Tom Waits, “Closing Time” (Elektra, 1973)
His debut, and the most vocally/musically “normal” work he’d ever do, but the lonely late-night weariness of this couldn’t be anyone else, and these are some of his straight-out best tunes, in a melancholy acoustic guitar/piano mode.
Try 2, 4,6
4/19/13
Tom Waits, “Foreign Affairs” (Elektra, 1977)
With its casual late-night piano-bar feel, this one hews more to the cool (rather than crazy) end of Waits’ ‘70s spectrum, but it’s got plenty of wigged-out stuff, along with some genuinely affecting balladry.
Try 5, 6, 7.
2/16/13
Tom Waits, “The Heart of Saturday Night” (Elektra, 1974).
His second album, delving unreservedly into the jazz/beatnik/wasted-at-4AM territory the rest of his ‘70s work would explore, but still with a reservoir of his debut’s singer-songwriter pop melodicism. All in all, one of his best.
Try 1, 6, 11.
2/16/13