Which Tom Waits album to start with?

[Muikuli]

Self-explanatory. I've been impressed by a couple of songs. Which album should a newcomer start with?

[Dave de Sylvia]

Always start with Closing Time. It's easily his most accessible (and best) album, and the ideal springboard into his weirder, jazzier ****.

[SailAway]

Rain dogs is awesome, and I think a good album to start with... but also the only album I have.

[DBlitz]

i just started to listen to him and i've only listened to Rain Dogs

[SgtBaker]

Rain Dogs and Swordfishtrombones

[LostChild]

which one do i get first if i want the best one and not the most accessible "springboard"

[SgtBaker]

Rain Dogs is normally considered his best work. You can't really go wrong with any of his work though.

[LostChild]

i want work with much percussions

[SgtBaker]

Swordfishtrombones and all the albums after are heavy in percussion but swordfish probably has the most.

ex. 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VDTa7uXUp4

[cbmartinez]

rain dogs and franks wild years

[Mr. Pickle]

Bone Machine

[Meatplow]

Always start with Closing Time. It's easily his most accessible (and best) album, and the ideal springboard into his weirder, jazzier ****.

don't listen to this guy

[Jaundice]

i'm not gonna listen to any of you guys, **** tom waits

[Meatplow]

i'm not gonna listen to any of you guys, **** tom waits

don't listen to this guy either

I call for a lack of communication in this thread

[Jaundice]

haz do you listen to Faust?

**** is so ca$h, you'd love it

[Meatplow]

there is currently no faust in my musical diet but I am planning on doing the krautrock thing before long so i'll keep them in mind ;]

as a serious response to this thread with waits it would seem you sort of have to jump in and make your own beginning somewhere, considering his different periods and what not. its hard to go wrong with any of his albums really, but my personal favourite is always going to be bone machine.

[Jaundice]

If you're gonna go through a krautrock phase, don't do it casually. Just totally immerse yourself, it will completely and utterly **** up your mind forever

What kraut bands are you already into?

[Meatplow]

Thats what I plan to do. I've only heard Can's Tago Mago, I believe.

[Jaundice]

Be sure to use drugs before listening to the albums, hit me up if you need rec's

btw Kraftwerk is considered kraut

[Meatplow]

will do. I was hesitant to mention them because what i'm familiar with is entirely synthpop, idk how much of a difference there is between Trans Europa Express and the rest of their discography though

[Jaundice]

Well kraut isn't really a specific genre, there are synth pop groups, prog, folk, noise, etc. It's more just a tag for experimental German bands that were doing there own thing at the time.

Most of their discog is a lot like Trans Europe Express. Except for their first two albums, which don't have synth and are purely experimental grooves.

[Meatplow]

I see, I have always had a vague notion of it simply as a European response to progressive rock.

[jdevil]

For me Real Gone was the best, that's what I started with. :)

[Spaceman Spiff]

Yeah, I also started with Real Gone. It's a great album. The others that people are mentioning (Rain Dogs, Swordfishtrombones) are great starting points, too.

Maybe don't start with it, but also look into Mule Variations.

[niobium]

kraftwerks first two are kraut as we think of them alongside other stylistically similar bands but really took off after they started to embrace synthesizers wholly

i don't get tom waits

[hendrixonpunk]

Just do it chronologically; experience it as he designed it. The first one of his I heard was actually Nighthawks at the Diner, which I notice nobody else has mentioned. I think it was actually a good place to start because it lets you know what he was all about before you delve into the whole craziness that is Tom Waits.

[Six Foot Revolver]

nighthawks at the diner is a good call.

[JonM]

I'm gonna recommend Nighthawks At The Diner, so you can hear the way his mind works in real time.