I've been a big fan of Tom Waits since I picked up a copy of "Swordfishtrombones" about 4-5 years ago. I like the newer stuff a lot better than the older material, since Waits seemed to be getting into a rut before "Swordfishtrombones" and then became really interesting with that album. I've got pretty much all the recent CDs. What I find interesting is that not only is Waits somewhat of an acquired taste, but each CD seems to be an acquired taste also. It takes a few listenings and maybe several weeks or even months before I really start to consider each CD as "Really good".23 responses total.
There's a Waits item on M-Net, I'm tempted to ship it over.
Ship those packets dosey do, swing your IP round you go, touch your telnet, promenade, promenade. <Bet ya never knew Raven could call internet square dancing>.
My first listening of Tom Waites was hearing Step Right Up on the radio, mid 70's sometime. I got the album, and a few others since then. I didn't like any of the latest ones, tho maybe you're right, maybe a few more playings. His voice is unmistakable, and can be heard in Jim Jarlmush(sp) Mystery Train. Great film, BTW.
I've enjoyed Tom Waits music since I saw A Night on Earth, which he did the soundtrack for. I only have a few albums of his since. What do you think of the Holly Cole's album of Waits cover songs?
I heard a couple things off it on the radio. It seemed a little too sacharine or something. Jersey Girl sounded about three octaves too high, the vocal that is, just not appropriate.
It's a little over 300 lines.
jor's long item, transplanted from m-net, has been "expurgated"
so it doesn't put all those lines into your screen unless you are ready
for them.
If you want to read response #6, do the following at the Respond or Pass
prompt:
set noforget
6
<<item 6 scrolls by>>
set forget
This is a common picospan usage among long-time users, but I thought
I should explain it for our new participants. Back to Tom Waits...
Probably this is all explained in the 300 lines imported from M-Net,
which I haven't look at yet ... but ....
I *heard* of Tom Waits when I was growing up and going to school in
East Lansing, but I never actually (knowingly) heard his music. When
I moved to Detroit in 1979, one of my housemates was another ex-MSU
person who was a big fan of Waits. He told us how great Waits was,
how we were going to love this, that he had gone to a lot of trouble
to get this specific tape. He put the cassette in the tape player
and pressed PLAY, and the first song came on ("Waltzing Matilda" from
the SMALL CHANGE album). We all (except the fan) burst out laughing.
But Tom Waits has this funny way of growing on you (with each new album of
his, I find that I like them better after the first few playings). With
Pete playing his Tom Waits tapes frequently, and my general mood during
those bleak Detroit years approximating that of Waits' music of that era,
pretty soon I was a Tom Waits fan myself.
During that time, Waits gave a concert at the Royal Oak Music Theater.
I took a date to it. I thought it was a very good concert.
She never spoke to me again.
I suppose that kind of reaction is why there seems to be a rigid ban on
broadcasting Tom Waits' music on the radio. Sometimes you'll hear his
songs done by other people, though -- notably "Shiver Me Timbers" and
"Never Knew The Morning".
Not to mention the execrable Rod Stewart cover of "Downtown Train" from "Rain Dogs."
Waits wrote downtown train?! I admit, I just can't deal with his voice. But then, there's a lot of people whose voices I cannot stand (Janis Joplin bieng the other one that people look at me weird about)....
One critic wrote he has a voice like Janitor in a Drum.
Wait'll ya hear his version of "Somewhere" from
"West Side Story". I mean, it's really musical and really
beautiful but you just have to laugh.
I read that Bob Seger and Rod Stewart were like chatting about
recording Downtown Train and when one found the other had
gone and done it and "stolen my idea" they started
threatening lawsuits etc.
What flattery for Sir Thomas.
I like that torn-up voice. Waits puts a huge amount of emotion into it, and it shows. Who is *your* favorite ballad singer?
Err, well, for ballads, I confess to a weakness for either Archie Fisher or Martin Carthy, with James Keelaghan a close third.
Yes Waits is good, I just got the "Black Rider" and have been listening to it constantly.
Wooohooo!!! New album comes out tomorrow!
The new Tom Waits was being played in SKR tonight. I thought about buying it, and I don't even like Tom Waits much.
WDET has been giving it a fair amount of airplay, on the afternoon show. That song about the mule...
I've got it, and I like it. It's pretty accessible even the first time...almost a folk album in places. Still a few nasty tunes, too... ;)
I've heard pieces of it on, ugh, can't remember the station name right now, wn__. A friend that works at SKR says they sold out all 30 that they had the first day it was out.
OK, here's the basic review:
It's good (duh)!
Overall, I'd say that "Mule Variations" is closer to "Bone Machine" than
anything else, but a bit slower. This CD is closer to what I'd call "blues
folk" than anything else, although you have to throw in the obligatory "it
*is* Tom Waits" to explain things.
There are still a few "loud" songs, but this is a more gentle CD overall.
As I said in an earlier response, this is a more accessible CD than usual for
Waits. A lot of the standard Waits sidemen appear, including the Primus guys
("Big in Japan"), but also Charlie Musslewhite on harmonica.
If you liked the slower things from "Bone Machine" you'll probably LOVE this
CD. I like it a lot, although I was slightly disappointed to like it the
first time. As I've said before, Waits is not only an acquired taste, but
each new CD took some getting used to as well. That's why I call this one
"accessible".
i love tom waites
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