Customer Reviews

Hangin Around the Observatory/Overcoats

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Consistency can be a damning for an artist particularly when they consistentcy deliver a series of strong albums throughout their career. John Hiatt's career began in 1974 and during the long time that he has recorded he has produced a series of often stunning and almost always memorable albums ("Little Head" would be an exception to the rule as would "Little Village" both of which show him low on inspiration). Ry Cooder once described Hiatt as having a "fuel injected voice" and I can't think of a more apt description for his bluesy growl which can also embody considerable delicacy.

John Hiatt's first two albums receive a nice remaster from BGO. Hiatt hadn't quite found his "voice" as a performer/songwriter yet. Still, both of these albums have hints of what we would see when Hiatt experienced his biggest rise in popularity after "Bring the Family".

The best known song on the first album "Hanging Around the Observatory" is "Sure as I'm Sittin' Here" recorded by Three Dog Night and which get a fair amount of radio airplay even though it was never released as a single. His first album is the stronger of the two here and "Overcoats" hints at Hiatt's humorous side and he fans will recognize Hiatt's later style in its infancy here--he may still be imitating those writers that he admires but he also has his own recognizable "voice" as a songwriter here. "I Killed An Ant With My Electric Guitar" and "I'm Tired of Your Stuff" hints at the skewed humor that would crop up throughout Hiatt's career.

Both albums mix the influences of R&B, country, rock and gospel that has always been part of his sound as a recording artist and while none of the songwriting reaches the heights of "Bring the Family", "Stolen Moments" or "Slow Turning" the songwriting is pretty strong over all AND Hiatt clearly is enjoying himself.

This 2 albums on 1 CD features insightful notes by writer John Tobler and gives us a brief history of Hiatt's recording career (through 2006 when this was reissued)and Hiatt's troubled early life (his older brother that he always admired killed himself as did his second wife. Hiatt's battle with the bottle is also mentioned as well as the events that helped get him clean and sober).

The remastering on this edition is quite good for both albums. I'd also strongly recommend Bring the FamilySlow TurningThe Open RoadWalk onCrossing Muddy Waters Stolen MomentsRiding With the KingWarming Up to the Ice AgeSlugline/Two Bit Monsters] or the two CD set [[ASIN:B00005N8TI Anthologywhich has a nice collection of album cuts, singles and a couple of rare soundtrack songs that appear nowhere else.

Hiatt deserves a four CD compilation similiar to the Richard Thompson boxed set "Walking on a Wire" (I would have a link to that here as well but amazon only permits 10 or less links)that collects his key album tracks, demos and rare songs. The man deserves it as he's one of America's treasures.

Recommended.