Excesiva. Barroca. Desmesurada. La última película de Terry Gilliam, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, es todo eso. Y mucho más. Es una obra maestra. Es una película imprescindible. Porque Terry Gilliam ya ha demostrado varias veces (Brazil, The Fisher King, 12 Monkeys) que posee un universo absolutamente propio y eso es algo que casi ha dejado de ocurrir en el cine moderno. Hoy lo que única que importa es la taquilla, así que las sagas y los remakes, que son los que garantizan recaudaciones de nueve cifras son el producto que manda. Y sobre esta ola de mercantilismo asfixiante, un creador como Terry Gilliam tiene que pelear incansablemente para llevar a la pantalla un nuevo y casi siempre desaforado experimento. Esta vez, por suerte, lo ha conseguido.

Hablando de la película en sí, aunque el reclamo publicitario (lógico, por otra parte) es que se trata de la última película del malogrado Heath Ledger, lo cierto es que para mí este película se resume en dos nombres: Christopher Plummer y Tom Waits. Ambos, Parnassus y Mr. Nick, establecen una relación tan especial, tan mágica y tan divertida (en cierto sentido) que cada diálogo resulta impagable. En especial, me ha sorprendido muchísimo y muy gratamente volver a ver al gran Christopher Plummer (a quien echaba mucho de menos en la gran pantalla) en un papel tan hermoso como difícil, a la altura de su talento.

Heath Ledger, merece la pena comentarlo, está bien. Incluso podría decir que muy bien. Y su desafortunada desaparición, cuando aún no había terminado el rodaje, llevó al equipo a una solución tan ingeniosa y brillante que mejora incluso el planteamiento original. Y de todos los Heath Ledger posibles… me quedo con Johnny Depp (tendréis que ver la peli para seguirme en esto… y de hecho es lo que trato de que hagáis!!!).

En fin, no os perdáis Doctor Parnassus, dejaos introducir en el mundo circense y alucinado de este gran creador y descubrid a este personaje, tan maravilloso como trágico, consciente (como nadie) de que el universo sigue existiendo porque, en algún lugar, alguien está contando una historia.

Well people, it seems the well has run dry for the year 2009.  You may feel free to start drawing up those best of 09′ lists without fear of missing any significant releases.  Allow me to show you what I mean:

Bon Jovi – The Circle [Too epic for my blood]

Susan Boyle – I Dreamed A Dream [ho-hum]

Lady Gaga – Fame Monster [This album title is truth]

Adam Lambert – For Your Entertainment [Not me specifically]

NOFX – Cokie The Clown EP [I'm sure this will be better than most NOFX albums since it is shorter]

Rihanna – Rated R [QOTSA had that title first]

Shakira – She Wolf [So much dance pop this week. . .]

Timbaland – Shock Value 2 [If only Timbaland the artist were as revered as Timbaland the producer]

Tom Waits – Glitter And Doom (Live) [And the most interesting release of the week award goes to. . .]

Well there you have it.  Perhaps a big week for the Grammy’s but as far as interesting music goes its kind of a one note Tuesday.

What do an acclaimed jazz pianist, a death metal vocalist and a five piece band have in common?  The answer is, not surprisingly, Tom Waits.  Seven Norwegian musicians from Trondheim’s metal, rock and jazz scenes have come together to form the traveling show titled “Earth Died Screaming (while I lay dreaming of Tom)”, a tribute to Tom Waits.  What comes from this union of Trondheim’s various music communities is an experience that is truly greater than the sum of its parts.  The single disappointment: that the group is sticking to Norway (as far as Years For Beards knows).

When I first heard about the show, I became immediately excited, and then immediately wary.  I continued to waver between hope and skepticism up until the minute the show – put together by the Bø jazzklubb – started on the sixteenth of October, 2009.  The small stage at Grillen (“The Grill”, a pub in Bø, Telemark, Norway) was a mess of instruments.  There was even one man whose sole task was sitting on the floor playing with a pile of percussion instruments around him.  The band began clapping and stomping layered rhythms, leading into an amazing rendition of – what else? – “Clap Hands”.  Every moment a new instrument or voice joined in was a new surprise.

Marita Røstad (vocals, piano) was amazing, and she is known in the area for her solo jazz album and performances.  The main band – consisting of Stian Omenås (trumpet), Daniel Elide (drums), Kurt Sprenger (electric guitar), Magnus Mortensen (contrabass) and Allesandro Elide (percussion) – was amazing.  Each and every one knew their parts and their instruments inside and out.  Of course, what you are undoubtedly most curious about is the part played by Stian Leknes, the man singing most of the Tom Waits lines.  Would he sing in his own voice?  Would he sound like an idiot trying to imitate Tom Waits’ decided growl?  Any doubts about a Tom Waits cover band’s legitimacy were instantly put to rest the moment Stian Leknes opened his mouth.

Leknes, who serves as the vocalist in Trondheim-based metal band Manifest, found the perfect balance between emulation and tastefulness.  His experience screaming in a metal band has most certainly prepared him for the part.  At times, Leknes sounded just like Waits, but never in a bad way.  It was easy to tell that Leknes was singing with a very natural voice, and not forcing the Tom Waits style too much.  Never once did it seem overdone or out of place.

The band played two sets with a short intermission in the middle of the night, so there were more Tom Waits songs than I could list.  Despite the long list of Waits pieces, none of them felt rushed.  Every song was carefully tailored to the band’s strengths, and it was easy to see that the band is passionate about both the work of Tom Waits and the show they are traveling with.  I am a huge Tom Waits fan (and he ranks in my top three artists of all time, easily), but what I am about to say may be blasphemy, so brace yourself.  Though most pieces were really wonderfully made, some songs actually came close to sounding better than the originals.  Any fan will, of course, always prefer Mr. Waits’ original compositions.  But it must be said that the band’s versions of songs like “Singapore”, “Clap Hands”, “Rain Dogs” and the titular “Earth Died Screaming” were simply breath-taking.  The band took already amazing pieces created by one of the best artists alive today and turned them into ten minute jazzy noise-rock epics.  And for that, I must give this band a ton of credit.  Their final piece was the song the show is named after, and it was the most fitting end to a show I have seen in a long time.  It was during this finale that the normal bar patrons – who had earlier been rudely yapping away – finally had no choice but to remain quiet and listen.

