Favourite Albums Since 1977: The Murder Capital's Damien Tuit on Tom Waits' Bone Machine

Deftly fusing the raw, earthy tones of America’s delta blues with vaudeville aesthetics, punk and an unrivalled understanding of kitsch sentimentality, Bone Machine saw Tom Waits once again trudging relentlessly forward into the unknown.

I was first introduced to Waits as a light, breezy songwriter with one or two great albums to his name, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that I discovered the true weight and breadth of his discography for myself. Since immersing myself in his world, I have found the textural and emotional variety of his work to be unrivalled. He’s a musician unsatisfied with treading the same ground as his contemporaries, and yet rarely does he allow his exploration to come at a cost to the beautiful, bare-bones songwriting craft he has spent so many years honing.

For me, what is truly inspiring about Waits is his bravery. Few artists would dare to combine the raucous energy of ‘Such A Scream’ with the delicate, heartbreaking stillness of ‘A Little Rain’ on the same LP. With Bone Machine, Tom Waits gloriously showcases the power of contrast within the album format.

https://open.spotify.com/album/5blxyZRgkA735vO40p56MA