If you still don’t know Tom Waits, or you don’t know many of his songs, Mule variations is a good introduction. It shows the different sides of the singer in an easy format, without getting overboard with the sometimes rough edges he exhibits on other records. He is playing nice, but it doesn’t stop him from experimenting a little. I think out of all his impressive repertoire, this is the best. I’ve known this for years, and I just wanted to have this record in the way it should be: on vinyl.
I’m also pretty sure this is the record that came out when I was still finding out about him. I had bought two CD’s with the best of his previous two record companies. I remember he later wrote about some of those songs that he wrote them, but didn’t really know what he was singing about. Mule variations shows the same guy, but now matured. And now that I’ve heard this, I’m really thinking I should buy some of the beauties that still follow.