Besides the fact that the show was a full night of surprisingly high-quality entertainment, it was the cheapest show I have seen during my time here in Norway.  The shows I have seen advertised thus far in Norway have often ranged between $35 and $80 per ticket, whereas this show cost just over $15 (100 NOK).  Definitely a great deal, and hopefully this is an indication of the ticket price at other stops on the tour.

It is hard to find information about this traveling show online, but there is some basic tour date information available with a little searching.  If you are lucky enough to live in Norway, I highly recommend you check out “Earth Died Screaming (while I lay dreaming of Tom)” at your earliest convenience.  It is hard to say how long this band will be traveling, but it would be a shame if they did not remain together as a band after the tour is over.  Judging by their individual talents and accolades, one would hope that the band could write some quality, original material.

Here are some photos taken from the band’s facebook page:

Here are some of the better Americana music releases for the week of November 24th, 2009.   Things are starting to slow down… this week is mostly imports, but good stuff.  The artist’s names link to their websites or MySpace pages and the CD title links go to either Amazon or CD Baby for easy ordering.

BLUE RODEO – The Things We Left Behind (Phantom Sound & Vision)
This is a 2-CD Canadian import from Canada’a best “Americana” band,  they’ll release a US version in January.

LITTLE KASEY CHAMBERS & THE LOST MUSIC – Kasey Chambers, Poppa Bill And The Little Hillbillies
Deluxe Australian CD + book release from the chart-topper and mother of two.  An album of family friendly songs recorded with father Bill Chambers (Poppa Bill) and the Little Hillbillies plus a gorgeous children’s book entitled ‘Little Kasey Chambers and The Lost Music’.  Contains 16 family-friendly songs in a full color hard cover CD sized book plus a bonus CD featuring an audio reading of the book by Kasey.

HEAD, HANDS AND FEET – Tracks (Import)
Digitally remastered and expanded edition of this 1971 album from the British band led by Albert Lee before he replaced James Burton in Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band.

THE TENNESSEE BOLTSMOKERS – Vintage All American Dream (Madjack)
Third release from this  left of center bluegrass band.   “The idea for the record really started with the title track, which I wrote after spending a day at a flea market thumbing through old vinyl collections and browsing a few thrift shops for some snap shirts and jeans.”

Various Artists – Dim Lights, Thick Smoke & Hillbilly Music: Country & Western Hit Parade 1951 (Bear Family)
This is one of 5 single disc releases on the famous and pricey German label.

TOM WAITS – Glitter and Doom Live (Anti-)
From 2008’s southern US tour,  17 performances hand picked by Waits from along the tour.  Nice deluxe packaging with photo booklet and a 2 CD called “Tom’s Tales” which is his between song banter and stories.  Amazon has a great price…

…coming soon: JIMMY BUFFETT, NEIL YOUNG, (both coming out Dec. 8th)..  more new releases.

Here’s a link to this week’s Americana Music Association  Americana Airplay Chart

Bill Frater
Freight Train Boogie

Isaac Yzaguirre - Austin

I don’t mention music often, but every day seems to have a song that’s put on replay, maddening everyone around me. Today’s musical juxtaposition consists of “Dirtywhirl” by TV on the Radio (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWwwcSsSOvc) and of Tom Waits’ “Blue Valentines.” I’d shelved the two for several months, mainly to forget the events and people those songs represent, but listening to them today is like donning a stretched-out, cozy, and slightly moldy-smelling sweater. Nostalgic and mildly bittersweet. The lyrics to “Blue Valentines” are poetry in their own right, describing the regret-filled memories that dog me; “Dirtywhirl” recalls the girl I was only a year ago: shy, curious, young, naive, and slightly delusional.

Tom Waits
Blue Valentine (1978)
Blue Valentine

She sends me blue valentines
All the way from Philadelphia
To mark the anniversary
Of someone that I used to be
And it feels just like there’s
A warrant out for my arrest
Got me checkin in my rearview mirror
And I’m always on the run
That’s why I changed my name
And I didn’t think you’d ever find me here

To send me blue valentines
Like half forgotten dreams
Like a pebble in my shoe
As I walk these streets
And the ghost of your memory
Is the thistle in the kiss
And the burgler that can break a roses neck
It’s the tatooed broken promise
That I hide beneath my sleeve
And I see you every time I turn my back

She sends me blue valentines
Though I try to remain at large
They’re insisting that our love
Must have a eulogy
Why do I save all of this madness
In the nightstand drawer
There to haunt upon my shoulders
Baby I know
I’d be luckier to walk around everywhere I go
With a blind and broken heart
That sleeps beneath my lapel

She sends me my blue valentines
To remind me of my cardinal sin
I can never wash the guilt
Or get these bloodstains off my hands
And it takes a lot of whiskey
To take this nightmares go away
And I cut my bleedin heart out every nite
And I die a little more on each St. Valentines day
Remember that I promised I would
Write you…
These blue valentines
Blue valentines
Blue valentines

MC Rock - NYC

MC Rock - NYC

MC Rock - NYC

MC Rock - NYC

In light of music… Phoebe (with whom I just spent a week in Chicago) and I met at Interlochen Arts Camp the summer when we were twelve. I attended for piano performance and she for vocal performance, and we were placed in the same Michigan cabin. She later attended the boarding school (for writing) and when I asked about the experience, she recalled “teenagers having frigid sex in the practice rooms [in the woods]“. I clapped my hands delightedly and said, “That’s perfect! Because there were always chipmunks having sex in the pianos when I was there. I’d come in and just beat on the keys for a bit to scare the crap out of them.” Anyway, Phoebe has recently dusted off her fantastic voice and created a youtube channel. This is what she asked me to post, were I to write about her: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtwReLj9hto . And… here’s the drunken Lady Gaga rendition she recorded while I was curled around my phone in her basement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMiANug0rRs . And an outtake, at which I’m heard loudly laughing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik-ITjUuu0o .

Yes, that’s what I did in Chicago. And I shot with Jeffrey David Cohn, which I’d been longing to do since I began to model. And I ate at a Ukrainian deli. And I finally spent time with girls.

Weil Tom Waits’ Reibeisenstimme klang, als gurgele er morgens mit Whisky und atme Luft ausschließlich durch filterlose Zigaretten, bewarfen ihn seine Zuhörer einst mit Obst und Gemüse. Sein neues Live-Album “Glitter & Doom” beweist, dass die Stimme zwar geblieben ist – dass Waits aber sein Publikum, dieses “wilde Tier”, inzwischen vollkommen beherrscht.

