"Rain Dogs" is the ninth studio album by Tom Waits, released in September 1985 on Island Records. The album serves as a loose concept work centered around "the urban dispossessed" of New York City and is often viewed as the middle entry in a trilogy that includes Swordfishtrombones and Franks Wild Years.
Musically diverse, Rain Dogs features contributions from notable guitarists Keith Richards and Marc Ribot, and is recognized for its unique blend of styles—incorporating elements from Kurt Weill's socialist decadence, New Orleans funeral brass, and gritty blues. Critics have lauded its idiosyncratic American sound, with Rolling Stone ranking it as one of the greatest albums of the 1980s and including it in their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Composition and Recording:
Waits wrote much of the album in a basement room in Manhattan, drawing inspiration from the rough surroundings. He recorded street sounds and ambient noises to capture the essence of the city, reflecting the album's themes. The recording process was characterized by an array of instruments, including marimba, accordion, and trombone, which contributed to the album's organic sound.
Waits preferred unconventional recording techniques, often rejecting modern studio shortcuts in favor of more tactile methods. He famously utilized found objects to create unique sounds, believing that the authenticity of these recordings added depth to the music.
This album marks the beginning of Waits' collaboration with guitarist Marc Ribot, who was struck by Waits' spontaneous and open studio approach. The chemistry in the studio allowed for creative freedom, resulting in tracks that captured the raw energy of the moment.
Artwork:
The cover features a photograph by Swedish photographer Anders Petersen, depicting figures from a café in Hamburg's red-light district. While the man in the photo resembles Waits, he is not him, but rather one of the subjects captured in Petersen's evocative imagery.
Overall, Rain Dogs stands as a pivotal work in Waits' discography, celebrated for its lyrical depth, musical experimentation, and lasting impact on the landscape of American music.
