Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Into The Great Wide Open

THE REVIEW

I preface by saying that Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers are undoubtedly among the best entities in American Rock, and the fact that I didn't find any reviews left me somewhat perplexed... so I remedied that with this album from 1991.

For those who don't know him (and if that's the case, rush to buy this album because it's even nice price!!!), he's been on the scene since 1975 and his musical influences are mainly Byrds and Dylan (with whom he did an entire tour, the legendary "True Confession Tour"), Stones and Chuck Berry, all sprinkled with Noble Pop (vaguely Beatles-like, if you will) and Southern Rock.

The album opens with "Learning To Fly" and it starts off great! A track characterized by very meaningful lyrics and a captivating, sunny instrumental section as only Petty can create. The following "Kings Highway" is another great track to listen to all in one go! It's time for the Title-Track "Into The Great Wide Open", an excellent melody; rarely have I heard such a rich and expansive sound. A pearl of rare beauty (some of you will certainly remember the video broadcast repeatedly by MTV in the early nineties, the one with Johnny Depp to be specific).
Then comes "Two Gunslingers", another great song, and the quality remains high and unchanged with the subsequent tracks "The Dark Of The Sun", "All Or Nothin", "All The Wrong Reasons" (a perfect pop song with a very catchy chorus), "Too Good To Be True", "You And I Will Meet Again" (where we find the presence of the Rickenbacker of the great Roger McGuinn), "Built To Last".
Finally, "Out In The Cool" and "Makin' Some Noise" (great Rock songs with an abrasive sound). The entire album is a triumph of guitars and choruses, not to mention the presence of the excellent Jeff Lynne as a musician and co-author (see E.L.O. or even the Supergroup "Traveling Wilburys", rings a bell?)

In my heart, this album deserves a 5, but wanting to be objective and seeing as I don't give out 5s like I've seen some DeReviewers do, we'll give it a solid 4... but a very full one!!!!