Schon auf seinem im Jahr 1973 erschienenen Debüt-Album “Closing Time” weckt Tom Waits unweigerlich Assoziationen an einen betrunkenen Barpianisten – ein Image, das er auch danach noch lange Zeit pflegte. Waits lehnte es von Beginn an ab, mit seinen Songs den Massengeschmack zu befriedigen – selbst den der Jugendkultur nicht. Angesagt waren zu jener Zeit Glam-Rocker wie Gary Glitter und Marc Bolan oder Prog-Rocker wie Mike Oldfield und Manfred Man.

Doch Tom Waits sang düstere, melancholische bis depressive Lieder über romantische Verlierer, die nachts zusammengesunken irgendwo in einer Kneipe rumhängen und über warmes Bier und kühle Frauen lamentieren. Seine Songs klangen wie Vertonungen des berühmten Edward-Hopper-Gemäldes “Nachtschwärmer”, auf dem drei einsame Barbesucher ohne jeden Bezug zueinander sinnlos ihre Zeit absitzen.

Obwohl die Zahl seiner Fans und der verkauften Platten klein blieb, passte sich der am 7. Dezember 1949 geborene Künstler nicht an. Während sich die in den 1980er Jahren alles dominierende Popmusik seicht und eingänglich präsentierte, begann Waits mit seinen “Found Sounds” (gefundenen Klängen) zu experimentieren: Er verwendete fortan auf seinen Alben Gegenstände, die er auf dem Müll gefunden und zu Instrumenten umgebaut hatte. Angeblich setzte ihn sein Label deshalb vor die Tür. Der Chef der Plattenfirma soll sein Album “Swordfishtrombones” (“Schwertfischposaunen”) für unverkäuflich befunden haben, nachdem er einige Demos gehört hatte.

Ausflüge zum Film

Doch Tom Waits blieb sich weiterhin treu. In den 1990er Jahren wurden er und seine Musik bekannter – was auch an einigen Nebenrollen in Filmen lag, die Waits etwa in “Down by Law” oder “König der Fischer” übernommen hatte. Der Sänger hätte seine Popularität leicht weiter steigern können, indem er nur ein paar Alben mehr veröffentlicht und einige Konzerte zusätzlich gegeben hätte.

Stattdessen ließ Waits zwischen seinem 1992er Album “Black Rider” und seinem Album “Mule Variations” sieben Jahre verstreichen. Auf Tour ging er in dieser Zeit nicht und auch danach trat er nur sehr sporadisch auf. Dies könnte ein Grund dafür sein, dass Tom Waits in seiner inzwischen fast 40-jährigen Musikerkarriere keinen Nummer-1-Hit landen konnte. Obwohl sein Name inzwischen längst sehr bekannt ist, schaffte es noch keines seiner Alben in die Top-Ten der Charts.

Hassliebe gegenüber dem Publikum

Seine Aversion gegen Tourneen hat vor allem zwei Gründe: Zum einen hat er keine Lust, seine Familie über Monate hinweg nicht sehen zu können, zum anderen hat er schon seit dem Beginn seiner Karriere ein sehr schwieriges Verhältnis zu seinen Anhängern. Die Hassliebe entstand, als ihn sein erster Manager Herb Cohen im Vorprogramm von Frank Zappa & the Mother of Invention auf Tour schickte. Beim Publikum kam er damals nicht gut an.

“Sie kamen und schmissen Obst und Gemüse auf mich”, sagte er einmal. Seitdem sei das Publikum für ihn ein wildes Tier, das man nicht zu häufig füttern sollte, wie er einmal in einem “Spiegel”-Interview sagte. Und außerdem: “Lange Tourneen, der ganze Stress mit Hotels und fremden Menschen machen mich nur noch mürrischer. Und ich bin auch so schon oft sehr finster gelaunt.”

Abschied vom Barpianisten-Image

Wie gut, dass sich der fast 60-jährige Künstler im vergangenen Jahr doch überwinden konnte und auf Tournee ging. Denn so ist sein 23. Album “Glitter & Doom Live” entstanden – ein Mitschnitt in exzellenter Tonqualität der ausverkauften Tour, die Waits durch die Vereinigten Staaten und Europa führte. Die erste der beiden CDs enthält 17 Lieder, die fast alle im Verlauf der vergangenen 20 Jahren schon einmal veröffentlicht worden sind. Waits hat sie bei verschiedenen Auftritten während seiner Tour gesungen. Allerdings sind sie so gut zusammengeschnitten, dass es klingt, als handele es sich um die Aufnahme eines einzigen Konzerts.

Nur der Song “Live Circus” ist neu – ein Waits-typisches Spoken-Word-Stück mit leichter, musikalischer Untermalung, wie er sie schon in den 1970ern am Barpiano zum Besten gab. Die übrigen Lieder stammen in der Mehrzahl von den beiden Alben “Bone Machine” und “Real Gone” aus den Jahren 1992 und 2004, die wichtige Eckpunkte in Waits Karriere markieren. Auf “Bone Machine” begann er, sich von seinem “Betrunkener-Barpianisten-Image” zu verabschieden, und auf “Real Gone” ist er beim alten Delta-Blues und den Wurzeln des American Folks angelangt. Auf diesem Album verzichtete er erstmals komplett auf das Piano, das bis dahin so charakteristisch für seine Musik war.

Die zweite CD von “Glitter & Doom Live” ist ein reines Spoken-Word-Album, auf dem die vielen skurrilen Geschichten zu hören sind, die Waits auf der Bühne gerne zwischen den Liedern erzählt.

Gedanken an eine Durchfahrtsstraße

Auf seinem neuen Album präsentiert sich Tom Waits in Bestform. Der “Klabautermann des Röchel-Blues”, wie ihn die Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung einmal genannt hat, faucht, krächzt und jault sich durch seine Texte, in denen er bisweilen Geschichten von am Straßenrand verlorenen Träumen erzählt. Dazu Musik, die klingt, als habe Waits Blues, Rock’n'Roll, Jazz, Gospel oder Zirkusmusik in einen Sack gepackt, diesen lange genug geschüttelt und zu Guter letzt noch mit aller Kraft darauf herumgetrampelt. Heraus kommt Waits eigener, kaputt-klingender Sound, der so wunderbar mit seiner Reibeisenstimme harmoniert.

