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Getting Into: Tom Waits

BuzzSugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 07:00:13 -0700

With Scarlett Johansson's album of Tom Waits covers, Anywhere I Lay My Head hitting stores today, some folks may be wondering: Who's this Tom Waits character, and why would someone like ScarJo want to cover a bunch of his songs?

Waits is one of the great American songwriters, but several of his best-known songs became famous only once covered by someone else. He penned "Downtown Train," but that song will forever be associated with Rod Stewart; same goes for "Jersey Girl" and Bruce Springsteen. Yet Waits is a distinctive (if quirky) singer in his own right, performing some of his songs in little more than a growl but occasionally revealing a tender side to his voice as well. He's prolific, and his catalog of 20 albums might seem daunting, so in this edition of Getting Into, I wanted to suggest some ways to get acquainted with Waits without feeling overwhelmed. Here's my guide:

Beginner: Mule Variations and The Heart of Saturday Night
Mule Variations was the first Waits album I owned, so I can vouch for its effectiveness at getting a new listener intrigued in his music. What's great about this 1999 recording (which won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album) is that it contains within its 16 tracks a big portion of the Waits spectrum. There's the sweet and tender ("Hold On"), the rockin' ("Big in Japan"), the growly ("Filipino Box Spring Hog") and the goofy ("Chocolate Jesus"). If you can find even one song to like, chances are you'll like other Waits material, too. The Heart of Saturday Night feels very different (for one thing, it's from 25 years earlier, so Waits' voice sounds significantly smoother), but it's a great showcase for Waits' songwriting, perfectly capturing the emotion of a jazzy Saturday night out on the town . . . followed by several long, lonely hours at a dive bar and a sad breakfast at a local greasy spoon.

For my intermediate and advanced selections, just read more.

Intermediate: Rain Dogs, Small Change, and Bone Machine
Rain Dogs is one of the best-known Waits albums. Like Mule Variations, it covers a wide range of styles, from ballads to country music to straight-up pop - and there's even a polka! The 1985 album includes Waits' "Downtown Train," which Rod Stewart would later make into a top-10 hit; it also has "Anywhere I Lay My Head," the song from which Scarlett's album takes its name. Small Change again goes back to the jazzier feel of the early Waits era and has some of the funniest songs that may have ever been written about a drinking problem ("The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me)"). And I recommend Bone Machine here largely because at this point, you'll be able to appreciate the hilarity of Waits' scratchy voice singing "I Don't Wanna Grow Up," which the Ramones later made famous.

Advanced: Waits' soundtrack albums, including One from the Heart, Night on Earth, and Alice; Orphans
One of the most intriguing things about Waits is his film work: He's appeared in several films by director Jim Jarmusch and written the soundtrack for another: Night on Earth. I've always been intrigued - and a little spooked - by Alice, a recording of songs Waits wrote as an opera inspired by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. And Orphans, the newest release, is three discs of collected songs that never found a home on any of Waits' other projects.

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Buzz News Roundup, 5/5

BuzzSugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:33:13 -0700

According to Variety, the next Terminator movie will attempt to broaden its audience with a PG-13 rating.
Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane has signed a huge deal with Fox that makes him the highest-paid writer-producer in television, Reuters reports.
Tom Waits has announced Summer tour dates via a bizarre faux press conference, Billboard reports.
The Hollywood Reporter has the mind-boggling news that Tristan Wilds (Michael from The Wire) is joining the cast of the 90210 spinoff. Another actor, Michael Steger, has also been cast.

Meanwhile, TV Guide has news that Brea Grant, who played Landry's rebound girl on Friday Night Lights, has been cast as a Heroes character with the power of superspeed.
Amy Winehouse won't be recording the new Bond movie theme after all, writes Variety.
Billboard announces that Nine Inch Nails is offering a free download of its new album, The Slip.

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Check Out More of Scarlett's Tom Waits Covers

BuzzSugar — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:30:03 -0700

The first track from Anywhere I Lay My Head, Scarlett Johansson's album of Tom Waits covers, gave us a pretty good indication of where the album might be headed: thick, fuzzy production, androgynous vocals, and some pretty drastic reinterpretations of Waits' songs. Now, six full tracks from the album are streaming online, and sure enough, they all have a similar vibe.

Those of you who thought the vocals on "Anywhere I Lay My Head" sounded manly will have a field day with "Town With No Cheer," on which Scarlett's voice sounds flat and almost spooky. The title track still seems like the most dramatic makeover of a Waits song, and thus far, my favorite is the first single, "Falling Down," which has backing vocals courtesy of David Bowie (who also contributes on another of the streaming tracks, "Fannin Street").

Having heard more of the songs, I'm still not positive I'd buy the album, but the result is nothing like the disaster I imagined way back when I first heard ScarJo had her eye on Waits' catalog. How about you? To listen to Scarlett's version of "Falling Down" along with a live version of Waits singing his original, just read more.

