Master of Disaster

John Hiatt | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 21, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: New West Records
• ASIN: B0009F79NW
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #33,851 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Roots and groove mark this teaming of John Hiatt and the North Mississippi Allstars. On Master of Disaster, legendary Memphis producer Jim Dickinson and his sons Luther and Cody (the Allstars' guitarist and drummer, respectively) team with veteran bassist David Hood to give Hiatt's music a slow simmer rather than the high voltage fans might have expected from the collaboration. Yet the airy, organic interplay of the band provides the perfect complement for Hiatt's songs of folkish simplicity and lyrical grace. With the title track, he addresses the artist's midlife crisis and finds creative renewal in the process, a theme revisited in the country ballad "Old School." There's a ragtime spirit to "Wintertime Blues" and "Back on the Corner," the insistence of a tom-tom's thump on "Love's Not Where We Thought We Left It" and "Find You at Last," a slide guitar that slices and dices through "Ain't Ever Goin' Back." With "When My Love Crosses Over," Hiatt returns to the soulful, soaring romantic balladry that remains a signature specialty, while "Cold River" tells a story that probes the coldest resources of the human heart. The result is his richest and most consistently satisfying release since the late '80s. --Don McLeese

Product Description

John recorded 'Master Of Disaster' with the North Mississippi All Stars as his backing band. With the title track, he addresses the artist's midlife crisis and finds creative renewal in the process, a theme revisited in the country balladry of "Old School." There's a ragtime spirit to 'Wintertime Blues' and 'Back on the Corner', the insistence of a tom-tom's thump on 'Love's Not Where We Thought We Left It' and 'Find You At Last', a slide guitar that slices and dices through 'Ain't Ever Goin' Back'. New West. 2005.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Anything But A Disaster, June 26, 2005

By 

Thomas Magnum (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Master of Disaster (Audio CD)

John Hiatt's latest release, Master Of Disaster, finds him in a more soulful mood, but still serving up good old Memphis boogie. The songs have a deep introspection and much of the Mr. Hiatt's trademark bite. The title track is a look at addiction in a musician's life. "Thunderbird" is a folsky tribute to his car of the title name, "Wintertime Blues" is a fun, full-tilt boogie shuffle about the ills of cold weather and "Back On The Corner" is a blues lament with a great, grainy vocal. The standout track on the album is the superb "Cold River". The song is built over a soft and pretty acoustic guitar and the song tells the tale of travel through the Midwest. John Hiatt continues to fly under the radar, but do yourself a favor and check out this album and the man's catalog. He is a great songwriter and you will not be disappointed.

62 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In an amazing career, an OUTSTANDING CD, June 24, 2005

By 

o dubhthaigh (north rustico, pei, canada) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Master of Disaster (Audio CD)

One of the things that you can go to the bank on with a John Hiatt disc is that it will be great. It's only a question of how great, and in a career that has had a tremendous amount of high water marks, this is an outstanding CD, possibly his best. All of the songs, from the self-deprecating opening title track through to the end are exceptional, classic, superb in every detail. Whether he's referencing his Welsh roots (what I'd give to see Hiatt and John Tams in concert together!), singing about his Thunderbird or the way a love crosses over a mighty river in a Hoosier take on Orpheus and Eurydice, Hiatt delivers compelling lyrics and driving rhytms in each song. Accompanied by the North Mississippi All Stars, Hiatt has a killer session group to execute these jems. They have an innate sense of where Hiatt is coming from, and play to the finesse of the song. They might be the best collection of musicians working today.

What you notice straight out is the drumming. Hiatt has worked with some of the best (Jim Keltner, for one), but every tune throughout the CD seems to jump at you because of the sophisticated groove laid down. The Dickinson family rose to the challenge in production and execution and whether it is a hard rockin work out or one of Hiatt's classic ballads, every aspect of each song resonates incredibly. This is a band to tour with, and if so, sell your house to get out and see them. Hard to imagine a better CD. When you think about how disappointing or formulaic most established rock acts get by this point in their careers, it is a cold and refreshing blast whenever Hiatt appears. Costello, Jagger, and a whole litany of also rans should take note. Even Neil Young could take a serious woodshedding session with Hiatt to get back to what he does best. And doing what you do best should be dharma enough for anybody. Get this disc. It simply doesn't get any better.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW!, June 22, 2005

By 

Robert Dushin (Solon, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Master of Disaster (Audio CD)

When I first heard that John Hiatt was recording a CD with the North Mississippi All Stars I was taken aback, being a fan a both bands, I thought at first it was a strange pairing. Well, whoever connected these two should be rewarded. Some of the credit must go to producer Jim Dickinson (father of Luther and Cody Dickinson of the NMAS) John Hiatt's songwriting and singing come to the forefront with a powerful but supportive role played by the NMAS. The Rhythyn section is awesome, and Luther Dickinson does a beautiful job of complementing John's songwriting with subtle but inspired guitar playing without overpowering it. In my opinion this is the best CD John Hiatt has recorded in a long time. I enjoyed the last album with the Goners ( Sonny Landreth is amazing) but still felt something was missing with that combo.

John Hiatt has gone back to his roots of writing and singing amazing songs. The back up band reminds me somewhat of the amazing Muscle Shoals house band who supported so many great artists.

This album gets my vote for album of the year.....so far.