covered in scribbly printed looking black writing called?
and is it any good?
because i've got a copy in the cd collection i look after at work but have never heard it.

You'll get at least 7 different answers to your question, but this is the correct one.

ARROGANCE WILL GET YOU EVERYWHERE

and it's the one you'll always come back to, again and again

For the live troubadour stuff, Nighthawks At The Diner

For the studio Waits, you're going to need Swordfish Trombones, Mule, Alice and Real Gone.

is Rain Dogs.

Then Alice.

Then Frank's Wild Years.

Then everything else.

some people might say it's a bit too unusual and recommend you some of his smooth lounge stuff - they are not to be trusted

Get Orphans first. It pretty much covers every "style" he's ever written in, and is fantastic as a compilation AND as an album.

Then you should get rain dogs, cos it has his best songs on it.

Then you should asylum years, cos it has his best ballads on it.

Then you should get the black rider because it's his best album.

Then just get everything else because he's amazing.

Mule Variations

rain dogs
swordfishtrombones
small change
bone machine
frank's wild years
blue valentine
nighthawks

order of rest is immaterial

alice/blood money is incredible in places but tedious in others. real gone is good but too abrasive and a bit repetitive. mule variations is just crap and it actually sounds like he's making fun of himself at various points. heart of saturday night and small change are good but a bit schticky. heartattack & vine is pretty bad. and orphans is great but attempting to listen to it at any point before after listening at least most of his albums would be just stupid

hands down the best Waits record to start with. It was my first and the one I return to above all others, regardless of how much better they might or might not be.

If you're feeling adventurous after Mule, pick up the Orphans 3 disc'er, as it does cover an immense ammount of ground within Wait's immense repetoire of styles, and is in parts haunting, beautiful, raucous, tremendous and hilarious. Then you can go get the 'essentials' which most Waits fans will argue the toss over Rain Dogs or Swordfishtrombone - both are great, but not 'starter' albums by any means. If you want something a little gentler even, perhaps you find his ballad style more to your liking, Heart Attack & Vine and Blue Valentines are great.

By this point you will be hopelessly in love with the man and pretty much need no further advice as you'll be gleefully completing his back catalogue of your own volition.

Happy listening!

alice
the back rider
nighthawks at the diner

...then get everything else
:)

but to me it's where I'd start. The title track is brilliant and it's where he really started to experiment with odd percussion sounds. Its got a nice mixture of the experimental oddnesss and beautiful balledeering that both lie at the heart of Waits' appeal.

swordfishtrombones

it's his best album.

Basically, pick any one of his albums. They can be very different sounding, but they're all good.

I'm especially partial to Alice, Small Change and Nighthawks at the Diner.

But it's all lovely. Even his 'early years' compilations where he bangs out a country tune or two.

I'd advise hiring every single one of his albums from your local public library, and making your own personal best of compilation.

I really like Alice but can only get like half way through Real gone before getting bored, it's a bit repetitive.

Rain dog is sounding like a good next option.

Bone Machine.

Can anyone who isnt trying to be country-intuitive, witty, show how much of a fan they are or quirky just say agreed or something.

Alice, Rain Dogs, Franks Wild Years, Swordfishtrombones, Mule Variations
These are all worth your time.

and it got me right into Waits.

My favourite is Bone Machine though; the harsh stuff is enormous and terrifying, and the ballads are heart-crunching. And there are rockers on there too, like Black Wings and Goin' Out West and the Ramones-approved I Don't Wanna Grow Up.

gives a pretty good overview of most of the styles he has covered over his career and would be a decent starting point.

Or get Small Change, Rain Dogs and Alice at the same time.