2023 Marks forty years since Tom Waits released Swordfishtrombones, ushering in a new and critically acclaimed musical era for Waits and his longtime songwriting and production partner, Brennan. Waits went from ‘70’s-era “bluesy, boozy” wordsmith and melodist with seven albums behind him to sound sculptor, miner of the subconscious, abstract orchestrator, sonic cubist—while retaining his innate lyricism, melodic invention, humanity. As he put it in a 1983 interview: “I tried to listen to the noise in my head and invent some junkyard orchestral deviation—a mutant apparatus to drive this noise into a wreck collection.” It’s a Waits-arranged pastiche, a variety of atmospheres from different sound planets. There is the warped, marching-army-ants music of “Underground,” an impressionist chant about people living below cities, but there was also the poignancy of the spare piano ballad, “Soldier’s Things,” the good bar yarn, “Frank’s Wild Years”, the tender, minimalist paean to Waits’ wife and muse, Kathleen, “Johnsburg, Illinois,” and the raggedy anthem to neighborhood chaos, “In the Neighborhood.”
“On Swordfishtrombones, Waits has made a breakthrough – he’s found music as evocative as his words. Waits’s grumble of a voice now bounces off a peculiar assortment of horns and percussion and organ and keyboards, as if he’d led a Salvation Army band into a broken-down Hong Kong disco. It’s as if he’s shifted from monologues to screenplays…” - Jon Parales January 1984 - GQ Magazine
The album is newly remastered for the first time ever from the original EQ’ed ½” production master tape and personally overseen by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan. Mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering under the guidance of Waits’ longtime audio engineer, Karl Derfler. The album packaging has also been restored. Available on 180g black vinyl.
Tracklist
Side A
#
Title
Length
1
Underground
1:58
2
Shore Leave
4:14
3
Dave The Butcher
2:15
4
Johnsburg, Illinois
1:32
5
16 Shells From A 30.6
4:30
6
Town With No Cheer
4:22
7
In The Neighborhood
3:04
Side B
#
Title
Length
1
Just Another Sucker On The Vine
1:42
2
Frank's Wild Years
1:50
3
Swordfishtrombone
3:00
4
Down, Down, Down
2:10
5
Soldier's Things
3:15
6
Gin Soaked Boy
2:20
7
Trouble's Braids
1:18
8
Rainbirds
3:14
5996637enfalse
28743237725
product
https://thesoundofvinyl.us/products/tom-waits-swordfishtrombones7117402374237Swordfishtrombones29.99https:products/swordfish-lp.pnghttps:products/swordfish-lp.pngUSDInStock1LP1737824011171980s1742023230371LP159653855325All293856608349All Products (excl. Pre-Order)305436622941All Shop Inventory159825166429Alternative & Indie Rock306598641757Black Friday / Cyber Monday Sale261824020573Classic Albums Under $100261824118877Classic Albums Under $50261231444061Free Ship268731580509Gen X Collection269367115869Gen X Collection269171392605Graduation Caps & Guitars Collection159793774685Heavyweight Vinyl159795970141Island278990717021Island Vinyl Reissues304111059037Labor Day Sale - 1LP173813334109Live312160452701Memorial Day Sale 2026158855594077ROCK159637733469Rock and Roll306914852957Sale- Applicable 2026261198774365Summer Sale260924768349SUMMER25159722209373Tom Waits293027217501Vintage Vinyls174300758109Vinyl
2023 Marks forty years since Tom Waits released Swordfishtrombones, ushering in a new and critically acclaimed musical era for Waits and his longtime songwriting and production partner, Brennan. Waits went from ‘70’s-era “bluesy, boozy” wordsmith and melodist with seven albums behind him to sound sculptor, miner of the subconscious, abstract orchestrator, sonic cubist—while retaining his innate lyricism, melodic invention, humanity. As he put it in a 1983 interview: “I tried to listen to the noise in my head and invent some junkyard orchestral deviation—a mutant apparatus to drive this noise into a wreck collection.” It’s a Waits-arranged pastiche, a variety of atmospheres from different sound planets. There is the warped, marching-army-ants music of “Underground,” an impressionist chant about people living below cities, but there was also the poignancy of the spare piano ballad, “Soldier’s Things,” the good bar yarn, “Frank’s Wild Years”, the tender, minimalist paean to Waits’ wife and muse, Kathleen, “Johnsburg, Illinois,” and the raggedy anthem to neighborhood chaos, “In the Neighborhood.”“On Swordfishtrombones, Waits has made a breakthrough – he’s found music as evocative as his words. Waits’s grumble of a voice now bounces off a peculiar assortment of horns and percussion and organ and keyboards, as if he’d led a Salvation Army band into a broken-down Hong Kong disco. It’s as if he’s shifted from monologues to screenplays…” - Jon Parales January 1984 - GQ MagazineThe album is newly remastered for the first time ever from the original EQ’ed ½” production master tape and personally overseen by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan. Mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering under the guidance of Waits’ longtime audio engineer, Karl Derfler. The album packaging has also been restored. Available on 180g black vinyl.
Tom Waits#.free-ship1580C80scollectionaec_quantity_avail: low stockGenre Parent: Alternative & Indie Rockgenre: RockHOLIDAY24label: ISLANDliveMB-Invisiblemusic-productproduct_data_source: aec_updateSale-Applicablestreet_date: 20230922sub_genre: Rock & RollSUMMER25TSOV-274.1UDMEMORIAL26vinyl_weight: 180add-to-cart41089142521949Default Title29.99https:https://thesoundofvinyl.us/products/tom-waits-swordfishtrombones?variant=41089142521949InStockDefault Title
