Tom Waits | Kind of Bleu

Kind of Bleu’s top albums of 2011, with links to each review in the countdown.

Honorable Mentions:
Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Stuart Duncan & Chris Thile – The Goat Rodeo Sessions
Dawes – Nothing Is Wrong
I’m From Barcelona – Forever Today
Panda Bear – Tomboy
My Morning Jacket – Circuital

20. Chris Thile & Michael Daves – Sleep With One Eye Open

19. Fucked Up – David Comes to Life

18. Paul Simon – So Beautiful or So What

17. Wild Flag – Wild Flag

16. Tom Waits – Bad as Me

15. The Head and the Heart – The Head and the Heart

14. James Blake – James Blake

13. The Mountain Goats – All Eternals Deck

12. Wilco – The Whole Love

11. Feist – Metals

10. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring for My Halo

9. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – It’s a Corporate World

8. Middle Brother – Middle Brother

7. Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire

6. The Decemberists – The King Is Dead

5. M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

4. The Antlers – Burst Apart

3. Destroyer – Kaputt

2. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues

1. Bon Iver – Bon Iver

16. Tom Waits – Bad as Me

Bad as Me opens with the frenetic pulse of saxophones on “Chicago.” The rhythm pumps like a locomotive, and Waits takes his place as the bizarre conductor by yelling “All aboard!” at the end.

The antique imagery of a train is perfect for Waits. He incorporates Vaudeville, jazz and powerful rhythms into something wholly his own — classic but completely fresh. Waits has evolved over the years, but even at his most outlandish, it feels as timeless as his early nightclub piano ballads.

Waits’ voice is a bit of an acquired taste, but the gravel-throated minstrel is actually an excellent singer. His rough edges are part of what makes Waits so unique and so good.