Tom Waits

Swordfishtrombones

First released1983

Swordfishtrombones was recorded at Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles in 1983, marking Tom Waits' first album for Island Records after leaving Asylum. The album was produced by Tom Waits and Bones Howe, an experienced engineer and producer known for his work with the 5th Dimension and other artists. Waits employed unconventional recording techniques and instrumentation, including heavily processed vocals, prepared piano, and percussion instruments not typically found in popular music, reflecting his experimental artistic direction during this period. The production process involved extensive studio experimentation with effects and unconventional sound sources to achieve the album's distinctive avant-garde aesthetic. This album represented a deliberate artistic departure from Waits' previous work, establishing the experimental sound that would define his subsequent releases throughout the 1980s and beyond.