Full Moon Fever in Bloomington, MN

Although
Let Me Up (I've Had Enough)
found
the Heartbreakers
regaining their strength as a band and discovering a newfound ease at songcraft, it just didn't sell that well. Perhaps that factor, along with road fatigue, led
Tom Petty
to record his first solo album,
Full Moon Fever
. Nevertheless, the distinction between "solo" and "
Heartbreakers
" is a fuzzy one because
is essentially in the same style as the
albums;
Mike Campbell
co-wrote two songs and co-produced the record, and he, along with
Benmont Tench
and
Howie Epstein
, all play on the album. However, the album sounds different from any
record due to the presence of former
Electric Light Orchestra
leader
Jeff Lynne
.
Petty
co-wrote the lion's share of the album with
Lynne
, who also is the record's main producer. In his hands,
's roots rock becomes clean and glossy, layered with shimmering vocal harmonies, keyboards, and acoustic guitars. It's a friendly, radio-ready sound, and if it has dated somewhat over the years, the craft is still admirable and appealing. But the real reason
became
's biggest hit is that it boasted a selection of songs that rivaled
Damn the Torpedoes
didn't have a weak track; even if a few weren't quite as strong as others, the album was filled with highlights: "I Won't Back Down," the wistful "A Face in the Crowd," the rockabilly throwaways "Yer So Bad" and "A Mind with a Heart of Its Own,"
the Byrds
cover "Feel a Whole Lot Better," the charging "Runnin' Down a Dream," and "Free Fallin'," a coming-of-age ballad that could be
's best song.
might have been meant as an off-the-cuff detour, but it turned into a minor masterpiece. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine