Back in 1984, I had a year of hanging with Keith Richards off and on. I scoured my then 15,000 vinyl album library for tasty cuts, historical oddities, and obscure goodies, and made tapes that he, Bobby Keys, and I would listen to together. We drank the music down along with the Jack. When something particularly caught Keith’s ear, he would declare it “Snaky,” and that was the highest of compliments. I conjecture that if he were to hear the new John Hiatt album, Dirty Jeans & Mudslide Hymns, I expect he would pronounce it snaky, that is if he still uses that term.
Today, the new John Hiatt album comes out, and that is always cause for celebration. He has penned some mighty ubiquitous tunes that have become part of our musical legacy over his career; “Thing Called Love,” “Have A Little Faith In Me,” “Perfectly Good Guitar,” and “Cry Love” among them. I am happy that he has returned to a grittier, more rockin’ place on this new release. Take a listen to “Damn This Town,” which has equal parts dashed hopes, broken people, and co-dependent relations. There's also a video on YouTube for the tune, which puts an exclamation point on it all by showing the boarded up buildings and abandoned dreams of dysfunctional America. For a limited time, via John's website, you can order the deluxe signed vinyl and album bundle and get a handwritten lyric print.
- Jessie Scott
