Second album, released in 1974

On Waits' Second Album His poetic lyrics are wrapped in a variety of jazzy, bluesy and folk styles with a hint of the orchestral on two tracks. Diamonds On My Windshield and The Ghosts of Saturday Night are spoken recitals, a form he would later explore over Entire albums.

The most outstanding tracks, lyrically and melodically, are the border San Diego Serenade with its elegant strings, the soulful and melancholy Shiver Me Timbers and the title track Which in sentiment and imagery brings to mind his much later composition Jersey Girl.

The jazzy numbers include New Coat Of Paint and Semi Suite; Fumblin 'With The Blues Represents That genre whilst Drunk On The Moon is somewhere in between. Of the other ballads, Please Call Me, Baby is an orchestrated outing whilst Depot Depot has the most arresting saxophone solos.

The Heart Of Saturday Night Provides a satisfying cross-section of all the different styles Tom Waits would develop in his illustrious career, Including on masterpieces like Rain Dogs, Heart Attack and Vine and Mule Variations.

For fans, I recommend the book Innocent When You Dream: The Tom Waits Reader Which documents his life and music up to 2004 and is Perhaps better than a formal biography as It provides various perspectives from many different writers.