Tom Waits' brilliance is messy -- he has so many ideas that sometimes unrealized songs are juxtaposed with moments of greatness on his albums. That may make for the occasional uneven record, but each album has its own distinct tone that makes it a unique listening experience, whether it's a masterpiece or a missed opportunity. And that's the reason why his work, especially his sprawling Island albums, doesn't easily lend itself to retrospectives like Beautiful Maladies: The Island Years. The single disc features 22 tracks from Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs, Franks Wild Years, Big Time, Bone Machine, and The Black Rider, including such familiar and celebrated items as "Hang on St. Christopher," "Innocent When You Dream," "I Don't Wanna Grow Up," "16 Shells From a Thirty-Ought Six," and "Downtown Train." Some fans might spot missing favorites, but it's hard to fault the selections themselves. Because of this, Beautiful Maladies functions as a primer for neophytes. The collection may not give the full scope of Waits' talents, but for the curious, it works well as a sampler.
Arrr!!! It be "National Talk Like A Pirate Day":http://www.talklikeapirate.com/ tomorrow and good ol' Capn' Fistula will not be so present due to a local pirate convention in Little Rock Arrrrkansas. Make sure all of the poop decks arrr swabbed ye sea dogs!
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oh my wife and i are mourning, big time! and it is not even over, not yet. for the finest show in the history of television( yea, you heard me) is coming to a close, and quick. saying it is as painful as our beloved bubbles coming off smack( but hooray, he is clean in season 5). yes, there are only 2 more episodes in the brilliant 5 year, 60 episode run of "The Wire", David Simon's epic series ...
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 "Beautiful Maladies: The Island Years")
