Real Gone

aoty

rollingstone

Tom Waits bellows through Real Gone like he's been knocking back pure lava, rasping out sinister names and details: Horse Face Ethel, Knocky Parker, "a tattoo gun made out of a cassette motor and a guitar string." Waits has all but purged his early records' boozy, sentimental side — his one attempt at heartstring-tugging here, […]

pitchfork

18th proper studio album from the gruff-voiced singer/songwriter serves marks a departure from 2002's Alice and Blood Money, with an emphasis on mouth-made percussion. Avant-garde guitarist Marc Ribot guests for the first time since 1999's Mule Variations, while other notable contributors include Primus' Les Claypool and Brain Manita, and Waits' son Casey.