He's a busy guy, that John Hiatt. Mystic Pinball is already his third album in as many years. So there is no lack of inspiration, but the old hand does not lack enthusiasm either. Mystic Pinball clicks briskly and powerfully. The album opens with the energetic and infectious We're Alright Now, on which you can immediately hear that Hiatt likes nothing more than making music. It is also once again
… clear that despite his age - he is now over sixty - his distinctive voice has not lost any of its quality. Musically, with Mystic Pinball, he builds on the acclaimed predecessor (2011). Heavy rock songs are interspersed with a subdued typical Hiatt track every now and then. A striking example is the rough My Business, after which the beautiful ballad I Just Don't Know What To Say passes in review. There is actually no weak track to be discovered on Mystic Ball and so Hiatt has once again succeeded in adding a fine album to his impressive repertoire. (BvdV)more