Tom Waits

Rain Dogs

First released1985

Rain Dogs was recorded at Island Records' studios in London during 1985, marking Tom Waits' first album for the label after leaving Asylum Records. The album was produced by Tom Waits alongside Carter Burwell, with engineer Greg Penny playing a significant role in the recording process. Waits embraced unconventional recording techniques and instrumentation, incorporating found sounds, prepared instruments, and experimental production methods that departed significantly from his earlier work. The album featured a diverse range of instruments including strings, horns, and percussion elements that were layered and manipulated to create its distinctive textured sound. Rain Dogs represented a major artistic shift for Waits and has since been recognized as one of his most critically acclaimed works.