Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The detail is in the title, 4 Jun 2008
Unlike many, I really liked Master of Disaster but this is a return to a more "traditional" sound, and the only reason I have knocked a star off is because I agree with a previous reviewer that the voice cracks up in the higher register on some songs.
Most of the songs are familiar mid-tempo numbers so you can't really accuse Hiatt of pushing the boundaries, but the lyrical content is excellent, and reflect his acceptance of the ageing process - even though he may not like it, and songs like Our Time (a witty paean to food)shows him reminiscing for relatively mundane things. In fact everything along these lines is encapsulated in the title track. Mid tempo, sharp lyrics and his voice cracks up on occasion, but therein lies the clue as he sings the line "please take me as I am". Bearing in mind he could obviously have kept recording until everything was perfect he seems to have made the conscious decision to present this album "warts and all" and the listener has to take him as he is. Well what he is, is still one of the best singer songwriters out there.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Same old same old, 5 Jul 2008
My main reason in writing this is to say that unlike Pleemhead (see his review below) I had no problem playing this CD on my PC or ripping it (using Ashampoo's Burning Studio 6) to it and then synching it (via Windows Media Player version 11) to my Samsung MP3 player. I guess it depends on the software you have on your computer/laptop as to whether it will play or not and whether you can copy it to an MP3 player but it doesn't appear to be an inherent, anti-copying device embedded in the CD so don't let Pleemhead's review put you off purchasing it. If you're a fan of John Hiatt's music, I think you will find that this release is worth the price even if you could only play it on a CD player. There are no great surprises here - if like me you enjoy John Hiatt's songwriting, I suspect you will enjoy this release but I doubt it will gain him many new fans. The title pretty much sums it up - Same Old Man - nothing wrong with that as he was pretty good in the first place and this release is consistent with his good releases and imho far, far better than the few I didn't enjoy such as "Little Head" and "The Tiki Bar Is Open". There are some good songs here but to be fair I only received it this morning and this review is based on only one listen. I suspect that most of the songs will grow on me with further listening and some may become firm favourites.
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1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Same old John Hiatt, 4 Jun 2008
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 York and I was amazed at how he sounded just like he used to. He previewed some of these songs that night.
There's good news and less-good news as far as 'Same Old Man' goes though: 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.
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