Tom Waits - Real Gone

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Oh hey, so that's SATURDAY huh? Time flies etc.

nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 17:26 (nineteen years ago) link

I really like this. I've heard things before but never listened to an album on my own. I don't think that Ribot's part seems out-of-place at all - I think the interplay between Waits and Ribot is great, that somewhat loose dialogue quality. I guess I never realized before that Tom Waits can get that noisy and sonically adventurous at times. I sort of have to try not to hear his voice without provoking my Leonard Cohen allergies. When I can do that, I think it's really good.

sundar subramanian (sundar), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 23:11 (nineteen years ago) link

Leonard Cohen????????

bulbs (bulbs), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 23:14 (nineteen years ago) link

When he's not barking or howling but doing more of his low-key reciting kind of thing. It's not a really close comparison but it's a deep, throaty, not-that-melodic old-white-man voice, that's all.

sundar subramanian (sundar), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 23:18 (nineteen years ago) link

And he sometimes 'sings' slow sort-of-folky-or-bluesy songs.

sundar subramanian (sundar), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 23:20 (nineteen years ago) link

That should have been "I need to try to hear his voice without provoking..."

sundar subramanian (sundar), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 23:21 (nineteen years ago) link

Yeah, I know a whole set of people who listen to Tom Waits/Nick Cave/Leonard Cohen and sort of class them together. The difference is that Tom Waits is crazy.

Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 12 October 2004 23:25 (nineteen years ago) link

I think Mark Lanegan is the closest to Wait's in his sound. Nevermore so than with Bubblegum.

Jim Reckling (Jim Reckling), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 01:00 (nineteen years ago) link

"Hoist That Rag" REALLY reminds me of another song from this year, a single by some American group I think. It's the regular guitar hook and the drus that go beneath it that reminds me. The song it reminds me of is quite angular but still very pop, possibly by an indie band, possibly a more dancey crossover. wtf is it? Everytime I hear that guitar hook I want to sing this other song but then "Hoist That Rag" takes over again quickly and I'm left wandering wtf it is that I'm half-remembering. Can anyone help??!

Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 06:38 (nineteen years ago) link

"You're totally OTM about Don't Go Into That Barn though - do you know that actually happened in Luton?"

Hold on, I'm a Luton lad. Can you elaborate on this? It would be kind of weird if Waits' red barn turned out to be the one used to live down the road from. Although fairly unlikely.

Philip Alderman (Phil A), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 09:27 (nineteen years ago) link

I love it: just can't understand why it's been getting so much lousy press.... or maybe, I can - because it's the most dangerously "out there" album he's released since Swordfishtrombones!

So glad to be seeing him on this tour, expecting great things - I think the only tour I'd rather have seen him on would have been the Big Time one.

Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 11:37 (nineteen years ago) link

lousy press? i've only seen good reviews. where's the negative stuff been?

Pete W (peterw), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 12:01 (nineteen years ago) link

Does no one know what song it is that "Hoist That Rag" reminds me of?!

Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 12:02 (nineteen years ago) link

"lousy press? i've only seen good reviews. where's the negative stuff been?"

Mojo / Q / Ucunt - all lukewarm to poor IIRC.

Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 12:06 (nineteen years ago) link

i thought the mojo review was quite positive. not seen the other two but i was told a while ago the uncut review was going to be a bit of a downer. wire gives guarded praise.

i agree, though, it's a fantastic album.

sorry nick, no idea what song it reminds you of.

Pete W (peterw), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 12:16 (nineteen years ago) link

southy - i know what you mean - it reminds me of something too but I can't place it. "Sins Of My Father" reminds me of "Since I've Been Loving You" by Led Zep for some reason.

dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 16:53 (nineteen years ago) link

"Hold on, I'm a Luton lad. Can you elaborate on this? It would be kind of weird if Waits' red barn turned out to be the one used to live down the road from. Although fairly unlikely."

"Murder in the Red Barn" was the title of a Victorian melodrama. Based on a true incident IIRC. Maybe even in Luton?

