Album Club #4 - Tom Waits ~ Mule Variations

[wolof7]

I don't even know where to begin with this masterpiece....and to me it is nothing less...
fav tracks in bold:
"Big in Japan" 
"Lowside of the Road" 
"Hold On" 
"Get Behind the Mule" 
"House Where Nobody Lives" 
"Cold Water" 
"Pony" 
"What's He Building In There?" 
"Black Market Baby" 
"Eyeball Kid" 
"Picture in a Frame" 
"Chocolate Jesus"  
"Georgia Lee" 
"Filipino Box Spring Hog"
"Take It with Me" 
"Come On Up to the House" 

It was the first TW album I loved front to back and opened up his music to me.

To me it combines all his strengths: Barfly, crooner, preacher, songwriter, innovator, poet, bluesman... The use of tools in his songs are something of a marvel...Also Marc Ribot is one of the most spot on guitarist I've ever heard.

[ManNamedTruth]

Just finished watching the pens game and am feeling kinda beat, so will make this short for now. Great album! This was my first Waits album, and Big In Japan was the first song I ever heard by him on an Epitaph Records punk comp (due to Ant- and Epitaph being sister labels). After Swordfish Trombones and Rain Dogs this is certainly the main contender for 3rd best album. Will give this record a spin soon and break things down song by song.

[YimBlaylock]

I listened to Tom Waits for the first time several months ago and was immediately fascinated. He's completely unique from anything else going on in music. This album, along with most of his other albums, is just killer.

[YimBlaylock]

As soon as Big In Japan starts, it lets the listener know they're in for a treat. It's such a great song to drive to. Fast.

[wolof7]

I listened to Tom Waits for the first time several months ago and was immediately fascinated. He's completely unique from anything else going on in music. This album, along with most of his other albums, is just killer.

I definitely would like to know everyone's impression of the mid-point and only spoken word "What's he Building in there?" it could be the most terrifying thing I've ever listened to.

[wolof7]

As soon as Big In Japan starts, it lets the listener know they're in for a treat. It's such a great song to drive to. Fast.

That's a lil Les Claypool on bass on that song, he's a frequent contributor to Waits' latter day works. Big in Japan has grown on me, it wasn't love at first listen but now it just oozes badass Waits for me.

I almost chose Bone Machine as it's right up there for me in the top 3 of Waits albums but figured it to be too dark. I think Claypool plays on several tracks on that album, maybe the whole album.

[wolof7]

With a one-eyed stolen Mare
Donned himself with chicken fat
Sawin on a jaw bone violin there
Kathleen was sittin down
In little reds recovery room
In her criminal underwear bra
I was naked to the waist
With my fierce black hound
And I'm cookin up a Filipino Box Spring Hog

WTFFFFFFF? genius. I love it when he claps in this song and it sounds like he's slapping pig flesh. the imagery is amazing

[YimBlaylock]

Hold On is very normal sounding compared to the first two tracks on the album. A great song though.

[YimBlaylock]

I listened to Tom Waits for the first time several months ago and was immediately fascinated. He's completely unique from anything else going on in music. This album, along with most of his other albums, is just killer.

I definitely would like to know everyone's impression of the mid-point and only spoken word "What's he Building in there?" it could be the most terrifying thing I've ever listened to.

It's definitely really eerie. Not something you wanna listen to when the lights are off.

[wolof7]

Yea Hold On is beautiful and definitely the most 'mainstream' sounding TW song, although it does not detract from the song....it's virtually perfect...it's a good entry point to the uninitiated and the one I ask people to check out first. It took a while for my wife to get into Waits (living with me she eventually had to) but she always got Hold On

this lyrics also brings tears to the peepers.

Well, he gave her a dimestore watch
And a ring made from a spoon
Everyone is looking for someone to blame
But you share my bed, you share my name
Well, go ahead and call the cops
You don't meet nice girls in coffee shops
She said baby, I still love you
Sometimes there's nothin left to do

[wolof7]

Definitely one of my favorite album closers

Tom Waits Live - Come On Up To The House

[YimBlaylock]

House Where Nobody Lives is probably my favorite track from the album. Such a beautiful-sounding song.

[ManNamedTruth]

Beauty of a song here, posted this in the Tom Waits thread.

Tom Waits - "Hold On" (ANTI-)

[headhunter]

Love this album.  His first few albums beginning with Closing Time, Heart of Saturday Night,  Small Change and Nighthawks at the Diner are some of the best early albums of any artist ever imo.  Mule Variations is I think his best of the last 10 years.