John Hiatt:

Master of Disaster

(New West)

In the last decade, PJ Harvey, Jon Spencer, Nick Cave, and Tom Waits, among others, have reconfigured the meaning of the blues. But anyone expecting John Hiatt to deviate too far from his traditional sound on his umpteenth album had better realize that that would be about as likely as a New Order Unplugged. Instead, the roots rock troubadour once again delves into slices of Americana, this time helped by producer Jim Dickinson (Big Star, The Replacements) and his sons Luther and Cody (of revivalists North Mississippi All-Stars).

With a sound perched somewhere between the Tin Pan Alley-isms of Dylan’s Love and Theft and Costello’s rustic The Deliveryman, Master of Disaster boasts a variety of music from the Neil Young-esque folk of “When My Love Crosses Over” to the Springsteenish ode to four wheels “Thunderbird.” Hiatt’s story songs, as usual, are populated with beautiful losers, people scrounging to make it through. With a novelist’s eye for detail, Hiatt’s able to blur the point of view, so it’s unclear whether he’s singing in the first of third person.

One of the record’s highlights, “Wintertime Blues,” boasts ragtime piano and recalls the Lovin’ Spoonful’s best work. Another standout track is “Ain’t Never Goin’ Back,” whose soulful country strut sounds like what Graham Parsons might well be playing were he still with us. In his well-worn voice, Hiatt’s able to turn a cliché inside out: “I see her face at every shitty bar/I have to play to pay for this guitar.”

www.johnhiatt.com

7 Blips out of 10

By Matthew Christoffersen

8/2005