Tom Waits - Heartattack And Vine (1980/2018) [Official Digital Download 24/192]

The final Asylum album from 1980 couldn't be more different than Waits' '73 debut - his voice sounds like the marvellous ruin that we know and love today, the ballads remain (On the Nickel is beautiful and even Springsteen took a crack at Jersey Girl) but it's the twisted warped blues of the title track that points the way to the extraordinary world of Swordfishtrombones.

"Heartattack and Vine, Tom Waits' first album in two years and his last of seven for Asylum Records, is a transitional album, with tracks like the rhythm-heavy title song and "'Til the Money Runs Out" foreshadowing the sonic experiments of the Island albums, while piano-with-orchestra tracks like "Saving All My Love for You" and "On the Nickel" (written as a motion-picture title tune) hark back to Waits' Randy Newman-influenced early days. It is just as well that Waits never entirely gave up on the ballad material; "Jersey Girl," a Drifters-style song, is a winner, and it was appropriated by Bruce Springsteen on his 1981 tour. Also, at least at this point, the rougher tunes all tended to sound the same." (William Ruhlmann, AMG)

Tracklist:
01. Heartattack And Vine 4:50
02. In Shades 4:25
03. Saving All My Love For You 3:42
04. Downtown 4:45
05. Jersey Girl 5:12
06. ‘Til The Money Runs Out 4:26
07. On The Nickel 6:20
08. Mr. Siegal 5:15
09. Ruby’s Arms 5:36

Personnel:
Tom Waits, vocals, electric guitar, piano
Ronnie Barron, Hammond organ, piano
Roland Bautista, guitar, twelve-string guitar
Plas Johnson, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone
Michael Lang, piano
Larry Taylor, bass
Greg Cohen, bass
Jim Hughart, bass
"Big John" Thomassie, drums
Victor Feldman, percussion, chimes, glockenspiel
Bob Alcivar, string arrangement, orchestral arrangement, conductor
Jerry Yester, orchestral arrangement, conductor

Recorded June 16-July 15, 1980 at Filmways/Heider Studio B, Hollywood, California
Produced by Bones Howe

Digitally remastered