Release Date: October 21, 2011
Tom Waits exists in a spectrum of music all his own. In the 38 years since his first album, Waits has been making music his own way, everyone else be damned. He has become known for his gritty voice, experimental fusion of blues, jazz and rock elements and flair for dramatic, dark storytelling in songs. This is all still true for his first collection of new material in seven years, Bad as Me, and although it might not be much of an artistic evolution since his last endeavor, it’s still a very solid record.
The album starts strong with “Chicago,” a lurching locomotive of a song where Waits growls out a tale of a man hopping town to find a better life in, surprise, Chicago. It’s a great introduction to the album because it really captures Waits at his best: using his fevered screams and blending a myriad of genres to craft a statement, a character and a world that is entirely fascinating.
When he’s at his best, Waits’ music could be literature.
After “Chicago,” another highlight is the first single and title track, “Bad as Me,” an upbeat cabaret shuffle where Waits swings both hot and cold—yelping crazily one moment, calm and collected another. “I’m the blood on the floor/The thunder and the roar/I’m the boat that won’t sink/I just won’t sleep a wink,” Waits barks.
Unfortunately, not every song on the album is as great; some of the slower songs fall a little flat. The main offenders are “Last Leaf,” whose sparse, downtempo composition contrasts with some of the more manic songs but ends up uninteresting; and “New Year’s Eve,” the slow album closing track. Both songs are supposed to be slow and sad, but they end up dragging quite a bit because they don’t ever go anywhere, making it difficult for the listener to become emotionally invested.
But not every slow song is a dud. “Kiss Me” elegantly captures the sounds of a film noir bar scene through the subtle tinkling of the piano keys and carelessly sparse strumming of a guitar. The light instrumentation lets the song focus on Waits’ voice, which is comparatively smooth, genuinely tender and heartbreaking. “I want to believe our love’s a mystery/I want to believe our love’s a sin/Oh, will you kiss me like a stranger once again,” Waits cries.
“Kiss Me” nicely recreates a scene for listeners to experience, and this is one of the things Waits does best with his music. He uses it to craft stories and create places that feel real.
Another example of this done right is “Hell Broke Luce,” which comes late in the record. In it, Waits creates a protagonist, bitter at the world of politics and war, and through the lyrics, he really delves into the psyche of his character. Aggressively punctuated bursts of words make up the chorus, an interesting stylistic choice that really helps enforce the intense and spiteful nature of the song. Those looking for deep and meaningful storytelling are not going to be disappointed by Bad as Me.
It’s because Waits is such a strong weaver of tales that this album really works. Although his music may seem an oddity for newcomers, Waits fans will know that it is mostly more of the same. But each story, each character, each scene and each emotion is so real and vividly realized that listeners can’t help but enjoy themselves.
Tom Waits – Bad as Me tracklist:
- “Chicago”
- “Raised Right Men”
- “Talking at the Same Time”
- “Get Lost”
- “Face the Highway”
- “Pay Me”
- “Back in the Crowd”
- “Bad as Me”
- “Kiss Me”
- “Satisfied”
- “Last Leaf”
- “Hell Broke Luce”
- “New Year’s Eve”
