The Heart of Saturday Night

iTunes Review

"Tom Waits has always been a character who enjoys immersing himself in the lives of the characters he creates. This has been true throughout his long career, no matter his chosen approach. The Heart of Saturday Night, Waits' second studio album, presents a piano-based twenty-something singer-songwriter who yearns for the soul and insight of someone many decades older. He probably wishes he could've recorded in a bar; the lumbering piano sway of ""San Diego Serenade"" has a boozer's long night in its rearview. The horn honk at the onset of the title track adds a cinematic intention to Waits' nostalgic desires, and the song itself feels like a slow cruise through an inviting city neighborhood. Several cuts — ""Diamonds On My Windshield,"" ""The Ghosts of Saturday Night""— are spoken word beatnik jazz riffs. Yet, for all the boozy sentimentality, Waits is a commanding performer and the strong material throughout makes for an inviting trip to a world long past."