’s tuneless and overly melodramatic when it’s tuneful. Not my bag.

I gotta say, after a few of these albums, I'm just not a Tom Waits fan.

I guess there's something in it, but I don't get what. Just a little bit too much for me??

Tom Waits vient nous vomir dessus pendant près d'une heure, et autanst de vous dire que je rêvais d'un peu mieux pour entamer ma semaine.

dark, chaotic, apocalyptic, and disturbing. the voice takes a while to get used to, and i admittedly never really got used to it. not really into it.

Sorry, just not a fan

It's was fine. I just can't seem to get into Waits though. Voice seemed extra scratchy on this one!

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't really what I got. Waits has a very deep voice and a lot of the songs have a sort of spooky underworld vibe. It occasionally moves away from this (e.g., Jesus Gonna Be Here is more of a blues rock song, A Little Rain is a folksy piano ballad), but that mostly makes it feel more disjointed to me. There's a few redeeming qualities here, but it generally is just not really working for me. Favorite song: Who Are You Others: A Little Rain, That Feel

Tom Waits to me has always been 80% pretentiousness and 20% art (as in: good music, especially beautiful ballads). On this album, however, there is hardly any of the latter. Whistle Down the wind is decent, but I've heard better on his other albums. I respect the man, but can't get into his art. Perhaps it's just not for me. Perhaps it's for the hipsters. Who knows? 2/5

One day I’ll appreciate Tom’s dying cat sound but today is not that day

Two Tom Waits albums in about a week is a lot. As cool as it is that he recorded it in the basement of the studio, it seems deliberately challenging to whoever is trying to listen to it, and I wasn't feeling it.

You would have to do a lot of convincing to make me believe Tom doesn't just make this shit up as he goes along. His entire career is an attempt to be a drugged up Sinatra. It's not working for me.

A pretty rugged and uneventful album by Tom waits. He has probably the raspiest voice and to listen to a whole album of it gets dreadful towards the end. I feel his older years are better spent acting than singing. The authentic and earthly nature of his songs don’t save this album from being mediocre. 4.3/10

2.5/5 - Just don't understand some of the songs. There are gems in this album, but overall, it's not great.

Is this dude ok he sounds like he crawled out of a gutter. He’s probably friends with Janis Joplin. This is full goblin mode.

Albüm tuhaf başladı, daha farklı bir tuhaflıkla bitti. Not to my liking, genel olarak bir artwork olduğunu gördüm ama benim appreciate edebileceğim bir türden değil. Overall: 4/10

For as great of a songwriter as he is, Tom Waits sure sounds like someone taking a massive shit. That's more of a feature than a benefit.

Oh this is going to be strange. Hey there is passion. Who are you this time is a cool contrast of gristle and sweet melody. Its perhaps not a good sign, however, that I felt very relieved when I heard the next song after the album was done. Not quite a 1, probably like a 1.7 (2).

I really don't know, turned it off in the ending songs because I was just exhausted

This album didn’t really change my very negative opinion of tom waits very much but it was definitely better than the last album. I still don’t like his voice but the production was at least varied. Feels like he went on a Leonard cohen arc when his music got darker and weirder as he got older

Ik sluit me geheel bij bij Arjan aan.

Ookal lopen veel mensen die ik ken weg met Tom Waits, heb ik er nooit veel in gehoord. Ik doe het vast enorm tekort, en zal op heel wat tenen trappen als ik zeg dat ik alleen maar dronken kroeggebral hoor, als Tom met z'n schuurpapierstem los gaat.

Soms mooi, soms lelijk. Ik zou graag eens in het hoofd kijken van iemand die dit in z'n geheel fantastisch vindt. Hoe die hersenen dat gekraak ervaren.

Kinda spooky

Have to be in the right mood and environment for Tom Waits, which one day I will find

Bruh, clear your throat.

Great lyrics and melodies. Waits has a distinctive style and voice which sadly isn’t for me.

estranho. curti o que ele consegue fazer com a voz e como ele combina isso com uma percussão podre e que soa como ossos, do jeito que o titulo do album propõem.

Okay... about one minute into the album now: I had no idea what to expect here and I would have never guessed that this would be it or that this could ever make this list. wtf. That being said, after getting over the initial shock, I really like the thick and dirty blues sound of the music. That voice though... wtf. His voice sounds like he was weaned on cigarettes and whiskey and enjoys gargling rocks in his spare time. The song In the Colosseum is a parody, right? Or a halloween song?? Wait, Is this a halloween album? Yep.That's it. Has to be. Favorite song: Dirt In The Ground.

Da e jo nåke for seg sjøl, men diverre ikkje for meg

rautakankien kolistelua! muistin/odotin, että levy olisi ollut enemmän kokonaisuus. ehkä kuitenkin on teemalevy? Tom Waits viehättää syksyllä, mutta en saanut punaisesta langasta kiinni tässä albumissa

This is not a good Tom Waits album, though there are several.

