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Tom Petty - Highway Companion Audio CD

A fair review of the Tom Petty "Highway Companion" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Tom Petty reviews here, or go back to the Tom Petty tabs.

Tom Petty Band: Tom Petty
Title: Highway Companion
Rating:
Release Date: 2006-07-25
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Saving Grace 2: Square One 3: Flirting With Time 4: Down South 5: Jack 6: Turn This Car Around 7: Big Weekend 8: Night Driver 9: Damaged By Love 10: This Old Town 11: Ankle Deep 12: The Golden Rose

CD mastering too compressed


The CD edition suffers from extreme dynamic compression, a partial casualty of the Volume Wars. This is a fine album, as noted by many other reviewers, and I recommend it in any format. The LP edition has much wider dynamics, which allows the music much more life and power. This variation is not intrinsic to the formats--someone consciously chose to take the dynamics out of the CD master. It's also not subtle--with a good turntable, the differences in the first minute of the first track are impossible to miss. On the LP, the quiet beginning invites turning up the volume, the vocal sounds like a human, and then the full band kicks in with a blast. On the CD, it's all much flatter.

The LP is ridiculously expensive ($35), and is annoying to play because it's four very short sides, but it's by far the best way to hear this music.


.


I want a really good TP album next time
A few of these songs are good. . . . JUST ENOUGH to make the TP FANS starve for a really good HEARTBRAKERS album. THIS album, really is HALF finished. SOME of the songs just make everybody WANT MORE PETTY,. . . . . others , well you just want to throw it away. THEY MAKE YOU NUTS. I hope TOM and the heartbrakers. . . . . have a real good record next time. . . and one with at least 14 songs ( not these short rip off albums with 11-12 songs ). There really going to need it. . . MOST everybody I know agrees (ALOT of PEOPLE), that this album pulled tom petty down and it fans a bit. . . . from there HIGH HORSE. SO. . . . MAKE IT GOOD NEXT time PETTY. . . my money is waiting.


MORE LIKE CEMETERY COMPANION
once past the superb opening track, the rest of the album puts you to sleep. Just like every other artist from this era, Tom Petty has mellowed way down from past works like Full Moon Fever. If I were using this as a highway companion I would be dead from falling asleep and driving off the road. I'll put the first track and the song entitled Jack onto my ultimate Tom Petty disc and create my own highway companion.


The best Petty CD since Wildflowers!


Seriously, if you are a Tom Petty fan at all you must own this CD. That wobbly voice we all love (except my wife, who, uh, does not), excellent songs, that 12-string electric guitar stuff (have you ever priced a 12-string electric?), power chords, humor, excellent lyrics, you name it; it's all there. You have to go back as far as Wildflowers to find so many quintessentially beautiful Petty songs. I first heard Tom Petty on the radio in the 70's. How does he keep re-inventing himself over the decades, while remaining true to his roots? Astounding.

Buy it, enjoy. I just wish that the CD were a bit longer.


A subtle, satisfying album
At first listen it seems thin and uninspiring as there are no obvious rock anthems on it. It took a while for this album to take hold. But get past that and you will find songs that speak to you of the complexities of life as we get a bit older and more experienced. Those songs are expressed through nice melodies and Petty's voice is right on target. This is a great CD for a long journey behind the wheel where you have time to reflect on the parallels between Petty's lyrics and your own experiences.

Special mention should go out to Jeff Lynne for not turning this into another "Jeff Lynne produces and hijacks your record" production. He does a nice job of letting Petty get his songs across.

If you're up for a melodic, reflective album and can forgive Petty for not including any anthems, this could end up as one of your favorite albums of the last few years as it did for me. .


You can see a complete list of all Tom Petty discography, or go back to the Tom Petty tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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