T/S: jazzy Tom Waits vs. sentimental pub-at-closing Tom Waits vs. junk band Tom Waits

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I'm going with the Tom Waits of songs like "November" and "Innocent When You Dream," followed by the off-kilter Tom Waits of Bone Machine. I really hate the jazz/narrative stuff.

― Hurting (Hurting), Monday, 4 July 2005 04:59 (twenty years ago)

One for junkyard Waits here. My absolute favorites are Bone Machine and the earlier, less extreme takes on the ramshackle sound ("Sixteen Shells from a Thirty-Ought Six," "Singapore," etc.)

And the obligatory CAPTAIN BEEFHEART OMG, to get it out of the way...

― Telephonething (Telephonething), Monday, 4 July 2005 05:26 (twenty years ago)

everything Ryan said, seconded.

― jmeister (jmeister), Monday, 4 July 2005 05:37 (twenty years ago)

I absolutely love absolutely everything Tom's ever done - but if I had to choose his work from one era over the others then it would be with great reluctance but it have to be '83-'88 (Swordfishtrombones / Raindogs / Frank's Wild Years / Big Time).

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Monday, 4 July 2005 09:54 (twenty years ago)

everything Stewart said, seconded. With the mule/alice/blood/parts of real gone axis close close behind, wherever that fits into the question.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Monday, 4 July 2005 10:37 (twenty years ago)

I like hunchback circus-freak Tom Waits best of all (Black Rider etc), but then I like pretty much all his stuff apart from the out-and-out rugged bluesy country stuff like on Mule Variations. I do like Real Gone a lot though.

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 4 July 2005 12:08 (twenty years ago)

I do quite like the 70s stuff - in fact it's the stuff I listen to most these days. For those who ain't checked it out and like his 80s/90s stuff you're probably best starting on Small Change or Foreign Affairs. It is a bit hit and miss until Swordfish but the amount of joy I get from hearing the song "Heart of Saturday Night"...

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 4 July 2005 12:13 (twenty years ago)

oh my god, last weekend i was dragging my ass through miserable midday heat and the streets were empty and out of nowhere "burma shave" came on my ipod. i wanted to cry.

― SHINE ON AMERICA (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 4 July 2005 12:31 (twenty years ago)

i prefer most of his 70s output, especially Small CHange, to anything he ever did in the 90s. the 80s stuff is kinda hit or miss to my ears.

― the temptation of wheat (the temptation of wheat), Monday, 4 July 2005 13:13 (twenty years ago)

my favorite is Blue Valentine, but I like him pretty much without reservation.

― Gear! (Ill Cajun Gunsmith) (Gear!), Monday, 4 July 2005 15:46 (twenty years ago)

80s Tom Waits--Swordfish/Rain Dogs/Frank's Wild Years.

Although Mule Variations is one of his best, too.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Monday, 4 July 2005 16:39 (twenty years ago)

What I think you're calling junkyard Waits couldn't really be anyone else(and certainly not Beefheart), so that's the strongest for me. The influences on the his more conventional stuff are much easier to identify. But, in the end, I've never heard a track by Waits I that really, really didn't like.

In addition to all his other talents, he was the best Renfield ever!

― Soukesian, Monday, 4 July 2005 17:45 (twenty years ago)

five years pass...

If my favourite Tom Waits album that I've heard is Alice (which you could argue is mainly jazz/sentimental Tom), what is a similar album of his I should check out next? Thanks.

― Tim. E "LazRus" Lucas (Prose b4 Hoes...and Big Hoos), Friday, 10 September 2010 02:32 (fifteen years ago)

doesn't matter what you like. just jump in and feel the love.

― a cankle of rads (Gukbe), Friday, 10 September 2010 02:41 (fifteen years ago)

although if you get Orphans you'll get something for every mood, nicely separated into three discs.

― a cankle of rads (Gukbe), Friday, 10 September 2010 02:42 (fifteen years ago)

Yeah, I've always been tempted to buy orphans.

― Tim. E "LazRus" Lucas (Prose b4 Hoes...and Big Hoos), Friday, 10 September 2010 02:58 (fifteen years ago)

it is awesome. i have had it from the jump and i play it regularly and it has not tired a single breath.

― friends don't understand us, adults don't understand us (zorn_bond.mp3), Friday, 10 September 2010 03:45 (fifteen years ago)

Tim E. - what albums have you heard yet?

This poll is missing nocturnal night-creature Tom Waits. It's generally agreed that the 80s triumvirate of Swordfishtrombones/Rain Dogs/Franks Wild Years is unfuckablewith, but Gukbe's right in saying that almost everything he's done is worth getting, apart from mayeb the odd iffy 70s album like Heartattack and Vine and One From The Heart.

Winter's approaches. Time to dig out the Waits.

― village idiot (dog latin), Friday, 10 September 2010 13:52 (fifteen years ago)

i suggest springing for orphans, it's his best release in ages. otherwise, get rain dogs, it seems most similar to Alice to me.

― akm, Friday, 10 September 2010 16:10 (fifteen years ago)

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