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Tom Waits, Rain Dogs...

I'm embarrassed to say I just heard Tom Waits's Rain Dogs for the first time and I am blown away. It's an album Bruce Springsteen wishes he could make. The sound is just incredible and the arrangements are prefect. Tom makes it all sound so easy where Bruce makes it sound so hard.Bruce has yet to make an album with such an inspired performance and overall great sound quality as this one.
dreadhead

Showing 2 responses by waltersalas

waltersalas's avatar
waltersalas
939 posts
 

Marco,
That's an excellent overview, I'd say. If you want to try some Springsteen that's a little closer to the darkness and depravity in Waits' music, give a listen to "Nebraska." It also is much starker musically, and closer to Waits in this way--which is not to say that it really SOUNDS like a Waits' album at all. It's just closer than any other I can think of....
waltersalas's avatar
waltersalas
939 posts
 

Yeah, I agree that Waits really is one of a kind. My first experience with his work was hearing "Heart Attack and Vine" in college. It blew me away, and I've been a big fan ever since. "Swordfishtrombones" is my personal favorite, although there are lots of great ones to choose among. The lyrics really are just about perfect, but I also do love those "kaleidoscopic" soundscapes you mentioned. Have you heard the two Latin Playboys albums? The band is a kind of side project for members of Los Lobos, and they get that same kind of vibe, at least in terms of the sound. Much different from anything Los Lobos has done, even their more experimental records, like Colossal Head and Kiko.

Thanks for your suggestions! I will track them down.
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