Long After I Stopped Caring About Long After Dark

The Good: Decent instrumentals and music, One or two lyrics
The Bad: SHORT, most of the lyrics simply do not pop, SHORT! Vocals are unimpressive
The Basics: Without any lyrics that are impressive, the best Long After Dark achieves is enjoyable instrumentals and irony.


Classic rock albums are often, at least in my experience, a real mixed bag. There are some I've found recently that I truly am blown away by, like Fleetwood Mac's Rumours (reviewed here!). But more often than that, I find albums that were originally records to be short, unengaging and limited. When I reviewed Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers's Let Me Up (I've Had Enough), I found myself seriously disappointed. As I have a copy of the greatest hits from this band, though, I was eager to find another album by them that I enjoyed. I picked up Long After Dark. And after seven listens, I'm equally disappointed with this endeavor as with the other one.

With only ten tracks, spanning a meager 37 minutes, 44 seconds, Long After Dark was the fifth studio album from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and the only track from it to make it onto the Greatest Hits album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers was "You Got Lucky," a weird turn-of-phrase rock song about how lucky the singer's partner is to be loved by him. This is a simple pop-rock album with little to recommend it.

First off, this is not Tom Petty's best written endeavor. Unlike his later songs where he is original and an able and interesting poet, Long After Dark has some of the least inspired lyrics of any of Petty's works. Perhaps that's why the songs are so short; Petty might not have had enough to say, so he kept it short. What he does say is somewhat dull. Long After Dark is an album about endings ("A One Story Town," "Deliver Me," and "Change of Heart"), finding love ("Finding Out" and "We Stand A Chance"), being cocky in a relationship ("You Got Lucky") and general apathy ("Between Two Worlds").

More than just the themes, Long After Dark is lyrically unsophisticated as well. Petty's well seems dry when he opens the album with the terribly predictable rhyme schemes of "Oh, I'm lost in a one story town / Where everything's close to the ground / Yeah the same sh*t goes down / Nothing turns around / It's a one story town" ("A One Story Town"). In "Between Two Worlds," he rhymes "bone" with itself, which is a pet peeve of mine. Closing on '"A Wasted Life," an uncertain love song, ends the album on a somewhat anticlimactic and unresolved note. In short, none of the lyrics pop, outside the irony of "You Got Lucky."

What does work is the instrumentals. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers manage to make something intriguing and easily listenable with their combination of guitars, keyboards, drums and bass. Instead of being simply a guitar/bass/drums group or a piano-driven ensemble, Long After Dark effectively combines the sounds of both styles to make a solid rock and roll sound that is consistent and interesting.

Moreover, while the lyrics might not be anything to shout about, the melodies created on the tracks of Long After Dark are distinctive and memorable. While all of the tracks rock, they sound completely different from one another and different from tracks on other Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers's works (at least the ones I've heard). So, the combination - for example - of electric guitar and keyboards on "We Stand A Chance" completely overwhelm the uninspired lyrics and make the listener want to hear the song again, just for the instrumentals.

Perhaps this would be a better album as elevator music, without the lyrics.

I write this because the vocals are fairly uninspired as well as the lyrics. Tom Petty falls well within his usual range with his somewhat scratchy vocals, whining through the short poems he wrote. There is nothing that one does not expect from Petty with his vocals here. Instead, he is exactly within range, unchallenged and unchallenging.

This might be worth a spin just to hear the music, but it's impossible to recommend it, even for that. If only the lyrics were there to justify the drums, guitars and keyboards that make the album an instrumental success and a decent rock experience then this would be something. But it's not. Impossible to recommend, even to fans of classic rock.

The best track is "You Got Lucky." The low point is "Between Two Worlds."

For other Tom Petty And The Heartbreaker reviews, be sure to check out my reviews of:
Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough)
Greatest Hits
“Mary Jane’s Last Dance” (Single)

3/10

Check out how this album stacks up against others I have reviewed by visiting my relativistic Music Review Index Page where the reviews are organized from best to worst!

