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{{cquote|Bad As Me is Tom Waits’ first studio album of all new music in seven years. This pivotal work refines the music that has come before and signals a new direction. Waits, in possibly the finest voice of his career, worked with a veteran team of gifted musicians and longtime co-writer/producer Kathleen Brennan. From the opening horn-fueled chug of “Chicago,” to the closing barroom chorale of “New Year’s Eve,” Bad As Me displays the full career range of Waits’ songwriting, from beautiful ballads like “Last Leaf,” to the avant cinematic soundscape of “Hell Broke Luce,” a battlefront dispatch. On tracks like “Talking at the Same Time,” Waits shows off a supple falsetto, while on blues burners like “Raised Right Men” and the gospel tinged “Satisfied” he spits, stutters and howls. Like a good boxer, these songs are lean and mean, with strong hooks and tight running times. A pervasive sense of players delighting in each other’s musical company brings a feeling of loose joy even to the album’s saddest songs.<ref name="party" />}}
{{cquote|Bad As Me is Tom Waits’ first studio album of all new music in seven years. This pivotal work refines the music that has come before and signals a new direction. Waits, in possibly the finest voice of his career, worked with a veteran team of gifted musicians and longtime co-writer/producer Kathleen Brennan. From the opening horn-fueled chug of “Chicago,” to the closing barroom chorale of “New Year’s Eve,” Bad As Me displays the full career range of Waits’ songwriting, from beautiful ballads like “Last Leaf,” to the avant cinematic soundscape of “Hell Broke Luce,” a battlefront dispatch. On tracks like “Talking at the Same Time,” Waits shows off a supple falsetto, while on blues burners like “Raised Right Men” and the gospel tinged “Satisfied” he spits, stutters and howls. Like a good boxer, these songs are lean and mean, with strong hooks and tight running times. A pervasive sense of players delighting in each other’s musical company brings a feeling of loose joy even to the album’s saddest songs.<ref name="party" />}}


The album was made available to stream on October 17, 2011<ref>{{cite web|title=Stream the New Tom Waits Album &#124; News &#124; Pitchfork|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/44315-stream-the-new-tom-waits-album/|work=[[Pitchfork Media]]|author=Jenn Pelly|date=October 17, 2011|accessdate=October 24, 2011}}</ref> and released digitally on [[iTunes]] on October 21,<ref name="iTunesa">{{cite web|title=Bad as Me (Deluxe Edition) by Tom Waits - Preorder Bad as Me (Deluxe Edition) on iTunes|url=http://itunes.apple.com/us/preorder/bad-as-me-deluxe-version/id458386332|work=[[iTunes Store]]|date=August 23, 2011|accessdate=August 24, 2011}}</ref> where it was previously available for pre-order. Domestic verions of the album were released worldwide on October 24, 2011<ref name="release" /> in three formats: a [[digipak]] [[Compact disc|CD]] version with a 32-page booklet and free [[Music download|digital download]] in [[Free Lossless Audio Codec|FLAC]], [[AAC]] or [[MP3]]; a deluxe edition two-CD version with 40-page booklet and free digital download; and a 180 gram [[Gramophone record|LP]] and CD with a lyric sheet and free digital download.<ref name="kings">{{cite web|title=Featured Items &#8226; The Official Tom Waits Online Store :: powered by Kings Road Merch|url=http://kingsroadmerch.com/tom-waits/|work=Kings Road Merch|year=2011|accessdate=August 23, 2011}}</ref>
The album was made available to stream on October 17, 2011<ref>{{cite web|title=Stream the New Tom Waits Album &#124; News &#124; Pitchfork|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/44315-stream-the-new-tom-waits-album/|work=[[Pitchfork Media]]|author=Jenn Pelly|date=October 17, 2011|accessdate=October 24, 2011}}</ref> and released digitally on [[iTunes]] on October 21,<ref name="iTunesa">{{cite web|title=Bad as Me (Deluxe Edition) by Tom Waits - Preorder Bad as Me (Deluxe Edition) on iTunes|url=http://itunes.apple.com/us/preorder/bad-as-me-deluxe-version/id458386332|work=[[iTunes Store]]|date=August 23, 2011|accessdate=August 24, 2011}}</ref> where it was previously available for pre-order. Domestic verions of the album were released worldwide on October 24, 2011<ref name="release" /> in three formats: a [[digipak]] [[Compact disc|CD]] version with a 32-page booklet and free [[Music download|digital download]] in [[Free Lossless Audio Codec|FLAC]], [[AAC]] or [[MP3]]; a deluxe edition two-CD version with 40-page booklet and free digital download; and a 180 gram [[Gramophone record|LP]] and CD with a lyric sheet and free digital download.<ref name="kings">{{cite web|title=Featured Items &#8226; The Official Tom Waits Online Store :: powered by Kings Road Merch|url=http://kingsroadmerch.com/tom-waits/|work=Kings Road Merch|year=2011|accessdate=August 23, 2011}}</ref> ''Amanda Petrusich'', writing for [[Pitchfork Media]], said that the album's "tracks are concise and expertly edited", adding that "''Bad As Me'' feels as new as it does ancient, awarding the album 8.1/10.<ref>http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15961-bad-as-me/</ref>


