Tom Waits, 'Nighthawks at the Diner', 1975.
I been up for 24 hours packing up for crunch week, alcohol my my only companion to fight off the fear and loneliness. This helped me out.
I've tried a few times but his voice seems so forced and comical to me. Can you recommend a good starting point for the skeptical ear?
You might like to start here Kory. It's where I jumped in and it took a couple of plays before I really appreciated what a terrific writer he is.
Thanks! I'll put it on the headphones tomorrow.
Re: What Are you Listening to Right Now?
Posted: 28 Sep 2017, 11:33pm
by gkbill
Hello,
The Prophets of Rage - The Party's Over. Guitar-ish. P. E. Chuck D's new group with Tom Morrello. Like PE (and this EP includes 2 PE covers) with hard guitars. A bit too much guitar theatrics for my tastes. This group would probably be fun live but as a rule I like my PE straight up, unadulterated.
Tom Waits, 'Nighthawks at the Diner', 1975.
I been up for 24 hours packing up for crunch week, alcohol my my only companion to fight off the fear and loneliness. This helped me out.
I've tried a few times but his voice seems so forced and comical to me. Can you recommend a good starting point for the skeptical ear?
You might like to start here Kory. It's where I jumped in and it took a couple of plays before I really appreciated what a terrific writer he is.
Thanks! I'll put it on the headphones tomorrow.
I'd put in a rec for Rain Dogs as his best album. "Clap Hands," "Hang Down Your Head," "Time" are good starting points.
Re: What Are you Listening to Right Now?
Posted: 29 Sep 2017, 10:56am
by Dr. Medulla
The criminally underappreciated Wolfgang Press. The video for "Kansas" is one of my creepy favourites.
And the similarly themed "Going South" is impossible not to want to strut to.
Tom Waits, 'Nighthawks at the Diner', 1975.
I been up for 24 hours packing up for crunch week, alcohol my my only companion to fight off the fear and loneliness. This helped me out.
I've tried a few times but his voice seems so forced and comical to me. Can you recommend a good starting point for the skeptical ear?
Well, as Doc pointed out in the Stones thread, if you can't get past the voice in music you probably won't get into it much. "Forced and comical" is dead on in Tom's music, and a big part of his appeal. You said recently that you're not a big fan of humor in music, and Waits is often very funny, and a lot of that is his vocal delivery, so I don't know what might convert you. But this album from '85 showcases all his various "voices": his Euro Jaques Brel guy, his bellowing Howlin' Wolf guy, and his sleazy street-hustler voice. Arguably his single greatest album.
Re: What Are you Listening to Right Now?
Posted: 03 Oct 2017, 9:06am
by Dr. Medulla
Don't ask me to explain it, but Sera Cahoone has a very connecting human voice, generating comfort and sympathy. Listening to her with a jug of whisky handy would make a stoic weep freely.
The criminally underappreciated Wolfgang Press. The video for "Kansas" is one of my creepy favourites.
Listening to a selection from each album before I start Tom Waiting. The name was familiar but I don't think I've heard them.
That compilation is the bee's knees. A kind of cold, soulless mutant funk—very 4AD.
I'm quite digging it. I listened to a good chunk of their first three albums. They seem to have a slightly similar evolutionary trajectory as A Certain Ratio. And the singer reminds me of a Birthday Party-era Nick Cave here and there, so I'm on board with that.
Tom Waits, 'Nighthawks at the Diner', 1975.
I been up for 24 hours packing up for crunch week, alcohol my my only companion to fight off the fear and loneliness. This helped me out.
I've tried a few times but his voice seems so forced and comical to me. Can you recommend a good starting point for the skeptical ear?
You might like to start here Kory. It's where I jumped in and it took a couple of plays before I really appreciated what a terrific writer he is.
Thanks! I'll put it on the headphones tomorrow.
Listening to Blue Valentine right now, and I'm vacillating a lot. The music is cool, and his voice goes between annoying and listenable. Will continue listening. I still hold that he should play Bukowski in a movie, though.
The criminally underappreciated Wolfgang Press. The video for "Kansas" is one of my creepy favourites.
Listening to a selection from each album before I start Tom Waiting. The name was familiar but I don't think I've heard them.
That compilation is the bee's knees. A kind of cold, soulless mutant funk—very 4AD.
I'm quite digging it. I listened to a good chunk of their first three albums. They seem to have a slightly similar evolutionary trajectory as A Certain Ratio. And the singer reminds me of a Birthday Party-era Nick Cave here and there, so I'm on board with that.
The Martyn Young (from Colourbox and MARRS) remix of "Sucker" is one of my favourite reworkings of a song ever. Transforms and blows away the original.
Don't ask me to explain it, but Sera Cahoone has a very connecting human voice, generating comfort and sympathy. Listening to her with a jug of whisky handy would make a stoic weep freely.
Have you tried her new album? Similarly enjoyable. Got to see her live in April but it was an opening gig. She did a full band tour a few weeks ago, but new baby ruined that for me.
