Tom Petty: Wildflowers - 1994

 

For many, this is one of Tom Petty's finest albums. Lots of people totally love it. Unfortunately it has never quite done it for me as much as other albums in his large canon have, despite being in possession of some appealing material. Maybe that is doing it a disservice, though, because the opening collection of songs are pretty damn good, I have to say.

In looking to move away somewhat from his hard riffing, hard rocking, jangly, electric guitar-driven work with The Heartbreakers, Petty decided (in theory) to go all loose, stripped-back, bucolic and acoustic in some of the songs' foundations with a few notable nods to his other work popping up here and there, particularly at the album's outset. It is a bit of a music critic's myth, though, to describe the album as "minimalist", "stripped back", "acoustic" or "basic". There is still lots of electric guitar and drum power to be found amongst the album's many compositions. 

Petty said of the album's conception - "Rick Rubin (the producer) and I both wanted more freedom than to be strapped into five guys". Well that was all very well, Tom, but apart from the drummer, all The Heartbreakers were used! The necessary effect was gained, nevertheless, and there is a laid-back hot afternoon, sleepy Southern States country rock feel to the whole thing, something which is perfectly ok for a while, but this is a sprawling, fifteen-track double album that just drifts somnolently along, losing my interest after about half an hour. Mind you, at least it has a feel of a solo album about it, as opposed to the other two "solo" offerings, which basically sound like they're Heartbreakers albums.

But what do I know, eh? This slightly negative opinion of mine goes well against the popular grain, but, as always, I write as I hear. It gets three stars because it is clearly a thoughtful, mature offering, it just isn't for me as an overall, complete piece of work. Some bits of it remind me of some of Neil Young's acoustic-based country-ish work and others just chug along - fine for a few songs, but not for a whole album. I have to say, though, that I love the first two tracks. Maybe I just have a problem digesting albums that last over an hour, being a traditional seventies forty minutes per album kind of a guy.

Anyway on to the songs in more detail. Wildflowers is a fine opener - gently melodic in its carefree, summery acoustic vibe and one of Petty's sleepy, nasal but strangely attractive vocals. I have to admit that is a really good song and it is one that gains power as it progresses and the bass, drums and piano enhance the sound. 

The attractiveness continues on the solid, infectious grind of the harmonica and muscular drum-powered You Don't Know How It Feels.It's another one that has a great hook to it as Tom tells his companion to get to the point and roll another joint.

Time To Move On immediately puts me in mind of some of Bruce Springsteen's later era stuff, in its subtle melody, acoustic, electric and metronomic drums all merging perfectly, but when Tom's lazy voice comes in it's indisputably him. There is also something of Mark Knopfler in its warm, unthreatening folk rock backing. I have to give a shout out to the Heartbreakers-esque rock oomph of You Wreck Me, a track that is exactly what many such as I have come to expect from Petty.

It's Good To Be King is a robust, mournful chugger featuring another of those archetypal vocals. Only A Broken Heart is another strong serving of acoustic-based rock that has an absolutely deliciously warm and deep bassline. Honey Bee is an electric blues grinder, featuring some top class slow riffage. 

Don't Fade On Me is a sombre, acoustic piece of Dylan meets Neil Young folk. This album was said to be Petty's Blood On the tracks - his divorce album. While this song has echoes of Dylan's classic album in it, to be honest, I don't find that Petty's lyrics get through to me in the way that Dylan's do. 

Hard On Me, while gracefully pleasant and strong in places probably marks the point where I am thinking about turning to another album. That said, the bluesy riffing rock of Cabin Down Below drags me back straight away.

To Find A Friend returns to dreamy, light acoustic fare. The glorious Byrds-ish tunefulness of A Higher Place is exactly the sort of good track that suffers from being hidden away near the end of a bloated album. I love this one but often fail to get around to it. The same can be said for the industrial thump of House In The Woods

Crawling Back To You is a fine, atmospheric mid-pace rocker, but once more it tends to get lost in a homogenous sonic murk, somehow, and by the time of the stark, piano-driven ballad Wake Up Time I've definitely had my fill. This is very harsh on what are good songs, but too many chocolate biscuits are exactly that - too many. Sorry to the many Petty obsessives out there for whom this album is his pinnacle.

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