Tom Waits – Franks Wild Years (Gold vinyl)

Tom Waits – Franks Wild Years (1987) is a theatrical, whiskey-soaked fever dream of an album, blending cabaret, avant-garde jazz, blues, and carnival-like surrealism. Based on Waits' stage play of the same name, it follows the story of a drifter chasing the American Dream, with songs that feel like scenes from a dark, offbeat musical. Tracks like Hang On St. Christopher and Way Down in the Hole pulse with gritty energy, while Innocent When You Dream offers a haunting lullaby-like refrain. Full of odd instrumentation, gravelly vocals, and cinematic storytelling, Franks Wild Years is a brilliantly strange and evocative piece of Waits’ unique world.