{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}} {{Infobox album | name = Little Head | type = Album | artist = John Hiatt | cover = Hiatt Head.jpg | alt = | released = July 1, 1997 | recorded = | venue = | studio = *Chapman Studios, Kansas City, MO *Sunset Sound Factory, Los Angeles, CA *Village Recorder, Los Angeles, CA | genre = Rock | length = 42:58 | label = Capitol | producer = Davey Faragher, John Hiatt | prev_title = Walk On | prev_year = 1995 | next_title = Crossing Muddy Waters | next_year = 2000 | misc = {{Singles | name = Little Head | type = studio | single1 = Little Head | single1date = 1997 | single2 = Sure Pinocchio | single2date = September 1997 | single3 = Pirate Radio | single3date = 1997 }} }} '''''Little Head''''' is singer-songwriter John Hiatt's thirteenth album, released in 1997. It failed to hit the top half of the ''Billboard'' 200, and it was his last album with Capitol Records. ''Little Head'' was the first album which Hiatt took a role in its production.
== Recording == The album was co-produced by John Hiatt and Davey Faragher, who also plays bass on the album. Hiatt wrote all of the songs on the album while on the tour supporting ''Walk On'' in 1996. Two of the songs from the album, "Graduated" and "Runaway" were recorded during the tour, in Chapman Studios, Kansas City, Missouri, and Sunset Sound Factory, Los Angeles, California,<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine |last=Morris |first=Chris |date=May 31, 1997 |title=Capitol Anticipates Higher Profile For Hiatt's 'Head' |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1997/Billboard-1997-05-31.pdf |magazine=Billboard |pages=13, 16 |via=World Radio History}}</ref> while the rest were recorded at the Village Recorder in Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=April 5, 1997 |title=A Perfectly Good Cigar |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1997/Billboard-1997-04-05.pdf |magazine=Billboard |page=43 |via=World Radio History}}</ref>
== Release == ''Little Head'' was released by Capitol Records on July 1, 1997.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |title=Little Head Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/little-head-mw0000019759 |website=AllMusic}}</ref> The album debuted, and peaked at No. 111 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Billboard 200 - Week of July 19, 1997 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/1997-07-19/ |website=Billboard}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=John Hiatt Chart History: Billboard 200 |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/john-hiatt/chart-history/tlp/ |access-date= |work=Billboard}}</ref> The title track,<ref name=":0" /> "Sure Pinocchio"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sure Pinocchio - John Hiatt {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/sure-pinocchio-mw0001626673 |website=AllMusic}}</ref> and "Pirate Radio"<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=September 19, 1997 |title=Once Upon A TIme There Was Such A Thing As Pirate Radio |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Gavin-Report/90/97/Gavin-1997-09-19.pdf |magazine=The Gavin Report |page=27 |via=World Radio History}}</ref> were released as singles.
== Critical reception == {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = {{Rating|1.5|5}}<ref>{{AllMusic|album|little-head-mw0000019759|access-date=25 November 2019}}</ref> | rev2 = Daily Vault | rev2Score = B<ref>[https://www.dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=267 Daily Vault Review]</ref> | rev3 = ''Uncut'' | rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Hogan |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Hogan |date=July 1997 |title=John Hiatt: ''Little Head'' |magazine=Uncut |page=101 |issue=2}}</ref> }}''The Independent'' reviewer Andy Gill writes "While clearly in more jocular mood than on 1995's admirable but downbeat Walk On, John Hiatt relinquishes none of that set's essential quality on Little Head, which may be his most approachable record yet."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gill |first=Andy |date=June 19, 1997 |title=John Hiatt Little Head Capitol CDEST 2296 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/john-hiatt-little-head-capitol-cdest-2296-1256856.html |website=The Independent}}</ref> AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine calls the album "arguably his weakest to date," writing "By attempting to loosen up on ''Little Head'', John Hiatt only accentuates his songwriting slump. Hiatt tentatively backs away from pure Americana, trying to make the rhythms looser and the lyrics funnier. Its supposed to be a lighthearted record, but the humor is so labored and the music so forced that it largely falls flat. But the real problem is Hiatt's shockingly listless songwriting. Although he's recycled past ideas on ''Perfectly Good Guitar'' and ''Walk On'', his craftsmanship made those two efforts at least marginally entertaining. On ''Little Head'', his skill has abandoned him -- there's no spark to the music, no bite to the lyrics, no hooks in the melodies."<ref name=":1" />
==Track listing== All tracks are written by John Hiatt, except where noted.
{{Track listing | title1 = Little Head | length1 = 3:45 | title2 = Pirate Radio | length2 = 4:27 | title3 = My Sweet Girl | length3 = 4:04 | title4 = Feelin' Again | length4 = 3:45 | title5 = Graduated | length5 = 4:38 | title6 = Sure Pinocchio | length6 = 4:16 | writer6 = John Hiatt, Davey Faragher | title7 = Runaway | length7 = 5:53 | title8 = Woman Sawed in Half | length8 = 4:31 | title9 = Far As We Go | length9 = 4:15 | title10 = After All This Time | length10 = 3:24 }}
==Personnel== *John Hiatt – guitar, vocals, piano *Davey Faragher – bass guitar, vocals *David Immerglück – guitar, pedal steel guitar, Dobro, electric sitar, vocals *Gary Ferguson – drums, vocals *Peter Holsapple – piano, organ *Efrain Toro – percussion, vocals ;Additional musicians * Jon Brion – vibraphone, Chamberlin * Kevin Buck – cello * Emilio Castillo – tenor saxophone * Bill Churchville – trumpet, flugelhorn * Barry Danielian – trumpet, flugelhorn * Matt Ferguson – vocals * Jim Gilstrap – vocals * Bob Joyce – vocals * Stephen "Doc" Kupka – baritone saxophone * Jean McClain – vocals * Laura Creamer – vocals * John Scarpulla – tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, flute * Jeff Scornavacca – vocals * Benmont Tench – organ * Michael Urbano – drums * Billy Valentine – vocals
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vQB90iblug |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211214/7vQB90iblug |archive-date=2021-12-14 |url-status=live|title=John Hiatt {{mdash}} ''Little head'' |publisher=Madfly Productions |work=YouTube |date=23 October 2006 |access-date=6 January 2015}}{{cbignore}}
{{John Hiatt}}
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Category:1997 albums Category:John Hiatt albums Category:Capitol Records albums
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