Zwischendrin ist immer mal wieder eine dieser Waits-typischen, brüchigen Balladen versteckt, wie das großartige “Fannin Street”, das Waits ursprünglich John Hammond jr., dem Sohn der Blueslegende John Hammond, für dessen Album “Get Wicked” überließ, und das Waits für sein 2006 erschienenes Album “Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards” dann doch noch aufnahm. Vermutlich hat noch nie jemand in der Musikgeschichte solch überdrüssige Gedanken über eine Durchfahrtsstraße in der texanischen Großstadt Houston gesponnen, wie Waits in diesem Lied.

Keine Hoffnung mehr auf Sonnenschein

Überhaupt der Blues: Der findet sich ziemlich häufig auf “Glitter & Doom Live”. Zum Beispiel “Get behind the mule”, Waits’ ganz eigene Verbeugung vor dem König des Delta Blues, Robert Johnson. Waits erklärte dazu einmal, dass das Lied von dem inspiriert worden sei, was Johnsons Vater einst über seinem Sohn gesagt haben soll: “Das Problem mit Robert ist, dass er morgens einfach nicht hinter sein Maultier kommt, um zu pflügen.”

Flotter geht es dann bei “Goin’ out West” vom 1992er Album “Bone Machine” zu. Ein manischer Bluesrock, bei dem es schwer fällt, sich seinem stumpfen und stampfenden Rhythmus zu entziehen und der den Hörer zwangsläufig in seinen Sog zieht. Eine Wirkung, die Waits Beschwörung “Make it Rain” vom “Real Gone”-Album noch wesentlich stärker entfaltet. Nach diesem Lied hofft niemand mehr auf Sonnenschein. Und mit “I’ll be back some lucky Day” beschließt Waits das Album mit einer Ballade, die wirklich jedes noch nicht versteinerte Herz berühren muss.

Kaum Überraschungen

Insgesamt enthält “Glitter & Doom Live” wenig Neues. Fans kennen die meisten Lieder bereits, wie das bei den meisten Live-Alben der Fall ist. Dennoch steht Waits nicht im Verdacht, sich mit der Veröffentlichung nur eine zusätzliche, leichte Einnahmequelle erschließen zu wollen. Es lohnt sich, das Album zu kaufen, und dafür sorgt Waits selbst. Er präsentiert seine Lieder live in leicht veränderter Form und trägt sie mit einer Innbrunst vor, die man von den Studioalben so nicht kennt.

Doch die überraschendste Erkenntnis des Live-Albums ist: Der fast 60 Jahre alte Waits ist noch immer ein großartiger Dompteur, der das Publikum, dieses wilde Tier, unter Kontrolle hat, mehr noch: der es begeistert und verzückt, wie der Szenenapplaus, der immer wieder mitten in den einzelnen Stücken aufbrandet, beweist. Schade, dass Waits das Tier nur noch so selten füttern will, zumindest in Deutschland. Hier trat er das letzte Mal im November 2004 in die Manege. Es wird langsam mal wieder Zeit.

“Glitter & Doom Live” ist am 20.11.2009 erschienen.

Erschienen am 20. November auf ARD.de

Weil Tom Waits’ Reibeisenstimme klang, als gurgele er morgens mit Whisky und atme Luft ausschließlich durch filterlose Zigaretten, bewarfen ihn seine Zuhörer einst mit Obst und Gemüse. Sein neues Live-Album “Glitter & Doom” beweist, dass die Stimme zwar geblieben ist – dass Waits aber sein Publikum, dieses “wilde Tier”, inzwischen vollkommen beherrscht.

Schon auf seinem im Jahr 1973 erschienenen Debüt-Album “Closing Time” weckt Tom Waits unweigerlich Assoziationen an einen betrunkenen Barpianisten – ein Image, das er auch danach noch lange Zeit pflegte. Waits lehnte es von Beginn an ab, mit seinen Songs den Massengeschmack zu befriedigen – selbst den der Jugendkultur nicht. Angesagt waren zu jener Zeit Glam-Rocker wie Gary Glitter und Marc Bolan oder Prog-Rocker wie Mike Oldfield und Manfred Man.

Doch Tom Waits sang düstere, melancholische bis depressive Lieder über romantische Verlierer, die nachts zusammengesunken irgendwo in einer Kneipe rumhängen und über warmes Bier und kühle Frauen lamentieren. Seine Songs klangen wie Vertonungen des berühmten Edward-Hopper-Gemäldes “Nachtschwärmer”, auf dem drei einsame Barbesucher ohne jeden Bezug zueinander sinnlos ihre Zeit absitzen.

Obwohl die Zahl seiner Fans und der verkauften Platten klein blieb, passte sich der am 7. Dezember 1949 geborene Künstler nicht an. Während sich die in den 1980er Jahren alles dominierende Popmusik seicht und eingänglich präsentierte, begann Waits mit seinen “Found Sounds” (gefundenen Klängen) zu experimentieren: Er verwendete fortan auf seinen Alben Gegenstände, die er auf dem Müll gefunden und zu Instrumenten umgebaut hatte. Angeblich setzte ihn sein Label deshalb vor die Tür. Der Chef der Plattenfirma soll sein Album “Swordfishtrombones” (“Schwertfischposaunen”) für unverkäuflich befunden haben, nachdem er einige Demos gehört hatte.

Ausflüge zum Film

Doch Tom Waits blieb sich weiterhin treu. In den 1990er Jahren wurden er und seine Musik bekannter – was auch an einigen Nebenrollen in Filmen lag, die Waits etwa in “Down by Law” oder “König der Fischer” übernommen hatte. Der Sänger hätte seine Popularität leicht weiter steigern können, indem er nur ein paar Alben mehr veröffentlicht und einige Konzerte zusätzlich gegeben hätte.

Stattdessen ließ Waits zwischen seinem 1992er Album “Black Rider” und seinem Album “Mule Variations” sieben Jahre verstreichen. Auf Tour ging er in dieser Zeit nicht und auch danach trat er nur sehr sporadisch auf. Dies könnte ein Grund dafür sein, dass Tom Waits in seiner inzwischen fast 40-jährigen Musikerkarriere keinen Nummer-1-Hit landen konnte. Obwohl sein Name inzwischen längst sehr bekannt ist, schaffte es noch keines seiner Alben in die Top-Ten der Charts.

