Frank's Wild Years

one of rough trade's island 50th anniversary selection - 50 crucial titles, specially selected by us to highlight the unique contribution this seminal label has made to british music since 1959. 'frank's wild years' by kathleen brennan and tom waits had its theatrical debut with the steppenwolf theater company in chicago, illinois on june 22, 1986. ostensibly a 'concept' piece about the strange adventures of a ne'er-do-well named frank, 'frank's wild years' is an album full of masterfully written songs and brilliant arrangements, whether one follows the conceptual thread or not. this final album in the loose trilogy that began with 'swordfishtrombones' expands upon the advances of its predecessors both in terms of hazy, dreamlike imagery and eclectic, exotic instrumentation. waits is nothing if not theatrical, and he plays a wide range of characters here. on the uproarious 'straight to the top' he's a gonzo lounge singer. on 'innocent when you dream' he's an old-world balladeer after too many whiskeys. he dons the preacher's cloak for 'down in the hole,' warning of the devil's powers, and he braves the top of his range for an unearthly shriek on 'temptation.' buoyed by the angular, eccentric accompaniment of mark ribot, michael blair and others, he rides an oddly wrought, multicoloured train to musical glory.