June 24, 2000
NEW COAT OF PAINT: SONGS OF TOM WAITS
Artists pay tribute to Tom Waits
By MIKE ROSS -- Edmonton Sun

NEW COAT OF PAINT: SONGS OF TOM WAITS
Various Artists
(Manifesto Records)

Silly me. I thought the idea of doing a tribute to a great songwriter who happens to have an "unconventional" voice was to contrast it by using "good" singers. This is the Bob Dylan rule. This oddity of oldies bucks that trend by featuring people like Lydia Lunch, the aptly named Screamin' Jay Hawkins and a bunch of obscure song stylists - some just as raspy or eccentric as Waits himself.

Like, what's the point?

Still, if you're a diehard Waits fan, this will make an interesting curio for your collection.

Track Listing

1.Whistlin' Past The Graveyard - Screamin' Jay Hawkins
  02.Pasties And A G-String - Andre Williams
  03.Heartattack And Vine - Lydia Lunch
  04.Virginia Avenue - Knoxville Girls
  05.Romeo Is Bleeding - Dexter Romweber's Infernal Racket
  06.New Coat Of Paint - Lee Rocker
  07.Broken Bicycles - Botanica
  08.Old Boyfriends - Preacher Boy
  09.Please Call Me, Baby - Sally Norvell
  10.On The NIckel - Carla Bozulich
  11.Muriel - Eleni Mandell
  12.Poncho's Lament - The Blacks
  13.Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis - Neko Case
  14.Blue Skies - Floyd Dixon