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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 (47) Used (11) from $9.95
Avg. Customer Rating:  28 reviews
Sales Rank: 834
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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| Customer Reviews:
John Hiatt 'Same Old Man' May 29, 2008
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
John Hiatt
Same Old Man
By Doug Collette
Same Old Man may be the most accessible album of John Hiatt's career. But it's worth serious note that the rewards of hearing this album (repeatedly) far outweigh its simplicity and that's due to the strength of the songs. Tunes such as "Cherry Red" and "Hurt My Baby" are just two instances in which the author turns the usual conceits of composition inside out.
Those songs don't get much elaboration or decoration here. It's easy to imagine Hiatt strumming out these tunes by himself on the folk circuit this summer (and beyond. The rhythm section of Kenneth Blevins on drums and Patrick O'Hearn on bass is merely subtle, authoritative emphasis to the author's own self-effacing delivery of lyrics. Yet there is much more going on below the surface, on both those fronts, than a cursory listen may discern.
"What Love Can do,' for instance, has more to do with acknowledging the passage of time in ourselves and others than a romantic epiphany. Similarly, "Ride My Pony" describes the sensation of the spontaneous joy of childhood even as the years go by. Bob Dylan's influence has never been so obvious on John Hiatt as in "On With You"--where the verses resemble a re-write of "All along the Watchtower--" or "Let's Give This Love a Try"-- which sounds inspired by "Tangle Up in Blue"--but Dylan could never be so open as Hiatt is on those aforementioned songs.
The production of Same Old Man never calls attention to itself and neither does the musicianship: The North Mississippi AllStars' Luther Dickinson (who with his brother Cody has toured and recorded with Hiatt in the past) displays dexterity comparable to his restraint as a guitarist; his fills are a less obvious echo of Hiatt's R &B roots than the background vocalists of "On with You" while the dobro he plays, like the slight echo on Hiatt's vocal during "Hurt My Baby," is indicative of the small touches that make Same Old Man, simultaneously, so distinctive and so memorable.
Not perfect, but mostly pretty good June 4, 2008
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
Singers get older, and their voices change. You have to accept that. Any fan of Joni Mitchell knows it, and John Hiatt fans do too.
But I saw John a few months ago on stage in the UK and I was amazed at how he sounded just like he used to. He previewed some of these songs that night.
However, there's good news and less-good news about this album: the songs he previewed sound better now they've been fleshed out and developed. But the voice could be better. Is it that he ruins the voice touring and trying out the new songs, then records the album?
Well, fear not, because mostly he sounds like John Hiatt and good enough to pull off the songs. 'Cherry Red' in particular, and to some extent the title track are a couple of exceptions. I think he needs to start writing the songs to suit his more, shall we say, mature voice.
The songwriting is of a high order on this album though. Certainly better than Master of Disaster and probably better than Gruff Exterior. Though some may not want a whole album of 'love songs', not that they are soppy or sentimental except in a good way. Love songs they may be, but they are also proper John Hiatt songs, and there are some crackers.
These are my favourites:
'Old Days' is the opening track, and it's in the style of 'Back on the Corner Again' from MOD, i.e. a sitting in an old bar at midnight chewing tobacco with the boys kind of song, half recitation, half sung, with witty reminiscences and a stomping chorus. I could listen to a whole album of this style of music from JH.
'Love You Again' is pure Hiatt - a well-developed laid-back mid-tempo song with solid lyrics and a catchy chorus.
'On With You' is done in John's 'spooky swamp-rock' style and is one of the highlights of the album. It has a great groove and the vocal style that grates slightly elsewhere fits perfectly here.
'What Love Can Do' is the sort of song that will probably annoy Hiatt purists who hated his 'Little Head' album, but I like it. His daughter Lily does a great job on backing vocals, and this is a very positive, catchy little number, quite lighthearted but heartwarming in a 'Waltons' kind of way. And yet, not corny, somehow.
'Ride My Pony' is a bit grizzled, like an ancient cowboy song but with some grit in it. It has a good beat and a catchy refrain.
'Two Hearts' is another standout on the album. This is the sort of song that makes you realise what a craftsman John Hiatt is. It's what I call a 'proper' song.
Bottom line: really pretty good, laid back, nice acoustic production with occasionally dodgy vocals and some cracking songs. I'd take this over the last two albums any day of the week.
 John Hiatt at his best! June 30, 2008
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
We've been huge fans of John Hiatt's for years.........and see him live whenever he comes to town. We feel that his latest gift of music, "Same Old Man" was written just for us as we are in the same stage of life and love that he writes about and can understand the meaning and feeling in each word. He is a consummate writer and performer, the six string bass is outstanding, his vocals - pure John and if that is not enough, he shares with us the wonderful harmony of his daughter Lily. Rock On John, we love you!
Doing what he does best July 21, 2008
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
John Hiatt goes for what he tried on Crossing Muddy Waters eight years ago -- mostly acoustic guitar with some mandloin and slide thrown in, but with more bass and percussion this time, a kind of laid back country blues. It's what he's best at, along with his widely acknowledged lyrical skill, which he uses to great affect here. The first four tracks are stellar, alternately funny and touching, with Hurt My Baby providing an emotional wallop. Then he tries too hard to lighten things up with What Love Can Do, (still, like any Hiatt song, it has some good lines as well). Ride My Pony is a more affective stab at optimism -- toe-tapping, deceptively simple, brilliant. The rest of Same Old Man is hit and miss, as Hiatt songs go; some of it harkens to earlier tracks. But the songwriting, particularly on the title track, shows Hiatt has mellowed nicely, is as insightful as ever, and can always be counted on for a clever turn of phrase.
John Hiatt's best in a long while August 3, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Never met a John Hiatt album I didn't like, but this one is cream of the crop.
For me 'Walk On' was Hiatt's last album for the ages. The self-aware and lackluster follow up, 'Little Head', was a bit of a disappointment and it's been a mixed bag since then. Certainly 'Crossing Muddy Waters' was a stand-out in a stellar catalogue.
I was worried when I found out he was working with many of the same lineup as 'Master of Disaster' because that one just never seemed to gel for me. Something just seemed a bit worn and maybe like it's just coming a little too easy for John nowadays.
'Same Old Man' is a pleasant surprise. Though it shares the same stripped down vibe as 'Master of Disaster', this one comes off as vibrant and fresh. Hiatt's tone is much more conversational, personal, and the music is more intimate and urgent. John has stretched some of his phrasing near the breaking point and pulled off more levels of depth in these lyrics than he has of late. In short he sounds like he means it again.
His voice is a showing it's age a bit, but it's the honesty and feeling that comes through on this great John Hiatt album. Really humorous, confessional, insightful and poetic...prime Hiatt.
Keep it up old man.
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