Heartattack and Vine, Tom Waits' first album in two years and his last of seven for Asylum Records, is a transitional album, with tracks like the rhythm-heavy title song and "'Til the Money Runs Out" foreshadowing the sonic experiments of the Island albums, while piano-with-orchestra tracks like "Saving All My Love for You" and "On the Nickel" (written as a motion-picture title tune) hark back to Waits' Randy Newman-influenced early days. It is just as well that Waits never entirely gave up on the ballad material; "Jersey Girl," a Drifters-style song, is a winner, and it was appropriated by Bruce Springsteen on his 1981 tour. Also, at least at this point, the rougher tunes all tended to sound the same.

~ William Ruhlmann, Rovi






Tracklist:

1. HEARTATTACK & VINE
2. IN SHADES
3. SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU
4. DOWNTOWN
5. JERSEY GIRL
6. 'TIL THE MONEY RUNS OUT
7. ON THE NICKEL
8. MR.SIEGAL
9. RUBY'S ARMS

Personnel:

Bob Alcivar - String Arrangement, Orchestral Arrangement, Conductor
Ronnie Barron - Hammond Organ, Piano
Roland Bautista - Electric Guitar, 12-String Guitar
Greg Cohen - Bass
Victor Feldman - Percussion, Chimes, Glockenspiel
Jim Hughart - Bass
Plas Johnson - Tenor Sax, Baritone Sax
Michael Lang - Piano
Larry Taylor - Bass
"Big John" Thomassie - Drums
Tom Waits - Vocals, Electric Guitar, Piano
Jerry Yester - Orchestral Arrangement, Conductor

2010 Digitally Remastered by Isao Kikuchi (Warner Music Mastering)