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Personnel: John Hiatt (vocals, guitar); Shane Keister (keyboards); Howard Epstein (bass, background vocals); Daryl Verdusco (drums, background vocals). While it seems John Hiatt has been around forever, it wasn't until 1987 that he began gaining the commercial attention he so richly deserved. A long-time cult favorite, Hiatt has long been respected as one of literate roots-rock's premier guitarists and singer/songwriters. Having been recording since 1974, he has developed a catalog of top-notch songs that are intelligent and wry, able to affect the head and the heart in simple yet cliche-free ways. 1980's TWO BIT MONSTERS is full of the anguished, roaming guitars and jittery choruses that make Hiatt's early work so distinguishable. His tottering Elvis Costello-like vocal delivery, with its peculiar twists and nasal sputtering, drives songs like "Back To Normal" and "Good Girl Bad World" to a punkier edge. The Motownish "I Spy (For The FBI)," shows off this Texan's more soulful side. The high-spirited "Pink Bedroom" takes on a life of its own, with Hiatt barely succeeding in keeping up with the brimming rocker; "Face The Nation" takes this frenetic pace a step further. Although it is not typical of the country/roots-rock work for which he is now known, TWO BIT MONSTERS is a well-crafted insight into how a talented writer and singer incorporates the sounds of his time into his own artistic vision.
