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Rating: - 4.5 Stars... a major surprise, and not the "same old man"
Let me state upfront that I am a fan, albeit not a huge fan, of John Hiatt. Loved some of his earliest 70s albums, kinda liked his 2001 "The Tiki Bar Is Open", but I really was not prepared for what I'd hear on this album.

"Same Old Man" (11 tracks; 46 min.) was an eye-opener to me, and brought me back to why I loved his earliest albums. The entire flow of the album feels like a man feeling confident in his own skin, growing older, only that this album just oozes confidence from start to finish that I haven't heard in ages from Hiatt. There are no weak tracks on here, not a single one. If I had to point out my personal favorite tracks, they'd be "Old Days", "What Love Can Do", "Cherry ... Read More

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Rating: - John Hiatt's best in a long while
Never met a John Hiatt album I didn't like, but this one is cream of the crop.
For me 'Walk On' was Hiatt's last album for the ages. The self-aware and lackluster follow up, 'Little Head', was a bit of a disappointment and it's been a mixed bag since then. Certainly 'Crossing Muddy Waters' was a stand-out in a stellar catalogue.
I was worried when I found out he was working with many of the same lineup as 'Master of Disaster' because that one just never seemed to gel for me. Something just seemed a bit worn and maybe like it's just coming a little too easy for John nowadays.
'Same Old Man' is a pleasant surprise. Though it shares the same stripped down vibe as 'Master of Disaster', ... Read More

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Rating: - a keeper
A keeper, one might not see many used copies up for grabs.
When someone writes lyrics as wonderful as what you will find with this collection, you know it's coming from the heart, quite frankly that's what love can do. It is evident that John is in love with what he does.

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Rating: - The SAME OLD MAN......And What's So Wrong With That?!?
John Hiatt reminds me of a pair of well-worn slippers...comfy, yet supportive, reliable and dependable. On his new release, the wonderful SAME OLD MAN, Hiatt suggests that a long term love can also often be seen the same way....comfortable and secure, yet often taken for granted. One needs to tend the garden, so to speak, in order for everything to continue to grow, no matter how in bloom it may all seem. On SAME OLD MAN, a concept album of sorts, Hiatt sings about the effort, care and struggles that goes into such an endeavor. Opening up the disc is the rollicking "Old Days." Full of pluses and minuses ("Old days are comin' back to me/I don't know what was so great about 'em/I played practically free/But ... Read More

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Rating: - Doing what he does best
John Hiatt goes for what he tried on Crossing Muddy Waters eight years ago -- mostly acoustic guitar with some mandloin and slide thrown in, but with more bass and percussion this time, a kind of laid back country blues. It's what he's best at, along with his widely acknowledged lyrical skill, which he uses to great affect here. The first four tracks are stellar, alternately funny and touching, with Hurt My Baby providing an emotional wallop. Then he tries too hard to lighten things up with What Love Can Do, (still, like any Hiatt song, it has some good lines as well). Ride My Pony is a more affective stab at optimism -- toe-tapping, deceptively simple, brilliant. The rest of Same Old Man is hit and miss, ... Read More