| The middle album of the trilogy that includes Swordfishtrombones and
Franks Wild Years, Rain Dogs is Waits's best overall effort. The songs
are first-rate, and there are a lot of them--19 in all, ranging from grim
nightlife memoirs ("9th and Hennepin," "Singapore") to portraits of small-time
hustlers ("Gun Street Girl," "Union Square") to bursts of street-corner
philosophy ("Blind Love," "Time"). The album also contains the original
version of "Downtown Train," which Rod Stewart turned into a smash hit.
The image of "rain dogs"--animals who've lost their way home because the
rain has washed away their scent--is an appropriate symbol for the entire
cast of characters Waits has brought to life over the years, and this
album has thus far proved to be his most enduring effort. |
