I first stumbled upon Tom Waits by way of the films of Jim Jarmusch (Down by Law, & Coffee and Cigarettes) His early sound had that nice dingy cocktail lounge vibe, but to me his sweet spot was in the mid-eighties, with must have albums like Rain Dogs and Swordfishtrombones. With his distinct voice, like heavy machinery that woke up one morning and decided to be the next Bing Crosby, Waits drapes back alley poetry over a strolling and rickety jazz wreckage.
