Asylum Years

Do talk back

///

Closing Time
6
15%
The Heart of Saturday Night
7
18%
Small Change
11
28%
Foreign Affairs
2
5%
Blue Valentine
7
18%
Heartattack and Vine
6
15%
 
Total votes: 39

User avatar
naughty boy
hounds people off the board
Posts: 20252
Joined: 24 Apr 2007, 23:21

Asylum Years

Postby naughty boy » 10 Mar 2018, 14:35

Waits' Asylum back-catalogue has been remastered and is set for release in a couple of weeks.

Which two of these albums have given you the most pleasure?

What are your top 3 TW tracks from this era?
Matt 'interesting' Wilson wrote:So I went from looking at the "I'm a Man" riff, to showing how the rave up was popular for awhile.

User avatar
Nervous Ned
Posts: 1618
Joined: 22 Aug 2003, 11:19
Location: Close To The Veg

Re: Asylum Years

Postby Nervous Ned » 10 Mar 2018, 14:47

The Heart of Saturday Night
Tom Traubert’s Blues
Kentucky Avenue

... and you really should include the marvellous Nighthawks at the Diner

User avatar
Matt Wilson
Psychedelic Cowpunk
Posts: 32516
Joined: 16 Jul 2003, 20:18
Location: Edge of a continent

Re: Asylum Years

Postby Matt Wilson » 10 Mar 2018, 15:01

I'm looking forward to these releases as well. The first time Waits has been remastered on CD as far as I know.

I went with Blue Valentine and Small Change of the ones you listed.

User avatar
Walk In My Shadow
Hello Laydeez
Posts: 38715
Joined: 23 Jul 2003, 20:02
Location: The Good, the Bad, both ugly
Contact:

Re: Asylum Years

Postby Walk In My Shadow » 10 Mar 2018, 17:16

The Heart and Blue Valentine.

With Valentine the top one.
Beneluxfunkmeisterlurvegod


Image

User avatar
Rayge
Posts: 15288
Joined: 14 Aug 2013, 11:37
Location: Zummerzet
Contact:

Re: Asylum Years

Postby Rayge » 10 Mar 2018, 17:27

Small Change would be the standout for me (vies with One From the Heart as my favourite Waits), with the last three very close for second (no Nighthawks at the Diner btw?). Today I gave it to Foreign Affairs
My first exposure to Waits was a single of Step right Up and the Piano Has Been Drinking, and those two are still favourites, along with most of side one of Small Change. Let's say Tom Traubert's Blues. Not that there's anything wrong with side two :-)
In timeless moments we live forever

You can't play a tune on an absolute

Negative Capability...when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, Mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact & reason”

User avatar
Jimbly
Posts: 21957
Joined: 21 Jul 2003, 23:17
Location: ????

Re: Asylum Years

Postby Jimbly » 10 Mar 2018, 18:45

small change and heartattack and vine.

one from the heart is my favourite.

The pots and pans got boring quickly though Frank's wild years is brilliant
So Long Kid, Take A Bow.

User avatar
toomanyhatz
Power-mad king of the WCC
Posts: 29992
Joined: 07 Apr 2005, 00:01
Location: Just east of where Charlie Parker went to do some relaxin'

Re: Asylum Years

Postby toomanyhatz » 10 Mar 2018, 20:58

Small Change is under consideration for his best album all told. "Invitation to the Blues" in particular is a wonderful song but it's got a great flow, something that can't really be said about anything else by him.

Heartattack and Vine is the start of the tramp with his pots and pans. But of course I love transitional albums, so...
Footy wrote:
The Who / Jimi Hendrix Experience Saville Theatre, London Jan '67
. Got Jimi's autograph after the show and went on to see him several times that year


1959 1963 1965 1966 1974 1977 1978 1981 1988 2017* 2018 2020!! 2023?

User avatar
Davey the Fat Boy
Posts: 24007
Joined: 05 Jan 2006, 02:55
Location: Applebees

Re: Asylum Years

Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 10 Mar 2018, 22:23

I voted for the first two - but all of these are good to great.

Favorite three songs:

Please Call Me, Baby
Heart of Saturday Night
Ruby’s Arms
“Remember I have said good things about benevolent despots before.” - Jimbo

Image

User avatar
Osgood
Posts: 1946
Joined: 28 Nov 2014, 09:48
Location: Madrid

Re: Asylum Years

Postby Osgood » 11 Mar 2018, 09:03

I like them all, voted for Closing Time and Small Change. Fave songs: Tom Traubert's Blues, Invitation to the Blues and I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You.

As for albums, I still rank Swordfishtrombones as his best, maybe because it was the first I heard.
Nobody's ferpect.

User avatar
fange
100% fangetastic
Posts: 14171
Joined: 20 Jan 2010, 11:30
Location: 香港

Re: Asylum Years

Postby fange » 11 Mar 2018, 09:14

The first 3 are very hard for me to separate, but if I need to i'll probably go for HoSN and CT. They're the ones I find myself reaching for most these days, but all the others have moments I love too.

