Tom Waits' Closing Time is hitting its 50th anniversary (6 March 1973). This album kicked off the career of an American original. He was already five albums deep by the time I found him (Blue Valentine 1978). I was 13 or 14, and I had just gotten into Rickie Lee Jones' excellent first album (self-titled 1979). I remember reading some piece in which the author called her "the female Tom Waits." So I looked into it and found out that they were even romantically entangled for a bit, and RLJ was on the back cover of Blue Valentine. I also discovered my birthplace is the same as Waits (Pomona CA) AND his birthday (7 Dec) is within two days of mine (5 Dec). So many rabbit holes. I worked my way backwards and eventually found my way to Closing Time. It's such a different vibe from Blue Valentine but the progression feels natural if you go through the albums that are between them. So much has been written by much better writers, but I'll just say I love the last-call-at-the-dive-bar feeling of the whole album, it's captured perfectly here. It's like they're calling last call because they're legally obliged to do so but you know the night is gonna extend until they run out of songs, alcohol and darkness. And Martha might be one of the saddest, sweetest, bittersweetest love songs. Here's to the next 50.