Orphans [Limited] by Tom Waits (CD, Nov-2006, 3 Discs, Anti USA)

Tom Waits has enchanted avant-garde/alternative folk audiences for years with his gravel-voiced songs and introspective lyrics. At first blush, Waits’ voice probably turns off the mildly interested. Which brings us to the point: a Tom Waits fan will thoroughly enjoy his newest release: 'Orphans.'

This is a sprawling three-CD set that surprisingly isn’t excessive. Why? The release is divided into 3 separate entities: 'Brawlers', 'Bawlers' & 'Bastards.' These are not throw-aways like many other ‘rarities’ or odds and sods collections. The 1st CD in the set is 'Brawlers' which is Waits’ rockin’ blues cd and will probably get the most airplay on progressive radio stations. The 2nd cd is entitled: 'Bawlers', which is a euphemism for ballads. This cd appealed to me the most since it opened the singers’s heart and matched his voice better than the other two cds. The third CD is 'Bastards' which includes the trademark carnival-type folk rock style that fans are most familiar with.

There are 2 versions of this cd: the limited edition and the regular edition.

There are 56 songs on this cd, 30 of which are new unreleased ones, but 14 of them have popped on several compilation cds such as soundtracks and the Bridge Benefit cds. A great compilation of Waits material to get you a foothold on his music is: Beautiful Maladies-The Island Years and is recommended for new Waits listeners. 'Orphans' boxed set is reminiscent of Bob Dylan’s Basement Tapes, and will probably be lumped in the category of ‘undiscovered rock jewels’ a few years down the road.

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Jeff Feezle of Macafeez

This cd may not be for everyone, but if you love Tom Waits as much as I do it is a must have for your collection. There are very few songwriters that come close to Waits and in this set you get a sample of his enormous range. I am always amazed at people who dismiss him out of hand because of his voice. Yes, it is rough most of the time. But take the time to listen to what he has to say and you can't help but be pulled into his world. No one paints a picture like Tom - take a listen to "Rosie" and you'll see what I mean.
I did find that the linear notes had some minor errors in them, but have found that to be the case on most of his cds. The first time I listen to his new cds, I like to follow along with the lyrics and that way you get a better feel for the song and therefore a better appreciation of it. All I can say is, if you've not ever listened to Tom Waits, now is a great time and the price is not out of line considering the number of songs contained in the album. And do try some of his earlier cds like "Closing Time" and "The Heart of Saturday Night". You won't be sorry.