I had Small Change and Blue Valentine on a few months ago and was kinda knocked back by how great they sounded. I don't reach for the early records as much as I should.

I got into the early records first. I listened to Blue Valentine a LOT. I still like the later stuff better but I have a soft spot for those first albums.

Yeah, I'd heard Rain Dogs first. Then Mule Variations. But it was Heart of Saturday Night that finally got me actually listening to Tom Waits. If not for that record I might never have given him the attention he deserves.

I have this special place in my heart for Nighthawks at the Diner. I listen to that one a lot. Obvious subconscious reasons contribute to the frequency with which it's played while I'm cooking, and the length of that album has the added benefit of playing through the plating and eating portion of a home cooked meal.

Though I think my favorite is Blue Valentine. The range on that one is sort of unrivaled in his 70's catalog. Another thing I really like about that particular album is that, while there's a lot here thematically that shows up over and over again in his career, this collection seems to isolate that down-and-out seedy belly of America thing in a really concise way. "Kentucky Avenue" and "Christmas Card" are standouts for that reason.

Ah, I remember fondly making this post regarding a track from Nighthawks. One of my favorites.

Tom Waits is in a legal battle with a French circus performer

http://www.stereogum.com/1904138/tom-wa ... -the-beef/

"Grizzled weirdo Tom Waits is currently embroiled in a legal battle with French circus performer Bartabas The Furious. That kind of sounds like a joke, but it’s true"
AL

Time is such a beautiful song.

One of the best ever.

Hi Joe.

Hello, TVG.

How r you?

I get so excited/nervous when this thread is bumped We're are not out of 2016 yet. I either worry he is dead or released a new album. i can't handle those extremes.

I know exactly what you mean. It's too much to take.

Can't complain. How are you?

Im ok man, still kickin´.

That's really all any of us can ask for these days.

Sure.

And a good afternoon listening to Tom´s albums.

Bad as me is a great album.