Any Tom Waits afficianados?

satchmosatchmo
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Was recently introduced to some of his music at a party. Pretty good stuff. At the record store, I thumbed through his vast collection of work but didn't know where to start.

Any suggestions as to what would be the definitive Tom Waits CD? Or least a good one to begin with?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    pbg3pbg3 Posts: 211member
    Mule Variations is a good CD to start with I think, though I don't really know too much about his earlier work. Big In Japan is a great song/
  • Reply 2 of 15
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by satchmo

    Was recently introduced to some of his music at a party. Pretty good stuff. At the record store, I thumbed through his vast collection of work but didn't know where to start.

    Any suggestions as to what would be the definitive Tom Waits CD? Or least a good one to begin with?



    Nighthawks at the Diner.
  • Reply 3 of 15
    akumulatorakumulator Posts: 1,111member
    I have almost all his albums... he's one of my all time favorites. Definately get Rain Dogs, Mule Variations, Bone Machine, and The Black Rider to start... and for something a little different check out Nighthawks at the Diner. They all are good but different in their own ways.
  • Reply 4 of 15
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Akumulator

    I have almost all his albums... he's one of my all time favorites. Definately get Rain Dogs, Mule Variations, Bone Machine, and The Black Rider to start... and for something a little different check out Nighthawks at the Diner. They all are good but different in their own ways.



    Which one has "The Piano Has Been Drinking" on it?
  • Reply 5 of 15
    akumulatorakumulator Posts: 1,111member
    Small Change........... but I also have a live version that I had downloaded off Napster years ago that's great. He sings it like he's drunk.
  • Reply 6 of 15
    akumulatorakumulator Posts: 1,111member
    The two newest albums are pretty good... I prefer Alice over Blood Money but Blood Money is good for that crazy Tom Waits listening time, if you know what I mean.... that drunken pirate carnival music he does so well.
  • Reply 7 of 15
    akumulatorakumulator Posts: 1,111member
    oops
  • Reply 8 of 15
    bungebunge Posts: 7,329member
    I own all of his albums and I have a couple of thoughts. One, Nighthawks at the Diner. It's a fake live album, but done really really well. He's playing the role of "piano man," almost a concept album. But overall it's awesome.



    If you just want songs, then I have to say his Early Years Vol. 1 & Early Years Vol. 2. Vol. 1 is probably better, but they compliment each other very well.



    If you like his later rhaspy almost unintelligible voice stuff, then The Black Rider is really good.



    Last but not least, for all you Tom fans that haven't bought it yet, the NIGHT ON EARTH soundtrack has a couple of his best songs ever. The rest is incidental music, but those two songs are worth the $15.
  • Reply 9 of 15
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bunge

    I own all of his albums and I have a couple of thoughts. One, Nighthawks at the Diner. It's a fake live album, but done really really well. He's playing the role of "piano man," almost a concept album. But overall it's awesome.



    I had always suspected that. Thanks for confirming it!



    Cheers

    Scott
  • Reply 10 of 15
    burningwheelburningwheel Posts: 1,827member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Akumulator

    Small Change........... but I also have a live version that I had downloaded off Napster years ago that's great. He sings it like he's drunk.



    isn't that the way all his songs sound
  • Reply 11 of 15
    superkarate monkeydeathcarsuperkarate monkeydeathcar Posts: 2,407member
    i've always thought of tom waits as having two careers, pre-raindogs and post-raindogs. before raindogs everything was pretty much song oriented, in fact i think he mostly did albums so other artists could hear his tunes and cover them. selling to t customers was probably secondary to him. consequently those albums (the ones on elektra) were pretty much song oriented.

    with raindogs he had a new label and a new attitude, he used the songs to showcase quirky instrumentation and bizarre arrangements, (and tons and tons of accordion!!!!) he started employing all those "downtown" knitting factory jazz guys and just let them go to town. the cool thing is the songs are still there and just as good but they are buried under layers of quirky instrumentation, (or somethimes minimal but no less quirky) and the good news for tom was artists kept listening, and covering his tunes. (he said rod stewart's version of "downtown train" will keep his flask filled for the rest of his life.)



    "small change" is my favorite early tom, and of the later i think i'd agree with bunge on "black rider" but "rain dogs" is great too.

    you could buy any and not be disappointed.
  • Reply 12 of 15
    superkarate monkeydeathcarsuperkarate monkeydeathcar Posts: 2,407member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by burningwheel

    isn't that the way all his songs sound



    no, it's the piano that's been drinking.....not tom.
  • Reply 13 of 15
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by midwinter

    Which one has "The Piano Has Been Drinking" on it?





    Oh man, that song had me in stiches!



    I previewed a few the suggestions at iTMS. I'll try Small Change first, but I don't think I can go wrong.

    Thanks for everyone's input.
  • Reply 14 of 15
    akumulatorakumulator Posts: 1,111member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by satchmo



    I previewed a few the suggestions at iTMS. I'll try Small Change first, but I don't think I can go wrong.

    Thanks for everyone's input.



    Oh, I see... choose the one that has the titties on the cover . No, you'll love it. Btw, they've played Big Time on IFC several times. It's pretty good. He's also been in several movies.......... Down By Law, also on IFC alot and has some of his music... well, okay one song repeatedly but it's still good.



    Movies



    edit: i'm an idiot
  • Reply 15 of 15
    groveratgroverat Posts: 10,872member
    I'm a post-Heartattack and Vine (the last album on the Elektra label) guy, so I'm going to say that Nighthawks at the Diner is the last album to spend money on.



    Rain Dogs is #1. That album is ridiculously good.
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