Tom Waits, Rain Dogs

Impressions: Well, this is an old favorite for yours truly. His best? The seasick, crazy “Singapore” sets the scene of a timeless, surreal undefined past of scallywags, pirates, and Lord knows what else. “Heave away, boys!” So ridiculously evocative. Like most of this album, his songs sound fanciful but somehow real (unlike like, say,  the Decemberists flights of fancy.) Marc Ribot’s stinging guitar fits in to this milieu snuggly. Album is loaded with tons of weird shanties and  cartoonish, but dark lots of fun. Colorful characters. “Jockey Full Of Bourbon” is so fucking cool. Song just grooves loopily like it’s namesake. Each song is like a little movie. All of these songs all sound like they are teetering off the rails but they kinda keep rolling along like a lopsided tire (“Tango Till Their Sore,” “Walking Spanish.”) Just about every character in these tunes seem like it’s someone who might just lose their shit at any minute. Woah this album has 19 songs! Each around 2-3 minutes.  They are all great, but so much to take in. Waits pulls off a nice balance between his bullshit carnival barker/snake-oil salesman and a bluesy honest emotion, no idea how he does that. Love the clanking kitchen sink percussion “Clap Hands,” “, there’s nothing here that makes it sound like it was recorded in the middle of the dreaded drum machine ’80s.

Starred Songs: “Singapore,” “Jockey Full Of Bourbon,” “Downtown Train”
Sneaky Tracks: “9th and Hennepin,” “Hang Down Your Head”

Should this be on the list: Yes
Will You Listen To This Album Again: Yes