Crying Into My Beer (Closing Time - Tom Waits)

Member Name: nilo0901

Product:	Closing Time - Tom Waits
Date:	04/11/09 (7 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great songs and Waits' voice is at it's most accessible

Disadvantages: Some of funkier tracks add little to the whole

If anyone ever needed proof that Tom Waits is an exceptionally gifted song writer in the traditional sense, they need only listen to Closing Time, his debut album. Released in the early 70's before experimentation and William Burroughs took hold, this album features Waits the barroom balladeer with smoky but palatable voice. Don't get me wrong, I love all of Waits' work and his voice, but I can appreciate that some may find it difficult to listen to. Here lies his most accessible work (along with Heart of Saturday Night) both vocally and melodically.

What shines here is the quality of the songwriting and lyricism. Evidence of this is apparent from the off with the opener Ol'55, soon to be covered with great success by The Eagles. Waits trawls through cocktail club lounge singer loneliness through to driving funk, saloon song to outright heart-wrenching balladry. An example of the latter is 'I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You' which in my opinion is one of the finest ballads and testaments to lost love ever written.

This is late night melancholy at it's very best. Songs are intriguing and narrative as in the case of the stunning 'Martha' or 'Closing Time'. Waits really succeeds with songs of love. I can leave the beat jazz or funk of 'Ice Cream Man' but leave me with Grapefruit Moon and I'll be weeping in my bourbon. A must for hopeless romantics and losers everywhere.

Summary: A glorious debut from a mercurial genius