Customer Reviews

Closing Time

5 star:		(65)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Have long been a fan - most unusual voice which is truly used as a instrument on each track Waits has ever cut. This CD is one of my favorites !

Before Tom Waits became so uniquely original he was simply a balladeer. Back in 1973 Tom Waits wasn't singing about those topics that only he could think of like the 'Big Black Maria' (Rain Dogs) or cookin up a 'Filipino Box Spring Hog' (Mule Variations). No, back then he sang about love.

Below is my take on each song on the album. It is not a perfect album. There are some weak tracks. But it is an album that every self respecting music fan should own.

Ol' 55 - Arguably the best song he has ever written and that is saying quite a bit for such a legendary musician.

I Hope That I Don't... - From a great song to this you may think he's not as good as you thought. Be patient, it gets better. This song is reminiscent of the Bob Dylan song 'Eternal Circle' (See the 'Bootleg Series Vol. 1-3'). It is told in that conversational style that Dylan used. In my opinion, one of the weaker tracks, but still not so bad you would want to skip it.

Virginia Avenue - A jazzy song that is a little glimpse of what is to come from Tom Waits.

Old Shoes - This is what country music should sound like. A great song with an inviting groove.

Midnight Lullaby - Sounds best after two or three Jack and Coke's. Another great one.

Martha - Beautiful. If I weren't a grown man it would make me cry. If you've ever tried to reconnect with a lover you wish you never lost, this song will take you back to how you felt.

Rosie - A 'come back lover' song that actually sounds cool.

Lonely - Here's where the album takes a down turn. This is very much a skip-able track. A good reason why sometimes you shouldn't write music on the piano. Sometimes it just doesn't work to be signing the same notes you're playing.

Ice Cream Man - Waits comes out swinging with a rock-a-billy "I don't want to hang up my Rock 'n Roll shoes" type song (If you don't know what I'm talking about go buy The Band's 'Rock of Ages' Album). Not bad, but it sounds like a stretch for him at the time.

Little Trip... - By this point in the album I'm a little tired of the ballads and this doesn't help. In contrast to the love songs that were done well this one is lacking lyrically and musically.

Grapefruit Moon - Not bad, but by this time it is clear that his best material has been used up.

Closing Time - Instrumental. A nice way to close out the album.

So to sum up. If you don't own it, buy it.

Closing Time is not as dark or quirky as some of the later Tom Waits albums and is an excellent introduction if you are unfamiliar with his music. This album is a beautiful blend of blues and jazz with a hint of country for good measure all delivered by Toms' wonderful smoky, gravelly voice. Although a lot more mellow than later offerings such as Rain Dogs and Swordfish, that indefinable uniqueness that is Tom Waits is still visible.

Particularly outstanding are the tracks `Midnight Lullaby', `Martha' and `Grapefruit Moon' although there isn't a single track on this CD that isn't good on this near perfect album. This is one to put on when the lights are low and you just want to kick off your shoes and relax.

Without a doubt, Waits' best work (yes, I'm getting on my stump - above "Small Change", and I have them all...). Tom's lyrics are easy, profound, and are shared with passion and ease. Top props go to "Martha" - there is no concise way to capture the deep emotion of these lyrics.

Thank you, Tom, for giving us "Martha", "Grapefruit Moon", "Closing Time", and all of the other amazing songs on this record; in a loose way, you gave us the soundtrack to Bukowski's "You Get So Alone at Times...". To all other Waits fans, or those checking out Tom for the first time, absolutely get this record.

Tom Waits is a brilliant singer/songwriter, and a true performer. This artist has accomplished quite a bit in his long and interesting career. However, his best work still remains his first effort. CLOSING TIME is filled with classics that transport you to perhaps a different time, and a place where you are surrounded by ragamuffins dwelling on wrong turns that they made in life that have led them to where they are now. The songs are stories, told by a master storyteller. I recommend this album as an introduction to Tom Waits, as well as the "Early Years" CDs. Enjoy!

If I had to choose an album that changed my life and the way I listen and play it's Closing Time.

Here are some of the album's highlights:
Ol' 55's laid back country charm is now a classic. The backing vocals are memorable and the piano arrangement is simple yet brilliant.

I Hope that I Don't Fall in Love with You strikes you as a simple ballad at first. Then it becomes a part of you. The guitar arrangements and that beautiful lyrical pause: "Now it's closing tiiiiime...... the music's fading out" is perfect.

The bluesy Virginia Avenue with its muted trumpet is gorgeous. It foreshadows future masterpieces such as Fumblin' with the Blues and Invitation to the Blues.

Midnight Lullaby has the same Virginia Avenue feel. Great trumpet arrangements and closes out with a great "lullabying" piano.

Martha is one of the highlights of the album. The opening lines are full of melancholy and beautiful melodies. Then comes the change of tempo with the "weeping" strings and Tom's penetrating voice. Amazing.

Grapefruit Moon has to be one of the greatest songs of all time. Something truly "breaks inside".

And the closing instrumental Closing Time is the perfect finisher. One of the great masterpieces of the 20th century.

Its a rarity in rock and roll that you find an album like this one. Strong melodies, inspired lyrics, and just plain well executed performances from a 22 year old Waits. There isn't a throw away track on here (ok, Lonely, but that's it. And even that isn't unbearable).

I'm not even a huge Waits fan (Rain Dogs gave me the willies), and I'm a harsh critic, but this album really does warrant five stars.

It's not the beat Tom, and it's not the later, husky, noisy Tom. It's poetic and, yes, sentimental. But not without humor and not without all things that make Tom Waits who he is.

Of what I would categorize as his "sentimental" albums, I think this is the best. "Martha" is just so wonderful; I play it over and over in my car. In fact, when I try to take this CD out of my car, it's back within a week. (I see there's no "Martha" clip here; give "I hope I don't fall in love with you" a listen for a great representation.)

I do love "Small Change" and "Rain Dogs" and those of that ilk, but if you're looking for *this* Waits-genre I'd easily recommend "Closing Time" over the soundtrack w/Crystal Gayle, et.al. One of my favorite albums ever.

30 years since it came out, the entire album is timeless and stands on its own. I've heard covers of "Ol'55", and "I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love With You" as well as various songs used in movies, but anyone who likes the current wave of singer-songwriters HAS TO HAVE this at least. Springsteen's debut came out the same year, and it just doesn't compare. You can hear similarities between Bruce, Waits, Tim Buckley, Harry Chapin, Jim Croce,and Billy Joel around this time, but this is also where the similarities ended.

This is a good starter, and a safer bet than plunging into "Swordfishtrombones", "The Black Rider" or "Bone Machine". The famous gruff voice he'd use in a couple of years was just beginning to show.

This is a great album. Tom Waits at his earliest and best. This is the perfect starter for anyone who wants to become a fan of one of the greastest and most orignal songwriters ever. I highly recomend it. A great driving CD.