John Hiatt

Slow burner John Hiatt may have taken awhile to find a sound that suits him best. However, since his 1974 debut, Hangin’ Around the Observatory, Hiatt settled into a groove that incorporated folk, rock, R&B, and country. Now 31 years later, John Hiatt's unique voice and diverse mix of musical genres is easily recognizable to even the novice listener. Following his critically acclaimed 2004 release, Beneath This Gruff Exterior, Hiatt returns with an equally impressive recording, Master of Disaster.

The latest John Hiatt offering was produced by Jim Dickinson and features his two sons, Cody and Luther (from the North Mississippi Allstars) on guitar and drums. With impassionate lyrics, the singer/songwriter paints confessional narratives with a sundry assortment of styles. Despite the presence of hard rockers Cody and Luther, the disc is relatively restrained. But Hiatt and company do dip their hands in motor oil on tracks such as "Love’s Not Where We Thought We Left It" and the driving "Find You At Last.’" In the midst of a country-blues atmosphere, "Wintertime Blues" is a jovial romp with a New Orleans vibe. With a folkie affinity, Hiatt draws similarities to Dylan on "When My Love Crosses Over" and "Cold River" then channels Hank William Sr. on "Old School."

Master Of Disaster is exactly what long time fans have come to expect; an eclectic batch of well written material with the comfortable cadence of a lazy Sunday morning.