Can’t imagine I’ll return to this but not upset I listened once, The Earth Died Screaming was both the coolest and most disturbing part

Did not enjoy at all 1.7

I like some of his works, not this

meh. 2/5

As interesting as the arrangements and melodies are, and as good a lyricist and songwriter Tom Waits is, his continual choice to sing in that annoying, gravelly, guttural, raspy voice takes the pleasure out of many of his songs, especially here, making ‘Bone Machine’ about as enjoyable as a trip to the dentist for a root canal.

Spooky. Interesting but not super listenable by me; more of an experience.

Too much hard work.

Voz grave y con tono de cantautor americano. No me ha transmitido mucho, más allá de ser un disco raro y él tener una voz profunda.

Gravely voice - guitar is nice at points but just not an overall package I need to hear again

The instrumentation on this album is so good. The groove, the melodies, the music is absolutely fantastic. Moments of pure enjoyment and appreciation for how well the band plays each song, only to get interrupted by Tom Waits. Tom Waits is the villain in this album.

not a bad album ; not a great voice

Used to listen to hardcore music while falling asleep, but listening to this at home in the dark morning = terrifying.

Gruffly sung blues, industrial rhythms, but the highlights to me are a handful of tender beautiful ballads. Almost worth the rest of the rough-edged noise.

The first song I did not enjoy. The second song was rough. The third song… rough. Oh boy… are there really 13 more songs to listen to? Fourth song: Nope. Fifth song: The best so far? But still quite rough…. Is “Jesus Gonna Be Here” an old blues song? Hmmmm… “Little Rain” is a bit better with its country tinge… OK… halfway there. Not enjoying this much. But maybe this is a turning point… “Going Out West” was a little… just a little… more appealing. But I’m still waiting for it to be over. Then six more songs that I did not enjoy… Am I having a bad day? After this completed, I went back to two earlier Tom Waits albums I enjoyed, swordfishtrombones and Rain Dogs. I still like them. I did not enjoy this album. I’ll give it extra 1/2 point because there is Tom Waits creativity, but I would only expect to return under duress.

Didn’t enjoy it. Not a fan of the music comp and it’s hard to enjoy Wait’s voice at times

I don’t love Tom Waits, mainly because if the voice. Definitely some cool songs, messages and attitude, but I find him hard to listen to.

The music: 🪨🦴🐵 The atmosphere: ☠🌑🗻 The lyrics: ⭐🌟✨ The album as a whole: 😲😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😐😲😴😲😴😲😴😴 What a ride.

Not for me ..

Did not love this. Some of the songs were really good, like "Who Are You This Time." But for an entire album it was sort of a tough listen.

weird ass shit 2/5

yea, like discussed, its too weird for me

Rock. Extraño. Deprimente

I don't really get the appeal of albums like this in general and Tom Waits in particular. It wasn't purely awful but it was not good at all. Can't imagine listening to this again.

Not a fan. Goin' Out West sounds familiar, but the album isn't my thing.

This dude's weird. How did he know there was a market for this? Reminds me of Leonard Cohen. I admit, this album seems like a joke. I am sure there is something punk going on here. I just don't get the progressive element. I get the examination of death and the stripped down nature of the album as a motif for sure.

Poetisk, minimalistisk, alternativt, blues

Merkwürdig abstrakter Gospel. Wirklich meistens nicht schön. Bezeuge die Intention und Intensität; Gefallen leider gen Zero. Fun fact: fand irgendwie immer Frauen sexy, die dieses Raubein verehrten - for the night, for the dram, for the fuck. 1.7

Iskreno sam se iznenadio koliko mi zapravo nije sjeo ovaj album. Volim ga, odličan mi je, i s obzirom da ovaj album ljudi stavljaju većinom u top 3, očekivao sam da će i meni biti tako, ali et, nije kliknulo, nažalost.

Really enjoyed the instrumental musical elements of this - and has huge potential. But his voice just ruined every song for me.

May be it is interesting in its concept, but I don't feel this music

I feel like my favorite team just got bageled at the Superbowl. Tom Waits is better experienced in person in a small venue preferably a dark dive bar in east Los Angeles in the 90s... It's really hard to translate the persona of Tom Waits anywhere else. Hopefully things will come full circle, but the digital age has no use for a lounge-y spoken word performer.

"The Earth Died Screaming" - yeah, it did, Tom. Because you started singing. "Bone Machine" is at its best when the vibe is spooky, and the restrained percussion surrounds you subtly. It still doesn't make it my cup of tea, or what I would listen to for funsies, but to each their own? My college roommate, Frank, loved Tom Waits. And heavy metal. I never understood it. Still don't. Personally. But it totally fit Frank, a big guy who can be equally cuddly teddy bear and slightly frightening brooding darkness. Waits' voice is cool for specific purposes. I can see it being used to set the tone in some kind of dark, macabre show or movie. In fact, his songs have apparently been used in 29 movies or TV shows. "Peaky Blinders" and "12 Monkeys" make sense. Multiple times in "Gilmore Girls" was a surprise though.

I can’t take Tom Waits in any more that very small doses, a whole album is too much.

