Tom Waits - Blue Valentine

One of the most distinctive records from the early part of Tom Waits' career, this album blends jazz, blues, rock and cinematic balladry into an atmosphere that is both rough-edged and deeply emotional.

Waits' unmistakable gravelly voice leads a collection of songs populated by outsiders, broken romances, loneliness and late-night urban characters, while the arrangements shift between intimate passages and more intense moments. With piano, guitars and unconventional rhythms at its core, the record showcases his highly visual songwriting and raw delivery, helping establish the unique aesthetic that would define much of his work.