Hassliebe gegenüber dem Publikum

Seine Aversion gegen Tourneen hat vor allem zwei Gründe: Zum einen hat er keine Lust, seine Familie über Monate hinweg nicht sehen zu können, zum anderen hat er schon seit dem Beginn seiner Karriere ein sehr schwieriges Verhältnis zu seinen Anhängern. Die Hassliebe entstand, als ihn sein erster Manager Herb Cohen im Vorprogramm von Frank Zappa & the Mother of Invention auf Tour schickte. Beim Publikum kam er damals nicht gut an.

“Sie kamen und schmissen Obst und Gemüse auf mich”, sagte er einmal. Seitdem sei das Publikum für ihn ein wildes Tier, das man nicht zu häufig füttern sollte, wie er einmal in einem “Spiegel”-Interview sagte. Und außerdem: “Lange Tourneen, der ganze Stress mit Hotels und fremden Menschen machen mich nur noch mürrischer. Und ich bin auch so schon oft sehr finster gelaunt.”

Abschied vom Barpianisten-Image

Wie gut, dass sich der fast 60-jährige Künstler im vergangenen Jahr doch überwinden konnte und auf Tournee ging. Denn so ist sein 23. Album “Glitter & Doom Live” entstanden – ein Mitschnitt in exzellenter Tonqualität der ausverkauften Tour, die Waits durch die Vereinigten Staaten und Europa führte. Die erste der beiden CDs enthält 17 Lieder, die fast alle im Verlauf der vergangenen 20 Jahren schon einmal veröffentlicht worden sind. Waits hat sie bei verschiedenen Auftritten während seiner Tour gesungen. Allerdings sind sie so gut zusammengeschnitten, dass es klingt, als handele es sich um die Aufnahme eines einzigen Konzerts.

Nur der Song “Live Circus” ist neu – ein Waits-typisches Spoken-Word-Stück mit leichter, musikalischer Untermalung, wie er sie schon in den 1970ern am Barpiano zum Besten gab. Die übrigen Lieder stammen in der Mehrzahl von den beiden Alben “Bone Machine” und “Real Gone” aus den Jahren 1992 und 2004, die wichtige Eckpunkte in Waits Karriere markieren. Auf “Bone Machine” begann er, sich von seinem “Betrunkener-Barpianisten-Image” zu verabschieden, und auf “Real Gone” ist er beim alten Delta-Blues und den Wurzeln des American Folks angelangt. Auf diesem Album verzichtete er erstmals komplett auf das Piano, das bis dahin so charakteristisch für seine Musik war.

Die zweite CD von “Glitter & Doom Live” ist ein reines Spoken-Word-Album, auf dem die vielen skurrilen Geschichten zu hören sind, die Waits auf der Bühne gerne zwischen den Liedern erzählt.

Gedanken an eine Durchfahrtsstraße

Auf seinem neuen Album präsentiert sich Tom Waits in Bestform. Der “Klabautermann des Röchel-Blues”, wie ihn die Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung einmal genannt hat, faucht, krächzt und jault sich durch seine Texte, in denen er bisweilen Geschichten von am Straßenrand verlorenen Träumen erzählt. Dazu Musik, die klingt, als habe Waits Blues, Rock’n'Roll, Jazz, Gospel oder Zirkusmusik in einen Sack gepackt, diesen lange genug geschüttelt und zu Guter letzt noch mit aller Kraft darauf herumgetrampelt. Heraus kommt Waits eigener, kaputt-klingender Sound, der so wunderbar mit seiner Reibeisenstimme harmoniert.

Zwischendrin ist immer mal wieder eine dieser Waits-typischen, brüchigen Balladen versteckt, wie das großartige “Fannin Street”, das Waits ursprünglich John Hammond jr., dem Sohn der Blueslegende John Hammond, für dessen Album “Get Wicked” überließ, und das Waits für sein 2006 erschienenes Album “Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards” dann doch noch aufnahm. Vermutlich hat noch nie jemand in der Musikgeschichte solch überdrüssige Gedanken über eine Durchfahrtsstraße in der texanischen Großstadt Houston gesponnen, wie Waits in diesem Lied.

Keine Hoffnung mehr auf Sonnenschein

Überhaupt der Blues: Der findet sich ziemlich häufig auf “Glitter & Doom Live”. Zum Beispiel “Get behind the mule”, Waits’ ganz eigene Verbeugung vor dem König des Delta Blues, Robert Johnson. Waits erklärte dazu einmal, dass das Lied von dem inspiriert worden sei, was Johnsons Vater einst über seinem Sohn gesagt haben soll: “Das Problem mit Robert ist, dass er morgens einfach nicht hinter sein Maultier kommt, um zu pflügen.”

Flotter geht es dann bei “Goin’ out West” vom 1992er Album “Bone Machine” zu. Ein manischer Bluesrock, bei dem es schwer fällt, sich seinem stumpfen und stampfenden Rhythmus zu entziehen und der den Hörer zwangsläufig in seinen Sog zieht. Eine Wirkung, die Waits Beschwörung “Make it Rain” vom “Real Gone”-Album noch wesentlich stärker entfaltet. Nach diesem Lied hofft niemand mehr auf Sonnenschein. Und mit “I’ll be back some lucky Day” beschließt Waits das Album mit einer Ballade, die wirklich jedes noch nicht versteinerte Herz berühren muss.

Kaum Überraschungen

Insgesamt enthält “Glitter & Doom Live” wenig Neues. Fans kennen die meisten Lieder bereits, wie das bei den meisten Live-Alben der Fall ist. Dennoch steht Waits nicht im Verdacht, sich mit der Veröffentlichung nur eine zusätzliche, leichte Einnahmequelle erschließen zu wollen. Es lohnt sich, das Album zu kaufen, und dafür sorgt Waits selbst. Er präsentiert seine Lieder live in leicht veränderter Form und trägt sie mit einer Innbrunst vor, die man von den Studioalben so nicht kennt.

Doch die überraschendste Erkenntnis des Live-Albums ist: Der fast 60 Jahre alte Waits ist noch immer ein großartiger Dompteur, der das Publikum, dieses wilde Tier, unter Kontrolle hat, mehr noch: der es begeistert und verzückt, wie der Szenenapplaus, der immer wieder mitten in den einzelnen Stücken aufbrandet, beweist. Schade, dass Waits das Tier nur noch so selten füttern will, zumindest in Deutschland. Hier trat er das letzte Mal im November 2004 in die Manege. Es wird langsam mal wieder Zeit.

