Tom Waitts Where do I begin?

Hey Warren, nothing like a little diversity in your listening tastes Huh'? One of my favorite periods of Tom Waits is the period in which he was locked up in hotel rooms in L.A. with Ricki Lee Jones doing heroin. Approx. 1982-1988.

It's sometimes hard to understand what the hell he was saying, but some of his material was pretty intense. I can't really say there was an album from that period that I didn't like. Also, I'm with Unsound, Nighthawks At The Diner was a great release. Probably one of my favorites.

Happy Listening.

Drive right off of the tracks; Waits did the sound track to the movie "One From The Heart" with, of all people, Crystal Gayle. It all seems like it has to be crap, but the whole mess is truly sublime and must have for Waits completists.

Mule Variations is very good if you can get past all the effects and odd sounds (to add texture?) he uses.

Great post, Pbb.

A lot of good recommendations here. I am partial to Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs, and Heart Attack and Vine, although I never met a Waits album I didn't like. Also, check out his performance on Sparklehorse's last album, "It's a Wonderful Life," certainly worth owning for its own sake.

Another great album of Waits covers is Wicked Grin by John Hammond. And it is produced by Tom Waits too.