Tom Waits: The '80s

While Tom Waits's '70s albums had idiosyncratic moments, they were still largely grounded in traditional jazz and blues stylings. But by 1983's Swordfishtrombones, Waits had begun exploring cabaret, tangos, and carnival music with cockeyed poetics and jarring rhythms. While such controlled cacophony kept Waits pushing boundaries, it also proved to be incredibly engaging.