Tom Petty - Highway Companion Album Review

Tom Petty
Highway Companion
Album Review

While the young Tom Petty is remembered for some remarkable singles, the truth is that the albums were rarely consistent. Until, that is, Jeff Lynne's production moved in - Full Moon Fever and Into The Great Wide Open were great from start to finish. Petty has made no albums of note for a long while now, with one disappointing release after another.

Now, reunited with Jeff Lynne, we have a return to great songs, well produced (if more spare than we've been used to) and with a good amount of Heartbreakers fire (despite this being his third solo album - the first since 1994's Wildflowers). The album works best as an album, lacking any standout songs.

Is it as good as the under-rated Wildflowers? No. Is it Full Moon Fever? No, and a long way from it. But, a good Tom Petty album is something to be cherished, and this is a lot better than recent albums like The Last DJ.

Rating 7/10

Mike Rea