Duke Special did a great job! But I cannot agree that it's better and has more feeling than Tom's. I give them credit, it was well done and true to the original! But there is a feeling on Tom's original (and the whole "Closing Time" album) that no one can duplicate. Not even Tom, because he sings so different now. There is something so profound in his first album that is totally unique next to everything else. It's one of the most beautiful albums ever...words can't do it justice. Oddly enough, Tom (according to quotes I've read) seems to think he sounded like everyone else then, and later found his own style...he all but puts down the first album. However, while his later stuff is great, when I heard Captain Beefheart, I was kinda bummed to notice that Tom didn't exactly make up his own style after all. (But kudos to Beefheart, and I still love Tom's new music too, and think he's excellent! And when he does ballads these days, they can be just as tender as Martha.)
Duke Special did a great job! But I cannot agree that it's better and has more feeling than Tom's. I give them credit, it was well done and true to the original! But there is a feeling on Tom's original (and the whole "Closing Time" album) that no one can duplicate. Not even Tom, because he sings so different now. There is something so profound in his first album that is totally unique next to everything else. It's one of the most beautiful albums ever...words can't do it justice. Oddly enough, Tom (according to quotes I've read) seems to think he sounded like everyone else then, and later found his own style...he all but puts down the first album. However, while his later stuff is great, when I heard Captain Beefheart, I was kinda bummed to notice that Tom didn't exactly make up his own style after all. (But kudos to Beefheart, and I still love Tom's new music too, and think he's excellent! And when he does ballads these days, they can be just as tender as Martha.)