Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
Damn The Torpedoes

THE REVIEW

After reading the comments on my Bruce Springsteen reviews, which said that this album is better than "The River," I was intrigued and wanted to listen to it. I had already listened to a few scattered singles by Tom Petty (mostly from the late '80s and early '90s), but I had never listened to a full album, and above all, I had never heard any songs from this "Damn The Torpedoes."

All in all, a comparison could be made between Tom and the Boss, but it must be said that their style is completely different: Petty makes a more carefree and more "youthful" rock, while Springsteen's rock is more "adult." Summarizing their careers, one could say that the Boss has had more "highs" but also more lows than Petty, who has made continuity his strength.

Now let's talk about this album. The beginning is simply devastating: "Refugee", "Here Comes My Girl", and "Even The Loser" are three songs that are certainly not innovative (it's 1979, and rock 'n' roll was certainly no novelty) but of surprising beauty. The real strength of this album is that everything is in its place, both Tom's voice and the Heartbreakers' music. We proceed with other very successful tracks ("Don't Do Me Like That", "You Tell Me") until the splendid final ballad "Louisiana Rain". The album only lacks the "gem" (although "Refugee" comes very close), but for the rest, it's an album that is wonderful in its simplicity.

Tom Petty would find greater fame 10 years later with "Full Moon Fever," but already by the '70s, we could place him on the same level as the Boss without any problem.