Ashamedly, I will admit that I'm listening to Waits for the first time in my life. Heard bits and pieces of course, but I've never known anyone who was into him nor have I ever bought one of his albums. Just got Swordfishtrombones and I'm giving it a spin on vinyl.

It seems there are some rabid fans of his that post here. Where should I go next?

get rain dogs!
swordfishtrombones, rain dogs and frank's wild years are all pretty similar in tone and sound. if you like his weird spooky stuff, from there i'd check out bone machine, mule variations and real gone. if you're more of a fan of the ballads, check out his earlier stuff, small change and closing time are some of my favorites.

Bone Machine was my first. I'm still waiting for someone on lala to ship me Rain Dogs. Might be waiting a long time.

also, i'm totally in love with this song off of his soon to be released triple album:

tom waits - bottom of the world

We used to play Closing Time at a cafe I worked at in college. I recall it not being bad.

that's the stuff that i really love, his sad bastard songs.

All of these are worthwhile and would make fine follow-ups to Swordfishtrombones:

Rain Dogs
Bone Machine
Mule Variations
Frank's Wild Years
The Black Rider
Small Change
Blood Money

There are basically two periods of Tom Waits, pre- and post-Swordfish. Aside from Small Change, I've never really gotten into his early, pre-Swordfish stuff. It's relatively more straightforward bar ballad stuff although much of the songwriting is still great. The post-Swordfish stuff is just much more musically interesting to me, and it's got the whole gritty-hobo-gutter-blues-carnival-barker-sea-shanty thing that I find more appealing than the earlier, sad drinking songs. The later stuff still has plenty of sad drinking songs, but they're a lot weirder.

i'm gonna take the loogar way out and say he's unlistenable.

BONE MACHINE <-----

Grab a copy of Nighthawks At The Diner. It's "pre-Swordfish", but as far as live raconteur performances go, it's top notch. The banter between songs is precious.

Cant reallu go wrong, but just know that odds are you wont like his stuff, no matter what you listen to. I enjoy all his work, but I believe that Im in the minority there. He definitely garners as much respect as any recording artist alive and I think he can be as endearing as he can be off-putting.

Does cemeterypolka still post here? I feel like Ive lost a year of my life.

Thanks for the replies.

After a first listen I was intriuged but not immediately grabbed. The instrumentation is up my alley. Not so fond of the dull shrieks. Definitely puts you in a certain mood. Lyrics very good. I find as I get older, I am way more tolerant of singers that border on almost being poets.

Interested in hearing more. I'll get Rain Dogs next.

I agree here. Unlink most artists, I would suggest approaching Waits from both early(ish) in his career as well as some mid to later stuff. Nighthawks is a great opening to get a solid understanding of his fine songwriting chops as well as his humor. Puts the later stuff in perspective.

Criminy, finally some voices of reason. Ripple don't bother with the more TW-experimental Rain Dogs, Bone Machine or Black Rider until you've explored his earlier, rawer bar balladry of SMall Change, Heart of Saturday Night, and Nighthawks. If memory serves, you schooled with PopTodd at Mizzou, so that puts you in the mid-30s crew. I've not paid special attention to your tastes, but I reckon the younger Waits offers greater appeal than say his '86-current output. As per Fuse, early TW will offer you greater insight into his genius as he progresses into the later experimental (and def. brilliant) meanderings with wife and collaborator, Kathleen Brennan. I recommend your favorite scotch (or spliff) on top of Heart of Saturday Night.

For the 70's, definitely get The Heart of Saturday Night. It's perfect. For the 80's.. Rain Dogs and Frank's Wild Years.
90's. Bone Machine. Hands down.
00's.. Blood Money/Alice.

Lastly.. 2006. Highly anticipated 3 disc box set, Orphans. The first pressing comes with a hardcover 94 page booklet, and once that sells out it'll be paperback. Get it while it lasts. It'll be rare and beautiful and you will love it.

I keep trying to get into his music but I'm thinking that him and Nick Cave will never click with me.

I don't own any Nick Cave and don't see why everyone makes a big deal about him but the songs of his I've heard don't make me want to turn them off.

have you heard this yet? brawlers is ruling my world right now.

If you like Swordfishtrombones, go for Frank's Wild Years and Raindogs. those are all similar.

If you want something less oddball...go for Into the Heart of Saturday Night or Blue Valentine...both are more drunken troubador kinda stuff. Small Change is good too.

For more menacing weirdness...go for Bone Machine or Mule Variations.

Hard for me to make picks, really, as he's got such a varied output and I like pretty much all of his stuff...although I'm not as fond of his live albums like Nighthawks at the Diner as many are.

i like all tom waits, but i think my brother only likes the early stuff.
would the box set be a good gift for him?

i.e. the "piano's been drinking" years?

I only just heard Blood Money last week.
I loved it. Very beautiful.

To be completely truthful: I disregarded it and Alice because of their hideous album covers.

Luckily I've got a man who's a big Waits fan to set me straight.

He's one of the best.

You could get him both volumes of Tom Waits: The early Years.

They're collections of demos and material he recorded before he put out a formal album. So, its early Waits, but you wouldn't be duplicating anything on the albums if he's already got a few.