Tom Waits… his nicotine-stained voice always calms me down. Whether he sings one of his drunken ballads or howls avant-blues tunes, he reaches to the bottom of human despair and rises back again with his cynical attitude towards life… at least, that’s how I experience his music. Waits is one of the most important American artists of all time, the man who rose from a boozy bluesman to a classic and a pioneer of Americana music. What I’d like to present to you today is the soundtrack for the Jim Jarmusch’s movie “Night On Earth”, an album that many of his fans regard as one of his weakest releases. But I’m not his fan - I’m an admirer of his music, style, and originality… and I love this album!
Aside from his usual twisted arrangements and instrumentation, which I particularly like about his music, the album is unique in his discography for another reason. Waits uses the principle of a “leitmotif”, a Wagnerian invention of a repeating tune or riff throughout the whole piece, a sort of a hypnotizing mantra, which allows the listener to lay back and enjoy the atmosphere created by the irregular repetition of the four-note motif. Some argue that the music is boring without the film visuals, but I’ll argue the opposite - just give it a chance and I’m certain that you’ll feel Waits magic, even with the rare appearance of his voice in this music.
Of course, if you have a chance watch the movie - there is no wasted time with Jarmusch… especially when he teams up with Tom Waits. Enjoy!
