**1/2 John Hiatt

LITTLE HEAD

(Capitol)

As he's homed in on the 50-year mark, John Hiatt's had a lot to say about domesticity. So what's with "Little Head," the lust-fueled paean to illicit desire that leads off his new record by the same name? Is this the battle cry of a man headed for Divorce Court? Well, no. It just means that Hiatt's lightened up a bit this time out, taking a turn from the personal themes and back-porch intimacy of his last outing, Walk On, in favor of a loose set that most closely resembles 1993's no-nonsense Perfectly Good Guitar.

Returning is the Walk On backing band, including former Cracker bassist Davey Faragher (who co-produces) and guitarist David Immergluck, formerly of Camper Van Beethoven and Counting Crows. But the rootsy feel of that disc gives way to a breezier sound that encompasses the big-guitar/big-hooks poppiness of "Pirate Radio" and a heavy dose of soul, from the lowdown groove of the title track to the horn-laced "Sure Pinocchio" to the sweet, blue-eyed soulfulness of the plainspoken love song "After All This Time." As always, the songcraft is impeccable. And Hiatt is funnier than ever, breaking the heat of "Little Head" with the cool-handed couplet "I'm talking with a tight red sweater/I'm feeling like Eddie Vedder."

-- Chris Erikson