I’ve never watched The Walking Dead. Shocker I know. So I don’t know where the zombies live. In my head they live underground, kind of like trolls. If there were a club for the zombies in this underground world I imagine, I also imagine it looks like a club I went to in the French Quarter one time. The Dungeon was a place that did not open until midnight. All the walls were covered in bones…fake ones…I’m pretty sure. To get to the bathroom, you had to go through a hidden bookcase (?) door that led to a geometrically awkward hallway. There were also stairs up to a sitting area that was a half a floor up. However, there was also a ladder built in to the side of the bone wall the stairs were on so you could climb the ladder or take the stairs. Trust me it sounds even weirder to me as I unpack this memory. Anyway, this album sounds like the house band for The Dungeon if it were a club in my underground zombie world. Tom Waits’s voice is haunting as is the music. Tom Waits sounds like he’s already dead and his voice reminds me of the last 20 years of Bob Dylan. It’s like decades on the road, partying hard is bad for your voice. Tom Waits’s voice is terrible, but strangely it works at times here. There are nuggets of interest. I like Earth Died Screaming and Jesus Gonna Be Here. I appreciate the unique percussion used throughout. However, a lot of the album is borderline unbearable.

Didn't love it. Too grating.

First Listen. I have heard of Tom Waits before and may have heard a song or two of his, but basically, I am new to his sound. It is interesting. I think I like it. It is hard to listen to. Back in the 80's there was a song by Robbie Roberton called, "Somewhere down the crazy River" that I love. I think Robbie was channeling Tom Waits sound in that song. Because of that, It gives me great hope that I will come to love Tom Waits over time. That being said, as a first listen to this one, I'm giving it a 2/5. I am sure this will go up after I am more familiar with it.

We've been through that already: Tom Waits works at a different wavelength to mine.

Ehhhhh

Mostly not very enjoyable to listen to. Spotify recommends a “dark, theatrical cabaret music” playlist alongside the album, and that is an apt description. Funny enough I didn’t notice that the album is almost an hour long. In the Colosseum and Goin’ Out West (the only song I already knew) were the stand out tracks.

I appreciate how weird it is, but it’s not very pleasant to listen to.

Bone Machine's sound is certainly well-crafted, but I just don't like it very much. There are times where I didn't mind the gravelly near-mumble of Waits—it certainly beats his country blues impression on Jesus Gonna Be Here, a title I'm surprised wasn't accompanied by "(feat. Dusty Rhodes)"—but those fleeting moments came when the album got out of its own way and shifted from its morbid focus. Goin' Out West's takedown of Hollywood and macho bullshit features the best music to be found here, and for as dark as the writing can be, the palpable bitterness of Who Are You hits the heaviest ("are you pretending to love / well, I hear it pays well"). Everything else runs too long and treads waters too similar (oh boy, more songs about death where the drums are recorded from the next room over), ending up sounding like the long-lost soundtrack to some animated film that'd sell a lot of shirts at your local mall's Hot Topic. Key Tracks: Who Are You, Goin' Out West

Waits ist immer zwischen Genie und Wahnsinn. In dem Fall eher Wahnsinn

Not for me but can see why it's on the list. Who Are You This Time nest track

I do not hate Tom Waits, but I do think he is overrated. There is some great stuff in here, overshadowed by how overly long the album is, and by the affected singing style Waits employs.

Funky and primal

another one I've never heard of. I'm trying , but I would not buy it. Maybe 80 is to old to be listening to new stuff not!! I love new music and motown too. keep sending and I will keep listening

No one can argue about Waits lyrical chops, but his voice can sometimes leave something to be desired. This album is hell-bent on having him sing in a more aggressive and almost spoken word format that does little to welcome the listener in. Which is a dissappointment given his more sullen and quiet efforts throughout his career. Instead it sounds like a homeless man singing on the street.

Wouldn't be surprised if he was thrown out of a bar in Kerry for singing this

tribal funk

4/10

Abandonado

Fuckin A, dude. 4

Después de tres discos sigo sin agarrarle el pedo.

Can't beat Closing Time

Que mierda es esto?.....

No. Weird yet bland but not in a mystic way but more moany

???

This album won a Grammy...

IM SCARED first album to make me say wtf. This made me uncomfy and I wanted to DNF so bad. Very eerie and raw. Respectfully, sounds like a deranged man on a street corner.

As a former paramedic, I have literally listened to people speaking their last words. None sounded like they were actively dying like Tom Waits does when he sings. Waits was popular among my friends in college, and with decades now behind me since then, I can’t help but wonder if it was all just an elaborate prank. Hard pass from me.

No, no, no! Five albums from this guy. Every one I’ve listened to so far is abysmal.

Wtf. This was just about this shittiest music ive ever heard

Tom Waits is an acquired taste. Just not my acquired taste

Almost unbearable, but I toughed it out. Not for me.

Terrible in every respect. Saved you a click.

I barely recognise this as music. It's an old man drunk in a bar singing whatever comes into his head.

das Album muss uf irgend e Art wegwiisend gsi si. Oder de Durchschnitt vo Mensche verstaht nüd vo musig dass das Album es Must-Listen isch. ei mal Auge verdreihe

Speziel ja Musikalisch guet neineinei *

Too many biftas

I don't want to listen to an hour of this. I can appreciate any artist that wants to put out creative content but this is not going to be my cup of tea. I'm sorry, Tom.