==Reception==
{{Album reviews
| MC = (90/100)<ref>http://www.metacritic.com/music/bad-as-me/critic-reviews</ref>
| rev1 = [[Allmusic]]
| rev1Score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>http://www.allmusic.com/album/bad-as-me-r2284842/review</ref>
| rev2 = [[The A.V. Club]]
| rev2Score = (A-)<ref>http://www.avclub.com/articles/tom-waits-bad-as-me,63845/</ref>
| rev3 = [[Clash (magazine)|Clash]]
| rev3Score = (10/10)<ref>http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/tom-waits-bad-as-me</ref>
| rev4 = [[The Daily Telegraph]]
| rev4Score = {{rating|5|5}}<ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/cdreviews/8838937/Bad-as-Me-Tom-Waits-CD-review.html</ref>
| rev5 = [[Drowned in Sound]]
| rev5Score = (9/10)<ref>http://drownedinsound.com/releases/16605/reviews/4143872</ref>
| rev6 = [[Entertainment Weekly]]
| rev6Score = (A-)<ref>http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20538115,00.html</ref>
| rev7 = [[The Guardian]]
| rev7Score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/oct/20/tom-waits-bad-as-me-review</ref>
| rev8 = [[The Independent]]
| rev8Score = {{rating|5|5}}<ref>http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-tom-waits-bad-as-me-anti-2373505.html</ref>
| rev9 = [[Pitchfork Media]]
| rev9Score = (8.1/10)<ref>http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15961-bad-as-me/</ref>
| rev10 = [[Rolling Stone]]
| rev10Score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/bad-as-me-20111025</ref>
| rev11 = [[Slant Magazine]]
| rev11Score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/tom-waits-bad-as-me/2660</ref>
| rev12 = [[Spin magazine|Spin]]
| rev12Score = (8/10)<ref>http://www.spin.com/reviews/tom-waits-bad-me-anti</ref>
}}
The album was released to widespread critical acclaim. At [[Metacritic]], which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 90, based on 27 reviews, which indicates "Universal Acclaim".<ref>http://www.metacritic.com/music/bad-as-me/critic-reviews</ref> [[Allmusic]]{{'}}s ''Thom Jurek'' said that "Bad as Me is an aural portrait of all the places he's traveled as a recording artist, which is, in and of itself, illuminating and thoroughly enjoyable", awarding the album four out of five stars.<ref>http://www.allmusic.com/album/bad-as-me-r2284842/review</ref> ''Helen Brown'' of [[The Daily Telegraph]] praised the album's "rattling bawlers", adding that each were "distinctively turbocharged with reckless and richly textured energy", while also mentioning that the "ballads run poignantly on their rims, leaking emotion", and gave the album five out of five stars.<ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/cdreviews/8838937/Bad-as-Me-Tom-Waits-CD-review.html</ref> ''Michael Wheeler'', in his 9/10 review for [[Drowned in Sound]], praised its "exhilarating, terrifying, heartbreaking, tear jerking, bone-rattling style",<ref>http://drownedinsound.com/releases/16605/reviews/4143872</ref> ''Andy Gill'' in [[The Independent]] praised the album for containing "no filler at all" and gave it top marks,<ref>http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-tom-waits-bad-as-me-anti-2373505.html</ref> while ''Noel Murray'' called it "Waits’ embrace of a legacy that now includes enshrinement in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame", concluding that "for longtime fans it’s a fun reminder of Waits’ ability to be a badass when necessary" before awarding the album a grade of A-.<ref>http://www.avclub.com/articles/tom-waits-bad-as-me,63845/</ref> ''Dave Simpson'' in [[The Guardian]], awarding the work a 5-star rating, called Waits's lyrics "as unpredictable and inspired as ever", while claiming his "songs hurtle past in waves of blistering energy and imagery".<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/oct/20/tom-waits-bad-as-me-review</ref> [[Rolling Stone]]{{'}}s ''Will Hermes'' spoke highly of the album in four out of five star review, saying that it was Waits's "most sharply focused record since the game-changing tag team Swordfishtrombones and Rain Dogs decades ago".<ref>http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/bad-as-me-20111025</ref> ''Amanda Petrusich'', writing for [[Pitchfork Media]], said that the album's "tracks are concise and expertly edited" and that it "feels as new as it does ancient", giving ''Bad As Me'' the score of 8.1/10.<ref>http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15961-bad-as-me/</ref> In a very positive review for [[Slant]] ''Jesse Cataldo'' gave the album four out of five stars, stating that ''Bad As Me'' was "a self-affirming collection of the things Waits attempts to represent",<ref>http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/tom-waits-bad-as-me/2660</ref> and, in an equally positive appraisal, ''Dan Weiss'' of [[Spin]] gave it 8/10 and said that the album "burns at fuse speed".<ref>http://www.spin.com/reviews/tom-waits-bad-me-anti</ref>
==Track listing==
==Track listing==
{{Track listing
{{Track listing

