1991
4 keepers
keeper avg .333
4 keepers
keeper avg .333
Even though it's a "band" album as opposed to the preceding solo album Full Moon Fever, Jeff Lynne producing again and Mike Campbell doing his lead guitar thing have a lot to do with the album's sound resembling FMF a lot. In fact, two songs scream Full Moon Fever Part II. With badass riffs and dramatic pauses "Out In The Cold"***** is a nearly perfect boomer-rock song; and since it's a treat so hear Petty rock this hard I'll ignore the obvious similarity to "Runnin' Down A Dream." Unfortunately, when Petty and Lynne repeat the heavy-handed production tricks that gave the crowd-pleasing "Freefallin'" such a distinctive sound on "All The Wrong Reasons," it suffers by comparison, merely registering as a lazy copy with a shitty chorus.
But one new ingredient that makes at least a couple decent songs enduring classics is the addition of distinctive percussion. "Learning To Fly"**** would be a satisfying enough song played solo acoustic, but after a few decades it's impossible to imagine it without the attention-grabbing rim-shot or side-stick hook that ties the song together. And a clanking cowbell was the perfect addition to the dumb-fun party-rocker "Makin' Some Noise"****. Both may be creations of Heartbreakers drummer and percussionist Stan Lynch (returning to replace Phil Jones), though in the liner notes percussion is also credited to Petty so who knows that may be all him. Though I'm pretty sure the brilliant skipping pattern leading into the choruses was all Lynch, the buoyant, escapist "Kings Highway"***** would be one of Petty's greatest songs regardless.
Petty cranks out a handful of unobjectionable journeyman pop-rockers, including the Byrds-copy "You And I Will Meet Again", the slide-drenched "All Or Nothin'", and the moody "Too Good To Be True." There's also a few bummers to round it out, a dull "Kings Highway" facsimile "The Dark Of The Sun," the over-processed doo-wop "Built To Last," and the lethargic (in every way) title song. But a couple number-one singles helped make the album the middle of Petty's commercial heyday, Traveling Wilbury powers, activated.
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