I was married with a cassette of "Rain Dogs" in my pocket. The marriage lasted 12 years, but the impact of Tom Waits' finest work lives on. There are many reasons why "Rain Dogs" is so special; The variety of mood and tone, the vivid imagery, the balance of humor and pathos are among them. But the most unique thing about it to me is the fact that everyone I know familiar with "Rain Dogs" has their particular favorites. "Singapore", "Time" and "Downtown Train" are most often cited, but I've heard praise singled out for many others. I am myself, a huge fan of "Jockey Full of Bourbon", "Tango Till They're Sore" and "Gun Street Girl". The singing throughout is vintage Waits and so incomparable, while the woozy carnival of music alternates between down and dirty and rootsy dignity. For those unfamiliar, or even put off by Tom Waits' personae, this is the perfect introduction, as well as being his most enduringly fine work.

Waits married.Re-invented himself on several different levels as an artist,he was already a brilliant one,but this change turned him into a monster,right up there with ANYBODY.How he accomplished such a feat,I truly do not know,perhaps his wife had something to do with it,they became writing partners,and ever since his songs just got better,WHATEVER did occur-I think deserves alot of credit,it's hard to imagine improvement on what he already was.Of course it all started with "swordfishtrombones"which is a study of perfection run amok.And sounds really great intersparsed with his previous effort,the 'transition' piece "One From The Heart" which was probably just a soundtrack,but seemed to come from some special place,as special as pairing him up with Crystal Gayle.A brave move,much more so than if Bette Midler had proved available.And naw,I ain't tryin'to down one for the other,I'm just sayin'(I'm not sayin'nothin'I'm just talkin')But I can't get anybody to like "One From The Heart",but have never had any problem getting the same individuals to froth at the mouth when I played'em "Rain Dogs"No surprise,as it is still his masterpiece.But I agree with the reviewer who added that "Alice" almost gives it a run for it's money."Alice" was just fantastic,but then again-all of Waits'stuff is-from "Closing Time to "Real Gone"This man has never released a mediocre album.Hell,he's never cut a bad track in his life.And the way he tours is very wise.Of his re-invented material circa 1983-2004 what I hear is Kurt Weill/Bertolt Brecht along with all the other usual suspects.But Waits is a street poet of the highest order and could hold court any day right along with all the heavy kitty cats we know and love.He wears his influences on his sleeve,but they're just garnishment-because 98% of it IS Waits and Brennan.So,if you wanna be really cool,my advice is to sell all of your Little Jimmy Osmond bootlegs and reinvest your earnings in Tom Waits albums instead.Naw,I'm just kidding (I'm a kidder)Enjoying Waits has nothing to do with anything as empty and shallow as being cool,at least I hope not.If it does "let's get'em all jacked-up on whiskey and turn the mad dogs loose"

Tom Waits is never boring and Rain Dogs is a particularly interesting collection of songs. There is a lot going on here! Highly reccomended!