Sounds like a guy taking a shit while wandering around a warehouse hitting things.

Bad, he has so many good albums this ain’t one

I really want to like Tom Waits. I just can’t get into it.

I wish this was satire

If I get one more fuckass tom waits album. I’m going to find the creator of this list and strap a bomb to their chest.

Horrível. 0.5

Delightfully swampy, but completely incoherent and shrill.

*sigh*

Furchtbar! Wie kann man sowas veröffentlichen. Klingt nach einer Kombination von Alkoholismus, Psychiatrie und Größenwahn!

nahhhh

I tried.... I really did. Just couldn't do it...

Рычи в зоопарке

Si un álbum fuera una película de terror sería esto💜

No.....just, no.

- so like decent album but it’s completely ahh so like nah, goin out west is the only listenable song The dude has decent lyrics but bro his voice just lowk get on my nerves

Not for me. 1/5

Es ist kein Experiment, sondern ein akustischer Trümmerhaufen – ein Album, das in seiner eigenen Finsternis versinkt und den Hörer gleich mit hinunterzieht. Tom Waits hat hier ein Werk geschaffen, das klingt, als wäre es in einem Betonbunker mit rostigem Werkzeug eingespielt worden – was nicht einmal übertrieben ist: Das Album wurde tatsächlich in einem kargen Kellerraum mit „Zementboden und Warmwasserboiler“ aufgenommen, was seinen rauen, scheppernden Sound prägt Doch statt roher Magie entsteht ein Lärmgebilde, das sich selbst genügt und den Zuhörer außen vor lässt. Die Songs kreisen obsessiv um Tod, Verfall und apokalyptische Bilder. Selbst die Balladen, die früher einmal Waits’ Rettungsanker waren, tragen hier eine nihilistische Schwere, die jede emotionale Regung erstickt. „A Little Rain“ mag poetisch gemeint sein, doch im Kontext dieses Albums wirkt es wie ein letzter, müder Seufzer inmitten eines endlosen Sturms aus Düsternis und Geräuschkulisse. Die rohe Produktion, die absichtlich schiefe Instrumentierung, die überzeichneten Vokalattacken: All das ergibt ein Werk, das eher wie eine Parodie auf Tom Waits klingt als wie eine gescheitere Satire. Es bleibt ein Experiment, das sich selbst überschätzt – ein klappernder, lärmender Totentanz auf das vergeudete Talent eines mäßig begabten Künstler.

nice tunes, but the voice is too much for me.

you have got to be fucking kidding me.

After over 130 albums, my first 1 Funny enough, I liked some of the stuff near the end, but that was too few too late.

Uhh what's wrong with this guy's voice. I wanted to toss my headphones out while listening to "All Stripped Down". Annnnd I'm calling it quits at "In The Colosseum". DNF

Not sure what I’m missing with Tom Waits but this was terrible (like his other albums I’ve had here) and can’t believe he isn’t in the lowest rated artists list.. there is no way he should have 5 albums here (benefit of the doubt that some were replaced from earlier editions but I don’t know).

I am aware of the existence of Tom Waits, and currently have 3 songs liked by him on Spotify. 2 are from the "Dead Man Walking" movie soundtrack album ("The Fall of Troy" and "Walk Away"), and 1 is "Yesterday is Here" from the "Frank Wild Years" album. I have never done a deep dive into any of his catalog - so I am curious how this goes. Thoughts after listening 3 times... None of this grabbed me enough to want to listen to any of it again. I'm positive I can name 100 albums that are better than this one, that aren't on this list. I can't believe I will be forced to listen to 4 more albums by this guy. Liked songs on Spotify: 0/16 Rating: 1/5 (should be zero)

wtf is this and why is it on this list?

so weird I like. definitely a unique sound, and it's not trying to be something else. It lives up to its own specialties. Vocals are really interesting, the most experimental bit is the pairing of the vocals with the soundscape it is in. Makes my brain itch for something a bit more upbeat. Ok such a scream is kind of scratching that itch but not in a way I expected. It's oddly jazzy. But I kind of like it. Weird, too weird maybe... It's like if TOOL made blues. But they were just high ALL THE TIME instead of at just the conception of the album.

Just not enjoyable at all !

Man this was rough 🧟‍♂️

Hard to listen to......terrible

Uh-oh. I guess my newfound love for Tom Waits has a limit. I was prepared to appreciate if not enjoy this, and it just repelled me, including trying over consecutive days. I couldn’t get past the voice this time, and the tunes didn’t capture me. I see there is artistry and poetry, but I’m at a 1.5 over here…

I honest to god believe that when he finished recoding this album tom waits turned to the record producer and said " watch this i swear these idiots will listen to anything"

Geen mooie stem

Surely this cannot count for actual singing

Please god let this be the last.

*A strange, but ok album

bleh

Man, why does this man have 5 albums on this list. This is my second one and it sounds like absolute garbage again. What even is the aim of this music? 1/5

poor Tom sounds like a drunk homeless person, I just can't get onboard w this.