The stumbling, weary romanticism of something like 'New Coat', with those hopped-up sections between the verses, just makes my fucking day every time I hear it.

Jonny Spencer wrote:
fange wrote:I've got my quad pants on and i'm ready for some Cock.


By CHRIST you're a man after my own sideways sausage, Ange!

User avatar
naughty boy
hounds people off the board
Posts: 20252
Joined: 24 Apr 2007, 23:21

Re: Asylum Years

Postby naughty boy » 11 Mar 2018, 09:40

fange wrote:The stumbling, weary romanticism of something like 'New Coat', with those hopped-up sections between the verses, just makes my fucking day every time I hear it.


It's a wonder, isn't it? Kind of like something from a Broadway musical (which I suppose characterises more of his music than you might at first think), it's so evocative, so stirring.

I'm actually a bit surprised The Heart Of.. isn't walking it here - surely with the aforementioned opener, the title track, 'Please Call Me, Baby' and 'San Diego Serenade' at least, it's his strongest selection of songs?
Matt 'interesting' Wilson wrote:So I went from looking at the "I'm a Man" riff, to showing how the rave up was popular for awhile.

User avatar
fange
100% fangetastic
Posts: 14171
Joined: 20 Jan 2010, 11:30
Location: 香港

Re: Asylum Years

Postby fange » 11 Mar 2018, 09:59

I've always thought so, yeah. It's a really strong collection of songs, as well as sounding fabulous.
Jonny Spencer wrote:
fange wrote:I've got my quad pants on and i'm ready for some Cock.


By CHRIST you're a man after my own sideways sausage, Ange!

User avatar
Nervous Ned
Posts: 1618
Joined: 22 Aug 2003, 11:19
Location: Close To The Veg

Re: Asylum Years

Postby Nervous Ned » 11 Mar 2018, 12:18

The Heart of ... is an album I rarely play, but when I do I’m overwhelmed by how great it is. Even as a lover of the early ‘Shed full of one legged dwarves’ period I really don’t think he bettered it.

User avatar
naughty boy
hounds people off the board
Posts: 20252
Joined: 24 Apr 2007, 23:21

Re: Asylum Years

Postby naughty boy » 14 Jul 2018, 23:03

So I bought the remaster of Small Change - partly because it was the winner in this poll - and it features that horrible growling Waits' vocal throughout. I thought he didn't start with that shit until the 80s?

Anyway I'm going to return it. Absolute waste of cash.
Matt 'interesting' Wilson wrote:So I went from looking at the "I'm a Man" riff, to showing how the rave up was popular for awhile.

User avatar
Matt Wilson
Psychedelic Cowpunk
Posts: 32516
Joined: 16 Jul 2003, 20:18
Location: Edge of a continent

Re: Asylum Years

Postby Matt Wilson » 14 Jul 2018, 23:06

Now and again John has a couple of beers and gets angry about stuff he cannot understand.

User avatar
naughty boy
hounds people off the board
Posts: 20252
Joined: 24 Apr 2007, 23:21

Re: Asylum Years

Postby naughty boy » 15 Jul 2018, 00:52

:P
Matt 'interesting' Wilson wrote:So I went from looking at the "I'm a Man" riff, to showing how the rave up was popular for awhile.

User avatar
Davey the Fat Boy
Posts: 24007
Joined: 05 Jan 2006, 02:55
Location: Applebees

Re: Asylum Years

Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 15 Jul 2018, 01:50

Anyhow - don’t return it John. It will grow on you.

But yeah - this is where the stupid Cookie-Monster-doing-a-Louis-Armstrong-impression shtick begins to undercut his work.
“Remember I have said good things about benevolent despots before.” - Jimbo

Image

User avatar
Sneelock
Posts: 14077
Joined: 19 Nov 2011, 23:56
Location: Lincoln Head City

Re: Asylum Years

Postby Sneelock » 15 Jul 2018, 02:17

He always sang like that. Asylum ran his vocals through the de-flavoriser. I always thought the earliest Asylums sounded kinda homogenized. Sir John’s distaste has piqued my interest.
uggy poopy doody.

User avatar
Sneelock
Posts: 14077
Joined: 19 Nov 2011, 23:56
Location: Lincoln Head City

Re: Asylum Years

Postby Sneelock » 15 Jul 2018, 03:08

..as it so often does!
uggy poopy doody.

User avatar
naughty boy
hounds people off the board
Posts: 20252
Joined: 24 Apr 2007, 23:21

Re: Asylum Years

Postby naughty boy » 15 Jul 2018, 15:01

HA!

Nah, it's those first two for me. Better songs, better albums. He doesn't sound like he's throwing up either.

After that I can get with most of Rain Dogs but that's it.

He's a fraud.
Matt 'interesting' Wilson wrote:So I went from looking at the "I'm a Man" riff, to showing how the rave up was popular for awhile.


Return to “Yakety Yak”