Two Bit Monsters

Two Bit Monsters
Studio album by
John Hiatt
ReleasedJune 1980
StudioInternational Automated Media, Irvine, California; Kitchen Sync Studios, Hollywood; Crystal Sound, Los Angeles
GenreRock
Length34:43
LabelMCA
ProducerDenny Bruce, John Hiatt
John Hiatt chronology
Slug Line
(1979) 		Two Bit Monsters
(1980) 		All of a Sudden
(1982)
Alternative cover
Album cover from Slug Line/Two Bit Monsters combo CD
Singles from Two Bit Monsters
  1. "I Spy (For the F.B.I.)" / "Good Girl, Bad World"
    Released: August 1980
  2. "Back to the War" / "Pink Bedroom"
    Released: 1980
  3. "Back to Normal"
    Released: 1981

Two Bit Monsters is singer-songwriter John Hiatt's fourth album, released in June 1980. It was his second of two albums with MCA Records.[1] It failed to chart, and MCA dropped Hiatt. "It Hasn't Happened Yet" would be a minor country hit for Rosanne Cash, from her album Somewhere in the Stars. Cash also covered "Pink Bedroom", on Rhythm & Romance.

Release

[edit]

Two Bit Monsters was released by MCA Records in June 1980.[1][2][3] "I Spy (For the F.B.I.)" was released as a single in August 1980,[4] with "Good Girl, Bad World" as the B-Side.[5] "Back to the War", c/w "Pink Bedroom",[6][7] and "Back to Normal" were also released as singles.[8] The album failed to chart everywhere but Sweden, where it peaked at No. 41 on the Sverigetopplistan chart.[9]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[10]
Cash Box(unrated)[11]
Robert ChristgauB[12]
Rolling Stone(favorable)[13]

The Boston Globe wrote that "Hiatt's effort is strong, angry, and intelligent... He is not content to sneer, rather, Hiatt is one to ridicule and condemn."[14] Billboard wrote that the album "takes him [Hiatt] from the folk rock genre to the world of pop rock."[15]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by John Hiatt, except where noted.

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Back to Normal" 3:18
2."Down in Front" 3:22
3."I Spy (For the F.B.I.)"Richard "Popcorn" Wylie, Herman Kelley2:41
4."Pink Bedroom" 2:53
5."Good Girl, Bad World" 3:14
6."Face the Nation" 3:07
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Cop Party"2:54
2."Back to the War"3:28
3."It Hasn't Happened Yet"3:22
4."String Pull Job"3:22
5."New Numbers"3:02
Total length:34:43

Personnel

[edit]
  • John Hiatt – guitar, vocals
  • Howard Epstein – bass guitar, background vocals
  • Shane Keister – keyboards, organ, piano
  • Darrell Verdusco – drums, background vocals
Technical

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "MCA Plans Campaigns for June LPs" (PDF). Record World. June 14, 1980. p. 57 – via World Radio History.
  2. ^ "MCA Releases Ten" (PDF). Record World. May 31, 1980. p. 14 – via World Radio History.
  3. ^ "From Over The Rainbow" (PDF). Billboard. June 7, 1980. p. 2 – via World Radio History.
  4. ^ "Record World Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. August 23, 1980. p. 14 – via World Radio History.
  5. ^ "Releases" (PDF). Music Week. July 26, 1980. p. 26 – via World Radio History.
  6. ^ "New Singles" (PDF). Music Week. October 18, 1980. p. 30 – via World Radio History.
  7. ^ "New Singles" (PDF). Music Week. October 25, 1980. p. 32 – via World Radio History.
  8. ^ "Singles" (PDF). Record Mirror. May 9, 1981. p. 14 – via World Radio History.
  9. ^ "swedishcharts.com - John Hiatt - Two Bit Monsters". Sverigetopplistan.
  10. ^ Ruhlmann, William. Two Bit Monsters at AllMusic. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  11. ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. June 14, 1980. p. 26. ISSN 0006-2510 – via World Radio History.
  12. ^ "Consumer Guide, John Hiatt reviews". Robert Christgau. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  13. ^ Carson, Tom (October 2, 1980). "John Hiatt: Two Bit Monsters: Music review". Rolling Stone (RS 327). Archived from the original on March 10, 2009. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  14. ^ Allan, Marc (July 24, 1980). "Records/Reviews". Calendar. The Boston Globe. p. 1.
  15. ^ "Billboard's Recommended LPs" (PDF). Billboard. June 14, 1980. p. 68 – via World Radio History.


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