John Hiatt was feeling strong after the success of 1987's masterstroke Bring the Family, so he rocked out a little more on the joyful, confident Slow Turning. His Louisiana quartet, the Goners, spearheaded by slide guitar innovator Sonny Landreth, made each hot tune ("Drive South," "Tennessee Plates") crack like a whip. Hiatt's rubbery soul singing, in turn, made each ballad ("Icy Blue Heart," "Is Anybody There?") tug at every available heartstring. The album became a bit of a hit factory for others, too--with Emmylou Harris, Suzy Bogguss, and Aaron Neville among the many who made Slow Turning's songs their own. This gold version of the title offers superior sound quality for a higher price than the standard-issue CD. --Michael Ruby