Revision as of 10:49, 26 October 2011

This article is about the album. For the song, see Bad as Me (song).
Untitled

Bad as Me is the seventeenth studio album by American rock musician Tom Waits, released on October 21, 2011 by ANTI- Records.[1] The album is known to have been recorded as early as February 2011[2] and was officially announced for release on August 23, 2011 on Waits' official web site[3] and various social media networks. On the same day, the title track, "Bad as Me," was released as the album's first single on iTunes.[4]

The album is Waits' first album consisting completely of new material in seven years since Real Gone (2004). Waits' label, ANTI-, recently agreed on a distribution deal with Warner Music Group allowing them to release the album internationally. This marks Waits' first release through the Warner organization since Heartattack and Vine (1980).

Background

In October 2004, Tom Waits released his sixteenth studio album, Real Gone. The subsequent Real Gone Tour saw Waits tour North America and Europe extensively throughout October and November in promotion of the album. Following the tour, Waits returned to his side career of acting and in 2005, he appeared in the Tony Scott film Domino as a soothsayer. In the same year, he also appeared as himself in Roberto Benigni's romantic comedy La Tigre e la Neve, set in occupied Baghdad during the Iraq War, a war which influenced material on Real Gone.

In November 2006, Waits released a 54-song three-disc box set of rarities, unreleased tracks, and new compositions, Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards. The box set also continued Waits' new-found interest in politics with "Road to Peace," a song about the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The album was a major commercial and critical success and is currently included in Metacritic's list of the "All-Time High and Low Scores"[5] at number 10, as of August 2011. In May 2008, the Glitter and Doom Tour was announced, though only initially meant to include tour dates in the southern United States. However, ANTI- subsequently announced a series of dates in the United Kingdom, Ireland and mainland Europe.[6] The tour lasted for almost three months, commencing on June 17 in Arizona and concluding in Dublin, Ireland on August 1. Selected recordings from the tour were compiled and released on the live album, Glitter and Doom Live, released worldwide on November 23, 2009.

In early 2011, Waits released a set of 23 poems entitled Seeds on Hard Ground alongside portraits by Michael O'Brien and was inducted in to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Neil Young on March 14.[7] Upon his induction, Waits stated "they say I have no hits and that I'm difficult to work with... like it's a bad thing."[8]

Release

On August 16, 2011, amid the rise of many rumours concerning Bad as Me, Waits announced on his official web site and through various social media outlets[9][10] that he would "set the rumors straight" on August 23. On this date, the title track was released as a digital single through iTunes[4], a video with previews of the album was released on YouTube,[11][12] and was followed by a press release on his site and ANTI-'s blog, which read:

Bad As Me is Tom Waits’ first studio album of all new music in seven years. This pivotal work refines the music that has come before and signals a new direction. Waits, in possibly the finest voice of his career, worked with a veteran team of gifted musicians and longtime co-writer/producer Kathleen Brennan. From the opening horn-fueled chug of “Chicago,” to the closing barroom chorale of “New Year’s Eve,” Bad As Me displays the full career range of Waits’ songwriting, from beautiful ballads like “Last Leaf,” to the avant cinematic soundscape of “Hell Broke Luce,” a battlefront dispatch. On tracks like “Talking at the Same Time,” Waits shows off a supple falsetto, while on blues burners like “Raised Right Men” and the gospel tinged “Satisfied” he spits, stutters and howls. Like a good boxer, these songs are lean and mean, with strong hooks and tight running times. A pervasive sense of players delighting in each other’s musical company brings a feeling of loose joy even to the album’s saddest songs.[3]

