Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jajdude]

I like some of his music, I think mostly older stuff like "The Heart of Saturday Night" but when I hear some of his other (older) stuff I wonder why people like it. His older voice sucks, sounds old, smoky, scratchy, and the lyrics are like, "Got up, had a smoke, watched Tv, took a piss, wondering what else to do..."

Just an opinion.

[captain planet]

i like his newer stuff, but i heard a greatest hits album from when he was younger and it really seemed pretty ordinary. i like his gruff voice. it's atmospheric and unique. him and dylan and some dead guys like blind willie johnson and leadbelly have that gravelly sound... not a lot of other popular acts do it.

[jajdude]

Ok. I only listened to a little bit of his older stuff, but it just didn't work for me. Unlike Dylan or maybe Leonard Cohen, the lyrics also did not make it worth listening to. If the lyrics and music are good a voice like that is fine, and can even give the song the right character. I just haven't discovered a song with his old crackly voice that works for me. So in my opinion he's overrated.

Then again, people like what they like, and others will often wonder why.

Vive le (or is it la?) difference!

[Demophobe]

Tom Waits is The Man. The most influential artist in my life. He's a pretty good interview as well. Very engaging.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfwiZKCtC3Q

[jaderedux]

Love the guy. Blue Valentine one of my favorite albums.

Jade

[Tiger Beer]

an extremely talented person with a tremendous amount of personality.

i've always been a huge tom waits fan - old and new.

[itaewonguy]

waits is amazing...
I think you need to be in the right mood to listen to his music..
he is a great poet and his lyrics are deep and personal.. you need to have some experiences to really relate to his music.. try listening to his older stuff more closely maybe after a few whiskys or a cone and then really get into the sound.. most of his old stuff was written under the influence!

[cwemory]

One night, when you come home alone too late after too many drinks play Waits' Closing Time. It's the soundtrack to late-night loneliness.
It is sentimental and self-consciously melancholy, but that is why it is so suprisingly moving.

[Satori]

Not bad, but he ain`t no dylan/cohen/neil young ...

[eamo]

Another big fan of Tom Waits here.

I first loved his mellow, early stuff. Closing Time. Heart of Saturday Night. But then the wilder, more experimental stuff began creeping up on me (typified by Swordfishtrombones).

[Demophobe]

[Ody]

well put, Demophobe. the man is simply brilliant.

i liked his old work, ' been listening since '85. i have to say though, his new stuff blows me away. he is a fine wine with a great bite.

[Cheonmunka]

Beautiful, just beautiful.

[khyber]

Yeah. I can really appreciate the whole Black Rider thing (a musical...wasn't it written by someone else famous or SOMETHING???)

I really, REALLY like Rain Dogs. Gun Street girl, uptown instrumental....about 80% of the tracks on that album are absolute GOLD


Swordfishtrombone is okay. I like weird. I can't deal really well with blue valentine though (the album; I like hte song).

Demo did highlight the problem with the comparison very very well.

Waits is a troubadour who who (as far as I'm concerned) should outpass cohen in terms of musical popularity. As was mentioned, Cohen sounds likewind passing through a tube; the man doesn't sing..he sighs.

Neil Young is too mainstream...."(Coming) Down to the wire" (i think is the name) is the thing that could best emulate or compare to a waits song, but even still, the flavour of a waits album is beyond that.

It's kinda cool how each album has a very distinct feel to it. ie...you wouldn't mistake a "Blue Valentine" song with "Mule Variations": It's almost like a bunch of theme albums.

[Hobophobic]

I like Waits, but would prefer to listen to: Cohen, RL Burnside, Nick Cave, or WEEN...I have to be in the mood for his stuff...haven't had a need for some Tom in quite some time...