In case of describing work of Tom Waits, rock music is a rather relative term. The beginning of his career in early seventies happened in of Frank Zappa group The Mothers Of Inventions. By the way, this period can be called the heyday of the team, and Tom could become famous in this field. But musical preferences dragged musician in a different direction.

Can say that Tom represented the urban poor, and not the most brilliant figures of show business. He was an amateur musician. Working as a doorman, a bouncer in pubs, Waits in the same pubs periodically gave chamber concerts on the piano, on which the first-person describing the life of "little man". Staying in cheap hotels, he had plenty of opportunities to gather material for his songs. And alcohol perfectly complemented the image of a rumpled character from the city's outskirts.

All the seventies, Waits used patriarchal blues of jazz era, hoarse and sloppy vocals as musical basis for his compositions. He constantly held a cigarette in his hand, on piano always had a bottle of alcohol. This is quite consistent the reputation of a chronic alcoholic with a difficult fate. In this role Waits was completely irresistible.

Tom Waits album of 1980 under the saying title "Heartattack And Vine" is the work where he reached his limit in the implementation of the musical form. Can say that this is an excellent result of a ten-year work. To Tom’s credit, it was after this album that he changed his musical paradigm and began to create in a different direction. And this transition to me in his work seems to be the most interesting.

The topic isn't for one article, but now I will try to reveal Waits' creative style using the example of chosen studio work.

The album opens with the song of the same name and it perfectly illustrates the style that Tom has developed by this time. The accompaniment of an organ, a double bass and a saxophone at the ease rhythm captivates with its simplicity.

By the 80th of this time, his unusual charisma attracted filmmakers and Francis Coppola invited him to small roles in his films.

For the movie "One from the Heart" Waits wrote soundtrack, and on the set he met his future wife, with whom he composed another song from the album called “Jersey Girl”. Romantic work in lyrical ballads spirit, which is sometimes found on Waits' albums. In my opinion, such compositions did not suit his style, but a good balance of expressive performances.

Album features other songs in lyrical ballad type: “Saving all My Love for Yo”, “Ruby's Arms”.

Also a rare specimen for Waits' albums can be called “In Shades”.

There are practically no compositions at a fast tempo, and all material can be divided into two parts: author's ballad lyrics and blues of medium tempo with energetic vocals. I personally like “Mr. Siegal”, where the organ gives way to the piano. Also a simple blues with percussion beats, characteristic pauses for Tom and a simple structure.

It must said, that it is on this album that the remarkable production is presented: excellent sound, each instrument is expressive in its own way, be it the guitar in the background, the piano accompaniment with purest sound or the double bass. Obviously, during speeches, emphasis in compositions of Waits is placed on the text.

Of all Waits albums until 1980 and a number of the next ones, this one became the most successful and was on the Billboard 200 charts until the end of the 20th century.

For three years, musician has been recorded about twenty tracks. It talks about the creative difficulties in chosen genre. But when Waits overcame the music cell and went to a completely different level. He abandoned the piano-string accompaniment and began to use the accompaniment, as he himself called it junkyard orchestra. In course went exotic instruments and in general everything that could make sounds of different tones.

I’ll finish with another one composition from 1980 with another energetic blues number from this album – “Till the Money Runs Out”.