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| Same Old Man | 
 enlarge | Artist: John Hiatt
Label: New West Records
Category: Music
List Price: $16.98
Buy New: $9.95
You Save: $7.03 (41%)
New (49) Used (11) from $9.95
Avg. Customer Rating:  28 reviews
Sales Rank: 1059
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.5 x 4.9 x 0.3
MPN: 6145
UPC: 607396614523
EAN: 0607396614523
ASIN: B0013YTSDM
Release Date: May 27, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Old Days (4:02) | | • | Love You Again (4:13) | | • | On With You (3:52) | | • | Hurt My Baby (4.33) | | • | What Love Can Do (4:12) | | • | Ride My Pony (3:40) | | • | Cherry Red (4:09) | | • | Our Time (4:08) | | • | Two Hearts (4:18) | | • | Same Old Man (4:04) | | • | Let s Give This Love A Try (4:09) |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
New West Records will release John Hiatt s new full length album Same Old Man, his first album since 2005 s critically acclaimed Master of Disaster. Same Old Man was recorded at Highway 61 Recordings and produced by John Hiatt. Appearing on the album are Kenneth Blevins on drums, Patrick O Hearn on bass and Luther Dickinson on guitar, mandolin and national resonator. John s daughter, Lilly Hiatt, sings harmony on the songs Love You Again and What Love Can Do.
John Hiatt s career has spanned more than 30 years and his songs have been covered by everyone from Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and BB King to Iggy Pop, Three Dog Night and The Neville Brothers.
Album Description
Same Old Man was recorded at Highway 61 Recordings and produced by John Hiatt. Appearing on the album are Kenneth Blevins on drums, Patrick O'Hearn on bass and Luther Dickinson on guitar, mandolin and national resonator. John's daughter, Lilly Hiatt, sings harmony on the songs 'Love You Again' and 'What Love Can Do.' John Hiatt's career has spanned more than 30 years and his songs have been covered by everyone from Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, and BB King to Iggy Pop, Three Dog Night and The Neville Brothers. John Hiatt began his solo career with the 1974 album Hangin' Around the Observatory. Hiatt's landmark 1987 release Bring The Family received critical praise and was his first album to chart in the U.S.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 23 more reviews...
John Hiatt's New Album - Great Album, So So Title Track May 14, 2008
26 out of 30 found this review helpful
This new album by John Hiatt is a very compelling work of soulful introspective ballads delivered in his signature rough voice. Overall I like the album very much. There are a few disappointments for me, mainly the title track. That aside, I like most else that is here.
It's awesome that Amazon is selling the MP3 version before the official release of the CD version. That gave me a chance to get all these songs at a great price and not have to wait for the CD to be released for shipment. Thanks Amazon!
John Hiatt has to be compared to Tom Waits because of his voice and his song-writing style. Yet he often reaches for "Dylanesque" themes and complexities. Some of his songs remind me of Willie Nelson because of his writing style and under-stated delivery. His voice has that gutteral feel of Joe Cocker or perhaps an elder Johnny Cash with more roughness. This is not music for the masses but rather music for those who are willing to really work to appreciate a great song-writer despite cosmetic flaws. In fact, the roughness of John Hiatt actually adds a lot of character to the music. Like I said, not for everybody, but for those who do get over the hesitation well worth the price of admission.
John does have a very cult-like following, once again very similar to Bob Dylan and Tom Waits. Sometimes it seems that his fans believe he does no wrong. Well here some mistakes seem to have been made.
The title track "Same Old Man" sounds like a roughly sung pop song instead of the powerful song-writing we get with John's best stuff. It starts flat with him almost speaking the lyrics. When he does start to sing a little bit, you can't help but notice that the lyrics on this title track aren't as good as the other songs on this album. In fact they are a little over-simplified.
Why this was chosen as the title track is beyond me. Maybe it has some personal meaning to him. In any case, it's still OK. It's just not up to the standard Mr. Hiatt has set for himself.
The other songs are great and you can even preview them here before you buy them.
"Hurt My Baby" is the kind of deliberate and deep ballad we expect and love from John. Probably my favorite song on the album so far. "Our Time" has to be a close second and is very similar in profundity and delivery.
"Old days" is kind of a "John Cougar Melloncamp" recollection song with some interesting hooks.
"Love You Again" brings Bob Seeger to mind for me. "Cherry Red" is a similar kind of track and both have radio play potential.
"On with You" and "Ride My Pony" add that country / blues feel that makes John accessible.
