Anthology

Performer: John Hiatt
Artist: Rosanne Cash; Little Village
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel includes: John Hiatt (vocals, guitar); Roseanne Cash (vocals); Little Village. Producers include: Glen Spreen, Denny Bruce, John Chelew, Glyn Johns, Matt Wallace. Compilation producer: Mike Rogogna. Tracks recorded between 1974 and 2000. Includes liner notes by Scott Shinder. Digitally remastered by Erik Labson (Universal Mastering Studios West, North Hollywood, California). Personnel: Rosanne Cash (vocals). Liner Note Author: Scott Schinder. Photographers: Mark Seliger; Jim McGuire ; Ebet Roberts; Henry Diltz. While there are a couple of other John Hiatt collections on the market, ANTHOLOGY gets the edge not only because it offers the greatest amount of material (it's the only two-disc set), but because it's the only cross-licensed one. That means it draws from all the labels Hiatt's recorded for and covers the entire length of his career. Consequently, we get his quirky, somewhat Randy Newmanish mid-'70s beginnings ("Hangin' Around the Observatory"), his lean, mean, American Elvis Costello rocker phase ("Slug Line," "Doll Hospital"), and the heartfelt Americana of his critically lauded BRING THE FAMILY album ("Lipstick Sunset," "Have a Little Faith in Me"). Hiatt didn't stop moving after that, though. Disc two gets into his latter-day work, when he'd broken through sufficiently to afford bigger production but still kept an eye on the knockout punch ("Feels Like Rain," "Real Fine Love"). Providing sonic continuity throughout are Hiatt's inimitable sandpaper soul voice and deceptively casual, offhandedly precise songcraft.

No Depression (11-12/01, p.115) - "...The best of John Hiatt is well and truly represented on this collection..."

Over the decades, and in various quests to land his audience, the presentation of Hiatt's resilient songs changed to fit the times. Beginning in the mid-'70s, he went from singer-songwriter to Elvis Costello-ish rocker to progressive-country/adult alternative icon. However, they all bear the craft of a superlative writer who finds his voice with both tender ballads and hotwired rockers.

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