Tom Waits’ 1973 debut Closing Time was reissued on vinyl last week (March 9) through his label ANTI-Records, the first in a series of reissues for Waits’ 1970s catalog.
At the time of its release, Closing Time garnered some critical acclaim, but little commercial success. After all, 1973 was rife with now-classic music. From Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get It On, Hall & Oates’ Sara Smile, and Jim Croce’s I’ve Got a Name. Not to mention a couple of piano powerhouses namely Elton John’s Saturday Night’s Alright [for Fighting] and Billy Joel’s Piano Man,— so it may be easy to see how Closing Time could have gotten lost in the shuffle.
Over the years, however, the album has gained its footing and has steadily marched toward cult-like status. After a few listens, you can begin to understand why.
From the kickoff single “Ol’ ’55,” covered by label-mates The Eagles a year later, it is Waits’ lyrics that shine. The album showcases his ability to weave a story (“I Hope I Don’t Fall in Love With You”) and create a mood (“Grapefruit Moon” and “Old Shoes [& Picture Postcards]”). The song “Martha” went on to be covered by both Tim Buckley and Bette Midler. Waits’ voice is also in great form, only hinting at the gravely, distinctive sound it would become.
If the album were released today, it would be called “Americana,” with its country-tinged piano, steel and acoustic guitar ballads. Yet, at its heart, Closing Time is also a piano-jazz album. While those two things may sound like strange bedfellows, Waits does a masterful job weaving them together to create a distinctive soundtrack for that time of the night between last call and sunrise.
