{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2020}} {{Infobox album | name = The Tiki Bar is Open | type = Album | artist = John Hiatt | cover = The Tiki Bar is Open (cover art).jpg | alt = | released = September 11, 2001 | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = Rock | length = 44:55 | label = Vanguard | producer = Jay Joyce | prev_title = Crossing Muddy Waters | prev_year = 2000 | next_title = Beneath This Gruff Exterior | next_year = 2003 | misc = {{Singles | name = The Tiki Bar is Open | type = studio | single1 = My Old Friend | single1date = 2001 | single2 = I'll Never Get Over You | single2date = March 27, 2002 }} }} '''''The Tiki Bar is Open''''' is singer-songwriter John Hiatt's fifteenth album, released in 2001. It was his last album with Vanguard Records. Although they are uncredited, the album features backing band the Goners, the same cadre of friends who backed Hiatt in his 1988 release, ''Slow Turning''. (CD Version does credit the Goners: Dave Ranson, Kenneth Blevins, and Sonny Landreth) "All the Lilacs in Ohio" was eventually rerecorded for Hiatt's collaboration album with the Jerry Douglas Band, ''Leftover Feelings''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Davidson |first=Jason |date=June 24, 2021 |title=REVIEW: John Hiatt & The Jerry Douglas Band — "Leftover Feelings" |url=https://americanahighways.org/2021/06/24/review-john-hiatt-the-jerry-douglas-band-leftover-feelings/ |website=Americana Highways}}</ref>
== Background and release == Hiatt and the Goners recorded most of the album before ''Crossing Muddy Waters'', and it was originally going to be released by Capitol. However, in January 2000, Hiatt got out of his contract with Capitol, and ''The Tiki Bar is Open'' was eventually finished and released by Vanguard.<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine |last=Morris |first=Chris |date=August 25, 2001 |title=Vanguard Opens Hiatt's "Tiki Bar" |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2001/BB-2001-08-25.pdf |magazine=Billboard |page=12 |via=World Radio History}}</ref>
''The Tiki Bar is Open'' was released by Vanguard on September 11, 2001.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=PopMatters Staff |date=September 10, 2001 |title=John Hiatt: The Tiki Bar Is Open > PopMatters |url=https://www.popmatters.com/hiattjohn-tiki-2495939267.html |website=PopMatters}}</ref> The album debuted, and peaked at No. 89 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Billboard 200 - Week of September 29, 2001 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2001-09-29/ |website=Billboard}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=John Hiatt Chart History: Billboard 200 |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/john-hiatt/chart-history/tlp/ |accessdate= |work=Billboard}}</ref> "My Old Friend"<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Oermann |first=Robert K. |date=August 2001 |title=Praise Be, Here's Some Old Time Music |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Music-Row/00s/Music-Row-2001-08.pdf |magazine=MusicRow |page=11 |via=World Radio History}}</ref> and "I'll Never Get Over You"<ref>{{Cite web |title=I'll Never Get Over You [Single] - John Hiatt {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/ill-never-get-over-you-single--mw0001068461 |website=AllMusic}}</ref> were released as singles.
== Critical reception == {{Album ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r546074|first=Hal|last=Horowitz|accessdate=12 August 2011}}</ref> | rev2 = ''The Austin Chronicle'' | rev2score = {{Rating|4|4}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2001-09-28/83153/ |title=John Hiatt: The Tiki Bar Is Open Album Review |newspaper=The Austin Chronicle |date=September 28, 2001 |last=Jordan |first=Scott}}</ref> | rev3 = Daily Vault | rev3score = A−<ref>[https://www.dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=1794 Daily Vault Review]</ref> | rev4 = ''The Michigan Daily'' | rev4score = B−<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.michigandaily.com/uncategorized/tiki-bar-open-john-hiatt-vangaurd/ |title=The Tiki Bar is Open, John Hiatt Vangaurd |newspaper=The Michigan Daily |date=December 4, 2001 |last=Pensiero |first=Gina}}</ref> | rev5 = ''The New Rolling Stone Album Guide'' | rev5score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite book |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |date=2004 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |page=378}}</ref> }}AllMusic's Hal Horowitz wrote "Far from winding down in his fifties, John Hiatt released the most inspired work of his life. Not quite as magical as his high-water mark, ''Bring the Family'', this is still a superbly crafted disc whose songs quickly sink in and stay lodged in your brain."<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Tiki Bar Is Open Review by Hal Horowitz |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-tiki-bar-is-open-mw0000590864 |website=AllMusic}}</ref> Gina Pensiero of ''The Michigan Daily'' writes that "All the songs on ''The Tiki Bar is Open'' have substantial potential, but their presentations are mediocre and clich. One exception to this rule is "Hangin Round Here," which is catchy and Randy Newman-esque. Another is the upbeat and pop-driven "All the Lilacs in Ohio."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pensiero |first=Gina |date=December 4, 2001 |title=The Tiki Bar is Open, John Hiatt Vangaurd |url=https://www.michigandaily.com/uncategorized/tiki-bar-open-john-hiatt-vangaurd/ |website=The Michigan Daily}}</ref> PopMatters writes "''The Tiki Bar Is Open'' is such a departure from last year’s all-acoustic ''Crossing Muddy Waters'' that it may come as a bit of a shock to complacent Hiatt fans. It has more in common spiritually with ''Perfectly Good Guitar'' than even ''Slow Turning'', because it rocks hard where ''Slow Turning'' casually rolled. It’s as if Hiatt is not quite ready to become a full-time blues singer, or a straight-ahead folk rocker, like many would expect him to. The tiki torch still shines."<ref name=":1" /> John Hood of ''Music Row'' says that the album "solidifies Hiatt's reputation as one of America's most enduring and important songwriters."<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Hood |first=John |date=October 2001 |title=So Much Music, So Little Time |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Music-Row/00s/Music-Row-2001-10.pdf |magazine=MusicRow |pages=28, 29 |via=World Radio History}}</ref>
==Track listing== All tracks are written by John Hiatt.
{{Track listing | total_length = 44:55 | title1 = Everybody Went Low | length1 = 3:20 | title2 = Hangin' Round Here | length2 = 3:09 | title3 = All the Lilacs in Ohio | length3 = 3:37 | title4 = My Old Friend | length4 = 3:50 | title5 = I Know a Place | length5 = 3:26 | title6 = Something Broken | length6 = 3:12 | title7 = Rock of Your Love | length7 = 3:15 | title8 = I'll Never Get Over You | length8 = 3:38 | title9 = The Tiki Bar Is Open | length9 = 4:40 | title10 = Come Home to You | length10 = 3:52 | title11 = Farther Stars | length11 = 8:49 }}
==Personnel== *John Hiatt – guitar, piano, harmonica, mandolin, harmonium, vocals *Jay Joyce – guitar, keyboards, loops *Sonny Landreth – guitar *Dave Ranson – bass *Kenneth Blevins – drums, percussion *David Bianco – piano on "The Tiki Bar Is Open" *Julie Miller – backing vocals *New Reflections Men's Choir – backing vocals on "The Tiki Bar Is Open"
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{John Hiatt}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tiki Bar Is Open}} Category:2001 albums Category:John Hiatt albums Category:Vanguard Records albums Category:Albums produced by Jay Joyce Category:Tiki culture
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