Tom Waits - "Falling Down" (Live):

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First Listen: Scarlett Johansson, "Anywhere I Lay My Head"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:28:16 -0700

It's been a long wait for ScarJo's album of Tom Waits covers, Anywhere I Lay My Head and we still have until May 20 for the full album, but today we can at least hear the title track. Apparently, the album's producer Dave Sitek was "going for a 'cough medicine/Tinkerbell' vibe" on the album, which it actually helps to know when listening to "Anywhere."

The song has a dreamy/hazy thing going on, with lots of synth. Scarlett's low voice gets somewhat lost in all the percussive stuff, and I could probably do without the drum machine. Something about this reminds me of Annie Lennox, though I wish Scarlett's vocals would take on some more of Lennox's emotion. Overall, though, I give Scarlett a lot of credit for transforming Waits' song into something totally novel.

Update: Sadly, I had to take down the music file for "Anywhere I Lay My Head."

Buzz News Roundup, 1/25

BuzzSugar — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:33:06 -0800

Stephen Colbert's WristStrong bracelets have raised more than $170,000 for charity, the Associated Press reports.
In Sundance deal news, the well-received comedy Baghead has been bought by Sony Pictures Classics, Variety reports.
Lionsgate and Marvel have struck deals with the striking WGA that will let union writers work on their projects, USA Today reports.
After completing Revolutionary Road, director Sam Mendes will get to work on an untitled comedy written by David Eggers and Vendela Vida, reports Zap2It.

Shout Factory has gotten the rights to release every episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 on DVD, writes The Hollywood Reporter.
Scarlett Johansson's album of songs written by Tom Waits will be released May 20, writes E! Online.
Lance Reddick of The Wire has been cast on the new JJ Abrams show Fringe, as has John Noble of The Lord of the Rings movies, TV Guide reports.
Variety has news that The Color Purple will end its run on Broadway February 24. Meanwhile, Reuters writes that Phantom of the Opera will mark its 20-year anniversary on Broadway this weekend.
NBC is all about competing parents this spring, scheduling the reality show My Dad is Better Than Your Dad and searching for America's Favorite Mom; details on both are at The Futon Critic.

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Scarlett Johansson's Album Might Actually Be Good

BuzzSugar — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 15:03:58 -0700

When I first heard that Scarlett Johansson was recording an album of Tom Waits covers, I didn't quite know what to think. Sure, she proved she could sing when she joined Jesus and Mary Chain onstage at Coachella, but Waits's music seemed like an odd - and challenging - choice for the actress.

Now, Pitchfork has revealed some new details about the album, and it actually sounds quite promising. It's being produced by David Sitek of TV on the Radio - a band that knows a thing or two about production - and will feature members of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. She's been recording in Louisiana, according to the Daily Advertiser newspaper in Lafayette, which reports:

Wal-Mart, margaritas and music was the life for Johansson, who spent 33 days in Maurice recording her debut CD at Dockside Studio. Owned by Steve and Wish Nails, Dockside is a 12-acre recording complex hidden along the Vermilion River. ...

Johansson, star of The Horse Whisperer, Girl with a Pearl Earring and other films, worked from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily in the studio with producer Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Celebration also performed on the recordings, which Steve Nails describes as cinematic rock.

"It's like theater, big screen," said Nails, who sat in on all the sessions. "Lots of heavy bass tones in it."

Wow, apparently Scarlett is even hipper than I thought. What do you guys think? Would you buy her album?

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Link Time! 5/1

BuzzSugar — Tue, 01 May 2007 14:10:53 -0700

FitSugar's getting into the swing of things with these socks that look like they could give Spider-Man a run for his money.
The TV Addict offers his take on more than 50 of this season's TV finales.
Tom Waits tops Rolling Stone Rock & Roll Daily's list of the 25 most underappreciated artists.
TV Filter pays its respects to recently deceased character actor Dabbs Greer.
Harry Potter's Emma Watson apparently said that playing an American high schooler would be her "worst nightmare," Cinematical tells us.
Stereogum gum gives us a brand spanking new Interpol song.
If laughing at "The Bachelor" from afar isn't enough for you, TV with MeeVee has the scoop on how to apply for a spot on the show.
Film Experience picks apart a candid on-set photo from Australia, the upcoming Baz Luhrmann/Nicole Kidman project.
Pop Candy makes me happy with a podcast about Sassy magazine.
TV Squad laments the sad, cancellation-happy state of Fox.

Free Downloads! Six Covers by the Cold War Kids

BuzzSugar — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 06:56:37 -0800

Cold War Kids already won me over with a stellar debut album, Robbers & Cowards, and the awesome interview the band did for BuzzSugar. But now, the boys from Long Beach have done something even cooler: They've posted free MP3s of six cover songs that the band played at a recent breast-cancer benefit show.

The very eclectic set includes CWK's version of songs by Fiona Apple, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, and more. You can download the songs on the Cold Ward Kids web site.

