{{about|the 2005 album|other uses|The Master of Disaster (disambiguation)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Master of Disaster | type = Studio | artist = John Hiatt | cover = Hiatt Master.jpg | alt = | released = {{Start date|2005|6|21}} | recorded = | studio = Ardent Studio "C", Memphis, Tennessee | genre = {{hlist|Heartland rock|roots rock|Americana}} | length = {{Duration|m=50|s=24}} | label = New West | producer = Jim Dickinson | prev_title = Beneath This Gruff Exterior | prev_year = 2003 | next_title = Live from Austin, TX | next_year = 2005 | misc = }} '''''Master of Disaster''''' is singer-songwriter John Hiatt's seventeenth album, released in 2005. The album features contributions from the North Mississippi Allstars. The album peaked at number 126 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number 10 on the Independent Albums in the United States.
== Recording and release == The recording sessions took place at Ardent Studio "C" in Memphis, Tennessee.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Deming |first=Mark |title=Master of Disaster Review by Mark Deming |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/master-of-disaster-mw0000344445 |website=AllMusic}}</ref> The album was produced by Jim Dickinson.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Zimmermann |first=Shannon |date=June 25, 2005 |title=Hiatt's Recipe for 'Disaster' Is Worth Sharing |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/style/2005/06/26/hiatts-recipe-for-disaster-is-worth-sharing/c24a93ba-7e0f-4dd5-bae8-3f28e992b03b/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Doole |first=Kerry |date=July 1, 2005 |title=John Hiatt {{!}} Exclaim! |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/john_hiatt-master_of_disaster |website=Exclaim!}}</ref> It features contributions from the North Mississippi Allstars, David Hood, Jim Spake, Jeff Callaway, Scott Thompson, Joe Sellmansberger, "T-Bone" Tommy Burroughs, and Dickinson.
''Master of Disaster'' was released by New West on June 21, 2005.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Horowitz |first=Steve |date=July 12, 2005 |title=John Hiatt: Master of Disaster > PopMatters |url=https://www.popmatters.com/hiattjohn-master-2495930111.html |website=PopMatters}}</ref> The album debuted, and peaked at No. 126 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Billboard 200 - Week of July 9, 2005 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2005-07-09/ |magazine=Billboard}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=John Hiatt Chart History: Billboard 200 |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/john-hiatt/chart-history/tlp/ |accessdate= |magazine=Billboard}}</ref>
==Critic reception== The album was met with generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 70, based on eight reviews.<ref name="MC" />{{Music ratings | MC = 70/100<ref name="MC">{{Cite web|title=Critic Reviews for Master Of Disaster|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/master-of-disaster/john-hiatt/critic-reviews|access-date=April 21, 2021|website=Metacritic|language=en}}</ref> | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="AM">{{Cite web|last=Deming|first=Mark|title=Master of Disaster - John Hiatt {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/master-of-disaster-mw0000344445|access-date=April 21, 2021|website=AllMusic|language=en}}</ref> | rev2 = ''The Irish Times'' | rev2score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/roots-1.471577 |title=Roots - The Irish Times |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=July 22, 2005 |last=Breen |first=Joe}}</ref> | rev3 = ''The New Zealand Herald'' | rev3score = {{Rating|4|4}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/emjohn-hiattem-master-of-disaster/3SKP45GZZ4EYA4DM6PC2IFOYXE/?c_id=100&objectid=10338340 |title=<EM>John Hiatt:</EM> Master of Disaster |newspaper=The New Zealand Herald |date=July 30, 2005 |last=Reid |first=Graham}}</ref> | rev4 = ''Now'' | rev4score = 3/5<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2005-08-25/music_discs2.php |title=JOHN HIATT Master Of Disaster |newspaper='Now |date=August 25, 2005 |last=Raynor |first=Brent |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060618003831/http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2005-08-25/music_discs2.php |archive-date=June 18, 2006 }}</ref> | rev5 = ''PopMatters'' | rev5score = 4/10<ref name="PM">{{Cite web|last=Horowitz|first=Steve|date=July 12, 2005|title=John Hiatt: Master of Disaster, PopMatters|url=https://www.popmatters.com/hiattjohn-master-2495930111.html|access-date=April 21, 2021|website=PopMatters|language=en-US}}</ref> | rev6 = ''Under The Radar'' | rev6score = {{Rating|7|10}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://undertheradarmag.com/johnhiattreview.html |title=John Hiatt: Master of Disaster |website=Under The Radar |date=August 2005 |last=Christoffersen |first=Matthew |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511153329/http://undertheradarmag.com/johnhiattreview.html |archive-date=May 11, 2008 }}</ref> }} AllMusic's Mark Deming wrote "while Hiatt sounds soulful as all get out (as per usual) on this set, the lingering mood is often downbeat and introspective," adding "''Master of Disaster'' packs too much good and greasy East Memphis vibe to qualify as "mellow," even when Hiatt is searching the depths of his soul, and his material strikes a comfortable balance between his more confessional work and his impulsive rock & roll, allowing him to have it both ways for a change."<ref name=":0" /> Steve Horowitz of PopMatters says that "the tunes would be a whole lot better with careful pruning".<ref name=":1" />
==Track listing== {{Track listing | all_writing = John Hiatt | title1 = Master of Disaster | length1 = 5:26 | title2 = Howlin' Down the Cumberland | length2 = 3:45 | title3 = Thunderbird | length3 = 4:04 | title4 = Wintertime Blues | length4 = 4:19 | title5 = When My Love Crosses Over | length5 = 4:21 | title6 = Love's Not Where We Thought We Left It | length6 = 5:17 | title7 = Ain't Ever Goin' Back | length7 = 5:40 | title8 = Cold River | length8 = 5:34 | title9 = Find You at Last | length9 = 4:48 | title10 = Old School | length10 = 3:18 | title11 = Back on the Corner | length11 = 3:52 | total_length = 50:24 }}
==Personnel== *John Hiatt – songwriter, vocals, guitar *Luther Dickinson – guitar *David Hood – bass guitar *Cody Dickinson – drums *Jim "East Memphis Slim" Dickinson – keyboards, producer *Jim Spake – saxophone *Jeff Callaway – trombone *Scott Thompson – trumpet *Joe Sellmansberger – tuba *Thomas "T-Bone Tommy" Burroughs – violin *John Hampton – recording and mixing *Doug Sax – mastering *Robert Hadley – mastering *Erik Von Weber – photography *Mark Lipson – photography
== Charts == {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+Chart performance for ''Master of Disaster'' ! scope="col" |Chart (2005) ! scope="col" |Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|Billboard200|126|artist=John Hiatt|rowheader=true|access-date=April 21, 2021}} |- {{album chart|BillboardIndependent|10|artist=John Hiatt|rowheader=true|access-date=April 21, 2021}} |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Discogs master|325930|John Hiatt – Master Of Disaster}}
{{John Hiatt}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2005 albums Category:John Hiatt albums Category:New West Records albums Category:Albums produced by Jim Dickinson
{{2005-rock-album-stub}}