Mystic Pinball

To his credit, John Hiatt has never been a guy with much interest in doing the same thing twice in a row, and it's not uncommon for a new Hiatt album to seem like a reaction to the last record he made -- a quiet, acoustic-based album will often be followed by a tougher, more rollicking set, and if he was thoughtful and introspective last time, it's a fair bet he'll sound tougher and wilder the next time he goes into the studio.

It's the words and images — rather than the music — that you remember after listening to John Hiatt's new record, Mystic Pinball.

John Hiatt's Mystic Pinball has some fine songwriting and deft melodies.