What's Buzzworthy: Readers' Top Albums of 2006

BuzzSugar — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 05:33:44 -0800

After compiling my own list of the Top 20 Albums of 2006, I wanted to know what music you guys really loved in the past year. So I asked BuzzSugar readers to use our cool new Buzzworthy feature to bookmark your favorite albums of 2006.

I really like what you guys found: Many of these were albums I enjoyed but didn't include on my Top 20, but many more are CDs I still haven't heard but want to get my hands on. So, since I can't possibly listen to every great album out there, check out these Best of 2006 recommendations from BuzzSugar readers.

Regina Spektor, Begin to Hope. Bookmarked by Swwonder. "Hope for pop has arrived with Regina Spektor."

Sparklehorse, Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain. Bookmarked by WhiplashGirlchild.

Ray LaMontagne, Till the Sun Turns Black. Bookmarked by Caramel Latte. "So moody and bluesy... it makes me want to cry or dance around, depending on the tune."

To see the rest, read more

Calexico, Garden Ruin. Bookmarked by Padraigin.

Beck, The Information. Bookmarked by Caramel Latte.

Tom Waits, Orphans. Bookmarked by WhiplashGirlchild.

Matisyahu, Youth. Bookmarked by Padraigin. "Hasidic Beatbox Reggae. Need I say more? Probably, right? If you like reggae, give it a listen. Matisyahu doesn't preach; he states his beliefs, and it's non-threatening and fun."

Peter Bjorn & John, Writer's Block. Bookmarked by WhiplashGirlchild.

Danielson, Ships. Bookmarked by Padraigin.

Justin Timberlake, FutureSex/LoveSounds. Bookmarked by Aggie. "That is my favorite album of 2006. I'm even considering buying it... and that is BIG for me."

Desperate Housewives Rundown Season 6 Premiere "Nice Is Different Than Good"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:30:36 -0700

The season six premiere of Desperate Housewives opens with Mike's much-anticipated wedding and then takes us on a series of flashbacks to the weeks leading up to the big event.

With Edie out of the picture and a new housewife on the block, Mike's marriage isn't the only scandal happening on Wisteria Lane. To chat about the exciting season premiere, just read more.

Susan - She's been avoiding Katherine since she and Mike got back together but is forced to see her when she stops by Bree's house. Hiding behind Lynette, she manages to avoid a confrontation until a delivery man leaves Susan's wedding dress at Katherine's house, leaving her no choice but to go over and pick it up. When Susan stops by, Katherine opens the door wearing the dress - and teases her by cooking red pasta sauce dangerously close to the dress. It's obvious that Katherine is upset about the wedding, but Susan is determined that it be her special day. Susan might have more than Katherine to worry about with Julie back in town being courted by Danny, the new housewife's son.

Bree - Still estranged from Orson and toying with an affair with her divorce lawyer Carl, Bree struggles with her adulterous feelings. When Orson begs her to rethink the divorce and consider counseling, she realizes that "guilt is a small price to pay for happiness" and books a hotel room for a rendezvous with Carl - in clean sheets, of course.

Gaby - Carlos's niece Mariana is living at the house and pushing Gaby's patience. Gaby sees right through Mariana's tricks and tries to keep her teenage ways under control by monitoring what she wears to school and implementing a 10 p.m. curfew. Gaby sees a lot of her teenage self in Mariana and doesn't want her to have to go through the same struggles that she did, so she signs papers to legalize her and Carlos's guardianship over Mariana.

Lynette - Three months pregnant with twins and realizing she'll be 60 years old when they graduate from high school, Lynette is stressed out about the idea of adding two more to the family. In the waiting room at the doctor's office, she scares a young new mom-to-be out of her elation with details about saggy boobs, constant breastfeeding, and absent husbands. Later, she and Tom are together for the first ultrasound, and when she doesn't show any excitement for the babies, Tom confronts her. She breaks down and says she doesn't love the babies liked she loved their other kids. Tom assures her that once she holds them she will, but she doesn't seem too convinced.

Katherine - Crazed from losing Mike, Katherine is a mix of depressed and resentful. She and Susan still haven't spoken since the breakup, and she intends to get a public apology from Susan - at her and Mike's wedding. Susan refuses and locks her in a closet before the ceremony, but she manages to get out and meet them in the aisle after the ceremony. Even after Susan gives in and apologizes in front of the entire church, it's pretty clear that Katherine won't be letting go of her heartbreak, or resentment for Susan, any time soon.

Angie - The mysterious new housewife on the block (spitfire Drea de Matteo) brings her husband Nick and son Danny to Fairview. We see that, obviously, they left some dark past behind when we get a glimpse of some pretty gnarly scars on Angie's back. But Angie won't be the only one stirring things up since Danny seems to have a sordid past too. After he and Julie go on a date and get in a fight and he goes missing after Mike and Susan's wedding, we are left to wonder who mysteriously strangled Julie and escaped the scene.

What did you think of the season premiere? Was there enough crazy and intrigue to keep you watching another season?