Top tracks — play these first
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Tom Traubert’s Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind in Copenhagen) — This track serves as a hallmark of Waits' ability to blend poetic storytelling with melancholic melodies, capturing feelings of longing and nostalgia.
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Step Right Up — With its frenetic pace and biting satire, this song exemplifies Waits' knack for social commentary wrapped in humor and absurdity.
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I Wish I Was in New Orleans (in the Ninth Ward) — This song showcases Waits' deep emotional connection to place, painting a vivid picture of longing for home through rich imagery and heartfelt delivery.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
Waits blends storytelling with diverse instrumentation, creating a unique sound that resonates over time.
What we noticed
- Several tracks incorporate unconventional instrumentation, such as the use of piano, brass, and percussion to create a smoky, barroom atmosphere.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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7/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- introspective storytelling moments
- dynamic emotional journeys
- smoky, atmospheric ambiance
- wave-like pacing experience
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — Established Tom Waits' reputation with critical acclaim and notable tracks like 'Tom Traubert’s Blues'.
- Career context
- Released in 1976, Small Change was Tom Waits' third studio album, following the acclaimed The Heart of Saturday Night. At this point in his career, Waits was establishing himself as a distinctive voice in music, blending elements of jazz and blues with his unique narrative style. This album solidified his reputation for crafting vivid characters and evocative storytelling.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Leonard Cohen· Nick Cave· Captain Beefheart
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Tom Traubert’s Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind in Copenhagen) 6:39
- 2 Step Right Up 5:43
- 3 Jitterbug Boy (Sharing a Curbstone With Chuck E. Weiss, Robert Marchese, Paul Body and the Mug and Artie) 3:44
- 4 I Wish I Was in New Orleans (in the Ninth Ward) 4:53
- 5 The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me) (An Evening With Pete King) 3:40
- 6 Invitation to the Blues 5:24
- 7 Pasties and a G‐String (at the Two O’Clock Club) 2:32
- 8 Bad Liver and a Broken Heart (in Lowell) 4:50
- 9 The One That Got Away 4:07
- 10 Small Change (Got Rained On With His Own .38) 5:07
- 11 I Can’t Wait to Get Off Work (and See My Baby on Montgomery Avenue) 3:17
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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