“Glitter & Doom Live” ist am 20.11.2009 erschienen.

Erschienen am 20. November auf ARD.de

A live album highlighting the best of Waits' latest tour

PREVIEW: VISIT Tom Waits’ Website
WE GIVE IT: 15/20 Watts

Getting older and piling years onto his prolific career hasn’t worn Tom Waits in the least. In fact, age has had just the opposite effect on the veteran.

For a musician whose work is characterized by a signature blend of bizzaro-noire grittiness, aging has really just added a complimentary texture to the mix. On his latest effort, Glitter & Doom, time mingles perfectly with the polka rhythms, marimbas, bouncing horn lines that teeter like a drunken circus bear, and of course, the grizzled voice that isn’t going to get any less grizzlier any time soon.

This two-disk album of cuts from Waits‘ most recent tour showcases all these fine qualities at work. And the performances are as kicking as they’ve ever been, covering a satisfactory spectrum of songs from all fans’ favorite Waits’-eras.  The album has the right variety of energy levels, from the opening death-march rock of “Lucinda / Ain’t Going Down to the Well,” to the morbid “Dirt in the Ground,” and of course, “Goin’ Out West,” Waits’ hard rock satire of masculinity.

Overall, Glitter & Doom will satisfy the fans, as well as reassure them that Waits, who’s built his musical career on making audio caricatures of gloom, is still as vital as can be.

– Dan Powell

Tom Waits tem um novo disco. E, em caso de dúvida, esclarecemos já no início destas linhas: sim, faz sentido escrever um texto um pouco maior sobre este momento. Mesmo que falemos de um disco ao vivo – “Glitter and Doom Live”, de seu título – e que esta seja, por norma, categoria menor junto de crítica, da comunidade melómana e de alguns executivos da indústria fonográfica. Quanto às razões, enumeramo-las porque a sua simplicidade assim o permite.

Este é um dos mais influentes músicos que a cultura popular pode oferecer a qualquer um dos seus discípulos nos nossos dias. Trabalhasse Tom Waits na redacção de um jornal ou num escritório de advogados e seria “a memória”, o homem com a experiência suficiente para ter sempre a resposta pronta para toda e qualquer questão. Para não nos perdermos no tempo, lembremos apenas algumas das mais recentes e sortidas influências do artista: foi citado por Robert Plant e Alison Krauss em “Raising Sand”, um dos melhores discos de 2007; por Scarlett Johansson na sua estreia como cantora em potência (“Anywhere I Lay My Head”, em 2008, inteiramente construído com canções de Waits); pelos N.A.S.A., colectivo electrónico que convidou os melhores dos melhores para eclectismos urbanos com o carimbo de 2009; ou Norah Jones, que descobriu em Tom Waits a melhor inspiração para o seu novo álbum.

Referimo-nos aqui a uma espécie de bicho-do-mato do mundo das canções, que só faz o que quer quando quer, assumindo um total – mas saudável – desprezo pelos que escutam a sua obra. E, por norma, os que lhe dedicam tempo fazem-no com um apego tão grande que chega a parecer dependência. Não é maldade, é apenas o feitio de quem nunca fez nada para agradar a ninguém. Na verdade, assim que tal aconteceu, num par de momentos na sua vida, Tom Waits decidiu nunca mais fazer tal graça. Vejam-se os casos de “Closing Time”, 1973, ou “Mule Variations”, 1999: as canções perfeitas no momento comercial exacto, que, por isso mesmo, não mais se repetiram.

Raras vezes deixa a sua vida de semiagricultor no Norte da Califórnia para se mostrar em palco. Este narrador de decadências preocupa-se sobretudo com outros, também nobres, valores: a família e a sua vida de homem enamorado. Concertos só quando a saudade aperta, quando o desafio lhe chega aos ouvidos numa noite de boa disposição. E nós, portugueses, a vê-lo passar à distância, num sofrimento contido e silencioso. Por isso, queremos aproveitar as curtas mas suculentas pistas que este novo disco nos deixa para imaginar este vagabundo num palco à nossa frente. Ao escutar, vemos a cacofonia e o improviso; música nascida num ferro-velho de cores vivas; que já passou por bares e balcões bem fumados mas que agora é bem menos rotulável. Ou seja, Tom Waits tem um disco novo.

este texto foi originalmente publicado na edição de 23 de Novembro do jornal ‘i’

When Heath Ledger passed away, there was a lot of stupid talk that focused on whether or not he finished his scenes in The Dark Knight. Being young(er) and stupid, I was guilty of making jokes about this. However, when people realized what was lost in terms of Ledger’s talent, the focus changed to lamenting his unfortunate demise.

Now, comes the trailer for Ledger’s last film.  Whoa, Terry Gilliam, lots of spectacle and magic there!

It will be interesting to see where Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude Law (minus his semester abroad) take the role.  It will also be verrrrry interesting watching Tom Waits play the devil.

THIS WEEK: ghostwriting a ghostwriter & Franz gets lost down the Waits hole

Yesterday I was reading the part in Federman’s “Take It or Leave It” describing Frenchy’s side-business of ghostwriting absurd love letters for his fellow paratrooper-trainees for $5 a pop and I was struck by the detail that the soldiers had him read out loud to the whole barracks not only the letters he was writing for their girlfriends but also the replies the letters got–and soldiers who cheated by reading their response letters privately first were fined an additional dollar for the next letter.  As a break, I decided to write a little song about it called “Cyrano D’Regiment”:

If the recording quality here seems subpar, it’s because I had to use my computer’s built-in microphone since my regular mics are still in the car from our show.  Needless to say the guitar and the vocals are being recorded at the same time (basically the same technique as my medley of songs by The Walkmen but without the nice mic and nice guitar) so there’s unfortunately no way to adjust the levels–for that kind of polish, you’ll have to wait for the Heaps version if it ever gets made . . . complete with saxophone blorts.

Federman passed away recently but he’ll be remembered among the best experimental writers of the second half of the 20th century.  He is most known for his ramshackle post-Beckettian self-revising narratives, his playful page layouts and his evasion and incorporation of autobiographical trauma but he can also be conventionally funny, as well, as in the below reproduction from TIOLI of one the love letters ghostwritten for a fellow trooper:

My Darling, My Treasure, My Lovely Adorable Juicy Peach, My Dear M*******

You cannot imagine how much I thought of you, last night, under my lonely khaki blankets, alone, in my narrow military bed, surrounded by the heavy oppressive solitude of life in army.  I felt, in me, through my flesh torn by the pain of your absence, a suffering of indefinable nature.  the inner emptiness of my soul rang with shrieks and groans;, it was as though needles and knives of fire were piercing my body.

