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Retro Review: Tom Waits ‘Rain Dogs’

Published

15 years ago

on

Let’s journey back to 1985, shall we? Reagen kicked off the year by being sworn in for his second term. We Are The World is recorded. The first Wrestlemania kicks off at Madison Square Garden. Back To The Future becomes the highest grossing film of the year. Tetris is released. And as for classic horror films? How about 1985 seeing these films come out: Re-Animator. Nightmare On Elm St. 2. Return Of The Living Dead. Fright Night. Day Of The Dead. Friday The 13th Part V. Vampire Hunter D (a personal favorite). Overall, I’d say a pretty awesome year!
1985 also saw the release of Tom Waits‘ ninth studio album Rain Dogs. The second in a trilogy (surrounded by Swordfishtrombones and Franks Wild Years), Rain Dogs is a loose concept album about the life of the “less-fortunate” of New York City. Musically resembling something out of a 30’s carnival, this is an album that garnered much acclaim over the years. However, does it still hold up? Check after the jump.
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Opening up with Singapore, the album already let’s you know that you’re in for a ride. Instruments that sound out of tune and Waits’ raspy voice grating over everything makes the song sound like it belongs in an insane asylum. However, it’s only the beginning of a wild, old school blues, noir-jazz ride that contains what might be some of the most poignant lyrics put to music. A personal favorite line is in the lullaby-esque track Time, where Waits croons, “And when she’s on a roll/she pulls a razor from her boot/and a thousand pigeons fall around her feet.” Breathtaking. 
Production wise, this album does show it’s age. However, that age only adds to the magic of the music, much like a fine wine. It is very similar to the effect of hearing scratches or dust on vinyl; technically a flaw, yes, but a flaw that can be very pleasant on the ears and evoke certain powerful emotions. 
Some of my personal favorites on this album are the aforementioned Time, Clap Hands, and Tango Till They’re Sore. These tracks, for me, are the highlights and I can listen to them anytime, any day. 
The Final Word: Definitely not an album for everyone and one that requires a very specific mood to enjoy, Rain Dogs is a tough sell for many people. However, if you can accept it’s quirkiness and vintage sound, a beautiful album with poetry for lyrics lays underneath. This truly is a Tom Waits classic.
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Music

Marco Beltrami’s ‘Scream’ Score Gets Deluxe Reissue For 30th Anniversary

Published

4 days ago

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July 9, 2026

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Seminal slasher Scream rewrote the rules in 1996, and for its 30th anniversary,  Varèse Sarabande and Craft Recordings are celebrating with a new anniversary reissue of Marco Beltrami’s landmark score.

The original 14-track album returns to vinyl in a collectible “blood-soaked” sleeve on August 28.

If blood red isn’t your color, there’s good news: the reissue will also be available in many different limited-edition exclusive pressings.

In addition to the wide “Woodsboro Bloodbath” red vinyl pictured below, look for the following exclusives:

An Extended Cut Edition of the Scream (Original Motion Picture Score), featuring all 40 of the film’s cues from the 2022 Scream boxset, will also be available on CD. All formats are available to pre-order or pre-save today.

Top L-R: “Knife’s Edge” silver vinyl with poster (Target), “Surprise, Sidney” metallic blend vinyl (Barnes & Noble), “Don’t Hang Up” clear vinyl (Books-A-Million),
Bottom L-R: “I’ll Be Right Back” blue vinyl (Urban Outfitters), “Final Girl” splatter vinyl (Hot Topic), “Wrong Answer” Blood Red Splatter vinyl (Varèse Sarabande/Craft Recordings), and “Final Phone Call” blue vinyl (Indie Retail)

Marco Beltrami composed the iconic score as a then young, up-and-coming composer—one who, ironically, had never scored or even seen a horror film.

Yet just three years after he completed the University of Southern California’s rigorous scoring program, Beltrami submitted 13 minutes of music for Scream’s opening sequence and his future was forever changed. “We knew in half a minute that we had found our composer,” Craven told Variety in 2012. “The music was haunting, beautiful and totally original. Marco turned out to be shy and soft-spoken, but a fountain of ideas and innovation. I never looked back.”

Scream (Original Motion Picture Score) (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)

CD Tracklist

1. Dimension Logo (0:19)

2. The Cue from Hell (10:33)

3. Trouble in Woodsboro (1:52)

4. Sid’s House (1:12)

5. Red Herring (2:13)

6. Killer Calls Sydney (2:52)

7. Chasing Sidney (1:29)

8. Cell Phone (1:00)

9. Backdoor Gale (0:49)

10. Schoolyard 2 (1:17)

11. Sid’s Doubt (1:23)

12. Bathroom (2:58)

13. Mr. Himbry Gets It (2:11)

14. Sherriff and Dewey (1:21)

15. Tatum’s Torture (2:46)

16. Sidney Wants It (3:09)

17. Dewey and Gale (1:57)

18. Off to See Himbry (0:41)

19. Killer Stabs Billy (2:50)

20. Randy Almost Gets It (2:33)

21. Gale Crashes the Van (1:33)

22. They’re Crazy (9:42)

23. Sid Stabs Billy (4:24)

24. Billy’s Back (0:52)

25. End Credits (1:40)

26. Sid’s Window (0:26)

27. Gut Someone (0:13)

28. Sid Looks (0:16)

29. Billy Looks (0:24)

30. Billy to Cell (0:34)

31. Killer Calls Again (0:35)

32. Bang Into Billy (0:12)

33. Girl Talk (0:54)

34. Video Store (0:45)

35. Why She’s Here (0:16)

36. Billy Sting (0:13)

37. Prescott’s Car (0:29)

38. Hairbrush (0:38)

39. The Cue from Hell (Orchestra Only) (6:28)

40. I Don’t Care (Vocals Performed by Dillon Dixon) (3:01)

Scream – Original Motion Picture Score

Vinyl Tracklist

Side A:

1. Dimension Logo (0:19)

2. The Cue from Hell (10:33)

3. Trouble in Woodsboro (1:52)

4. Red Herring (2:13)

5. Chasing Sidney (1:29)

6. Backdoor Gale (0:49)

7. Schoolyard 2 (1:17)

8. Bathroom (2:58)

Side B:

1. Sherriff and Dewey (1:21)

2. Tatum’s Torture (2:46)

3. Sidney Wants It (3:09)

4. Killer Stabs Billy (2:50)

5. They’re Crazy (9:42)

6. End Credits (1:40)

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