Walk On (John Hiatt album)

Walk On
Studio album by
John Hiatt
ReleasedOctober 24, 1995
Studio
  • A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA
  • Castle Recording Studios, Franklin, TN
  • Enterprise Studios, N. Hollywood, CA
  • Journey Room, Malibu, CA
  • MC Studios, Woodland Hills, CA
GenreFolk, country rock
Length68:57
LabelCapitol
ProducerDon Smith
John Hiatt chronology
Hiatt Comes Alive at Budokan?
(1994) 		Walk On
(1995) 		Little Head
(1997)
Singles from Walk On
  1. "Cry Love"
    Released: 1995
  2. "Shredding the Document"
    Released: 1996

Walk On is singer-songwriter John Hiatt's twelth album, released in 1995.[1][2] It was his first album with Capitol Records.[3] The album peaked at No. 48 on the Billboard 200 chart, but it only spent 5 weeks on the chart.[4] The album also features guest appearances by the Jayhawks and Bonnie Raitt.[1] The song "Cry Love" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance and Best Rock Song in 1997.

Production

Hiatt wrote the songs while touring to promote Perfectly Good Guitar. The guitarist David Immerglück replaced Mike Ward for the recording sessions.[5] The album was produced by Don Smith.[6][7]

Release

Walk On was released by Capitol Records on October 24, 1995.[8][9] The album debuted, and peaked at No. 48 on the Billboard 200 chart,[10][11] selling around 21,500 units in it's first week.[12] "Cry Love" was the lead single from the album.[13][14][15] The music video for the song was shot in Los Angeles, Piru, and Nashville, and directed by Mick Haggerty.[16] The song was nominated for the Best Male Rock Vocal Performance and Best Rock Song awards at the 39th Annual Grammy Awards in 1997.[17] "Shredding the Document" was also released as a single,[18] and the music video was directed by Kevin Kerslake.[19]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[20]
Daily VaultA[21]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[22]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[23]
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide[24]

The Encyclopedia of Popular Music called the title track one of Hiatt's "most infectious songs."[22] In its review, Entertainment Weekly called Hiatt "country rock’s best singer-songwriter."[25] Trouser Press wrote that Walk On "calmly returns Hiatt to the rustic folk-roots sound of his most natural habitat, with mixed but generally positive results."[3] The Chicago Tribune called it Hiatt's best since Bring the Family.[26] RPM writes that Hiatt's "crusty, throaty voice is the perfect vehicle for these songs which at times sound mournful, even a little cynical, but always contain that tiny ray of hope that the best songwriters never seem to miss."[27] The Gavin Report calls Hiatt "probably one of the greatest songwriters walking the planet," adding "Walk On has Hiatt walking tall once again."[28]

Track listing

All tracks are written by John Hiatt.

  1. "Cry Love" – 4:20
  2. "You Must Go" – 5:01
  3. "Walk On" – 5:11
  4. "Good as She Could Be" – 3:28
  5. "The River Knows Your Name" – 4:25
  6. "Native Son" – 3:55
  7. "Dust Down a Country Road" – 4:04
  8. "Ethylene" – 4:03
  9. "I Can't Wait" – 4:25
  10. "Shredding the Document" – 5:02
  11. "Wrote It Down and Burned It" – 6:02
  12. "Your Love Is My Rest" – 4:34
  13. "Friend of Mine" – 14:22 (*)

(*) The song "Friend of Mine" ends at 3:22. After 2 minutes [3:22 – 5:22] begins the hidden song "Mile High" [5:22 – 14:22], included on the Capitol release but not mentioned. Listed as a bonus track on the European and BMG releases. A few seconds after Mile High, there is a second hidden track featuring audio of thunder and rain followed by a passing train.

Personnel

Additional musicians
  • Lisa Haley – violin on "Walk On" and "The River Knows Your Name"
  • Gary Louris – background vocals on "You Must Go"
  • Mark Olson – background vocals on "You Must Go"
  • Bonnie Raitt – background vocals on "I Can't Wait"
  • Benmont Tench – piano and harpsichord on "Shredding the Document" and pump organ on "The River Knows Your Name"
Production

References

  1. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "John Hiatt | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  2. ^ Joyce, Mike (November 6, 1995). "JOHN HIATT" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  3. ^ a b "John Hiatt". Trouser Press. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  4. ^ Morris, Chris (December 16, 1995). "Gary Gersh's Artist Development Proves To Be Capitol's Foundation" (PDF). Billboard. p. 116 – via World Radio History.
  5. ^ CATLIN, ROGER (November 1995). "JOHN HIATT BACK TO MORE INTIMATE MODE". courant.com.
  6. ^ "Columbia Readies Springsteen Best-Of; E Street Band Reunites For Album Tracks" (PDF). Billboard. January 28, 1995. p. 16 – via World Radio History.
  7. ^ "Walk On To Capitol" (PDF). Billboard. July 15, 1995. p. 81 – via World Radio History.
  8. ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Walk On Review by William Ruhlmann". AllMusic.
  9. ^ Morris, Chris (September 16, 1995). "John Hiatt Struts His Stuff On Capitol Set 'Walk On'" (PDF). Billboard. pp. 13, 40 – via World Radio History.
  10. ^ "John Hiatt". Billboard.
  11. ^ "Billboard 200 - Week of November 11, 1995". Billboard.
  12. ^ Mayfield, Geoff (November 11, 1995). "Between The Bullets" (PDF). Billboard. p. 97 – via World Radio History.
  13. ^ "John Hiatt Walk On" (PDF). RPM. September 4, 1995. p. 5 – via World Radio History.
  14. ^ "Album Adult Alternative" (PDF). The Gavin Report. September 22, 1995. p. 59 – via World Radio History.
  15. ^ Baltin, Steve (November 18, 1995). "Picks Of The Week" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 9 – via World Radio History.
  16. ^ "Production Notes" (PDF). Billboard. January 20, 1996. p. 82 – via World Radio History.
  17. ^ "The Complete List of Nominees". Los Angeles Times. January 8, 1997.
  18. ^ "Shredding The Document - John Hiatt" (PDF). The Gavin Report. March 1, 1996. p. 45 – via World Radio History.
  19. ^ "Production Notes" (PDF). Billboard. March 16, 1996. p. 104 – via World Radio History.
  20. ^ Ruhlmann, William. Walk On at AllMusic. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
  21. ^ Daily Vault Review
  22. ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 4. MUZE. p. 274.
  23. ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 547.
  24. ^ The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. 2004. p. 378.
  25. ^ "Walk On". EW.com.
  26. ^ Kot, Greg (December 4, 1995). "HIATT FINDS IMMERGLUCK FOIL FOR HIS ADVENTURES". chicagotribune.com.
  27. ^ "New Releases" (PDF). RPM. October 16, 1995. p. 10 – via World Radio History.
  28. ^ "Americana Picks" (PDF). The Gavin Report. November 10, 1995. p. 25 – via World Radio History.


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