In 1983, Tom Waits saw himself creating an entirely new identity for himself. After leaving longtime label Elektra, Waits transitioned to Island, where he began a legendary tenure that saw some of his career-defining and best-known records. The first of these was Swordfishtrombones, which for Waits, was a drastic step into an altogether new direction. Before moving to Island, Waits was known for his barroom balladry, something that he was clearly ready to drop by the end of his time on Elektra. His final record for the label, Heartattack and Vine, showed the singer-songwriter moving away from his radio-friendly sound into dirty blues-rock terrain. But even that wasn?t enough of a warning to fans of what was to come on Swordfishtrombones.
Swordfishtrombones was the work of an entirely different artist. Waits stepped out of the bar and into the alleyway, into a cab driven by a drunken pyromaniac who was to drop him off at the pier where he would smuggle himself onto a cargo ship full of bootleg liquor. Or at least that?s what it sounded like. This was the sound of a man leaving routine behind for a new, strange adventure, one that he would explore in song. From the opening marimba and horn of Underground, it was clear that this wasn?t the Tom Waits that sang Ol? 55. From the sound of his hellacious grumble to the oddball instrumentation, Waits had reinvented himself in just under two minutes. But the rest of the album displayed just how deep his newfound experimentation had bled. Shore Leave saw Waits narrating a sailor?s encounters in spoken word format, while the jazz-inflected Soldier?s Things took a similar idea and simplified it, as Waits went down a list of, well, soldier?s things. His cast of characters had gone from drunks and hookers with hearts of gold to sailors, drunken midgets and mean hookers. It was the same Waits writing the songs, after all, only he had taken it a step further into something much more weird.
Several songs on Swordfishtrombones are monstrous takes on the blues. 16 Shells from a Thirty-Ought Six is the loudest song on the album, seeing Waits shouting ?I?m gonna whittle you into kindlin?? like a madman. Gin Soaked Boy and Down, Down, Down are shorter, but similar in style, pairing bluesy guitar riffs with fiery Hammond organ. Elsewhere, the deranged tale of Frank?s Wild Years opens ?Frank hung his wild years on a nail he drove through his wife?s forehead, only to have you taken aback by the end, in which Frank torches his house and gets the hell out of town.
As Swordfishtrombones was the first record to see Tom Waits entering his strange world of oddball characters and twisted melodies, it seems like the perfect place to start for those who haven?t yet reveled in his genius. Some might also suggest Rain Dogs, which is no less badass and arguably equal on the whole. Yet no collection is really complete without Swordfishtrombones ? this is the Tom Waits masterpiece. It?s a brilliant, peculiar, colorful collection that opened the door into his bizarre imagination. And lucky for us, it?s been left open ever since.
(c) indieducky.comMusicians:Tom Waits - Vocals, Piano, Harmonium, Hammond B-3 Organ, Synthesizer, Chair, Freedom Bell
Randy Aldcroft - Trombone, Baritone Horn
Ronnie Barron - Hammond Organm
Eric Bikales - Organ
Anthony Clark Stewart - Bagpipes
Greg Cohen - Acoustic Bass, Bass
Victor Feldman - Marimba, Bass Marimba, Snare, Hammond B-3 Organ, Bass Drum, Bass Drum with Rice, Snare Drum, Brake Drum, African Talking Drum, Dabuki Drum, Conga, Tambourine, Bells, Shaker, Bass Boo Bams, Bell Plate
Richard Gibbs - Glass Harmonica
Carlos Guitarlos - Electric Guitar
Stephen Taylor Arvizu Hodges - Drums, Glass Harmonica, Cymbals, Parade Drum, Parade Bass Drum
Dick (Slyde) Hyde - Trombone
Bill Reichenback - Trombone
Joe Romano - Trumpet, Trombone
Clark Spangler - Synthesizer Program
Fred Tackett - Electric Guitar, Banjo Guitar
Larry Taylor - Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass
Francis Thumm - Glass HArmonica, Metal Aunglongs
Tracklist:01. Underground [02:01]
02. Shore Leave [04:18]
03. Dave The Butcher [02:20]
04. Johnsburg, Illinois [01:33]
05. 16 Shells From A 30.6 [04:33]
06. Town With No Cheer [04:28]
07. In The Neighbourhood [03:07]
08. Just Another Sucker On The Vine [01:46]
09. Frank's Wild Years [01:53]
10. Swordfishtrombone [03:08]
11. Down, Down, Down [02:16]
12. Soldier's Things [03:23]
13. Gin Soaked Boy [02:24]
14. Trouble Braids [01:18]
15. Rainbirds [03:14]
