I admit to being somewhat torn about Scarlett Johansson’s album of Tom Waits songs, “Anywhere I Lay My Head.” I am, admittedly, not the biggest Tom Waits fan in the world. He might be the greatest songwriter since Cole Porter but I would never know because to me he’s near un-listenable. Like Tori Amos un-listenable. (Sorry, Caitlin.) I require a measure of melodic capability in my singer’s voices, and he just sounds like he’s been shotgunning cheap tequila and unfiltered Kools for far too long.
That said, I am close to being in love with this album, I think. It is spectacularly produced, taking full advantage of the girl’s odd contralto to evoke a very specific mood…one you might get whilst suicidal and on LSD. Not that I’ve ever been both (or either), but when you hear it you’ll understand.
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=SmzUOvgNYVw[/youtube]
*Bonus points for ID-ing the source of the title