Real Gone is Tom Waits' sixteenth studio album, released in 2004. It was recorded in various studios between 2003 and 2004, with an experimental approach that included human percussion and everyday objects as instruments. Critical reception was very positive, highlighting its rawness and energy.
The album's sound is a blend of blues, folk, rock, and experimental music, with minimalist production and gritty textures. Notable tracks include 'Hoist That Rag', 'Make It Rain', and 'Day After Tomorrow', the latter a political ballad about the Iraq War.
Real Gone is considered one of Waits' most intense and personal works, showcasing his evolution as an artist. Its legacy endures as an album that defies genres and remains influential in alternative music.