(A&M, LP & CD, 1990)
You may be familiar with John Hiatt, and if you are an aficionado of rock and Americana music you may even have one of his albums. His catalog lists some 30 of them, including collections, the first being released in 1974 and the most recent in 2021. He still tours occasionally. Whether you have one (or more) of them or not, odds are good you’ve heard one (or more) of his songs as performed by one of the many other artists who have covered them. He is acknowledged as a great songwriter, has won awards and has probably achieved his greatest acclaim in that field.
His music is hard to classify and I won’t try to here, as he has incorporated a wide range of musical styles over the course of his career, including folk, blues, rock, country, and what-have-you. A lot of critics tend to cite Bring the Family, Hiatt’s 8th album from 1987 and his first to chart on Billboard, as his finest. It’s a good album, and has some big-name, A-list supporting musicians backing him. But his finest it’s not. I’m going to tell you that it is only his third best, after 1988’s Slow Turning and the next one, 1990’s Stolen Moments.
Why do I make this assertion? There are two reasons: Better songs, and the skills of one of the best – arguably THE best – producer of rock music ever, Glyn Johns. It’s a tough call as to which of these two albums to review. I’ve picked Stolen Moments partially because I’m more familiar with it. And it was mastered by the late Doug Sax, Grammy winner and something of a legend in his field, which contributes to its listening appeal. The album was Hiatt’s highest charting on its release, and a number of its songs have been among those covered by other artists.
You know with the opening chords of the first song that this is no novice, wanna be musician, but a serious album by a serious artist who has paid his dues. There’s really not a bad song on this album, all of them written by Hiatt. They vary between up-tempo rockers and mid-tempo ballads, but all are thoughtful, well-crafted and meaningful.
That said, I will concede that this album may not be for everyone’s taste. It probably won’t impress a listener not prepared for Hiatt’s approach at this time in his career, a sort of pop/rock/blues, and his somewhat raspy vocals. BUT it will reward one willing to settle back with an open mind and give it a chance.
To mention just a few of songs on the album: It opens with “Real Fine Love,” an impressive lead-off, a blues-tinged somewhat-rock ode to the “real” love of a woman that the singer, a hard-bitten, down on his luck kinda guy, is unworthy of. “Child of the Wild Blue Yonder” is more of a rocker, a paean to a rather wild, free-spirited girl. The title cut is a fine song about reflecting on the past but living in the present. “The Rest of the Dream” is a great song about living life – the rest of it – that I would quote here but it would take too long a quote to give you a real sense of the theme.
“Through Your Hands” is my favorite cut, a simply gorgeous number about meeting up with an angel – a real one. I think a brief quote will be in order here: