After a quite successful debut album from 1976, with some patchy moments, but two copper-bottomed Petty classics in Breakout and American Girl, the Florida band were back with more of the same Southern, vaguely punk-associated bluesy rock. The first thing that strikes me, though, is that eighteen months between the albums, the sound quality has improved immeasurably (or is it just the remastering?).
The first track, When The Time Comes, sets the tone. It is a vibrant piece of mid-pace soulful rock with a far richer, warmer, bassier sound than on the previous album’s material. The comfortable medium groove, slightly bluesy rock continues with You're Gonna Get It, which has an impressive drum sound. That strong backing - drums, bass and Byrds-style guitar licks is carried on into the upbeat, vibrant Hurt.
All these years later, though, I still find myself having trouble accepting Tom Petty’s voice, but, as I said in the review of the first album, it has a certain something that just suits the recordings. It wouldn’t be the same without him. However, with all Tom Petty albums, I enjoy listening to them, but there is often a lack of truly standout material. By that, I mean songs that really stick in your mind as they do with, for example, Bruce Springsteen. The songs are all good, the general atmosphere is a rocking one. All ok. But often there is just nothing that really gets you by the whatever. On to this album, though,
Magnolia is a laid-back piece of country-ish rock with a nice hook and Too Much Ain't Enough is a fast-paced number that would have kept the punks happy - who inexplicably claimed Petty as one of their own in 1977-78. This Southern States rock was always slightly incongruous among gig listings for The Ramones, The Stranglers, Talking Heads, The Clash, Stiff Little Fingers and The Jam but it was accepted as part of the “new wave”. It was the attitude, I guess. It just seemed to fit the times. The Heartbreakers were an honest, hard-working band with no pretensions or “rock star” mannerisms, so that would appeal to the “sweep the decks clean/back to basics” punk ethics.
I Need To Know is a piano-driven rocker that is so reminiscent of a lot of the Bruce Springsteen session tracks from 1977-78 that appeared on Tracks and The Promise, while my favourite from the album, Listen To Her Heart has such as Searchers-Needles And Pins intro it’s untrue. Great song, however.
There is something about the bass line on No Second Thoughts that reminds me of American Girl and, for me, there are strong hints of The Rolling Stones’ Factory Girl. Some interesting instrumentation used on it too.
Restless is big, strong, powerful and has a killer chugging guitar riff and a suitably strong vocal. Make no mistake, this is a blues ROCK song. Not a punk song. Not a new wave song. Not white reggae. Not post punk. It is rock. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers were a rock band.
The final track, Baby's A Rock 'n' Roller is an almost glam rock-styled track that proves it. These early albums were all somewhat short, all over in about half an hour. All enjoyable though, but no works of genius. I prefer this to the debut album, however, it has a fuller sound and is generally more polished.
