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From the Vault...
05/01/2011
#1253 |
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info
Tom Waits
"Closing Time"
© Elektra Records
Year of Release: 1973
Rating:
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track listing
Ol' 55
I Hope That I Don't
Fall In Love With You
Virginia Avenue
Old Shoes
(& Picture Postcards)
Midnight Lullaby
Martha
Rosie
Lonely
Ice Cream Man
Little Trip To Heaven
(On The Wings Of
Your Love)
Grapefruit Moon
Closing Time
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Tom Waits
"Closing Time"
Tom Waits returns to WSVNRadio.net this week, with his 1973 release, Closing Time. Tom Waits is one of those
rare sounding music figures. Specializing in (New Orleans) Jazz, his music could also fall in other categories as
mainstream Jazz, Blues and Country. Closing Time showcases these styles, as the point more to the direction of
"Ol' 55" was a track that The Eagles recorded later, as this song does have an off-Country sound, and it
easily fits the style of The Eagles, and other related bands. "I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You" has a
more folkish style, maybe accoustic Country. "Virginia Avenue" is a bluesy/jazzy song, you could picture hearing in a
smoke fill bar, where the only musical performer is shown on stage, sitting at his piano.
"Midnight Lullaby" is another good tune, having an off-Country style. I can even picture the Rolling Stones
recording this one, likewise The Eagles. "Midnight Lullaby" is more Jazz, and again, picturing this song being
played in the smokey bar with piano and horns. "Martha" tends to be just an ok song, yet it doesn't put a damper
on the entire album. I can hear the melody of "Old Man River" in this song. "Rosie" is a relaxing tune,
with its jazz-tinged sound, yet it could be another track The Eagles could have recorded for one of their earlier albums.
"Lonely" is as lonely sounding as its title. This song is probably the least one to place the repeat button on.
"Ice Cream Man" is upbeat.. Jazzy... Snappy... WOW... "Little Trip To Heaven (On The Wings Of Your Love)"
goes back to the laid-back style of cool Jazz. "Grapefruit Moon", is another relaxing sounding Jazz.
The ending title track is a beautiful piano-driven instrumental.
Closing Time was Tom Waits' first album. His voice would be more distinctive and rough on
Small Change. (I always said that Tom Waits' rough singing made him "the white Louis Armstrong."
Closing Time has a great combination of Jazz, Blues and off-Country. It's a great album to relax by, and should
be enjoyed by the traditional Jazz lover.
Small Change is the better album than Closing Time, yet Tom Waits' became more popular after his debut,
and in the years ahead. He expanded his music into movies, as a composer and actor. His songs have been covered by
the likes of The Eagles and Rod Stewart, to name a few.
For the Jazz lover in all of us, there's no doubt, that Tom Waits is a great artist. He was just inducted into the 2011
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
© WSVNRadio.net. All rights reserved.
Review or any portion may not be reproduced
without written permission. Cover art is the
intellectual property of
Elektra Records
and is used for reference purposes only.
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