Granted, I go all wobbly-kneed at the mention of a new Tom Waits album, but the brand new Bad As Me is fantastic. Its ballads sound a lot like many another Waits ballad–never bad, but not really breaking new ground. Some of the upbeat pieces, though, astound with their crazy rhythmic stews. There’s some excellent unhinged guitar from Marc Ribot and Keith Richards, too.
There’s even a strange sort of local connection: the tragedy of Belchertown Marine Jeff Lucey, who committed suicide after returning from Iraq, is obliquely referenced in “Hell Broke Luce,” the story of an apparently fictional soldier named “Geoff Luce.”
It’s out soon, but you can check out samples and view a “private listening party” video at Tom Waits’ site here.
