When I borrowed "Rain Dogs" for a week from the library, I could hardly have imagined that would make me the songs still follow for the next two years, although I should not get to hear in the meantime. My first reaction to Waits' music style was more or less the question: "Are you allowed that ??" From the first Kraechtzen before "Singapore" gets going, up to the very loose rhythmically fade-out of the New Orleans-Begraebnismarsches "Anywhere I Lay My Head" has this disc is not much to be where you stand to be accustomed as average product of this company could. The really seem to invalidate abused voice, unconventional instrumental combinations, the quixotic poetry (which seems sometimes elicit from a bygone era), and almost an outrageous throwing together various musical styles are all things, each of which "knows" that it all wrong on music recordings are. The variety of music genres that are represented here, is actually bad for a CD, but the uniqueness of the Tom Waits-Mannerismen again ensures unity. The darkly comic themes and instrument selection remember film noire, particularly because many of the images belong to the past of the North American culture everyday. So sailing ships Dampfzuege, horse races and other anachronistic elements play here some of the main roles. Tom Waits is not only a true original, but also a kind of one-way street for me. Whoever discovers his works once does not return so quickly.
