Tom Waits - Orphans [Fold-out Digipak with 24-page booklet]
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Free Music Notes for Orphans [Fold-out Digipak with 24-page booklet]
Free Music Review: Fascinating
Hit: 4 Stars
The old version of Tom Waits, with the jazzy backdrop, lush orchestrations and tales of down-and-out losers and hookers in the dark bowels of the barroom night, seems assuredly gone forever at this point. One can relive those days vicariously through the artist's catalogue for Elektra/Asylum (plus the soundtrack to Francis Ford Coppola's ONE FROM THE HEART), but Waits has rigorously steered away from that previous incarnation since then, recording some of the most willfully idiosynchratic music since Captain Beefheart hung up his skates, as well as some of the most heartfelt songs--you know, with verses and choruses--anyone's ever written. ORPHANS has a lot of both, being a compilation of songs leftover from the sessions for his albums, contributions to tribute albums and soundtracks, fully-realized Waits versions of songs he's written for other artists, and a bunch of brand-new music in the bargain as well. Waits has helpfully sequenced this collection into a CD of loud 'n raucous stuff ("Brawlers"), a CD of ballads ("Bawlers") and a CD of completely unclassifiable material("B**tards), and a lot of it is great. The things that aren't you can skip over effortlessly, because there are enough gems to choose from on each disc, and, in a strange way, the collection serves as a good distillation of how Waits has morphed as an artist from 1983's SWORDFISHTROMBONES onwards. Even if you can't listen to the whole thing in one sitting (at least I can't), ORPHANS is as rewarding as any of Tom Waits' regular-issue albums, postcards from somewhere over the edge....or maybe just around the block. Real good.Free Music Review: Some hits, some misses ... in fact, some of everything
Hit: 4 Stars
No buyer's regret here - I now have plenty to listen to at work over the next few weeks, and probably a lot of the songs will grow on me. Still, printed lyrics would have been nice, considering the $50 I paid to have this album imported. ("Deluxe Edition" ...? Um, give me a break.) As for the songs, I'd say if you took the best offerings from all 3 albums, released as one 12-song album, you'd have something almost equal to Bone Machine (which is a hell of an endorsment, as Waits fans will know.) Not much was left on the cutting room floor at all, it'd seem, which is not all to the good ... there are misses here, no mistake, some songs (mainly disc 3) which are plain boring (eg, "Lucinda", "What keeps mankind alive") or maybe even not actually songs but the soundtrack to Waits's eccentricity (including some spoken-word stuff with little or no music.)
The gems are gems, though: "Goodnight Irene", "Lie to me", "Low Down", "Lord I've been changed", "Bottom of the world", "Long Way Home," ... these are songs as good as any he's recorded. Mixes of folk, bluesy stuff, 50s rock'n'roll, some surprising covers (including the Ramones) all with Waits's own unique gritty style and strange compassion. They make this album a must-have.
It's a lot of dough to fork over for one album, though, and whether the total material was strong enough for 3 discs is maybe up for question. Still, glad it's in the collection.
Free Music Review: Screaming, yelling, hollering - just the way you like it.
Hit: 4 Stars
I'll admit I don't like every song Tom does, but this collection covers much of his range and had what I was looking for. The gritty, gruff blues hollering he does shines on the 'Bastards' CD, and Brawlers has a few good ones on it too. If you liked 'Eyeball Kid' or 'Phillipino Box Spring Hog' it's not far from it. There's also a weird poetry regarding horrible insects too which makes you feel as though you've been mentally assaulted without even knowing it. I'm not a huge fan of his softer songs which some may like on 'Bawlers,' where I continue to skip over these songs to get to the one or two good ones. He also does an Americana-type old time song too which sounds quite like an old woman. Very satisfied I added this to my collection of his older work...I just hope his voice holds out so he can continue his ballyhoo for many years to come.Free Music Review: This is a broad cross section of Tom Waits many styles
Hit: 4 Stars
I remember Tom Waits on the old Fernwood Tonight show from the seventies.
He was a guest and on that show he did the Piano Has Been Drinking song.
He was just beginning to try the more affected gravelly voice that he has become famous for. (Many don't know, but he starting singing straight at firstwith a clear melodic tone).
Some of the stuff on Orphan is more experimental, like the You've Got to Lie to Me song. Tom Waits may without even knowing it be paying homage to the old greats of the blues like Leadbelly and John Lee Hookier and Howlin Wolf. It is not hard to see the influence of these other artists come out in Tom Waits deliveries of his various tunes.
I say to go out and buy this CD set. You won't regret it.
TR from Plymouth
Free Music Review: Why did I wait so long before buying this CD?
Hit: 4 Stars
I've been aware of Tom Waits for many years and have purchased a few of his more popular songs online. However, this is the first album of his that I've bought. My criteria for album purchases is that the album price must be competitive with the sum of the download prices for all the songs that appeal to me when reviewing samples. I was not disappointed and will likely go back and buy some of his older albums.
For me, 4 stars is about as good as it gets because I reserve the 5 for perfection. The biggest negative for me was the lack of lyrics in the the lower cost edition.