Waits' storytelling gets its usual narrative excursion on the whispered, "9th & Hennepin." Invitingly eerie, it couldn't be a more perfect stage for Waits, as writer, to narrate with a calculated, atmospheric edge as he revels in his own insight and understanding of how the people of the world work: "I've seen it all, I've seen it all /Through the yellow windows of the evening train..." Meanwhile, the Southern taste to the inspired, banjo-straddled blues number that is "Gun Street Girl" makes it the kind of tune that would later influence the likes of Grant Lee Phillips.
The stomping rhythm'n'blues of "Union Square" feels like it's being performed behind chicken-wire in yet another all-night bar (one that serves fried-chicken), while "Blind Love," on the other hand, introduces a country element to the fold in a simple, wandering track that sees Keith Richards cameo on steel guitar. Even after these two brief trips through different genres, the identity and feel of the album has long-since been established, and settles back comfortably with the swing of the horns in "Walking Spanish."
"Downtown Train" has "album closer" written all over it from the very first few seconds (although the drums perhaps sound a little dated); it would later even be covered and turned into a top-ten hit by Rod Stewart. Yet the show goes on with another brief instrumental in the form of "Bride of Rain Dog," which makes you feel like you're walking in on the end of a twenty-four hour old jam session at six in the morning. "Anywhere I Lay My Head," however, is truly the last, classic gasp of Tom Waits' evening, and here we find that he has been saving that extra bit of something special for his final thoughts. This is his growling swan song, shooting to life unexpectedly at the end with a Sunday-jazz brass section - one that's oblivious to the now comatose troubadour, who's probably lying knocked-out over the piano.
Taken from http://www.seewhatyouhear.com/
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
nice writeup. Waits is an acquired taste...one that i wish more folks would take a chance on.
2 - D L Ennis
This is great!
Tom Waits is a log time favorite.
D L
3 - Rodney Welch
Nice work, Cian -- and you couldn't be more right about how hard it is to separate this crumbling beauty of a disc from Jarmusch's classic film. (Maybe Waits should have titled it It's a Sad and Beautiful World.)
In fact, I bought the cassette right after seeing the movie 20 years ago, and just recently bought the CD. It's one of those I played so many times that -- along with Blue Valentine -- it's become like the audio version of, say, my favorite, most well-worn pair of jeans. Both have a very, very comfortable feel, and every song is rich with the emotion and storytelling detail that characterize all of Waits' best work.
4 - Temple Stark
New music editor Matt Freelove chose this for a pick of the week. Click HERE to fnd out why.
Thank you. EE Temple
5 - The Duke
Tom Waits, the leering wino poet? It's an act. I caught him on the strip during folkie period, he morphed into the present configuration in the mid 70's, the formula worked and he kept it going.
Sorta like Alyson (sp) Morrisette, she was a Canadian Hip Hop star before her change into alternative rock clothing.
Rather formulated. Can't we have some honest to goodness originality out there, or does every "act" have to be contrived for the brainwashed masses?