Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers ‘Mojo’

By Martin Halo

Tom Petty is more than just a musical legend. He is a songwriter who pens classics at the rate David Hasslehoff has drunken benders. Rising far above his Mudcrutch roots, the career catalog alongside guitarist Mike Campbell is a body of work which surpasses generations. Grown from the belief that melody steals hearts and the blues steals souls, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have oozed the American spirit with compositions which literally live on the lips of the faithful.

After 40+ years together, the 2010 release of Mojo is a testament to Petty’s songwriting longevity. Released back on June 15 courtesy of Warner Brothers, the collection of fresh material extends the legacy. Much like the critical success of Echo [1999], Petty jam packs a solid punch of album cuts into a recording that lives up to the swagger and strut which it is so appropriately titled.

“Jefferson Jericho Blues” shuffles out of the gate before Campbell’s flourishes and dynamics shine on “First Flash of Freedom.” The visions of running man’s bibles and moonshine sweets jump out of the speakers, as Petty’s metaphors are in classic form.

The slow grooving “Trip to Pirate’s Cove” steals the ear before walking the recording eventually into the bombastic single “I Should Have Known It.” It is a full-throttle rock n’ roll cut with driving drums, blaring guitars and lyrics which lash out against the scorn of love. The album caps with a slow blues number “Good Enough.”

God bless this land, God bless this whiskey and most importantly, God bless Tom Petty.