S

Soukesian, Wednesday, 13 October 2004 17:14 (nineteen years ago) link


http://www.stedmundsbury.gov.uk/sebc/visit/redbarn-intro.cfm

S

Soukesian, Wednesday, 13 October 2004 17:16 (nineteen years ago) link

"Sins Of My Father" reminds me of "Since I've Been Loving You" by Led Zep for some reason.

Holy shit - the album totally made me think of LZIII, that track particularly, and I've been listening to them together. Maybe something about bluesy and folky dirges perverted by noise, improvising guitarists, and scratchy voices. (Not that straight blues voices aren't scratchy to start with or that trad songs can't be noisy or improvisatory.)

sundar subramanian (sundar), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 19:57 (nineteen years ago) link

Mind you, I compare everything to Zeppelin anyway.

sundar subramanian (sundar), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 20:07 (nineteen years ago) link

also setting a precedent w/ intimate protest politicking of "Day after Tomorrow"(beautiful song, overlooked til today due to superficial resemblance to other recent Waits ballads). Can be construed as a general "warrior's lament", and I assume that's what Tom would say if asked, but the timing suggests otherwise, has he done anything remotely this direct before? I can't think of anything (without jumping through metaphorical hoops)

tremendoid, Wednesday, 13 October 2004 22:54 (nineteen years ago) link

Um. I can't help thinking the verse section of "Hoist That Rag" is some kind of Destiny's-esque power ballad pastiche... it's great.

Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Friday, 15 October 2004 16:26 (nineteen years ago) link

one month passes...
oh dear.

This is the first Waits album I don't like. Well, I might grow to like it, I've only had it for a week, but uhhh... it just isn't very compelling to me at all. I've never had a problem with his whole I-do-the-same-thing-each-time schtick before but there just doesn't seem any need for this album to exist.

Also his voice is mixed way way too low.

At least he's not actively embarrassing like Nick Cave though.

The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 30 November 2004 22:38 (nineteen years ago) link

it's pretty hard for me to listen to. He's channeling some inner demon or something like he mostly always does, and to tell the truth he bores the shit out of me. I find something maudlin in what he does these days. I still like "Bone Machine" and a few of his Beefheart ripoffs OK, and have grown to like his earlier stuff better. But it's nothing that really compels me.

eddie hurt (ddduncan), Tuesday, 30 November 2004 23:00 (nineteen years ago) link

xpost
I probably feel the same way but w/o disappointment, strangely.
there's plenty of reason for the album to exist, just not as much overwhelming reason to listen to the whole album w/ any regularity, which has never been the case before. Doesn't seem tossed off, but doesn't seem lived in/bled on like his other releases(since Swordft).

tremendoid (tremendoid), Tuesday, 30 November 2004 23:03 (nineteen years ago) link

I'm only disappointed because I loved everything he did up til this, even including Mule Variations which a lot of people seem to hate, so I figured he was a rare example of a singer-songwriter managing to stay good and relevant (to me AND generally) into old age.

But bloody hell, all the songs are EXACTLY THE SAME here and - I'm listening to it right now trying in vain to find a way in - oh my christ here's another spoken word exercise which there is no excuse for.

The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 30 November 2004 23:09 (nineteen years ago) link

The production ruins it.

Chris Rda, Tuesday, 30 November 2004 23:13 (nineteen years ago) link

Also his voice is mixed way way too low.

B-b-but it's ALL his voice!

It is true that they didn't mix his vocal percussion like drums so it mixes with the melodic vocal parts and gets a bit muddy, but I don't mind it so much.

I still really like everything on it except the last track. Marc Ribot just shines.

Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 30 November 2004 23:26 (nineteen years ago) link

it takes a few listens definitely and i must admit some tracks are a lot better than others but i kinda think that about all his 90s releases - hit and miss.

