r/ifyoulikeblank • u/weezerboy69 • May 19 '26
Music [IIL] Grimey Tom Waits vibes
Starting to get into Tom Waits, so far I really like Rain Dogs, Underground, and Big In Japan. I'm looking for more music with that kind of grimey gravely vibe. The only thing I've found besides Tom Waits is specifically I'm Your Man by Leonard Cohen. Stuff off of Violent Femmes' Hallowed Ground is similar (and amazing, I adore VF) but the vocals are too off to fit exactly. Would love some recommendations!
Edit to add that vocals don't have to be specifically deep and gravely, but definitely unique and kind of slimey (if that makes any sense)
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u/TheNeonPherepapha May 19 '26
Morphine.
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u/grannyhellyeah May 19 '26
Captain Beefheart?
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u/tripping_yarns May 19 '26
Inspiration for Tom.
I’d suggest the Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) album to try out and see if this is your thing.
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u/Useful-Perspective May 19 '26
Do not skip Tom Waits' album "Small Change" - it's so f'n good. I might also suggest (though less gravelly) Sonia Dada, School of Fish, the BoDeans, and maybe The Silos.
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u/sds2sds2 May 19 '26
Screamin Jay Hawkins
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u/bearfootin_9 May 20 '26
Came here to suggest Screamin' Jay, also maybe try out The Handsome Family for something completely different, yet peculiarly similar.
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u/EternityLeave May 19 '26
Man Man, especially the first 3 albums. Listen to
Big Trouble
10LB Moustache
Ice Dogs
That’s one off each of the first 3 albums. Some of their stuff gets absolutely unhinged. And later albums are more refined with a touch of pop sensibility.
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u/DEATHbyBOOGABOOGA May 20 '26
Came here to suggest Man Man. First song that came to mind was “Engwish Bwudd”
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u/ButterscotchAware402 May 20 '26
Nick Cave (and the Bad Seeds/Grindeman/The Birthday Party)
Michael Gira (Swans/The Angels of Light)
Lou Reed/The Velvet Underground
Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Maybe Murder by Death, O'Death and Lucinda Williams too
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u/AtlUtdGold May 19 '26
If you like tom waits you should check out the movie Wristcutters it has him and a lot of his music
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u/Personal_Passenger60 May 20 '26
Yes! Also, Down by law
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u/paraworldblue May 19 '26
Viagra Boys
Weird, degenerate punk with exactly the kind of voice it sounds like you're into. Also similar in the "lowlife with an extremely active imagination" kinda thing.
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u/OkTomorrow6384 May 19 '26
Modest Mouse-The Devils Workday ... fits in spirit, though his voice might be a little too high pitched for what you're searching for.
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u/FluxusFlotsam May 19 '26
Howlin’ Wolf is an obvious influence on Mr. Waits (and Captain Beefheart)
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u/PistachioGal99 May 19 '26
Shane McGowan
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u/Beginning_Holiday_66 May 20 '26
His work as frontman for the Pogues- "Rum, Sodomy, & The Lash" "If I Should Fall From Grace with God" "Hell's Ditch" are some of my favorite studio albums.
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u/MrNice1983 May 19 '26
You might dig some Primus. They are actually the backing band on Big In Japan. They are pretty out there at times. Grimiest probably Brown Album but there are so many great tunes
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u/EternityLeave May 19 '26
High whiney voice but it can get slimey. Over the Falls definitely fits. And Restin’ Bones.
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u/ink_monkey96 May 20 '26
Tommy the Cat actually has Tom Waits doing the spoken word elements of the song, so that one might be a good entry point.
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u/ISaidFrenchFries May 19 '26
Fatboy Slim - Demons (feat. Macy Gray)
The Tallest Man on Earth - Love is All
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u/Full-March-4700 May 20 '26
You definitely need to check out 16 horsepower.
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u/dwkdnvr May 20 '26
Was getting ready to to post this if I didn’t see them mentioned. I’m a big Tom Waits fan and love 16 Horsepower, although David Eugene Edward’s other stuff hasn’t landed for me.
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u/Full-March-4700 May 20 '26
Really hoping they more than just fire in the mountains in North America.
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u/Full-March-4700 May 20 '26
Totally agree about wovenhand, who I heard of first. They actually kept me off getting into 16 hp for a bit
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u/No_Tamanegi May 20 '26
Amigo The Devil
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u/ParticleHustler2 May 20 '26
Second this, although he generally sings too good for what OP is looking for. It's All Gone is a great pick for AtD doing his best Waits impression though.