The album was made available to stream on October 17, 2011[13] and released digitally on iTunes on October 21,[14] where it was previously available for pre-order. Domestic verions of the album were released worldwide on October 24, 2011[1] in three formats: a digipak CD version with a 32-page booklet and free digital download in FLAC, AAC or MP3; a deluxe edition two-CD version with 40-page booklet and free digital download; and a 180 gram LP and CD with a lyric sheet and free digital download.[15] Amanda Petrusich, writing for Pitchfork Media, said that the album's "tracks are concise and expertly edited", adding that "Bad As Me feels as new as it does ancient, awarding the album 8.1/10.[16]

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic(90/100)[17]
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[18]
The A.V. Club(A-)[19]
Clash(10/10)[20]
The Daily Telegraph[21]
Drowned in Sound(9/10)[22]
Entertainment Weekly(A-)[23]
The Guardian[24]
The Independent[25]
Pitchfork Media(8.1/10)[26]
Rolling Stone[27]
Slant Magazine[28]
Spin(8/10)[29]

The album was released to widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 90, based on 27 reviews, which indicates "Universal Acclaim".[30] Allmusic's Thom Jurek said that "Bad as Me is an aural portrait of all the places he's traveled as a recording artist, which is, in and of itself, illuminating and thoroughly enjoyable", awarding the album four out of five stars.[31] Helen Brown of The Daily Telegraph praised the album's "rattling bawlers", adding that each were "distinctively turbocharged with reckless and richly textured energy", while also mentioning that the "ballads run poignantly on their rims, leaking emotion", and gave the album five out of five stars.[32] Michael Wheeler, in his 9/10 review for Drowned in Sound, praised its "exhilarating, terrifying, heartbreaking, tear jerking, bone-rattling style",[33] Andy Gill in The Independent praised the album for containing "no filler at all" and gave it top marks,[34] while Noel Murray called it "Waits’ embrace of a legacy that now includes enshrinement in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame", concluding that "for longtime fans it’s a fun reminder of Waits’ ability to be a badass when necessary" before awarding the album a grade of A-.[35] Dave Simpson in The Guardian, awarding the work a 5-star rating, called Waits's lyrics "as unpredictable and inspired as ever", while claiming his "songs hurtle past in waves of blistering energy and imagery".[36] Rolling Stone's Will Hermes spoke highly of the album in four out of five star review, saying that it was Waits's "most sharply focused record since the game-changing tag team Swordfishtrombones and Rain Dogs decades ago".[37] Amanda Petrusich, writing for Pitchfork Media, said that the album's "tracks are concise and expertly edited" and that it "feels as new as it does ancient", giving Bad As Me the score of 8.1/10.[38] In a very positive review for Slant Jesse Cataldo gave the album four out of five stars, stating that Bad As Me was "a self-affirming collection of the things Waits attempts to represent",[39] and, in an equally positive appraisal, Dan Weiss of Spin gave it 8/10 and said that the album "burns at fuse speed".[40]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan

No.TitleLength
1."Chicago"2:15
2."Raised Right Men"3:24
3."Talking at the Same Time"4:14
4."Get Lost"2:42
5."Face to the Highway"3:43
6."Pay Me"3:14
7."Back in the Crowd"2:49
8."Bad as Me"3:10
9."Kiss Me"3:41
10."Satisfied"4:05
11."Last Leaf"2:56
12."Hell Broke Luce"3:57
13."New Year's Eve"4:32
Total length:44:44
Deluxe edition[15] and pre-order[14] bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
14."She Stole the Blush"2:50
15."Tell Me"3:43
16."After You Die"2:47

Personnel

Musicians
Technical personnel

Reception

At the site Metacritic, it enjoys "universal acclaim" (90 out of 100) based on 27 Critics.

