Waits' music has been covered by more than a few artists, the best known of which are Rod Stewart and Bruce Springsteen, neither of whom are heard on this cd.

Leaning slightly towards alternative music, this cd features songs from Tom Waits performed as versions covering a wide range of musical styles - country, punk, alternative, rock and even one song adapted to rap. As the range of the music goes well beyond the standard listening range of most people, you'll likely find yourself consistently skipping one or two tracks.

Here's what you'll get for your money:

Old Shoes performed by Drugstore

Not a particularly memorable song to begin with, this rock version is not bad. Not very memorable either, but not bad.


Mockin' Bird performed by Tindersticks

Kind of lazy but pleasant melodies on the background, and a lazy voice singing the song. An interesting version, but not the best of the album.


Better Off Without a Wife performed by Pete Shelley

A punk version of the original ballad. I'm not a fan of punk, and know very little of it, but this song didn't strike me as a very good example of the genre.


Red Shoes By The Drugstore performed by The Wedding present

A fairly good alternative/rock version of the original. I still think that Waits does it better...


Step Right Up performed by Violent Femmes

This alternative song with mildly insane atmosphere spiralling deeper to madness towards the end is one of the few interpretation that convinced me to recommend this album. The lead vocalist really puts himself into this song. This is one of my favourites from Waits, so I'm glad to see a cover this good. This, I think, is one of few songs on the cd that equalled the original.

Strangely (if you know Waits), the original version is performed in a much more conservative, mainstream manner. Subsequently, this song is NOT for mainstream audiences.


Downtown performed by Alex Chilton

Not a bad version at all of the original Tom Waits classic. Jazzy rock, nice vocals.


Big Joe And Phantom 309 performed by Archers Of Loaf

As a storyteller/poet/singer/songwriter, Waits has several "songs" which are more like poetry reading, or story telling with music on the background. This song is of that type, it is a story of an encounter with the ghost of a truck driver.

This is a good version, easily rivalling the original. The background is perfectly fitting, and sets just the right mood for the inspired reading of the lead "singer".


You Can't Unring a Bell performed by These Immortal Souls

Great backgrounds, a lead singer with an interesting voice that I didn't like very much. Still, not a bad version at all. Suspenseful atmosphere.


Pasties And a G-String performed by Jeffrey Lee Pierce

This raunchy tongue-in-cheek song about a strip tease joint is turned into rap by the aforementioned artist. Never liked rap, but then again this does not seem like a prime example of the genre. This is the track where I generally end up pressing the skip button.


Christmas Card From a Hooker In Minneapolis performed by Magnapop

A song with brilliant lyrics about a prostitute writing from jail to an ex-boyfriend. It is a prime example of Waits' unique skill to describe sad but very humane situations without making judgements - like a true neutral narrator.

This performance is one of the gems of the album - the lead singer of Magnapop really knows her business. The style is alternative again, resembling a really good poetry reading with fitting music on the background. Again, like "Step Right Up", this is really alternative, and not for you if you don't like to stray too far from the mainstream.


Ol'55 performed by Dave Alvin

A countryish song originally, this version is pure country. I don't listen to country, but I have to admit that this is kind of beautiful. The backgrounds stray a little bit from traditional country, but the singing leaves no room for doubt. If you like country, I think you might love this song.


Jersey Girl performed by Pale Saints

The most famous song on the album (I think this is the song that was also covered by Bruce Springsteen). This version is a slow one with slightly strange backgrounds. A pretty version but nowhere near as memorable as Wait's original.


Martha performed by Tim Buckley

This song is very faithful to the original. The greatest difference is the voice of the singer - while Waits has a rough, low, wild, whiskey-made voice, Buckley has surely never had a drink in his life. His voice is quite angelic. This version will sink into the mainstream audience like a knife in hot butter - the song, after all, is very good.


Ruby's Arms performed by Frente!

I like this version. The voice of the lead singer of FRENTE! (Angie Heart, I think) is quite beautiful and original, and works quite well with the song. Not quite as good as the original, but close. Again, those who shy away from the rough voice of Waits will love this version.

Frente!'s comment of the song: "Ruby's Arms is simply the saddest song ever written". They're not far from the truth, the lyrics are quite heartbreaking.


I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You performed by 10,000 Maniacs

Again a good version, fairly similar to the original. No radical changes here, this last song of the album can easily be appreciated and adored by any average-joe-off-the-street. Clever and beautiful lyrics, as so often is the case with the American National Treasure also known as Tom Waits.

The overall impression I got was quite contradictory - moments of brilliance mixed in with some pretty bad performances.

Recommended: Yes