Same Old Man

John Hiatt's new Same Old Man finds a nice balance between cranky-old-man irritability and moony romanticism, between the giddy infatuation of young love and the satisfaction of relationships that have weathered the test of time. The shambling, ambling opening track "Old Days" offers a picaresque ramble through some…

John Hiatt's Same Old Man opens with the song "Old Days," in which he tells tales of life on the road sharing stages with several aging legends of the blues, and given the grainy drawl of his vocal on the track, one can be forgiven for thinking Hiatt has begun to turn into one of the grizzled old men he's singing about.

Some say storytellers get wiser as they age.