Crossing Muddy Waters

John Hiatt

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 26, 2000)
• Original Release Date: September 26, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Vanguard Records
• ASIN: B00004X03W
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #57,378 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  #16 in	Music > Indie Music > Rock > Singer-Songwriters
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Two and a half decades into a career that's never delivered the stardom forecast by legions of champions, John Hiatt has settled into a niche that's about as comfortable as a maturing singer-songwriter could ask for. No longer a major-label priority, Hiatt has hooked up with the stalwart folk label Vanguard for his 15th release. Crossing Muddy Waters adroitly captures Hiatt's comfort and confidence. Not so much blues as blusey, Crossing Muddy Waters features 11 new Hiatt compositions, half of which feel instantly familiar. The rambunctious "Lift Up Every Stone" sounds a little like some of Tom Waits's more accessible recent efforts, while "Take It Down" is a love-lost lament that's as heavy as a foggy evening. Crossing Muddy Waters was cut in three days and features only two accompanists--the uncommonly sympathetic Davey Faragher and David Immerglück. Just goes to show that Hiatt moves just fine when he's not dragging a lot of added weight and heavy expectations behind him. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Music's best kept secret just might be leaked, September 27, 2000

By	Sylvan L. Groth (Randolph, VT United States) - See all my reviews

John Hiatt is simply one of the greatest singer-songwriters alive, and unlike his previous album "Little Head," "Crossing Muddy Waters" is a stellar example of his great talent.

This album is definitely Folksy and Blues... the instrumentation is sparce, but each song is deceptively simple. Like the Recovery Trilogy, the lyrics here seem to come from Hiatt's personal experience, and listening to them is like having a deep heart-to-heart with a great friend.

Those who most liked Hiatt's Perfectly Good Guitar and Warming Up to the Ice Age may not be thrilled with this one, because you definitely notice the absence of drums and other instrumentation, but the three-piece sound definitely works for me!

This album could easily win a place in fans hearts right next to the three masterpieces of Bring the Family, Slow Turning, and Stolent Moments... It reminds me of why I fell in love with John's music in the first place: because it makes you think, it makes you feel, it makes you tap your foot, and it makes you sing along.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Style change with STYLE!, August 5, 2003

By	Richard J. Arndt (Elko, NV USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Disagree with just about everybody here. Hiatt's bluegrass turn is just fine and even includes a couple of good rockers (Lincoln Town--which has plenty of sass & Lift Up Every Stone--featuring excited gospel stylings). Crossing Muddy Waters is a great slow song (and I love the pun in the title) and Gone is a jaunty little divorce number that Emmylou Harris would have been happy to have recorded in her prime. I love Slow Turning & Bring The Family but I hate to think that Hiatt should have to keep recording in that vein forever. The best since Walk On. Hope you enjoy it too.

RA

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Roots and Form, January 12, 2001

By	Gianmarco Manzione (Tampa, FL USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This is not just Mr. Hiatt's best album, it is one of those stunning masterpieces of musical authenticity that are bestowed upon us once or twice a year. Crossing Muddy Waters eclipses the so-called "masterpieces" of his earlier career, such as 1987's "Bring The Family," because it is the kind of tutorial on the origin's of American music that John Hiatt had been working towards for over a decade. This is Hiatt's only no nonsense, stripped bare, down to business collection of songs, on which jangling acoustic guitars pervade every song and craft the album's sound. Yes, you'll here some spare percussion, a few blues guitars here and there, and even a Tom Waits-ish banging on the heroically brilliant and instantly addictive "Lift Up Every Stone," which sounds like Tom Waits took Hiatt to the junk yard in search of new musical weaponry. Despite that song's success, Hiatt shines most luminously on the bare folk tracks, which drive the final nail through any lingering doubts as to Hiatt's importance in America's contemporary songwriting scene. Brilliant folk songs like "Take It Down," "Lincoln Town," "What Do We Do Now," and "Only The Song Survives" all designate Hiatt as one of the country's best contemporary songwriters. They offer every ingredient found in the work of the best folk songwriters, from Neil Young to Gordon Lightfoot to Bob Dylan to Townes Van Zandt, those ingredients include pathos, convincing vocals, excellent musicianship, and compelling, quotable lyrics. You bet your last dime that this album deserves to win the "Best Contemporary Folk Album" Grammy for which is was recently nominated.