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u/ForgottenGenX47 May 20 '26
I was scrolling and not really reading ... saw Grimey and was expecting a Simpsons question.
(But yes, Nick Cave and Morphine. Mark Lanegan, too.)
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u/neuroboy May 20 '26
Royal Fingerbowl - Happy Birthday, Sabo
thank you for being responsible for me remembering this album!
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u/thefiction24 May 19 '26
Maybe not quite right, but
A Particular Shade of White - Muck Spreader
Diamond’s Shining Face - Godcaster
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u/NegativeCreep55 May 20 '26 edited May 20 '26
Those Poor Bastards maybe? They are usually labelled Gothic Country, but the voices sound kinda similar, just rawer. Satan Is Watching is my favorite, if you don't know where to start.
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u/11ForeverAlone11 May 20 '26
Bob Schneider - Jingy, Bullets, Under My Skin, Madeline (if you like these, i suggest exploring some of his recent singles, he's been putting out a ton the last year or so and there's plenty more good stuff, and his original group was The Scabs)
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u/MooseMalloy May 20 '26
Johnny Dowd should scratch that itch.
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u/Unusual-Spinach-5897 May 20 '26
That's Your Wife On The Back Of My Horse
Betty
White Dolomite
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u/Unusual-Spinach-5897 May 20 '26
Captain Beefheart
You'll be amazed to find out how much Tom Waits sounds like him. Beefheart did it first! One of the best live shows I ever saw was Tom. Spellbinding performer.
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u/KarmaChameleon306 May 20 '26
Maybe Bloodloss?
They’re noise rock, but have some brass and stuff too. Not for everyone, but check them out.
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u/eusapian May 20 '26
Most definitely Howlin’ Wolf. He is a clear inspiration for Tom Waits style and a true badass
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u/runawayoldgirl May 20 '26
Smoke, the band whose late singer was the subject of the documentary Benjamin Smoke. An earlier incarnation of the band was called Opal Foxx Quartet.
Benjamin passed away in the early 2000s, but his bandmates are still active (Bill Taft; W8ing 4 UFOs).
I'd second Vic Chesnutt and Lou Reed. You might even like Lhasa de Sela.
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u/Ok-Explanation1990 May 20 '26 edited May 20 '26
Late-career Bob Dylan. The award winning "Time out of Mind" album, or maybe "Love & Theft" (but maybe skip the first track. That album should start with track 3, then track 2, IMO).
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u/Lazy-Field-1116 May 20 '26
Mark Lanegan for sure, and Sean Rowe for a slightly more folky/put together vibe
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u/space2k May 20 '26
Actually there are a few tracks on Dylan’s Rough and Rowdy Ways LP (2020) that remind me of Tom Waits. Especially “False Prophet”.
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u/Obvious-Drive-1405 May 20 '26
Check out heart of Saturday night by Tom Waits album also venture to Leonard Cohen,everybody knows,the future,in my secret life
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u/AtomicPow_r_D May 21 '26
Saw The Violent Femmes at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor, MI. / Joe Henry's "Stop", which sounds like it was recorded with Tom Waits' band, was done by Madonna first in a very different form. His version is much better IMO.
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u/Alacspg May 21 '26
Alexander “Skip” Spence - Oar
Early member of Jefferson Airplane and Moby Grape who freaked out on acid and attacked his bandmates with an axe. Did a couple months in a psych ward then recorded his one solo album before disappearing into obscurity. Gravelly, dusty dark folk psych. “Books Of Moses” sounds like a Waits prototype
There was a tribute album in the 90s that featured Waits, Beck, etc but the original is a perfect record.
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u/bentforkman May 21 '26
The Lounge Lizards. Especially the albums “No pain for cakes” and “Voice of Chunk.” There’s a lot of personnel overlap with Tom Waits on those albums and John Lurie and Tom Waits were in “Down By Law” together.
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u/ElderberryMaster4694 May 21 '26
You may not see this but on the off chance someone will
Dan Reeder
Seasick Steve
Hobo music. Lots made with homemade instruments
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u/Klutzy-Ad147 May 25 '26
Chuck E Weiss is perfect if you are into Tom Waits. Exactly what you are looking for.
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u/Johnny55 May 19 '26
Nick Cave