© 2013, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Rightfully Absent From The Hits: Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough) Flops!

The Good: Some decent lyrics
The Bad: Typical Petty vocals, Nothing extraordinary on the music front, Somewhat produced
The Basics: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers put out a disappointment with little new to say and no energy to say it.


I was looking through c.d.s at a local store the other day and somehow I ended up leafing through the works of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. I had recently gotten around to reviewing their Greatest Hits (reviewed here!), and I was pleased to they had done a recent update (Anthology). I was checking out some of their older works and I came across an album entitled Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough) and I was immediately struck by how I did not know a single track off it. Despite fitting within the year range, there are no tracks from Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough) on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' Greatest Hits. While that has been rectified on Anthology, I was intrigued enough by this - and the album's cover - to give it a spin.

What I found were eleven tracks that were distinctly Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, distinctly '80’s, and ultimately unextraordinary. Listening to Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough) (the album), I am not surprised none of the tracks made it to the first Greatest Hits album. This is an album tarred by mediocrity.

First, the album is short, clocking in at barely 41 minutes. I tend to like albums longer, to use the format well. Even when I don't like something, I suppose I would rather have more of it. And perhaps that is the biggest fault of this album; there's not enough of anything. The writing is not challenging, the music is pedestrian and takes no risks, and Tom Petty's vocals are all standard. There is nothing challenging here.

The writing is disappointing on both a technical and thematic level. Tom Petty is arguably a great writer. Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough) both the album and the track do not exhibit this. So, for example, the bland "The Damage You've Done" simply repeats the title as a refrain three times and repeats that chorus three times in the song, intercut with essentially the statement that the narrator's heart is broken. Thematically, there is nothing challenging here. There is nothing as quirky and original as "Zombie Zoo" on Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough). "Think About Me" is essentially an up-tempo recasting of "The Waiting." As I've said, the writing is not spectacular here.

Even worse are the specific lyrics. "Baby" comes up on this album an inordinate amount of times. We have "little baby" in "Think About Me," and plain "baby" in "The Damage You've Done," "Jammin' Me," "A Self-Made Man," “Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough)” and "How Many More Days." That's "baby" in six out of eleven tracks. That's pathetic. Isn't it Tom Petty in the episode of The Simpsons where Homer goes to Rock and Roll camp who says "baby" is passe?

Beyond that basic problem, the lyrics generally don't "pop" on this album. The diction is not terribly sophisticated (though on the title track, Petty does use the word "humility"). "Jammin' Me," for example is loaded with pop culture references that are dated and even having lived through the late 80s, are difficult to decipher exactly what point Petty is going for with them. And despite the singer imploring the listener to take back all the things that make him feel "painted in a corner," it doesn't have much in the way of angst. So even when the lyrics might be passable, the music does not back them up.

Nowhere is this more clear than on "Ain't Love Strange," a track plagued by keyboards that are just late-80s standard in such a way as to make the listener wince. Sure, the album is from the late 80s, but I usually consider Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers as those who push the envelope, not simply emulate it.

And as for the vocals, Tom Petty doesn't strain himself on this outing. There is nothing special in his range, he doesn't challenge his abilities. Most of the songs are easily recognizable as Tom Petty as far as voice and he does not try anything new here. Moreover, the "yeah yeah"s that cap off the title track and end the album are just terrible.

The only worthwhile song I found that I could enjoy over and over again was the sentimental, soft "It'll All Work Out." The worst track among the other unspectacular works is "A Self-Made Man."

For other classic rock works, check out my reviews of:
“Mary Jane’s Last Dance” (single) – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Covers - James Taylor
Aladdin Sane - David Bowie

3.5/10

For other album reviews, be sure to check out my Music Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2012, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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Good On Its Own, Hell After Six Months Of Classic Rock: Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers Greatest Hits

The Good: Excellent lyrics, Good melodies, Holds up well
The Bad: Some limitations as far as sound, Liner notes
The Basics: With its memorable songs and great writing, Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers Greatest Hits rocks consistently.


