Posts Tagged Tom Waits
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November 27, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
V/A: Come On Up To The House – Women Sing Waits
Various Artists: Come On Up To The House: Women Sing Waits Dualtone Music Devised as a 70th Birthday gift to Tom Waits (December 7 is the day) this compilation of female singer/songwriters interpreting material from all across Waits’ 45 year recording career is in fact a gift to us all.Archive
November 10, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Jesca Hoop: STONECHILD
Jesca Hoop STONECHILD Memphis Industries Jesca Hoop’s previous record – Memories Are Now – was her gold-standard; it moved her from the one-to-watch list to the one-to-listen-to pile. And in my case it was the one-to-listen-to-on-repeat pile. One of the best albums of 2017 for me. By quite a way. It was a perfect study […]Archive
April 16, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Poem: Terrible Things, Beautiful Melodies, Ugly Truths, Fuck You Tom Waits
We were watching music videos, old concerts – some we’d seen and others we hadn’t – and it was going well, it was good. Until I put on ol’ Tom Waits. And almost as soon as he crooned I felt out of tune with it all. I love Tom Waits. I barely listen to him […]Archive
March 14, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 424
Tom Waits, The Heart of Saturday Night (1974) I come and go with Tom Waits but in some ways this is my favourite albums of his, the most special to me might be the better way to put it. I discovered it as a CD – and it needed to be that way. You see […]Archive
May 5, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Carving It Out: Backstory and Economy in Songwriting
A couple of years ago I had a chat with Anthonie Tonnon –it was in the lead up to his then-new album, his first solo record and we got to talking about economy in songwriting, the ideas around narrative, songs that seem to be stuffed with back-story, but done in a subtle, stirring way. There are certain […]Archive
March 30, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Five Songs For Friday: # 10 – Remembering Old Favourite albums
I guess I do this most weeks – occupational hazard or whatever – but this week in particular I’ve been revisiting old favourites, thinking about albums I liked a lot 5 and 10 years ago, and 20 years ago…and in some cases just 2-3 years ago… I’ll also give an early mention of Goose Snow […]Archive
March 16, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Jesca Hoop: Memories Are Now
Jesca Hoop Memories Are Now Sub Pop This is the album where Jesca Hoop moves off the One To Watch list and firmly onto the One To Listen To list; the record likely to stay there all year; its production (Blake Mills, once again) exquisite, its songs deep, the performances intoxicating.Archive
March 9, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Songs Sung Blue: Everybody Knows One…
People love Johnny Cash’s version of the Nine Inch Nails song, Hurt because of the timing; that video, his wife had died – then Johnny died shortly after. Complications resulting from a broken heart. It’s a good song, a good version. But the original is better. I know I’m not alone in thinking that – […]Archive
January 14, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Pick Just One Song: Your Greatest Hit?
You can pick one song. And that one song defines you – to everyone you know and to everyone you will (ever) meet. This three-or-four-or-five-minute pop-ditty, or prog-rock opus, or jazzy dance-cut or heavy metal paean to Pazuzu, or hip-hop track, or comedy-folk parody will define you. What will it be? Will you go with […]Archive
June 25, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 679
Tom Waits, Swordfishtrombones (1983) I’m sure nearly every Tom Waits album has been my favourite for a time – but this one became The One (for a while) on the advice of one of the great musical mentors that passed through my education at a formative time: Seamus, he of Fisheye Discs (and Tower Music […]Archive
March 20, 2016 by Simon Sweetman