 | Tracklist:
1. Chicago
2. Raised Right Men
3. Talking At the Same Time
4. Get Lost
5. Face to the Highway
6. Pay Me
7. Back in the Crowd
8. Bad As Me
9. Kiss Me
10. Satisfied
11. Last Leaf
12. Hell Broke Luce
13. New Year's Eve
| Ranking: #128 for 2011 | |
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On 42 Lists
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| Summary: Not exactly a kiss from a stranger, but damn fine all the same. |
10 of 10 thought this review was well written
I remember my mother’s first experience of Tom Waits. I remember it because I introduced her to him, and her response was “How could anyone love that?” She was being entirely sincere. What she heard in the gravelly, insane ramblings of “Lucinda/Ain’t Goin’ Down” – from his last major release, Glitter and Doom Live - was a man who had drunk one too many scotches and then tried to sing in front of a crowded bar, who were apparently too drunk to boo him off. She’s not far from the truth actually. Tom Waits probably has drunk one too many scotches, and I would not be surprised if the people he first sang to were too drunk to care. That’s the funny thing about Mr. Waits though, people do love him, and they’ve loved him for almost half a century now, even when they’re not wasted. Now, in 2011, 40 years after Waits made his first major step into the music industry, he gives us yet another reason to sing his praises in a poor, and possibly drunk, imitation of his style.
Bad As Me is not new ground for Waits. Its pastiche of rock, jazz, blues, and a few things in between, has been a staple of his sound since his experimental period in the 80s. He’s been refining it since then, alternately boiling it down to bare essentials and blowing it up with vigour. Bad As Me has a bit of both, embracing songs that feel like reconsiderations of Waits’ earlier style (“Kiss Me”) as well as tracks like “Hell Broke Luce”, which feeds off his most aggressive performance in decades. Let’s be clear, when we talk about “Hell Broke Luce”, we’re not talking about his usual stomp (though that too is present), we’re talking about Waits waging an all out battle against war. He is one pissed off muther***er, and he’s not shy about it.
If this sounds like a retread, or at least a celebration of a bygone era, then I’ve done my job right, because that’s what it actually sounds like. It sounds like Waits doing what he’s always done, but better. My jaw was on the floor when I heard “Talking At The Same Time” and realized that the vocals serenading my ears were Waits’. The last time he sung in that pitch (and correct me if I’m wrong) was in 1992, on “Dirt In The Ground”, and it sounded horrible – I laughed my head off at the thought that Tom ***ing Waits was trying to use a falsetto. Nobody’s laughing now. The sound he produces on “Talking At The Same Time” is more than respectable, especially for a man whose usual range includes “***-off deep”.
Bad As Me may be a retread, but it doesn’t feel tired. Waits has all the energy of a young performer with the added bonus of decades of experience behind him, a glorious combination if ever there was one. He’s now entering his fifth decade as a performer but you wouldn’t know it just by listening to him, you’d swear it was his second or third. Bless his whiskey drenched soul, in all those years he hasn’t lost a step.
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
Album Rating: 4
If there is a man out there who doesn’t want to embrace his lover after hearing “Kiss Me”, then let his voice be heard because I want to meet him and ask him what the hell is wrong with him.
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Cool. Need to check this out for sure.
Digging: John Talabot - Fin Digging: John Talabot - Fin
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Waits is the best ever.
"Hell Broke Luce" is probably my song of the year.
| | | Album Rating: 4
I wouldn't say he's 'pastiching' rock, jazz and blues more than incorporating it into his style.
good review though
Digging: Trojan Records - Trojan Ska Box Set Digging: Trojan Records - Trojan Ska Box Set | | | Album Rating: 4
Waits is the best ever.
Agreed.
I can see where you're coming from Jeff, I think I'll stick to my original wording though, thanks for the kind words.
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this man is incapable of releasing shit
Digging: Goldie - Timeless
| | | Album Rating: 4
yeah, most of his 21st century stuff has been really, really good
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i knew you would do a review for this
Digging: Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music
| | | Album Rating: 4
Yeah, I'm predictable like that.
I should probs do one for the new Florence + The Machine too, since I'm pretty sure I'm the only Sputnik member who didn't like it. But that means work and I've got too much of that on my plate already.
| | | Album Rating: 4
I'm not really getting all the F+TM love on Sputnik at the moment. I mean, the first album was good, but this one just seems average from what I've heard. It's not exactly getting raved over in the press either
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Why is Aphex Twin on a Tom Waits album cover?
| | | Album Rating: 4
I'm not really getting all the F+TM love on Sputnik at the moment. I mean, the first album was good, but this one just seems average from what I've heard. It's not exactly getting raved over in the press either.
Pretty much my thoughts, just replace "good" with "amazing".
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album's masterful
Digging: Hop Along - Get Disowned Digging: Hop Along - Get Disowned
| | | Album Rating: 4
^I bought your avatar from a charity shop this morning....
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nice
| | | Album Rating: 4
not bad for £1.50 
| | | Album Rating: 4
Great review, can't wait to hear this.
Digging: Paradise Lost - Tragic Idol Digging: Paradise Lost - Tragic Idol | | | Album Rating: 4 | Sound Off
thank you for reviewing this
can we all talk about how Hell Broke Luce is the best song ever?
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good review, pos.
Must check this out sometime, as i listen to Rain Dogs these days.
Digging: Vauxdvihl - To Dimension Logic
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aww fuck yeah need to hear this.
Digging: Spraynard - Funtitled Digging: Spraynard - Funtitled
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