I'm sorry but I hateee him

Dit was echt anus. 1,5

From the first cracked percussion hit, Bone Machine feels like being dropped into a rusted scrapyard during the apocalypse. It’s chaotic, tuneless, and full of anguished groans masquerading as songs. The clattering industrial rhythms and Waits’ sandpaper vocals might be “art” to some, but for me it was just punishing. I managed four tracks before tapping out completely. Awful album — more ordeal than experience.

Hot garbage.

One word. Ass.

Man whats the deal with this guy. Perfect nightmare fuel. Why is he on here so much. Aany album should not be this hard to listen to. Who even knows what the scenario would be to listen to this. One star for respect for making something so terrible. And one star because i cant give something zero.

This sounds like an SNL skit. But not even a good one with songs by Lonely Island. It’s a good thing there are alternatives to this Alternative music cause this plain and simply sucked.

Tom Waits? Yeah, I sure hope he does. Because I'd rather have him wait than begin suffering through any more of this noise. After four previous albums from the guy (with an average rating of 2.25 stars) things are looking pretty bleak. And yet, looking at the pool of existing reviews here, people seem to think he's being authentic (fine). And then take the leap to equate that authenticity with good music (not fine). I can drink eight shots of Scotch and mumble about my romantic failings into an old greasy microphone, but nobody tells me I'm a good musician. As another reviewer aptly observed, "Tom Waits is always part mediocre folk and part garbage noises with this weird muppet sounding dude trying to sing over it, but failing because he misread the label and started swallowing chewing tobacco." And yeah, let's be honest. This is definitive garbage. "4′33" by John Cage would bring me more pleasure. Does anyone actually listen to The Earth Died Screaming, hear the messy percussion and absolutely horrific vocal delivery that puts Satan's finest demons to shame, and think, "hmm, this might be okay"? I doubt it. Dirt In The Ground is better, in virtue of having a decent bluesy melody buried somewhere within the vocal part, but again it's performed so badly that I can't take any of it seriously. The first track that I could see myself coming back to is Who Are You This Time. It has a gorgeous acoustic guitar line that really shines once you've tuned out Waits's voice. (Later on the album, Black Wings warrants a similar review. A cool, mysterious instrumental part with vocals straight from hell.) Jesus Gonna Be Here warrants a shoutout for being just completely devoid of substance. Except for whatever substance Tommyboy coughed up at the end. Then we have a slew of unlistenable noise ("in the colosseum / in the colosseum / in the colosseum / (ad inf.)" before we arrive at another passable tune: Goin' Out West. Reminiscent of something from the Doors' L.A. Woman. 1/5 Key tracks: Who Are You This Time, Goin' Out West, Black Wings

Tom mate clear your throat, cough it out. I don’t get this guy and if that makes me uneducated or unsophisticated or someone with bad taste then so be it, I can’t listen to this without wanting to remove my ears

this shit is ass

5 Tom Waits albums?! Is this a fucking joke? I had to skip through a couple songs. I'm not trying to ruin my day... or week.

Just not for me.

Not for me

If you want to listen to shit than listen to this

I am so glad that I have finally finished all these guys' albums and won't ever have to listen to him again. I didn't enjoy any of them; his gruff voice sounds like someone who smokes 60 a day. I think this one is the weirdest and worst of all his albums.

Hated it

🥱

Não dá Não, sem paciência para isso

I can listen to some Tom Waits. Swordfishtrombones was ok, in parts. This isn't Swordfishtrombones.

Horrible.

congratulations, you get the honor of being 1/3 albums I literally couldn't get all the way through so far! garbage; -100/10

nahhh whats that voice

I just don't like it.

Blimey. What was that? Just a cacophony of noise. Didn’t he write ‘Downtown Train?’ What went wrong??!

Unsettling. Did not finish.

can't stress how boring this cunt is

My ears! My poor ears!

nope

not my thing

CONGRATULATIONS this is my new most hated album on this list!!! I feel bad, because my uncle who gave me my first guitar liked Tom Waits, and he was a very talented musician, but even my familial connection cannot save this artist. If there is a second Tom Waits album on this list, i will have to quit the project altogether. I can't subject myself to more of this droning.

Did not like this at all… Loved him in Robots tho

This was bad. I wish I can give 0 stars.

A playground full of energetic kids skipped less than I did on this album. It was pretty unbearable.

Szinte hallgathatatlan volt

Scared me at the first song

This should be on a list of 1001 albums to avoid in your lifetime. No idea what the appeal is of this kind of music. Just a bunch of grumbling over some bluesy and folk instrumentation. Kudos to the fans who like this stuff

The highlight of The Earth Died Screaming (great title, admittedly) is the last few seconds, when he stops "singing". Dirt In The Ground would actually be a great instrumental, or maybe a good song, with a different vocalist. I just can't deal with this. He sounds like he's smoked two packs a day since the Korean War ended. Such A Scream is weirder, but not in a good way. I don't even know how to describe this, and it's track 3 of 16... "Who Are You" is moderately acceptable (M.A.) and I would put The Ocean Doesn't Want Me in the category of good instrumental backing. Curious to hear Goin' Out West since this was a single, and it's M.A. Every time I think he's put together a decent blues tune, despite the generally unlistenable voice, the next track will be spoken word vocals over random background noise. This is a bad dream.

