Tom Petty
Wildflowers

THE REVIEW

Tom Petty is a great traditionalist of rock music. Throughout his brilliant career, his goal has always been to keep alive and continuous the classic sound of artists like Bob Dylan, Byrds, Chuck Berry, and Rolling Stones. These fundamental artistic references have been enriched by his undeniable songwriting skills and over the years Tom has therefore given us great songs, unforgettable concerts, luxury collaborations, and albums that have become classics. That's the case with "Wildflowers," an album released in the fall of 1994.

"Wildflowers" is Petty's personal jukebox and collects the various musical tastes that have influenced his work throughout his entire career. The artist is captured here in a brilliant creative moment. Even the interviews from that period reveal a serene, confident, and optimistic man. His voice always delivers emotions, the musicians (both Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench are great) play the songs as if they've always been tattooed on their skin, Rick Rubin's production is clean. "Wildflowers" is a tribute to all of Petty's heroes and enjoying the fifteen tracks of the album, it's easy to guess who they are. A sort of personal greatest hits of his passions and a dive into the memories of the sixties when the radio would broadcast dreamy music that encouraged a boy to learn to play the guitar and form a band. "Wildflowers" is reassuring both in sound and lyrics. A small classic inspired by the classics. The graceful title track recalls acoustic hints of the Beatles while "Only A Broken Heart" is a direct tribute to his friend George Harrison. "Cabin Down Below" is pure John Fogerty and "Crawling Back To You" has the formal elegance of Fleetwood Mac, marked "Tusk".

Every now and then, Byrdsian folk rock atmospheres ("A Higher Place"), southern rock flare-ups ("House In The Woods"), and atypical acoustic blues ("Don't Fade On Me") emerge. Carl Wilson's presence in the harsh "Honey Bee" pays homage to the Beach Boys, Ringo Starr's discreet drumming gives a skiffle touch to the Dylan-esque "To Find A Friend", and "Time To Move On" travels the love tunnel of Springsteen. A special mention goes to the lively "You Wreck Me", the sweetly pianistic "Wake Up Time", and "You Don't Know How It Feels", pure Petty sound.

"Wildflowers" is overall an excellent album that elegantly settles in a small corner of the history of American rock as it summarizes the contents of at least two decades. Another proof of the fact that great music does not arise by chance but needs true roots to grow. Thus was born this group of songs, a bunch of fifteen wildflowers destined to last forever.