Unable to endure this atrocious suffering, I took my private member in my hands, and feeling it palpitating savagely like a lost animal, no a giant fruit rather, an enormous banana which was pulsating there outside my own body, I began to shake it, to handle it, to squeeze it with all the furor of my desire, and suddenly I felt flowing, full blast, Woosh, a delicious juice that I wanted to transmit immediately to your essential organs.  Ah my dearest reservoir, how much I wanted to feel, at that moment, the wild sugars of my fruit flow in you like a torrent.  How I wanted to hear them burst inside of you like a gun, like a cannon (a 75 millimeters), no, like a volcano, in the deepest parts of you, in your most secret, tender, rare, and unexplored regions.

Ah, if only you knew, my golden treasure, how much I missed you (how much we missed each other) last night, when, alone, naked and vibrant under my military blankets, at the most solitary moment of night in North Carolina my eyes closed, I saw the image of your sweet and soft body sneak next to mine inside my cot.  Ah! dear feathery chicken, adorable pitless peach of tender flesh, smooth and rosy body of such lovely round contours, velvety like a mushroom without tail, little sugared snail, landscape of my inner dreams, if only I could make you feel, yes, how much I wanted (last night but also every night) to penetrate you, with what endless passion, what a huge desire I wanted to rush towards you beyond the mountains, beyond the valleys, beyond the rivers and the canals from under my khaki blankets of loneliness, then you would have known the dimensions of my love, depth of my pool of pleasure, despair of my trembling tools, sources of my frantic appetite and frustration.  I see in my dreams your voluptuous greedy hips and your adventurous thighs, hardly ripe, avidly open to receive, there in that moist furry meadow of yours, the harvest of my nocturnal cultivation.

It goes on like that.

BONUS: On the third Bros K. album, I wrote a song called “Third Best Boxer In Hoboken” that I wanted Franz to sing.  I told him I was looking for a delivery “kind of like Tom Waits” and he paid very close attention to my request:

This week I’m going a totally different route as far as my selection goes. I think this is going to be the new format for “New Music Monday”. (If you don’t like it or if you do, let me know!!) I end up coming across a lot of information on artists when I do these posts and I think most of my readers would enjoy learning as much about the artists as I have. I love learning their story and when you listen to their music you get an even better appreciation for it.

Last week, I believe it was Tuesday or Wednesday, I went through my recent followers and did the whole, “Hmmm…lets see who’s following so I can follow back” thing. I came across an interesting avatar, saw the name @seanfournier, clicked the link and read the bio: “Singer/songwriter, FREE ALBUM http://www.sean-fournier.com/ohmy, designer” So I thought, “Eh…what the heck, its free and new…” So I downloaded the 6 song EP and spent most of the day listening to it.

As I mentioned last week, sometimes it takes a listen or two or four to really start to like a new artist, but the first song on the EP, Oh My, is “Broken Stereo” and it had me hooked about 6 bars in! I instantly had Donavon Frankenreiter/Jack Johnson flashbacks.

Later that day, I did a little bit more digging on Mr. Fournier and came across his blog and started reading. The first post that really caught my eye was an interview he did with The Creative Uncommons.

SF: I’ve heard many descriptions. One that I like is, ’soft yet edgy”. Gary Allen from the Charlie Daniels Band said, “He reminds me of an early Paul Simon that has no job opportunity for a Garfunkle.” My grandmother says my style is “love songs”. Without actually naming a genre I would say that my music is Jason Mraz meeting Jack Johnson in a house with Tom Waits peering in through the window.



Of course, I see my homeboy Jack Johnson mentioned and I’m instantly intrigued (in case you live in a cave, I LOOOOVE Jack and all his Jackness). But its a very unique self-description. So I read on, hoping to find out why this guy is literally giving his music away and to be honest, what I found was amazing.

TCUC: Your free album ‘Oh My’ has been incredibly successful so far with 126,000 listens on Jamendo alone, not to mention its spread through all the other outlets you’ve used for promotion, plus you’re still actively trying to get it out there for people to listen to, do you feel like you’ve ‘made it’ as a musician? Or is there more left to do?



SF: I feel very satisfied with where I am right now. I am by no means this huge mainstream artist, but I think the music industry is shifting and artists no longer have to be signed to a label. With the use of the Internet, the power has begun to shift to resourceful unsigned artists. So with that said, then yes, I do feel I’ve ‘made it’. I have signed licensing deals with VH1 and MTV by myself and that, to me, is something that I am very proud of.



TCUC: As well as being an online hit you’ve also done extensive live shows, how’ve you found the experience of performing to a crowd? Something to look forward to? Or just an interlude between the song writing and creation?



SF: Playing shows is a ton of fun! I love connecting and interacting with fans. I mainly play colleges in the Northeast and it’s cool to allow people to hear my music in a different way. I’ve made the choice to not become a touring artist with the interest of my future wife and family in mind. I do not want to have a family with their father always on the road. So shows will be a fun thing to look forward to here and there.



TCUC: With ‘Oh My’ you invested a lot of time, effort and resources into promoting it and getting new listeners, has it been worth it? Is self promotion a viable model for you or are you still keeping half an eye out for that big commercial release?



SF: It has been more than worth it. If it weren’t for ‘Oh My’, I never would’ve signed those licensing deals and most of all, never would’ve gotten my music out there as much as I did. My fanbase practically grew tenfold. My biggest dream for my music right now would be to be featured in a movie or on TV.



TCUC: You’ve said that you’ve got enough material together for a new album, when will it be emerging into the light of day? And what can people expect from it musically?



SF: I am currently recording another 6-track EP. It will hopefully be seeing the light of day early 2010, realistically. Musically, fans can expect to hear a little acoustic songs, piano, even a slight hint of hip hop. I like to change up styles, so I can guarantee each song will be a little different.



TCUC: And, to satiate the fans who hate parting with their money, will your next effort be another free release?



SF: I’m still deciding on that one. I need to somehow support the album financially. I have a few ideas in the works of how I’m going to manage that. I have found that it’s much more fun to give things away, but we’ll have to see!