Sins Of My Father, Hoist That Rag, Don't Go Into That Barn, How's It Going To End are all top notch though.

dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 1 December 2004 01:39 (nineteen years ago) link

At least he's not actively embarrassing like Nick Cave though.

the new Nick Cave album is great, though (I admit the last two were not). As for this Waits album: I can't get into it. I keep trying, but it slips by and nothing sticks in my memory.

kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 1 December 2004 14:04 (nineteen years ago) link

one year passes...
Lay your head where my heart used to be
Hold the earth above me
Lay down in the green grass
Remember when you loved me

Come closer don't be shy
Stand beneath a rainy sky
The moon is over the rise
Think of me as a train goes by

Clear the thistles and brambles
Whistle 'Didn't He Ramble'
Now there's a bubble of me
And it's floating in thee

Stand in the shade of me
Things are now made of me
The weather vane will say...
It smells like rain today

God took the stars and he tossed 'em
Can't tell the birds from the blossoms
You'll never be free of me
He'll make a tree from me

Don't say good bye to me
Describe the sky to me
And if the sky falls, mark my words
We'll catch mocking birds

Lay your head where my heart used to be
Hold the earth above me
Lay down in the green grass
Remember when you loved me

Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 15:58 (seventeen years ago) link

three years pass...

I wonder if I still have this. I thought maybe I made the mistake of buying Real Gone while I was feeling pretty burned out on Tom and that was why never got into it, though this thread's got me feeling I may have been right. I feel like I could start listening to the guy again, but I'm wondering if all I really need is like, The Black Rider, and Rain Dogs, and one or two others.

retrovaporized nebulizer (â•“abies), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 03:03 (fourteen years ago) link

i really love this record but it would have benefited from being a lil shorter

myndbloom, Wednesday, 11 November 2009 05:09 (fourteen years ago) link

No, dig it out, this is a great one!

Soukesian, Wednesday, 11 November 2009 11:44 (fourteen years ago) link

It is! Love the stripped-down sound, that incredible guitar, and some of the lyrics are among Waits' best in my op: Just check out "How's it gonna end", "Make it rain" and "Day after tomorrow", which I'm sure has already been discussed to death.

the Dirt, Wednesday, 11 November 2009 13:31 (fourteen years ago) link

One of his most rockin' albums IMHO. The call-and-response section of "Don't go into that barn" always raises the hair on the back of my neck.

Soukesian, Wednesday, 11 November 2009 13:59 (fourteen years ago) link

Great album, not a bad track on it.

I am flesh and blood. You are software and circuitry. (chap), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 14:09 (fourteen years ago) link

Probably his most solid since Rain Dogs actually.

I am flesh and blood. You are software and circuitry. (chap), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 14:13 (fourteen years ago) link

Loved it when it first came out-have not listened to it lately

Pinto Basin, Wednesday, 11 November 2009 18:10 (fourteen years ago) link

This is one of those albums that I liked when it came out but I didn't love it. Took it out the other night and for some reason it hit home and now I would rate it one of his best.

Jim, Wednesday, 11 November 2009 21:32 (fourteen years ago) link

this album rules. Ribot's guitar solo in Hoist that Rag kills me every time.

black lightning light (herb albert), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 22:39 (fourteen years ago) link

New live album is tons of fun, even if it is a heavily bootlegged date.

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 11 November 2009 23:09 (fourteen years ago) link

Is the new album one show or a comp from different places? I have the NPR show from Atlanta that got bootlegged so I haven't bothered to check the official disc out.

EZ Snappin, Thursday, 12 November 2009 02:14 (fourteen years ago) link

One show, the Atlanta one, I believe. With a second disc of banter!

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 12 November 2009 02:47 (fourteen years ago) link

That's cool - thought it was a comp from different places with a typical show's setlist. Actually, it can't be the NPR show as the Atlanta concert is over two hours long! Must be from somewhere else.

EZ Snappin, Thursday, 12 November 2009 02:54 (fourteen years ago) link

new live one super cheap at amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Glitter-Doom-Live-Tom-Waits/dp/tracks/B002QJX33O/ref=dp_tracks_all_1#disc_1

tylerw, Saturday, 14 November 2009 16:39 (fourteen years ago) link

he is *great*, isn't he? sometimes when I think about his schtick, it seems a little tired, but then I hear/see something like that and am amazed all over again.

tylerw, Saturday, 14 November 2009 17:51 (fourteen years ago) link

one year passes...

Why are his albums so long?

My only real problem with them. By the time I get to track #16, I've forgotten what the first 5 songs sound like.

But yeah, I like this one.

If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Thursday, 13 October 2011 00:51 (twelve years ago) link


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