CD Review
John Hiatt & The Goners
Beneath This Gruff Exterior
(New West)
by Tony Engelhart
Review date: June 2003
|
|
"Keeping the Blues Alive Award"
Achievement for Blues on the Internet
Presented by The Blues Foundation
| |
Best know for his songwriting ability than a performer until recently, it took John Hiatt 13 years to find a widespread audience and chart success. Perhaps due to his search for a sound that best fit him was to blame but in the process everyone from Bonnie Raitt, Ronnie Milsap, and Dr. Feelgood to Iggy Pop, Three Dog Night, and the Neville Brothers have recorded covers of Hiatt's tunes. Hiatt finally settled on a rootsy fusion of rock & roll, country, blues, and folk with his 1987 album Bring the Family. While the record did little for John Hiatt's solo career, it did establish him as a premier songwriter as "Have A Little Faith In Me" was covered by Joe Cocker and Delbert McClinton and "Thing Called Love" catapulted Bonnie Raitt into superstardom. Hiatt's next two discs' - Slow Burn and Stolen Moments - would find more chart success than ever for the singer/songwriter. However, it was his 1993 release, Perfectly Good Guitar that would capture the attention of radio stations and record buyers.
Beneath This Gruff Exterior doesn't deviate much from his past eight records as Hiatt's grooves are still a combination of blues, rock and roll, and country. His gravely voice, jam-band style and slide guitar work give the recording the eclectic John Hiatt trademark sound which fans have come to embrace. The first single, "My Baby Blue", has already found heavy rotation on both blues and adult alternative radio. Sonny Landreth reunites with the Goners and lays down some tasty electric slide on cuts "The Last Time" and funky dobro licks on such tracks as the blues-country "Fly Back Home" and "Missing Pieces".
While Beneath This Gruff Exterior isn't as experimental as 2001's The Tiki Bar Is Open where Hiatt used drum loops and the occasional overdub to enhance his rootsy sound, it is vintage John Hiatt. Chalk full of well written songs, superb musicianship, and a nice balance of different styles, this disc will please Hiatt fans without question.
Your purchase through this Amazon.com link helps to support this website.
Simply click on the cover at left or the Amazon buy button (if there is one) to order this CD NOW!
"This review is copyright © 2003 by Tony Engelhart, and Blues On Stage at: www.mnblues.com, all rights reserved. Copy, duplication or download prohibited without permission."
Copyright reuse notice: If you would like to reprint or use this review please include the above copyright notice, contained within the quotation marks, PLUS this statement: "Used with permission." Then send an email to Ray at: mnblues@aol.com indicating how you are using the review or the website page address it will be appearing on. Thanks!
You can help support this blues website by making a contribution (click on the banner below for details).
Or mail a donation to: Ray Stiles % Blues On Stage, PO Box 582983, Mpls, MN 55458. Thanks!
Web Design SPECIAL, get your own website for just $50.
Web Hosting & Design:
Web Hosting & Design.
Most affordable web hosting and design services available.
Find out how you can host your current site at Blues On Stage, or how I can help you design your own website!
If you would like your CD reviewed, please send TWO (2) copies, along with promotional material to:
Blues On Stage
PO Box 582983
Minneapolis, MN 55458-2983
E-mail Ray Stiles @ mnblues@aol.com with any questions.
|
|
 Ray Stiles at: mnblues@aol.com
Copyright © 2003 Ray M. Stiles
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author. Blues On Stage is a ® Trademark of Ray Stiles.
|
|
We build websites