Blue Valentine captures Waits before he fully committed to the experimental carnival barker persona that would dominate his later work. There are hints of the strangeness to come, but it remains largely grounded in recognisable song forms and emotional territory. This makes it perhaps his most accessible work from his early period, an entry point for people who might find his later avant-garde excursions too challenging, while still containing enough idiosyncrasy to reward devoted attention.
Featured songs:
Somewhere
Red Shoes By The Drugstore
Christmas Card from A Hooker in Minneapolis
Romeo Is Bleeding
Whistlin’ Past The Graveyard
Blue Valentines