this was so painful...

brent waits for the album to be over

Don't care much for this side of Waits discography

Just can’t get into something like this, gotta go 1 star

Strike out

vsy tgl

När jag en gång kom in på kontoret och möttes av att min kollega Johan lyssnade på det här albumet bröt jag ut i stort skratt, tyckte det var den gubbigaste skiten jag hört i mitt liv. Kom in med ett mer öppet sinne denna gång, men jag har svårt att ta rösten och bluesigheten seriöst. Harkla dig förfan.

girl the voice was not it

this aint it chief

I'm fine with not liking this. I don't like Leonard Cohen either. Or, it seems, a bunch of other stuff that experts like. That's cool. There are occasional moments on this that aren't terrible. But it's really not great.

what the actual fuck is happening? am I being tortured? is this hell? I'm so confused, what did I do to deserve this? This was put on this list as a prank, right?

Voice aaaaahhhhhh

Avant-Garde Lo-Fi Experimental-Rock Blues-Rock! In my opinion, the opening track, "Earth Died Screaming", barely qualifies as music. This seems to be one of those albums that critics rave about to be clever and edgy, when they're really taking the piss. Fortunately, not all of the tracks are as bad as the opening track, but some come close; best track on the album is "Goin' Out West". Tom Waits is not for everyone, especially not for me.

I don't know how to describe this music, way too random for me

Really not a fan of this guy’s voice and style.

Like with taking acid, the mindset in which you approach listening to Tom Waits has a significant impact on the outcome…

It's for someone. Not for me, but for someone.

I have the flu currently, and this is literally the worst album I could think to have gotten at this time. I put it off for a few days, but Bone Machine sat there, lurking over my illness, watching me die, like a circling condor. Even though I still don’t feel well, today I felt like I was strong enough to persevere. My ocd won’t let me skip any album here, even though I already know that I hate Tom Waits. The result is that my throat hurts even more than it did before, due to unavoidable empathic tendencies. I may have written this on my last Tom Waits review, but I immediately judge people when they tell me they’re a Tom Waits fan. I don’t have this judgmental reaction, at this extreme level, with any other artist or band. I think that’s because Tom Waits fans are hardcore. They REALLY want you to know how awesome Tom Waits is. They also tend to be kind of creepy, too weird for their own good types, like my upstairs neighbor (who has the Tom Waits discography on vinyl) who hasn’t had a shower in years. Please, no more Tom Waits after this. Please, God, have mercy. Please, nobody try to convince me he’s some kind of genius. Please, nobody mention his name to me again.

Excruciating

You will never ever convince me that Tom Waits isn't a decades long practical joke/Bob Dylan satire.

Not a fan. Music had a dystopian ominous tone

Vabbè la voce di tom waits è inascoltabile, veramente non ce la faccio

OK songwriter. Terrible performer.

Saying this was rough to get through would be an understatement.

👎🏻

Just not for me. Never liked his music personally.

I thought I couldn’t hate anyone’s voice more than Bob Dylan’s until I listened to this. Which is a shame because some of these tracks could be pretty cool and fun to listen to if not for Tom Wait’s horrible, grating voice.

Got better as the album went along but that’s not saying much

That was rough. I get that he’s got his own style and shit and I see why some people might get into it but that was kinda grating. Stuck through the entire album and boy was I happy when it was over.

This is awful

Abysmal

What the actual fuck? The mad world of Tom Waites. I remember reading the review of this in the NME and steered well clear. Now I've finally listened to this, it's not for me. The best I can say is it lacks refinement.

This was like listening to a man who smoked 10 packs a day try to speak along to melodies. The music wasn’t terrible, but as a whole I just didn’t enjoy it. I felt like this album couldn’t end soon enough. Had quite a hard time taking this album seriously.

so shitty, had to skip most o the songs

Some of the absolute worst music I've heard since I had to listen to a previous album from this muppet.

apparently i hate tom waits

Seriously, who listens to this bilge? Please 1001 album generator, send me some music next time.

Tom Waits is best when someone else covers his songs. (Go listen to Gov't Mule cover "Goin' Out West")

sounds like a muppet with throat disease

Really rough listen. I don’t see anyway I could recommend this to anyone.

Like listening to recorded gravel.

DÉCALISSE TOM WAITS, PERSONNE T’AIME, T’ES UNE HONTE POUR LA FAMILLE, J’VEUX PU TE VOIR MON PTIT CRISSE

Never a fan really. He can’t sing

I went into this not really knowing Waits but thinking I might enjoy the album. Well, the first few songs are hot garbage. The lyrics are cringeworthy and the music barely has a melody. And even the melody that is there sounds awful. I find my toe kinda taps, but my brain is confused as to whether this counts as music or not. And I can't help but wonder what the fuck I am listening to? Overall, this album is making me try to work harder so I can ignore it. So that's a sign that it stinks to high heaven. I was genuinely relieved when this album finally finished. Excuse me, I think I might go bleach my ears.

I hate Tom Waits. This album at least had some interesting rhythmic stuff that made it slightly more listenable, but I still hated it.

Not fir me. Dreary rubbish

Is this a Kaufman-esque joke?

