Amazon.com Tom Waits pulled off a neat trick with the 1983 release of Swordfishtrombones: he disengaged himself from the present (and his own recent achievements) and allied himself with the past. And yet no one could accuse him of becoming mired in nostalgia. A decade before the phrase lo-fi gained favor, Waits purposely ravaged his songs by stomping them into peculiar shapes and utilizing arcane instruments and recording techniques to further bend them into new kinds of aural sculptures. The result was a genuine musical breakthrough. Beautiful Maladies gathers 23 tracks from Waits's seven post-Swordfishtrombones Island LPs. These pretty/ugly tracks provide a riveting view of Tom's wild years. While at least four Waits Island titles qualify as essentials, Beautiful Maladies and the 1988 live set, Big Time, provide compact introductions to a matchless body of work. --Steven Stolder Product description Tom Waits – Beautiful Maladies (The Island Years) / 23 Classic Songs, More Than 70 Minutes Of Music / Featuring Downtown Train, Hang On St. Christopher, Temptation / Island Records Audio CD 1998 / 524 519-2 UPC 731452451927 /// Beautiful Maladies: The Island Years is a Tom Waits compilation album, consisting of previously released songs from his years recording with Island Records, most notably from the albums Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs, Big Time and Franks Wild Years. The tracks were selected by Tom Waits. The album was released in 1998, but represents Waits's output from 1983 to 1993. /// Label: Island Records – 524 519-2 Format: CD, Compilation, Digipak Country: UK & Europe Released: Jun 15, 1998 Genre: Rock Style: Blues Rock /// Tracklist: 1 Hang On St. Christopher Alto Horn, Arranged By [Horns] – Greg Cohen Drums – Michael Blair Effects [Leslie Bass Pedals] – William Schimmel Guitar – Marc Ribot Tenor Saxophone – Ralph Carney Vocals – Tom Waits 2:42 2 Temptation Arranged By [Vocals] – Kathleen Brennan Bass, Arranged By [Horns] – Greg Cohen Featuring [Optigon], Vocals, Guitar – Tom Waits Guitar – Morris Tepper, Marc Ribot Percussion, Congas, Maracas – Michael Blair Saxophone – Ralph Carney 3:51 3 Clap Hands Double Bass – Tony Garnier Drums – Stephen Hodges Guitar – Marc Ribot Guitar, Vocals – Tom Waits Percussion, Marimba – Robert Previte, Michael Blair 3:45 4 The Black Rider Bass, Percussion, Banjo, Viola – Greg Cohen Organ, Vocals – Tom Waits 3:21 5 Underground Acoustic Bass – Larry Taylor Baritone Horn – Randy Aldcroft Drums – Stephen Hodges Electric Guitar – Fred Tackett Marimba [Bass] – Victor Feldman Vocals – Tom Waits 1:51 6 Jockey Full Of Bourbon Bass Saxophone – Ralph Carney Double Bass – Larry Taylor Drums – Stephen Hodges Guitar – Marc Ribot Guitar, Vocals – Tom Waits Percussion, Congas – Michael Blair 2:45 7 Earth Died Screaming Double Bass [Upright] – Larry Taylor Electric Bass – Les Claypool Percussion [Sticks] – Joe Marquez, Kathleen Brennan, Tom Waits Vocals, Chamberlin [Chamberlain], Percussion, Guitar – Tom Waits 3:36 8 Innocent When You Dream (78) Bass – Greg Cohen Organ [Pump], Vocals – Tom Waits Piano – William Schimmel Violin – Ralph Carney 3:08 9 Straight To The Top Congas – Michael Blair Double Bass [Upright] – Larry Taylor Effects [Leslie Bass Pedals] – Greg Cohen Organ [Pump] – William Schimmel Saxophone – Ralph Carney Vocals, Featuring [Optigon], Congas – Tom Waits 2:27 10 Frank's Wild Years