TCUC: From the point of view of the free music community yours is undoubtedly one of the biggest names but you’ve also gotten a lot of mainstream attention, not least from MTV, which is pretty impressive, do you feel that you’ll one day reach the point where you’ll move away from the Creative Commons and free music scene to do more within the traditional music world?



SF: At this point, no. I think the traditional music world isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I love giving ‘Oh My’ for free. I just want people to hear it. That means much more to be than being signed with a label. I just love making music and I want people to help me spread the word. If I can somehow make cover costs and still make it easy to get my music out there, I will be happy.



TCUC: You’ve undoubtedly got your own online following going on but do you feel like part of something bigger? There are an increasing number of musicians putting out their work for free, some coming from an established career in the commercial world and most just starting up, is there a sense that you’re part of the movement that’s emerging here?

SF: I definitely feel like it’s part of something big. I think it’s going to separate the music industry into those who are out to make money, and those who just want to get their name out there. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to make money on my music, but I feel I have to get my music out there even more so. Maybe one day people would donate to the cause or something.



TCUC: Have you got any particular favourites particular favourites from the free music world?



SF: I thought it was cool that Coldplay gave out a free live album called, ‘Left Right Left Right Left’. Went to one of their concerts and I received it. I thought they were pretty cool.



TCUC: What’s the ultimate goal for Sean Fournier? Where, in a few years time, would you ideally be with your music? Yachts full of groupies and mountains of cash or still dealing with the fans on a more personal level?



SF: I would love to be able to have such a following that I could record albums at my house, release them, cover my costs, and get featured on soundtracks.



It is SOOO refreshing to see an artist honestly love his music so much that he’s willing to just give it away for free. And the fact that he has no intention of being a touring artist so he can stay home with his family is amazing. In the age of hip-hop superstars making BOAT LOADS of money on mediocre music, its almost SHOCKING to come across an artist willing to sacrifice so much to simply give people a chance to listen to their art for practically nothing, and in this case…literally, nothing.

He’s also going to be creating a compilation CD made up entirely of cover songs from “Oh My” done by fans. How cool is that?! He says,

I’m excited to hear what people will record. It’s always interesting to see what kind of personal spin someone puts on a song when they are covering music. This project aims to celebrate the diversity among my listeners. Whether the cover songs are rap, country, electronica, or whatever… It should make for an interesting project.

I’m actually quite excited to hear it! The CD will be titled, “Oh Brother Take Cover”.

Now on to the other tracks on the EP…

The song “Another Like You” is one of my favorites (truth be told, its so hard to say that because I really do like them all). Its one of the most honest and sweet love songs I’ve heard in a long time. The lyrics are very sweet and I can’t help but feel a little Ben Folds Five-y when I listen to it. The arrangement is just wonderful to my ears and to be quite honest, I can’t find any flaws.

Ok, I lied before…”Falling for you” is my absolute favorite. Its cute, catchy and I heard it a few days after having a dream about someone texting me to say they were coming over, and I woke up from my dream fully expecting that person to just be there…and when you hear the song, you’ll see where that fits in. So I guess its a bit of a sentimental attachment here, but regardless, its a great song. The piano is very simple and lovely, almost makes me thing that he’s just a guy who sat down at the piano one day this song just fell out of his brain. Kind of like something you’d see in a movie.

The last song I’m going to post is “Holding The Hand Of The Hurricane”, when I hear it I get the Sesame Street song, “One of these things is not like the other…” in my head for a minute. Once you listen you’ll see what I’m talking about. Its got a very latin sound-think Shakira ballad or Enrique Iglesias-ish, which when you compare to the others I’ve posted, its very different. That being said, the lyrics fall right in line with the previous tracks but it does provide a nice contrast to the other songs on the EP.

I suggest you download the free, yes, it’s absolutely free, EP and give the whole thing a listen. He’s a great artist and is working very hard to promote his music. Fact of the matter is, I’m a fan now. And damnit, you should be too!

La semana pinta bien…

Lunes: Take me home (I love your glasses) – Russian red

Martes: Ashes of american flags (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot) – Wilco

Miércoles: Devuelveme la pasta que me debes (Principios Básicos de Astronomía) – Los planetas

Jueves: Magia (Mentiroso mentiroso) – Ivan Ferreiro

Viernes: Rains on me (Orphans) – Tom Waits

Sábado: See the sun ( Konk )- The kooks

Domingo: En la habitación (La fabulosa historia) – Zahara

Escúchala ya en Spotify

Y tu, ¿tienes una playlist que quieras compartir con Mentes Inquietas? Envíala a patineta598@gmail.com

Sólo hay una regla: 7 Días de la semana, una canción por día.

La pondremos por aquí seguro!!!

Now I am sure that will get plenty of people’s attention…

For a limited time, you can head on over to the official Tom Waits website to download an 8-track preview of the new Glitter and Doom live album, due for release on November 24. Glitter and Doom collects the best of Waits’ 2008 tour of the same name and as a bonus, the release will also feature a second disc collecting the best between song banter from the tour, edited together into a 35min continuous monologue. Now there aren’t many artists who could even contemplate releasing a CD of their stage banter, but for an artist like Waits, this is often where the real magic is captured. So while the downloads are free (and approved by the artist) head on over for your slice of Glitter and Doom.

This first video by Jonathan Boulet is called Community Service Announcement. It is absolutely amazing…Just a really great ‘feel good’ song and video.

Music: NASA ft. Kool Keith & Tom Waits
Video: Fluorescent Hill

Jeg har egentlig alltid favorisert Asylum-perioden i Tom Waits karriere. Pre-Swordfishtrombones, på en måte. Den håpløse drankeren. Beat-poeten. Romantikeren. Jeg holder forsåvidt fortsatt en knapp på denne perioden, når alt kommer til alt, men i det siste har jeg gjenoppdaget de virkelig dystre sidene ved forbildet mitt. Bone Machine er så drøyt bra at det nesten er litt sykt.

What does it matter, a dream of love
Or a dream of lies
We’re all gonna be the same place
When we die
Your spirit don’t leave knowing
Your face or your name
And the wind through your bones
Is all that remains

I dag har jeg hjemlengsel. Jeg gleder meg veldig til å komme hjem til jul.

that voice. nothing compares.

Junto con Kool Keith y Tom Waits.

Jazz2nite