Once again, the title track has decent hooks but perhaps too pop for me. But by the time he closes with "Let's Give This Love A Try" he has more than redeemed himself.
If you're a huge fan, you're going to buy this no matter what. If you're on the fence or newly initiated, I hope this review helps you to appreciate what John Hiatt has created here.
Enjoy.
 Sentimental old John delivers a great new album. May 23, 2008
10 out of 12 found this review helpful
The new CD kicks of with "Old Days" an excellent song recalling Hiatt's early days on the road with stories of sharing a room with Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee and supporting the great John Lee Hooker who would show the young Hiatt just who the 'headliner" was. The high standard continues throughout the remainder of the album that sees a mixture of genres from Hiatt who would, I suppose, be normally considered a country artist these days. The recording sees Luther Dickinson from the North Mississippi Allstars providing some tasteful support on guitar that also features an excellent rhythm section.
Sure Hiatt's voice is rough, crusty and gruff but given the sentimental nature of many of the songs this stops the record from becomming too syrupy rather than the fine piece of music it is.
John Hiatt's new CD 'Same Old Man' among his best May 27, 2008
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
John Hiatt
"Same Old Man" (New West)
John Hiatt's conversational lyrics sound off-the-cuff, which means they likely resulted from many hours of labour. The work was worth it, because "Same Old Man" ranks with the best music of Hiatt's 34-year recording career.
He sings about love in the opening round and love on the ropes, about food and paper cuts and "doppelganger caterwauling." "Same Old Man" is sweet but not sentimental, tuneful, honest and very, very funny.
On his first release since 2005's fine "Master of Disaster," Hiatt produced and engineered himself, and he puts his voice front and centre. As always, Hiatt sings like someone straining to complete the final set of the night at the local roadhouse. The raw vocals are a perfect match for such songs as "Hurt My Baby," where pain is palpable as Hiatt delivers the chorus.
He's supported by bass, drums and Luther Dickinson, who plays guitar and mandolin and provides an ideal counterpoint to the vocals by making every note count. Hiatt's daughter, Lilly, contributes lovely harmony on two songs.
Dad delivers his droll lyrics as if they're throwaways, which makes them even better. "I'm a long shot, baby," he sings. "But they do come in." In fact, "Same Old Man" laps the field.
CHECK THIS OUT: On the hilarious opener "Old Days," Hiatt reminisces about his early touring career and crossing paths with John Lee Hooker, Gatemouth Brown and other bluesmen. He concludes the memories aren't that sweet because "I played practically free."
A little too many love songs for me here May 29, 2008
9 out of 13 found this review helpful
If you like strong singers with gorgeous voices like Joan Baez or Jackson Browne, Hiatt may not be for you. He sounds alternately flabby in his cheeks and rough and scratchy as sandpaper. What he's got going for him is strong lyrics like Dylan or Tom Waits. He's definitely an acquired taste.
This CD is not his best, it's good if you enjoy Hiatt, but I would not recommend it for beginners. For my taste, there's a little too many love songs. I would prefer some different topics. Still, one of my favorite songs on this CD is "Cherry Red," which rolls out like the Cherry Red Corvette Hiatt compares his love to.
"Old Days" is a recap of his road experience. It's not a tell-all, but he sure does disclose some interesting information about the people he's played with, for example his verses about Sonny Terry:
I was ridin' in the back seat, with Sonny Terry
Little harmonica player used to drive him around
I think his name was Harry
Tried to get him to eat tofu, raw vegetables, nuts, and berries
But Sonny wasn't havin' any of it
He let me share a room with `em for a couple of weeks
Sonny slept with his good eye open staring out from under the sheets
I was young and uncomfortable I don't mind tellin' ya kinda gave me the creeps
Old days are comin' back to me
"Ride my Pony" makes me think of Lyle Lovett.
Gray and chalky like my granddaddy's skin,
The sky was cold and lonely and closin' in
All the trees look like stubble on winter's chin
And I think I'll ride my pony
Give me back some more songs about show business like "Master of Disaster", or Elvis "Riding with the King" or crime "Tennessee Plates" and I'll be a happier Hiatt fan.
Rebecca Kyle, May 2008
 Just Old......... Man May 15, 2008
6 out of 19 found this review helpful
John has lost the golden voice. The vocals are gravelly and out of pitch at times. I have been a Hiatt fan from his first time touring around during Slug Line. This is one of the few Hiatt recordings I will wait until it's in the .99 cents bin........ Sorry John.
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