Acoustic Bass – Larry Taylor Organ [Hammond] – Ronnie Barron Recorded By – Tim Boyle Vocals – Tom Waits 1:51 11 Singapore Double Bass – Larry Taylor Drums – Stephen Hodges Guitar – Chris Spedding, Marc Ribot Percussion – Michael Blair Vocals – Tom Waits 2:43 12 Shore Leave Acoustic Bass – Larry Taylor Angklung [Metal Aunglongs] – Francis Thumm Banjo, Guitar – Fred Tackett Drums – Stephen Hodges Featuring [Chair], Vocals – Tom Waits Marimba, Marimba [Bass], Shaker, Bass Drum [With Rice] – Victor Feldman Trombone – Randy Aldcroft 4:16 13 Johnsburg, Illinois Bass – Chuck Dimonico Vocals, Piano – Tom Waits 1:33 14 Way Down In The Hole Backing Vocals – Angela Brown, Leslie Holland, Lynne Jordan Bass – Greg Cohen Guitar – Marc Ribot Percussion – Michael Blair Saxophone – Ralph Carney Vocals – Tom Waits 3:29 15 Strange Weather (Live) Accordion – Willie Schwarz Banjo – Marc Ribot Bass – Greg Cohen Percussion – Michael Blair Remix – Biff Dawes Saxophone – Ralph Carney Vocals, Guitar – Tom Waits 3:35 16 Cold, Cold Ground (Live) Accordion – Willie Schwarz Baritone Horn – Ralph Carney Electric Bass [Basstarda] – Greg Cohen Guitar – Marc Ribot Percussion – Michael Blair Remix – Biff Dawes Vocals, Guitar – Tom Waits 3:25 17 November Bass, Accordion – Greg Cohen Piano, Banjo, Vocals – Tom Waits Recorded By – Gerd Bessler Saw [Musical] – Don Neely 2:53 18 Downtown Train Bass – Tony Levine Drums – Mickey Curry Guitar – G.E. Smith, Robert Quine Guitar, Vocals – Tom Waits Organ – Robert Kilgore Percussion – Michael Blair 3:49 19 16 Shells From A Thirty-Ought Six Acoustic Bass – Larry Taylor Drums – Stephe, ISBN13: B000007QQL ISBN10: B000007QQL Material Type: audioCDAmazon.com Tom Waits pulled off a neat trick with the 1983 release of Swordfishtrombones: he disengaged himself from the present (and his own recent achievements) and allied himself with the past. And yet no one could accuse him of becoming mired in nostalgia. A decade before the phrase lo-fi gained favor, Waits purposely ravaged his songs by stomping them into peculiar shapes and utilizing arcane instruments and recording techniques to further bend them into new kinds of aural sculptures. The result was a genuine musical breakthrough. Beautiful Maladies gathers 23 tracks from Waits's seven post-Swordfishtrombones Island LPs. These pretty/ugly tracks provide a riveting view of Tom's wild years. While at least four Waits Island titles qualify as essentials, Beautiful Maladies and the 1988 live set, Big Time, provide compact introductions to a matchless body of work. --Steven Stolder Product description Tom Waits – Beautiful Maladies (The Island Years) / 23 Classic Songs, More Than 70 Minutes Of Music / Featuring Downtown Train, Hang On St. Christopher, Temptation / Island Records Audio CD 1998 / 524 519-2 UPC 731452451927 /// Beautiful Maladies: The Island Years is a Tom Waits compilation album, consisting of previously released songs from his years recording with Island Records, most notably from the albums Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs, Big Time and Franks Wild Years. The tracks were selected by Tom Waits. The album was released in 1998, but represents Waits's output from 1983 to 1993. /// Label: Island Records – 524 519-2 Format: CD, Compilation, Digipak Country: UK & Europe Released: Jun 15, 1998 Genre: Rock Style: Blues Rock /// Tracklist: 1 Hang On St. Christopher Alto Horn, Arranged