Tom Waits' fifth album for Asylum foreshadowed changes that would alter his career over the next six years. It signals a musical restlessness that fueled his next two records (Blue Valentine and Heartattack and Vine), and resulted in his writing a film score and leaving the label for Island, where he was given greater artistic control. He leans less on comic relief here and more on fully formed story songs. The album contains more ballads than most of his records do, but they were the most effective vehicles for the kind of ...
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Tom Waits' fifth album for Asylum foreshadowed changes that would alter his career over the next six years. It signals a musical restlessness that fueled his next two records (Blue Valentine and Heartattack and Vine), and resulted in his writing a film score and leaving the label for Island, where he was given greater artistic control. He leans less on comic relief here and more on fully formed story songs. The album contains more ballads than most of his records do, but they were the most effective vehicles for the kind of storytelling he was trying to get to. The song "Perfect Strangers" inspired director Francis Ford Coppola to shape the characters for his film One from the Heart (he also convinced Waits to score it, leading to Waits' iconic collaboration with Crystal Gayle).Produced and engineered by Bones Howe, Foreign Affairs was recorded live in studio by a quintet that included West Coast jazzmen Jack Sheldon on trumpet, saxophonist Frank Vicari, bassist Jim Hughart, and drummer Shelly Manne. Further accompaniment was provided by an orchestra arranged and conducted by Bob Alcivar. Introduced by the instrumental "Cindy's Waltz," which sounds like a cinematic cue, it's followed by the bluesy, alone-on-a-Saturday-night longing expressed in "Muriel." The aforementioned "Perfect Strangers" is a duet with Bette Midler. It offers a lyric dialogue between two beleaguered veterans who find themselves (again) the last patrons in a bar at closing time. Their clever, direct exchange is sweetened by smoky tenor sax flourishes, swelling strings, and brushed snares behind Waits' piano. He doesn't discard his Beat Generation influences, though. Check the fingerpopping swinging medley of his "Jack & Neal," with Al Jolson's "California, Here I Come" as a travel guide to a gone-daddy-gone road trip. The ghost traces of "Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind in Copenhagen)" are heard in a borrowed melody from a saloon waltz with a cupful of bittersweet nostalgia in the lovely "A Sight for Sore Eyes." The lengthy "Potters Field" checks the harmonic charts of Richard Rodgers' theme for Slaughter on Tenth Avenue and Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" (with Gene Cipriano's clarinet) before digging deep into sparse, noirish, blues-jazz. Its lyric is as dark and dramatic as "Small Change (Got Rained on with His Own 38)," creating a narrative worthy of a Sam Fuller film. "Burma Shave" is a solo piano and vocal paean to the memories of drives Waits took with his father through life's seedy side. While the funky blues-cum-rhumba in "Barber Shop" adds swagger and pop to Waits' post-beat lyricism, the closing title track returns to the ballad to offer a bittersweet meditation on the perspective of "home": What it represents in the heart as opposed to what it actually is -- all from a guy living at the Tropicana Motor Hotel. Foreign Affairs is one of the most unjustifiably overlooked titles in Waits' catalog. It holds its appeal -- and sounds less dated -- than many of his more popular entries. ~ Thom Jurek, Rovi
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Add this copy of Foreign Affairs to cart. $3.15, good condition, Sold by Goodwill Industries rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Eugene, OR, UNITED STATES, published 1990 by Asylum.
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Disc(s) may have light surface scratches unless noted as being NIP (New In Package). DVD's are guaranteed to play as new or your money back. Case conditions will vary. Purchasing this item from Goodwill provides vocational opportunities for individuals with barriers to employment.
Add this copy of Foreign Affairs to cart. $3.21, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Diamond rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1990 by Elektra / Wea.
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Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Foreign Affairs to cart. $3.39, fair condition, Sold by Goodwill rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brooklyn Park, MN, UNITED STATES, published 1990 by Asylum.
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Fair. Disc(s) have been resurfaced using a professional-grade machine. Case shows moderate wear and tear. All items include the original case and artwork. All items ship Mon-Fri. Jewel Case has significant wear, including cracks.
Add this copy of Foreign Affairs to cart. $7.00, like new condition, Sold by Streetlight_Records rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Santa Cruz, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1990 by Elektra / Wea.
Add this copy of Foreign Affairs to cart. $9.93, very good condition, Sold by Record Exchange of MD rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Gaithersburg, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2018 by Anti.
Add this copy of Foreign Affairs to cart. $21.22, new condition, Sold by Importcds rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Sunrise, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2018 by Anti-.
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Alcivar/Waits; DeSylva/Jolson/Meye; Waits. New. New in new packaging. USA Orders only! Brand New product! please allow delivery times of 3-7 business days within the USA. US orders only please.
Add this copy of Foreign Affairs to cart. $22.08, new condition, Sold by newtownvideo rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from huntingdon valley, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2018 by Anti/Epitaph.
Add this copy of Foreign Affairs to cart. $22.53, new condition, Sold by Importcds rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Sunrise, FL, UNITED STATES, published 1990 by Asylum.
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Waits. New. New in new packaging. USA Orders only! Brand New product! please allow delivery times of 3-7 business days within the USA. US orders only please.
Add this copy of Foreign Affairs to cart. $27.35, new condition, Sold by newtownvideo rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from huntingdon valley, PA, UNITED STATES, published 1990 by Elektra / Wea.
Add this copy of Foreign Affairs-Sealed to cart. $44.95, good condition, Sold by HPB-Emerald rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES.
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Good. Providing great vinyl and media since 1972. All used records are inspected and guaranteed. May have wear and minor issues from previous owner. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
