FILE UNDER: Petty is back.
CORPORATE LINE: Highway Companion, Tom Petty’s third solo album and first in a dozen years, is a timeless album about the passing of time. A constant companion on the road of rock n’ roll, Petty, says Rolling Stone, is “rock aristocracy”.
THE GOOD:
“Saving Grace” – This is the kind of song you’d love to listen to while heading down the highway when there is no destination. This song would fit nicely alongside some of Petty’s best songs.
“Down South” – Three minutes of beauty. Petty’s voice sounds ragged after all of these years and maybe that’s what adds to the appeal.
“Square One” – Again, Petty has the amazing ability to craft a song that sounds effortless. This little ballad couldn’t sound sweeter.
“Jack” – This song sounds like it came straight from the late fifties when rock ‘n’ roll was born.
“This Old Town” – A beautifully depressing song about a guy getting run over by a train and others being stuck in a town where there is no escape other than suicide.
“The Golden Rose” – The perfect high note—or sad note if you like—to end on. This ballad is downhearted while never being dull.
THE AVERAGE:
“Flirting With Time” – It’s not great—but this fun rockabilly song moves along and gets you singing in no time.
THE BAD:
Nothing.
FRANKLY: Tom Petty doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel with Highway Companion. Petty knows what he does best and does exactly that—thank God. Unfortunately the middle section of Highway Companion falls of until “This Old Town” comes and picks it back up. Petty has released a lot of albums and it could easily get monotonous hearing the man sing songs that have a similar sentimentality—but no, Petty never gets to that point. He has the ability to keep his music sounding fresh. Highway Companion is easily his best release since Wildflowers.
+ Rae Gun
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