Category Archives: Tom Waits

Tom Jones: still not stopping at 70*

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tom-jones

Ditching the leathers (though they worked well when he collaborated with New Model Army) and the medallions seems to have worked well for Tom Jones.

Just a couple of months after he collaborated with Jack White on a limited 7″ called ‘Evil’, Tom Jones’ latest album Spirit In The Room shows that he (or at least his advisors, but I suspect the man himself) still has his finger on the pulse.

In the late eighties he covered Prince’s ‘Kiss’ with the Art of Noise; the nineties saw him produce an album working with the then crop of stars (many of whom he seems to have outlasted), and now his latest album sees him covering Low Anthem’s ‘Charlie Darwin‘ and the title track of Tom Waits’ latest album Bad as Me which you can stream and download below.

Rather good, methinks…and I can’t see Cliff Richard doing this

*yeah, I know he’s 71, but it scans better, no?

Christmas Posts 2011 #16

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tom-waits-2

Some people might argue that all Christmas songs should be cheerful and upbeat.

I beg to differ.

Not that Christmas songs can’t be upbeat to be good – but Fairytale of New York is hardly cheery, is it?

And there’s these two.

Both sad, beautiful and Christmassy.

Tom Waits -‘Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis.’ mp3

Cristina -‘Things Fall Apart.’ mp3

Christmas posts part 25

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malcolm-middleton17b

Bloody exhausted.

Two more sleeps to Santa, so here’s a bit of a hotch potch of stuff, if you’re still interested.

First up, that How To Swim Christmas EP is now available:

Meanwhile, my friend JC at the Vinyl Villain did an excellent post on Monday that I thought you should check, if you haven’t already and Aye Tunes continues to be excellent for Christmas-related music. And there’s this over at NME. And this.

A few tracks that have appeared here over the years…just in case you’re interested or missed them in previous years:

Manic Street Preachers -‘Christmas Ghost.’ mp3

Darlene Love -‘Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).’ mp3

The Knife -‘Christmas Reindeer.’ mp3

Tom Lehrer -‘A Christmas Carol.’ mp3

Tom Waits -‘Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis.’ mp3

XTC -‘Thanks For Christmas.’ mp3

This kinda fits the mood

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tom-waits-2

Just come back from an awesome Broken Records show at Cabaret Voltaire in Edinburgh.

Support acts were Jesus H. Foxx and Withered hand, neither of whom I had seen before. I will post a review tomorrow, but in the meantime, this played over the P.A. as we left, so as I was looking for a reason to post it, here goes!

Tom Waits -‘Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis.’ mp3

(Am hoping that this is one Rod Stewart did not choose to cover)

Tom Waits… For Everyone!

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Just a quick post tonight, as I have spent the evening with Mrs. 17 Seconds clothes shopping and trying to organise stuff for my students tomorrow.

Needless to say, when out shopping I couldn’t resist a quick look round a record shop, and Mrs. 17 Seconds bought me a CD, Mule Variations by Tom Waits.

I have long enjoyed Tom Waits’ fantastic music, but he’s produced a lot of albums. Quite why I haven’t bought this I have no idea. I actually prefer the later Waits stuff to the early: the voice is gruffer, the music is rawer, and quite often more experimental, and sadness or happiness, he just makes it sound like no-one else. So many white men try to sing the blues (don’t get me started on Eric Clapton’s oeuvre post about 1970, to say nothing of some of his dodgy political remarks), Waits doesn’t need to try.

If you have heard this album before, I’m preaching to the converted. But if you haven’t, go buy this album tomorrow (or maybe your loved one will buy it for you!)

Tom Waits -‘Big In Japan.’ mp3

Tom Waits -‘Hold On.’ mp3

Tom Waits -‘House Where Nobody Lives.’ mp3

For more on Tom Waits, including more mp3s, go here

Make sure you buy the album if you like these tracks, preferably from an independent record shop!