My first experience with Tom Waits I had with "The Black Rider", which once had pressed me a buddy in the hand. Given some really oblique sounds and crass sounding texts at first I was very scared, but thanks so ingenious titles like "The Briar and the Rose", "The right bullets" or "Flash Pan Hunter" heard this album with my favorite CDs this unique artist. And over time, you learn to appreciate the partially really crazy, pretty psychopathic sounding songs. Now that I have heard almost all the plates of Mr. Waits, I'll also concluded that "The Black Rider" is not exactly an album entry for newcomers. Instead, I recommend rather "Rain Dogs". Because this album is quite the versatility of this artist (objectivity sanely, I must admit, unfortunately, that I am the music of Tom Waits absolutely forfeited). It starts with the wonderfully wacky "Singapore", which is peppy and engaging and has a delightfully macabre text. Bold and imaginative, it also goes further with songs like "Rain Dogs", "Big Black Mariah" or "Cemetery Polka". The Waits also is able to write compassionate ballads he demonstrates excellent with "Downtown Train", "Time" or "Anywhere I Lay My Head", which really go to the heart. Unlike subsequent panels as "Bone Machine" or just "The Black Rider" to give the sounds of "Rain Dogs", similar to pop music, still quite pleasant, they go well in the ear and not destroy. That's why this album is highly recommended for beginners. However, Tom Waits is no mistaking his handwriting. As would be the bare background sounds in the also quite whacky "Clap Hands" song or the exotic overture that introduces the song "Rain Dogs". And not to mention its excellent, though often difficult to interpret texts about the losers and Entäuschten, but also about hoper and lovers of this world, lyrics full of emotion, which he and his battered but nonetheless incredibly powerful voice the unique flair gives, which accounts for just the artist Tom Waits. You notice already, it will slow somewhat polemic with me, but believe me, blame is only my fascination with this music.
Conclusion: In my view, after being "Rain Dogs" is not only one of the best albums, but also a perfect disc for beginners who want to try it in the dark world of Tom Waits. Not as pronounced as his later works, it bears unmistakably his features.
