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Amazon.co.uk Review
Tom Waits's hipster persona began to evaporate at the beginning of the 1980s, but not before he released the transitional-- but eminently worthwhile--Heartattack and Vine, which contained "On the Nickel", a Dickensian tale of street life, and "Jersey Girl," a song Bruce Springsteen gave a far wider airing to on his Live 1975-1985 box set. You can hear hints of Waits's style growing more trenchant on songs like "Downtown" and the stark, bluesy title track, which contains the immortal line "Don't you know there ain't no devil / That's just God when he's drunk." Indeed. --Daniel Durchholz
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
You might remember, some years ago now, a bizarre Levi's advert with a funeral procession in it and a strange blues track that begins 'Liar Liar, your pants on fire'. That was a Screaming Jay Hawkins cover of the Tom waits track 'Heart Attack and Vine'. An absolutely fantastic white trash blues ramble that pretty much sums up this album.
If 'The Heart of Saturday Night' is the sound of a down-and-out pulling it all together for a late night performance in a jazz club, this is the sound of the morning after. The art work on the cd features Tom Waits' face on a yellowing newspaper and the music sounds like that of someone who has just woken up on a park bench wrapped in this newspaper. It's downbeat blues with the vocals of someone really trying to shake off their hangover.
'Heart Attack and Vine' is superb - so original. 'Downtown' is sleazy blues, 'Til the Money Runs Out' is edgy and paranoid, 'Mr. Siegal' is a drunken brawl waiting to happen. 'On the Nickel' and 'Ruby's Arms' sound like ballads from a Gershwin musical, if Gershwin had ever written anything about tramps in Times Square.
This album bridges the gap between Waits' earlier work and his later experimental output. If you haven't heard much Waits, the closest thing I can think of is the slower, more sentimental, tracks by The Pogues - think 'Fairytale of New York' only spread out across the year rather than just a Christmas song. It's as far from the sanitised output of your average record label as you can get and should be worth a listen on that basis alone...
If 'The Heart of Saturday Night' is the sound of a down-and-out pulling it all together for a late night performance in a jazz club, this is the sound of the morning after. The art work on the cd features Tom Waits' face on a yellowing newspaper and the music sounds like that of someone who has just woken up on a park bench wrapped in this newspaper. It's downbeat blues with the vocals of someone really trying to shake off their hangover.
'Heart Attack and Vine' is superb - so original. 'Downtown' is sleazy blues, 'Til the Money Runs Out' is edgy and paranoid, 'Mr. Siegal' is a drunken brawl waiting to happen. 'On the Nickel' and 'Ruby's Arms' sound like ballads from a Gershwin musical, if Gershwin had ever written anything about tramps in Times Square.
This album bridges the gap between Waits' earlier work and his later experimental output. If you haven't heard much Waits, the closest thing I can think of is the slower, more sentimental, tracks by The Pogues - think 'Fairytale of New York' only spread out across the year rather than just a Christmas song. It's as far from the sanitised output of your average record label as you can get and should be worth a listen on that basis alone...
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
One day I borrowed a cassette from a colleague. .... But when the tape ended and it auto-turned over to other side ... I was astounded and drawn into a dark, beautifuly tragic musical landscape! ...the likes I haven't heard before.
It was Heart attack and Vine.
The first listen was magic. After that I was a Waits convert.
I loved this album, I love this man.....
I played it to friends late one night after the pub, and its still great to see peoples expressions when hearing the first track for the first time. Brilliant! Drive to it! Sleep to it! Just buy it and enjoy.
It was Heart attack and Vine.
The first listen was magic. After that I was a Waits convert.
I loved this album, I love this man.....
I played it to friends late one night after the pub, and its still great to see peoples expressions when hearing the first track for the first time. Brilliant! Drive to it! Sleep to it! Just buy it and enjoy.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
i am a huge fan but if you have never heard any Tom Waits ..this is as good an introduction as any. What an underated artist. I have heard/got all of his stuff and as a social/commentary,pertinent observer on alinenation/vignette wizzard/humorist/ wit/
needless to say..do yourself a favour ..just hear a c.d. and hopefully you will agree.
Modern day Oscar Wilde crossed with Jean Genet?
needless to say..do yourself a favour ..just hear a c.d. and hopefully you will agree.
Modern day Oscar Wilde crossed with Jean Genet?
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Tom Waits-Heart Attack and Vine
Top album, don't know why this has not been in my Waits collecton, quite a few tracks I have not heard before, cannot stop listening to 'Call me Baby' backing music is haunting. Read more
Published 2 months ago by jonjo749
Some of the best tracks ever
On the Nickel - worth it just for that. Great lyrics, great music...very emotional. Jersey Girl - great track too. And of course Heartattack & Vine. Best Tom Waits album.
Published 3 months ago by GOS
waits does the blues
His second and final blues album, before reinventing himself once again, this album sprints out of the blocks with the powerful and mesmerising title track. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Biffer Spice
Tom waits...
It`s interesting that this somewhat sloppy, slobby effort came, in 1980, a couple of years after the impeccable, dazzling Blue Valentine, and only months before he met his... Read more
Published 8 months ago by GlynLuke
Wonderful Waits
What can I say? If you're reading this, you must be a Waits fan so why the hell haven't you got it?? Read more
Published 17 months ago by Marlandpictures
GREAT ALBUM
Tom Waits releases a great album!! Not an unusual headline, because he nearly always releases great albums. But, this is particulary great. Read more
Published on 3 Aug 2009 by Mr. Sr Harrup
Ballads and talking blues
This was the place I discovered the magic of Tom Waits. I appreciate his flowing ballads more than his talking blues style, and this album has plenty of both. Read more
Published on 3 Dec 2002 by Pieter
Classic Tom on Top Form!
THis is a must-have for all Waitsheads. "Ruby's Arms" is one of the saddest, most amazing heart-break songs ever written by Tom or anyone I can think of. Read more
Published on 11 Oct 2000 by msmith@tasis.com
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