Release history

Region Date Format Label
Germany[41] October 21, 2011 Digital download ANTI-
Ireland[42]
France[43] October 24, 2011
Spain[44]
United Kingdom[45]
Canada[46] October 25, 2011
United States[47]

References

  1. ^ a b "Tom Waits Private Listening Party!". ANTI-. August 23, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  2. ^ "Tom Waits | News | Tom Waits". TomWaits.com. February 24, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Tom Waits | News | Tom Waits' Private Listening Party". TomWaits.com. August 23, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  4. ^ a b "Bad As Me - Single by Tom Waits - Download Bad As Me - Single on iTunes". iTunes Store. August 23, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  5. ^ "Metacritic Music High and Low Scores". Metacritic. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  6. ^ "Tom Waits On-Sale Information - WITH EUROPEAN DATES". ANTI-. May 7, 2008. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  7. ^ "Tom Waits: inducted in 2011 | The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  8. ^ "BBC News - Neil Diamond joins Rock and Roll Hall of Fame". BBC. March 15, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  9. ^ "There have been..." Facebook. August 16, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  10. ^ "Twitter / @tomwaits: There have been rumblings..." Twitter. August 16, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  11. ^ "Tom Waits' Private Listening Party - YouTube". YouTube. August 22, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  12. ^ Theo Spielberg (August 23, 2011). "Tom Waits Announces 'Bad as Me' Album, Releases Title Track as Single - Spinner". Spinner. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  13. ^ Jenn Pelly (October 17, 2011). "Stream the New Tom Waits Album | News | Pitchfork". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
  14. ^ a b "Bad as Me (Deluxe Edition) by Tom Waits - Preorder Bad as Me (Deluxe Edition) on iTunes". iTunes Store. August 23, 2011. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
  15. ^ a b "Featured Items • The Official Tom Waits Online Store :: powered by Kings Road Merch". Kings Road Merch. 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  16. ^ http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15961-bad-as-me/
  17. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/music/bad-as-me/critic-reviews
  18. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/bad-as-me-r2284842/review
  19. ^ http://www.avclub.com/articles/tom-waits-bad-as-me,63845/
  20. ^ http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/tom-waits-bad-as-me
  21. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/cdreviews/8838937/Bad-as-Me-Tom-Waits-CD-review.html
  22. ^ http://drownedinsound.com/releases/16605/reviews/4143872
  23. ^ http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20538115,00.html
  24. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/oct/20/tom-waits-bad-as-me-review
  25. ^ http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-tom-waits-bad-as-me-anti-2373505.html
  26. ^ http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15961-bad-as-me/
  27. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/bad-as-me-20111025
  28. ^ http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/tom-waits-bad-as-me/2660
  29. ^ http://www.spin.com/reviews/tom-waits-bad-me-anti
  30. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/music/bad-as-me/critic-reviews
  31. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/bad-as-me-r2284842/review
  32. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/cdreviews/8838937/Bad-as-Me-Tom-Waits-CD-review.html
  33. ^ http://drownedinsound.com/releases/16605/reviews/4143872
  34. ^ http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-tom-waits-bad-as-me-anti-2373505.html
  35. ^ http://www.avclub.com/articles/tom-waits-bad-as-me,63845/
  36. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/oct/20/tom-waits-bad-as-me-review
  37. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/bad-as-me-20111025
  38. ^ http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15961-bad-as-me/
  39. ^ http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/tom-waits-bad-as-me/2660
  40. ^ http://www.spin.com/reviews/tom-waits-bad-me-anti
  41. ^ "Bad As Me (Deluxe Edition) von Tom Waits - Bad As Me (Deluxe Edition) bei iTunes vorbestellen". iTunes Store.
  42. ^ "Bad As Me (Deluxe Edition) by Tom Waits - Preorder Bad As Me (Deluxe Edition) on iTunes". iTunes Store.
  43. ^ "Bad As Me (Deluxe Edition) de Tom Waits - Pré-commander Bad As Me (Deluxe Edition) sur iTunes". iTunes Store.
  44. ^ "Bad As Me (Deluxe Edition) de Tom Waits - Pide por anticipido Bad As Me (Deluxe Edition) en iTunes". iTunes Store.
  45. ^ "Bad As Me (Deluxe Edition) by Tom Waits - Preorder Bad As Me (Deluxe Edition) on iTunes". iTunes Store.
  46. ^ "Bad As Me (Deluxe Edition) by Tom Waits - Preorder Bad As Me (Deluxe Edition) on iTunes". iTunes Store.
  47. ^ "Bad As Me (Deluxe Edition) by Tom Waits - Preorder Bad As Me (Deluxe Edition) on iTunes". iTunes Store.
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