Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones
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Free Music Notes for Swordfishtrombones
Free Music Review: Waits enters a new realm
Hit: 4 Stars
After spending the first decade of his career partially in the realm of normalcy, 1983's Swordfishtrombones, features think-throated singer/songwriter, Tom Waits, engineering a style that has to be experienced to be believed. Acid rock-ish twinkling, vaporous blues riffs, Captain Beefheart-style wackiness and sounds that could have only come from a minstrel show from Mars all mix with Mr. Waits' abrasive grunts and brutal growls for an entirely unadulterated and truly distinctive disc. His expanded sense of musical experimentation does not hinder Mr. Waits' ability to write solid songs (One could argue that it strengthens it). Swordfishtrombones contains some of his best-written tunes such as the bluesy rollicker, "Down Down Down," the wry monologue, "Frank's Wild Years," the somber, grumbling "Town With No Cheer" and its flipside, the sumptuous tribute to small-time life, "In the Neighborhood," all of which are as vividly worded song-poems as one could ask. Swordfishtrombones is undoubtedly one of the definitive Tom Waits albums.Free Music Review: Waits's Best Album
Hit: 4 Stars
To say that the music of Tom Waits is an acquired taste is an understatement. His combination of spacey jazz, blues, spoken word poetry and down-and-out lyrics are combined with vocals that sound like Bob Dylan's barfly older brother. The epitome of "Swordfishtrombones" come on the two minute rant "Frank's Wild Years," in which Waits calmy recounts a gruesome tale of a husband murdering his wife with a genrous dose of tongue-in-cheek humor. Other highliughts include the (relatively) rocking "16 Shells from a Thirty-Ought Six" (and the memorable refrain "I'm gonna whittle you into kindling"), the spare "Johnsburg, Illinois" and the instrumental "Just Another Sucker on the Vine." It should be emphasized, however, that hearing this album for the first time will be jarring for those unfamiliar with Waits's music.Overall, a wonderfully weird album from an truly eccentric and original artist.
Free Music Review: Transformation
Hit: 4 Stars
The 1983 release from Tom Waits, ends the transformation that was first apparant on Heartattack and Vine, the transformation from the hobo-poet and in to the experimental seems to have gained speed. The use of piano is more limited, and the use of percussion and the less traditional instruments. The album is full of Waits, strange and witty lyrics.The change on this CD compared to Heartattack and Vine is monumental. Let me say it right away even if you loved Heartattack and Vine or Blue Valentines it is NO guarantee that you will even remotely like Swordfishtrombones. I think the change apparant on this release are welcome, to me it sounded like Waits was getting tired of his old style, and he wanted to try something new. I think that the album is like the wind after rain, fresh and clean.
Free Music Review: The music isn't as good as Captain Beefheart, but the lyrics are superior.
Hit: 4 Stars
Not to take anything away from Tom Waits, but a lot of his experimental stuff is very reminiscent of Captain Beefheart. I enjoy this album but I think it doesn't measure up to Captain Beefheart musically. Highlights for me are "16 shells from a 30 ought 6," "Swordfishtrombones," and "Rainbirds." Overall, this is a solid cd worth owning if you like Captain Beefheart of if you're in the mood for something different. If you already own this and enjoy it, the converse is true regarding Captain Beefheart. If this is your thing, you might want to give Beefheart a try (Trout Mask Replica was one of the best albums of the 60s).Free Music Review: sonic carnival
Hit: 4 Stars
This is where the sonic carnival really started. It's true that Blue Valentine hints that something funny was in the air but on Swordfishtrombones, Waits really decided to take off. Lyrically this album is brilliant for it's evocation of times and places that may or may not have ever existed but also really nails some true feelings. Musically it's like a wild cabaret with instrumentation no one could have expected.