This offends me.

Second album proposé après 'Rain Dogs' que j'avais détesté (noté 1/5, en particulier à cause du chant que je n'aime pas du tout). Le chant n'a malheureusement pas changé dans ce second album ... le premier morceau m'a paru interminable, alors qu'il ne dure moins de 4 mn. Ses hurlements ratés du second morceau m'ont fait sauter les 3/4 du morceau. J'ai jeté l'éponge au 4eme. En plus je viens de m'apercevoir que je vais avoir encore 3 autres albums à supporter. Au moins ils seront vite notés. =>1/5

I didn’t know anything about Tom Waits before this album but what I do know now is that this album is rubbish!

L'écoute de cet album a tourné à l'exercice masochiste. Tom Waits a un certain nombre d'albums dans la liste mais est-ce qu'ils sont tous comme celui-là?

I just can't...His voice is not my cup of tea. Although he is now in movies and there is a good one coming out with kylo renn

This is the first time I've been unable to even listen to an album all the way through. Not interested in this at all. Pitchfork: 8.9 Rolling Stone: Best Songs

Just fuck off Tom Waits

What do I need a Bone Machine for? I can see how Sex Machine is a must for the list even though I am one anyway. Love Machine by Girls Aloud is essential even though that’s a single and not an album. Then there’s Extraordinary Machine by Fiona Apple even though I am a little sceptical of its claim of extraordinariness. I guess I do want to make some bones with a bone machine after all because Tom Waits is a terrible artist with way too many albums on the list. More like a ‘1’ Machine.

Man, I don't get it

As a lover of bad music I can't u derstand what the fuck this is.

Sounds like a prank. Not a particularly amusing one.

Somehow I'd managed to get well into my 6th decade with no knowledge of Tom Waits. How I wish that remained true. This is... terrible. 1/5 but only because I can't give it 0. Really, we need a '0' star rating on here.

Fuck Tom Waits and his "soundtrack for serial killers in an Eli Roth movie" music. I mean I know it's his "thing" but why does he sing like that? The few times he sounds like he's trying to sing somewhat normally are the songs I kind of liked. "Who Are You" was decent, and I liked "A Little Rain" until the "German dwarf" line took me out. "The Ocean Doesn't Want Me" sounds like Waits' is about to commit an actual murder, and "In The Colosseum" was just a complete mess. "Whistle Down The Wind" and "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" sound like a constipated RFK Jr. trying to pass a turd. This was a 53 minute assault on my ears, and I think my life would have been better without it. Lyrically this made me think of Nick Cave's Murder Ballads, which was superior in literally every way. I can't believe I have more Tom Waits albums to listen to from this list. I believe I said the last album I had from him sounded like "demented circus music" so I can't wait to describe the next one.

Meh

Is this a joke? Do people really like this? This could possibly be one of the worse things I have ever heard and I only made it 4 seconds of 3 tracks before i had to stop and wash my ears out. Awful. How do I give less than 1 star?

Really weird and boring

I still don't get Tom Waits and I probably never will

Genuinely unlistenable. His vocals are terrible, I got to Whistle Down the Wind before I gave up

Guy in his basement clanking pots and pans together and calls it music. lmao

Just another hacky trash album from Tom Waits. Baffles me that we needed even more than 1 album of this waste of sound.

Not so much

this was crazy i feel like listening to this at 9 am wasn't the proper time for this but insane this won a grammy???

Strange voice. Good music.

5 stars for the endurance it took not to claw my own ears off.

I don't like tom waits

This was very painful to listen to, I hated it. Some of the songs were just sounds with maracas and occasional guitar. The songs that were "songs" still had terrible singing.

Tom Waits’ Bone Machine is like being trapped in a dungeon while a drunk scarecrow tries to sing you bedtime stories about death. Critics call it “genius,” but it’s just abrasive noise dressed up as art. His voice sounds less like music and more like a demolition site with emphysema. If this is innovation, I’d rather listen to an actual bone machine grind me into dust. There are 5 Tom Waits albums on this list - un fucking believable

I am so sorry but Tom Waits is so unbelievably boring i cannot stand his music

What the hell did I listen to? Weird as hell and really dumb. 1/5

I never understood why Waits was so adored by critics. His voice is annoying, the songs are generally dirge-like and not interesting. An easy 1.

What. The. Hell?

another no likey

No bueno

Fuck Tom Waits. This shit sucks ass. Would rate it zero stars if I could

I knew I wouldn't like this album, I can't get on board with Tom Waits, but I thought it was only fair that I gave it a fair shot. I was right. I didn't like this album. Terrible.

Hate the vocals

Did not enjoy

I hate Tom Waits. I can't believe he was still kicking in '92 to write another shit album and continue to terrorize humanity with his lack of musical skill.

Absolutely fucking not. A third one of these pieces of shit?

Tom Waits, but what is he waiting for - no one knows. But apart from that, the whole album was very weird and I guess I should've known from the album artwork, but it's just weird sounds, not great singing and it's a bit all over the place.

Awful music and signing.

Not really sure what everybody sees in this. He can be as authentic as he wants, but that doesn’t make his music good.

