The Early Years, Vol. 1

I’ve been spinning this Tom Waits collection nonstop since it arrived, and the 12-inch format really lets the gritty instrumentation breathe. The pressing is dead quiet, which makes the rawer tracks sound even more alive.

The gatefold sleeve has a nice matte finish that feels sturdy, and the vinyl itself is dead quiet between tracks. This pressing really captures the raw grit of those early recordings perfectly.

The vinyl pressing is dead quiet between tracks, which really lets the raw grit of Tom Waits’ early recordings shine through. I've been spinning this side one every night since it arrived. The 12-inch format gives these old songs a rich warmth that digital just can't match.