Tom Waits – Bone Machine

I finally took a deep dive and crossed my fingers. My local record store had one copy. I took it home, immediately put it in the Record Doctor machine. The results are surprisingly better than I expected. Of course, the inevitable TW remastered vinyl snaps and crackles and pops, but still good dynamics on my copy. Although the volume is very low so you have to adjust accordingly on your system, but whatever. Hoping a second cleaning gets rid of some of these pops. Seemed to help on “Rain Dogs”.

About my review below: I am not refering to the cd but definitively referencing the 2023 remastered black vinyl!!!

I have this one https://www.discogs.sie.com/release/1117158-Tom-Waits-Bone-Machine which sounds absolutely fantastic. I had high hopes for this remaster but man is this disapointing: no punch no oompf half of the scrapyard percussion seems missing and no bass and just a lot of treble. Pressing is terrible too, it is a brand new record and it cracks and pops like a wood fire. My 31 year old Bob Ludwig version has less surface noise, more depth, more detail more space ... just more of everything! This is just NOT good! Such a shame ....

This GZ press is terrible. Too much static despite cleaning. Rather lifeless pressing of a wonderful album. This is going back.

This is a very diverse album difficult to consume without repeated plays over time , took me years to really get it , but I have to say now I rate it in his top ten . That’s the genius of Tom waits though is it not ?

Why on earth isn't this easier to find? Lawyers at Island?????????? Come on, guys, you could make some money here! I had to buy a Frank's Wild Years from Greece - even with postage it was cheaper than a US copy with US postage! Come on, lawyers, get them out there! Lose the masters???? [Call this both a taunt and a plea - please?]

A leftfield miracle of junkyard percussion and deranged poetry. Like some mad scientist crossed Bob Dylan's pensive prose writings with the intricate disarray of Konono Nº1 drum beats. What we end up with is an album of crooked story lines and unsettling imagery sung in Tom Waits' wretched, beautiful tenor, laced with crunchy honky-tonk riffs and bent-metal grooves. Some of the tracks are solemn country ballads, while other parts are disorienting, strangely danceable Voodoo jangles. In keeping with most Tom Waits pursuits, a quick read through the lyrical content reveals a very literary and introspective character, carefully presenting himself in a way that seems so harried as to push you away, while simultaneously intoxicating you enough to stay.

I've got an original promo full cd copy in longbox still sealed. But can't find the release on here. I'll have to list it ..