Bone Machine is a showcase of the most apocalyptic, percussion-heavy segment of Waits’ career. The 1992 album focuses heavily on themes of death and its unstoppable progression (“Dirt in the Ground” and “Earth Died Screaming”). However, the album also boasts some of his most soulful works (“Who Are You” and “Whistle Down the Wind”), showing his indescribably wide range in style, subject matter and emotion. Single songs – often no more than four minutes long – tell better stories than entire albums of mainstream music. This underrecognized album is truly a shining example of what music can do. That said, the album is not easy to listen to. It was not made to be, and many consider it an acquired taste. So, for those for whom taking a chance on an album seems fun, I cannot recommend this one more. The ranking system limits me to five stars, but that does not begin to describe the level of appreciation that I have for this album.