Search - John Hiatt :: The Open Road

A strong album from a strong decade of music by John Hiatt

Wayne Klein | My Little Blue Window, USA | 08/26/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"John Hiatt is a marvel. It took him a long time to find his voice--at first he was seen as a growling guitar based Randy Newman, then an American Elvis Costello but in the mid-80's he was finally seen for who he is--a powerful, observant roots rocker with more than a touch of country in the mix the American...John Hiatt.



"The Open Road" focuses on leaving more than arriving (to paraphrase Hiatt himself) and the unusual people that often inhabit our world. In many respects "The Open Road" reminds me a bit of Hiatt's "Riding with The King" but with the perspective of an additional 25 years of experience. Whether it be about someone stealing his mom's morphine in "Like A Freight Train" or some of the other morally ambigious characters that inhabit Hiatt's songs here, John captures the essence of each man while each moment and observation rings true. Unlike some of his previous albums ("Bring the Family" for example), "The Open Road" focuses less on Hiatt's life and more on the lives of others. Certainly he's done it before and he's done it this well (consistently is a curse when it comes to brilliant, wry observations about human nature--it makes it less interesting for critics).



Rough and ready to rock the fact that Hiatt uses his touring band here is a big advantage--they read each other amazingly well with each guitar lick, drum beat, bass note or vocal rich with experience. Although John's voice is buried a bit more in the mix here (which only adds to the rough and ready texture), it doesn't have to compete with the sharp playing of his band; Hiatt's expressive vocals remain the centerpiece but is a bit more a part of the "sound" of the band.



The mastering here is pretty good for a contemporary album and Doug Sax brings out the rocky sound of the recording very well indeed.



Hiatt has been producing a series of outstanding albums in the last decade and "The Open Road" which features Hiatt's touring band is, perhaps, his most outstanding for this decade (which is particularly welcome after the nadir of the amusing but "little" more--"Little Head").



OTHER STRONG HIATT ALBUMS TO CONSIDER: Same Old ManBring the FamilyAnthologySlow TurningRiding With the KingMaster of DisasterLive at the Hiatt (Spkg)Walk on"

We've Traveled This ROAD Before

Jef Fazekas | Newport Beach, California United States | 05/17/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Reliable. That's one characteristic that has always summed up John Hiatt over the course of his 35+ year career. Be it alt-rocker, one of the godfathers of Americana or premiere song craftsman, Hiatt has almost always played at the top of his game.

However, sometimes "reliable" can slip into "predictable" or, even worse, "boring." Mind you, there is no way I would ever call THE OPEN ROAD, Hiatt's 19th studio album, boring, but I have to admit....I am a little bit disappointed with it. You see, we've heard all of this before.

Things started out well enough...in fact, upon my first listen, I was really loving the album. There was a fun, earthy groove to it. Yet, with each subsequent listen, I found myself loving the disc just a little less each time.

Once again, make no mistake...THE OPEN ROAD is a good album, but it's one we've heard before, and not just once. I hate to say it, but I think Mr. Hiatt is in a bit of a rut.

The disc kicks off with the rather lukewarm title track. This is one of the cuts that I really liked at first, but now? Eh. You would think a song with the opening lines "Shrunken head and Mardi Gras beads/Hanging on a rearview mirror that bleeds" would be full of danger and mystery, but Hiatt's lead vocal seems flat and forced, while the arrangement is uninspired and lacking of true fire.

Things aren't much better on "Haulin'." Yes, the song has an upbeat, infectious melody, but it's a totally recycled one. The vocal, the instrumentation, the whole vibe...it's just standard John Hiatt 101. Granted, I love the lines "I tell her not to worry/They couldn't pin nothing on me/Club owner short a hundred dollars/I do it for fun, but I still gotta eat", but I'm wondering if there's more truth to them than even Hiatt would care to admit.

No, things don't really get started for me until "Go Down Swingin'." This is one of those tracks where everything just comes together...a relaxed, honest lead vocal is augmented by a tight, economical arrangement. Toss in some classic Hiatt lyrics ("There's a scarecrow scarin' nothin'/Trumpet player in the barn") and you have a song worthy of Hiatt's master class catalog.

The images and attitude of "Like A Freight Train" should come off as classic blues. Instead, we get dress-up blues, or, worse yet, paint-by-numbers blues. The lyrics are absolute poetry, but Hiatt seems to be TRYING to deliver a blues gem, vs. letting it just flow out of him. One of the disc's biggest missed opportunities.

It's the exact opposite with "My Baby." This cut is nothing short of gut level attitude, with a groove that just won't quit. Hiatt's vocal is cocky and full of swagger, while the arrangement is solid and full (A special nod to the great guitar riffs!). With lyrics that are both fun and funky ("She once trained a horse to do cartwheels/Put a coyote in a sleeper hold"), this is one of THE OPEN ROAD'S premiere tracks.

"Homeland" has a nice story/song vibe to it, with a slew of lyrics that verge on sheer poetry, but there's something...overdone....in regard to the arrangement and instrumentation. I almost wish the cut had been done solely acoustically, allowing the words to shine thru. Now, they just get lost as everything bounces along. Sadly, a miss that could have been a hit.

"Wonder Of Love" seems sort of misplaced...it almost sounds as if it would have fit better on 2008's SAME OLD MAN (In fact, if I remember correctly, it was actually the disc's title track early on!). The stripped-down arrangement allows the clever lyrics ("Other half of last night's cigar/A couple of Pop Tarts/Cold cup of coffee/There's a fine new start") to shine, though. Call this one a draw.

Next up we have the album's best cut, the rollicking "What Kind Of Man." There's nothing particularly deep about the song, but it's anchored by a fun, easy-going vibe that just makes it stand out. Hiatt's lead vocal is sly and slightly snotty, and the song features TOR's best lyric ("Well, I broke your heart for no other reason/Than my mind was already set"). Harkening back to his earlier days, this is the sort of Hiatt song I've kind of been missing...loose, fun, sort of quirky.

There's a quiet, almost melancholic, grace to "Movin' On." Hiatt's heartfelt lead vocal skims over the touching lyrics of love and loss, while the arrangement perfectly cushions things. The instrumentation is sharp and focused, but it never overpowers. This is another one of those songs that proves why John Hiatt is considered one of the true master songwriters of his generation. One of THE OPEN ROAD'S finest moments.

The same can't be said for "Fireball Roberts"...I didn't like this song the first time I heard it, and I don't like it now. There's something...hollow...about the track, as if Hiatt needed one more cut to wrap things up. Everything about the cut is a miss...the lyrics, the lead vocal, the playing. There's just a sense of "filler" here, which, in and of itself, is a rarity on a Hiatt release.

Things wrap up on an upbeat note with the sweet "Carry You Back Home." There's a tenderness to Hiatt's lead vocal that is just palpable, while the arrangement is simple, yet full-bodied. Add some lovely lyrics to the mix ("And your love lingers on/Well after the fact of any moment sublime"), and you have the perfect album closer.

So where does John Hiatt go from here? THE OPEN ROAD is really a 3.5 star album, but I rounded up because, well, it's John Hiatt! I just hope that, on his next few releases, he rediscovers the sort of fun he had when he was writing as much for others as himself. You should never have to give Hiatt the benefit of the doubt. (As with all my reviews, I'm giving the disc an extra half a star for including the lyrics).

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