#358/994
September 30 1985
Tom Waits
Rain Dogs
Genre: Alternative
100 out of 5
Highlights:
Singapore
Jockey Full of Bourbon
Tango Til They’re Sore
Time
Rain Dogs
Gun Street Girl
Downtown Train
At first I was disappointed in Rain Dogs. I was biased against it. I mean, I had to buy it cuz, Swordfishtrombones but I also felt like I was cheating on swordfishtrombones. Like, if I liked this as much as everyone else did I was somehow casting a negative glance on that record.
And then I just couldn’t stop listening to it.
But, weirdly, and probably giving over to that exact same sentiment for this one, this was the last Waits album I would ever listen to.
You can’t possibly do better, Tom, is what I must have thought.
Cuz this is maybe the best record of the year.
“Jockey Full of Bourbon” anticipates Squirrel Nut Zippers by almost 2 decades. The wet, dank alleys of this album are so palpable you can smell them through the speakers.
Has Tom ever written anything as pastorally beautiful as “Time”? It sounds like it came straight out of 1862. And yet, it’s perfect for the era as well.
And then Side Two happens and fuck’ y’all, I’m gonna listen again.
It’s pretty obvious they are trying to sell a single with “Downtown Train”. It features Robert Quine, G.E. Smith, Mickey Curry, Tony Levin (My daughter just walked in and said, “This sounds like Cookie Monster.” Sure does, Zoe.)…it would be. But not for him. Rod Stewart would make it a monster smash a few years later.
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