Tom Waits - Bad As Me (album review 2) (original) (raw)
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Release Date: 2011 | Tracklist Review Summary: Not exactly a kiss from a stranger, but damn fine all the same.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 angry as hell, 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 Freaking 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 “insanely 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. other reviews of this album | |
| EclecticOctober 29th 20113302 CommentsAlbum Rating: 4.0If 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.taylormemerOctober 29th 2011
4964 CommentsCool. Need to check this out for sure.DoubtGinOctober 29th 2011
6879 CommentsAlbum Rating: 4.5Waits is the best ever."Hell Broke Luce" is probably my song of the year.jefflebowskiOctober 29th 2011
8573 CommentsAlbum Rating: 4.0I wouldn't say he's 'pastiching' rock, jazz and blues more than incorporating it into his style.good review though**EclecticOctober 29th 2011
3302 CommentsAlbum Rating: 4.0Waits 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.scissorlockedOctober 29th 2011
3538 Commentsthis man is incapable of releasing shitjefflebowskiOctober 29th 2011
8573 CommentsAlbum Rating: 4.0yeah, most of his 21st century stuff has been really, really goodPigletOctober 29th 2011
8508 Commentsi knew you would do a review for thisEclecticOctober 29th 2011
3302 CommentsAlbum Rating: 4.0Yeah, 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.jefflebowskiOctober 29th 2011
8573 CommentsAlbum Rating: 4.0I'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 eitherEclecticOctober 29th 2011
3302 CommentsAlbum Rating: 4.0I'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".SpareOctober 29th 2011
5567 Commentsalbum's masterfuljefflebowskiOctober 29th 2011
8573 CommentsAlbum Rating: 4.0^I bought your avatar from a charity shop this morning....SpareOctober 29th 2011
5567 CommentsnicejefflebowskiOctober 29th 2011
8573 CommentsAlbum Rating: 4.0not bad for £1.50
Alucard125October 29th 2011670 CommentsAlbum Rating: 4.0Great review, can't wait to hear this. WeepingBananaOctober 29th 2011
11395 Commentsthank you for reviewing thiscan we all talk about how Hell Broke Luce is the best song ever?Voivod Staff ReviewerOctober 29th 2011
10959 Commentsgood review, pos.Must check this out sometime, as i listen to Rain Dogs these days. Album stream: http://tomwaits.bandcamp.com/album/bad-as-me-remasterediFghtffyrdmnsOctober 29th 2011
7044 Commentsaww fuck yeah need to hear this.Maniac!**October 29th 2011
28551 Commentsthat contrib tag is throwing me off. 1 2 3 4 5 ... 9 Next | |