I know he's a great songwriter, I just can't get past his voice. It's like nails on a chalkboard for me.

Wtf is this

Meh

In a nutshell: you only get one chance for a second impression. Good thing I listened to Nighthawks at the Diner beforehand. It gave me an idea of how Tom's style has evolved. Which it has. The sound is definitely avant garde blues. The mixing decisions are atypical. Vocals have more range, reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen and Frank Zappa (bravo!!). The percussion is louder on some tracks (is this what's called "mixed forward"? I hope I'm getting the terminology right?). Yet his arrangements lulled me to sleep. Why do you have that power over me, Tom. How??? Definitely not my thing. I won't go back to it in a hurry. But this album reinforced something to me- Tom Waits is one strange cat. Overall: 2/10

Yuck. Hollering. Gibberish.

Talentless drivel

i don’t know what to say. i’m just…. i don’t mind weird stuff. i enjoy some weird stuff as long as it’s interesting and doesn’t make me feel like i want to scream into the void.

2/10

No thank you

this one REALLY freaked me out. like the lyrics and the vibes…. ugh. some songs were better than others but “dirt in the ground” scared me enough to make this album a 1/5.

Absolutely not

why do you hate my ears?

I’ve tried so many times… I just can’t enjoy this

does this man need help?

Nooooooooo ick

[1.5/5] Final impression: If Tom Waits could get a different person to do vocals, these tracks wouldn't be bad. Unfortunately, I can't stand his voice. Sometimes his voice works, but most of the time it doesn't. Instrumentals are generally solid, but sometimes weak. Listened to on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/album/4VNqy9FUAFCvwE6XqrtlOn]. The Earth Died Screaming - I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this. Not sure if I like it or hate it. The instrumentals are fine, but if the vocals are the same throughout I will not survive. Sick instrumental at the ending though. Dirt In The Ground - The vocals are just so strange. Sounds like he just got done with 25 packs and then walking into the recording studio. Such A Scream - The more upbeat energy of this track works better with Tom Waits' voice. Instrumentals are good. All Stripped Down - His high vocals are AWFUL. The low vocals have an interesting grit and sinisterness to them that actually kind of works. But wow. Who Are You - Not sure if its Stockholm Syndrome, but his voice doesn't sound that bad here. Kind of works. The Ocean Doesn't Want Me - Slam poetry night. Interesting. Jesus Gonna Be Here - It's decent. Do you think that cough at the end cleared out his throat enough for the rest of the tracks to be listenable? A Little Rain - Just okay. In The Colosseum - This one's interesting. Kind of like it. Second favorite track so far. Goin' Out West - Eh. Fine, I guess. Murder In The Red Barn - His voice works in this one. *Black Wings - This one's good. Whistle Down The Wind - Don't like this one. Sounds like I'm at church. I Don't Wanna Grow Up - Good. Probably liked Black Wings just a little better, but this one's classic. Let Me Get Up On It - Rough. That Feel - Also not good. Overall notes: Melancholy and desolation, carried by a gritty, rough voice. Unique, at least.

He shouldn't be recording

even if you somehow like this melodramatic, caterwauling doofus, i don't know what could possibly be gained from having FIVE of his godforsaken, unlistenable albums on the list. shouldn't the point here be to provide as broad and varied of a selection as possible? I'd argue there shouldn't be ANY repeats, even of the Beatles or david Bowie or whatever other artists have been canonized, but certainly not of this insufferable show-tunes-for-people-with-donnie-darko-tattoos garbage i like no wave, i like experimental music and weird jazz and stuff, hell, I've given good reviews to captain beefheart and pere ubu and throbbing gristle on this very website! his voice makes me want to never listen to music again, i get and am thoroughly over his stupid fucking shtick, and i eagerly look forward to receiving his fifth album from the generator and finally being free of this unbearable pretentious idiot

Usually I like Tom Waits. But this is just taking the piss. Voice is worse than even. He might enjoying hitting things, but it doesn't make good music.

It's slam poetry over a Americana Blues / Coal Miner Blues backing track. This album was not for me, though there was 1 song that was a stand out. Goin' out west was a decent song.

At this stage of the 1001 albums, I've given up on thinking "let's give Tom Waits another chance". I'm a few tracks into this album and I don't know which way is up or down anymore.

This is the third tom waits album and I think he will be on a cumulative 4 points for me

Shite

I suppose that his commitment to the bit is admirable. Unfortunately, the character that Tom Waits has been playing for fifty years gets stale for me real quick.

Wenn dä das innere Bar wörd spele wördi mi secher froge was a god aber chuum welle go. Aber als Studiuoalbom chammer halt ergendöppis lose wo fascht besser mues si. Es esch eifach dä Typ met sinerer heisrige Raucherstemm ond es bez basic Hendergrondmusig wo aber au ned wörk speziell esch. Ech verstoh das albom ned wörk.

This sounds like an album that someone would use to torture someone with. It’s incredibly bad. I have no idea how the hell this made the 1001 list. By far the worst one of the list so far. I think my ears are still bleeding a day later from listening to it.

Felt like I was around a mates house and his dad got his guitar out and sang badly.

What the heck is this? Tom should have waited a little longer!