By [Horns] – Greg Cohen Drums – Michael Blair Effects [Leslie Bass Pedals] – William Schimmel Guitar – Marc Ribot Tenor Saxophone – Ralph Carney Vocals – Tom Waits 2:42 2 Temptation Arranged By [Vocals] – Kathleen Brennan Bass, Arranged By [Horns] – Greg Cohen Featuring [Optigon], Vocals, Guitar – Tom Waits Guitar – Morris Tepper, Marc Ribot Percussion, Congas, Maracas – Michael Blair Saxophone – Ralph Carney 3:51 3 Clap Hands Double Bass – Tony Garnier Drums – Stephen Hodges Guitar – Marc Ribot Guitar, Vocals – Tom Waits Percussion, Marimba – Robert Previte, Michael Blair 3:45 4 The Black Rider Bass, Percussion, Banjo, Viola – Greg Cohen Organ, Vocals – Tom Waits 3:21 5 Underground Acoustic Bass – Larry Taylor Baritone Horn – Randy Aldcroft Drums – Stephen Hodges Electric Guitar – Fred Tackett Marimba [Bass] – Victor Feldman Vocals – Tom Waits 1:51 6 Jockey Full Of Bourbon Bass Saxophone – Ralph Carney Double Bass – Larry Taylor Drums – Stephen Hodges Guitar – Marc Ribot Guitar, Vocals – Tom Waits Percussion, Congas – Michael Blair 2:45 7 Earth Died Screaming Double Bass [Upright] – Larry Taylor Electric Bass – Les Claypool Percussion [Sticks] – Joe Marquez, Kathleen Brennan, Tom Waits Vocals, Chamberlin [Chamberlain], Percussion, Guitar – Tom Waits 3:36 8 Innocent When You Dream (78) Bass – Greg Cohen Organ [Pump], Vocals – Tom Waits Piano – William Schimmel Violin – Ralph Carney 3:08 9 Straight To The Top Congas – Michael Blair Double Bass [Upright] – Larry Taylor Effects [Leslie Bass Pedals] – Greg Cohen Organ [Pump] – William Schimmel Saxophone – Ralph Carney Vocals, Featuring [Optigon], Congas – Tom Waits 2:27 10 Frank's Wild Years Acoustic Bass – Larry Taylor Organ [Hammond] – Ronnie Barron Recorded By – Tim Boyle Vocals – Tom Waits 1:51 11 Singapore Double Bass – Larry Taylor Drums – Stephen Hodges Guitar – Chris Spedding, Marc Ribot Percussion – Michael Blair Vocals – Tom Waits 2:43 12 Shore Leave Acoustic Bass – Larry Taylor Angklung [Metal Aunglongs] – Francis Thumm Banjo, Guitar – Fred Tackett Drums – Stephen Hodges Featuring [Chair], Vocals – Tom Waits Marimba, Marimba [Bass], Shaker, Bass Drum [With Rice] – Victor Feldman Trombone – Randy Aldcroft 4:16 13 Johnsburg, Illinois Bass – Chuck Dimonico Vocals, Piano – Tom Waits 1:33 14 Way Down In The Hole Backing Vocals – Angela Brown, Leslie Holland, Lynne Jordan Bass – Greg Cohen Guitar – Marc Ribot Percussion – Michael Blair Saxophone – Ralph Carney Vocals – Tom Waits 3:29 15 Strange Weather (Live) Accordion – Willie Schwarz Banjo – Marc Ribot Bass – Greg Cohen Percussion – Michael Blair Remix – Biff Dawes Saxophone – Ralph Carney Vocals, Guitar – Tom Waits 3:35 16 Cold, Cold Ground (Live) Accordion – Willie Schwarz Baritone Horn – Ralph Carney Electric Bass [Basstarda] – Greg Cohen Guitar – Marc Ribot Percussion – Michael Blair Remix – Biff Dawes Vocals, Guitar – Tom Waits 3:25 17 November Bass, Accordion – Greg Cohen Piano, Banjo, Vocals – Tom Waits Recorded By – Gerd Bessler Saw [Musical] – Don Neely 2:53 18 Downtown Train Bass – Tony Levine Drums – Mickey Curry Guitar – G.E. Smith, Robert Quine Guitar, Vocals – Tom Waits Organ – Robert Kilgore Percussion – Michael Blair 3:49 19 16 Shells From A Thirty-Ought Six Acoustic Bass – Larry Taylor Drums – Stephe, ISBN13: B000007QQL ISBN10: B000007QQL Material Type: audioCD , ISBN13: B000007QQL ISBN10: B000007QQL Material Type: audioCD