Tom Petty Into The Great Wide Open CD

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Tom Petty (vocals, guitar, percussion); Mike Campbell (guitar, bouzouki, mandolin, keyboards, bass); Benmont Tench (accordion, piano); Howie Epstein (bass, background vocals); Stan Lynch (drums, percussion).
Additional personnel: Jeff Lynne (guitar, keyboards, bass, background vocals); Richard Tandy (synthesizer); Roger McGuinn (background vocals).
Producers: Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, Jeff Lynne.
Recorded at Rumbo Recorders, Studio C, Canoga Park, California.
Personnel: Tom Petty (vocals, guitar, percussion, background vocals); Mike Campbell (guitar, bouzouki, hammer dulcimer, mandolin, keyboards, bass guitar); Jeff Lynne (guitar, keyboards, background vocals); Benmont Tench (accordion, piano, electric piano); Richard Tandy (synthesizer); Stan Lynch (drums, percussion); Howie Epstein, Roger McGuinn (background vocals).
Recording information: M.C. Studios; MC Studios; Rumbo Recorders, Canoga Park, CA.
Since Full Moon Fever was an unqualified commercial and critical success, perhaps it made sense that Tom Petty chose to follow its shiny formula when he reunited with the Heartbreakers for its follow-up, Into the Great Wide Open. Nevertheless, the familiarity of Into the Great Wide Open is something of a disappointment. The Heartbreakers' sound has remained similar throughout their career, but they had never quite repeated themselves until here. Technically, it isn't a repeat, since they weren't credited on Full Moon, but Wide Open sounds exactly like Full Moon, thanks to Jeff Lynne's overly stylized production. Again, it sounds like a cross between latter-day ELO and roots rock (much like the Traveling Wilburys, in that sense), but the production has become a touch too careful and precise, bordering on the sterile at times. And, unfortunately, the quality of the songwriting doesn't match Full Moon or Let Me Up (I've Had Enough). That's not to say that it rivals the uninspired Long After Dark, since Petty was a better craftsman in 1991 than he was in 1983. There are a number of minor gems -- "Learning to Fly," "Kings Highway," "Into the Great Wide Open" -- but there are no knockouts, either; it's like Full Moon Fever if there were only "Apartment Song"s and no "Free Fallin'"s. In other words, enough for a pleasant listen, but not enough to resonate like his best work. (And considering this, perhaps it wasn't surprising that Petty chose to change producers and styles on his next effort, the solo Wildflowers.) ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Petty once represented the new wave of pop in the late 70s. There was an edge of punkiness to his music and that has served him well throughout his career. Very few stars as unassuming as Petty have courted all audiences and succeeded. This is a Jeff Lynne production, which would usually have had pundits making a heretic cross with their fingers. Fortunately, it was listened to for what it was: an excellent album of Petty songs played by the best support band in the world. "Learning To Fly," for example, has a simple repeated four-chord pattern, F C Am G, and out of this Petty has woven the perfect pop song. One of many.Entertainment Weekly - "..a surprising return to form." - Rating: B+
Q (8/91) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "..poignantly exhilarating... bracing with the sensation of the top down and wind in your hair.." One of Q Magazine's 50 best albums of 1991.
New York Times (Publisher) (1/1/92) - "Simple, eloquent stories about growing up and making sense of one's youth."