On "Old Days," the opening track of veteran roots-rock troubadour John Hiatt's SAME OLD MAN, Hiatt relates tales of his early days as an opening act for elder statesmen like John Lee Hooker and Mose Allison. Throughout the album, Hiatt's agreeably weathered voice (sounding more like Bob Dylan than ever), mature, measured pace, and predominantly acoustic, folk/blues/country-tinged approach make a good case for him achieving Americana elder-statesman status himself. With a 34-year recording career in the taillights, Hiatt sounds a tad reflective, but no less vital than ever. And while such tunes as the acoustic invitation to romance "Let's Give This Love a Try" offer low-key poignancy, there's still plenty of edge in the likes of the lusty "Cherry Red," giving assurance that Hiatt's heart still burns with passion and poetry.
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