To this day, I remain somewhat baffled that Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers' Greatest Hits include songs from when Tom Petty's solo endeavor without the Heartbreakers. I suppose the Heartbreakers are just glad he came back, like the other two guys in Genesis are whenever Phil Collins returns to them. Anyway, Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers Greatest Hits is an impressive collection of classic rock songs from 1976 - 1993. I suppose we're almost due for a follow-up album in the next couple of years, as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have been busy since '93.

With eighteen tracks, this album is an excellent use of the medium. Seventeen of the eighteen tracks are written or co-written by Tom Petty (the final track on the album is a cover of "Something In The Air" by John Keene), which pretty much puts the creative responsibility for the music on his shoulders. He's an able writer and no two tracks on this disc sound quite the same, which is good. Petty is a decent poet and his lines range from love, flirtation, desire to vengeance ("Don't Come Around Here No More") to simple observations on the state of losers.

For those who haven't heard the music of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, this is pretty standard rock in the classic rock vein. The instruments are more or less limited to guitars, keyboards, bass, and drums. It's not the most creative medium and while no two songs on this album sound quite the same, the music is very limited in its range and scope because it uses so few instruments. "Don't Come Around Here No More," seems to stretch the sound of the band more than any other track. The rest is pretty much keyboard or guitar dominated.

And, problematically, some of the tunes are terribly repetitive. "Don't Do Me Like That" has one of the most tedious tunes when listened to frequently. This might just be because the refrain (the title of the song, in this case) is repeated about a thousand times throughout the song. And that leads to perhaps the most serious problem which is not really a problem with the album.

I was condemned for a time to listen to only classic rock while at work. I say "condemned" because unless one has the most amazing classic rock station in the world, there is a very finite supply of the stuff and most classic rock stations end up playing the same hundred-fifty songs over and over again. That might not seem bad until one considers - outside the ones with excessive guitar solos - most classic rock songs average three and a half minutes, which means if one is working a twelve hour day, one is hearing those same songs every day. After six months, I left that job, in part because I could not stand the music.

How does this relate to this album? All but the last two songs ("Mary Jane's Last Dance" – reviewed here - and "Something In The Air") are in VERY regular rotation on just about every classic rock station. This album is almost a terrible investment because in the average day channel surfing on the radio, you'll hear all of these songs. And you'll probably hear "Free Fallin'" about eight times. I suppose owning the album gives one the control over listening to it when one wants. I'll probably dust mine off in another few months.

That's not to say it's a bad album, either. This is a group that rocks. Tom Petty has an awesome voice, even when it's gravely ("You Got Lucky") or stretching his range ("Learning To Fly"). Sometimes, he's downright soothing, like on "Into The Great Wide Open." And it's surprising how well the defiant anthem "I Won't Back Down" works from Tom Petty, which - having heard it butchered by some high schoolers - is VERY well.

I grew up with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers "Don't Come Around Here No More" and after tracks, so when I bought the album (years ago now), there were only seven of the eighteen songs I had heard and liked. The other ten grew on me (I've never gotten into "American Girl," which ironically opens the album) and it's easy to see that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have talent.

Maybe that's why they are so represented on the classic rock stations. This is a great investment for anyone who loves rock and roll but does not want to listen to the radio. And, honestly, it is impressive for a group that uses - generally - so few instruments to have a collection of songs that truly sound so different from one another.

The best song is "Into The Great Wide Open" (though "Refugee" is pretty amazing), the weakest track is "American Girl," which sounds like a lucky hit to me.

For other compilation albums by classic rockers, check out my reviews of:
Words And Music - John Mellencamp
All The Best - Tina Turner
Chronicle - Creedence Clearwater Revival

6.5/10

Check out how this album stacks up against others I have reviewed by visiting my Music Review Index Page where the works are organized best to worst!

© 2012, 2006 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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Decent Song, Poor Use Of The Medium, “Mary Jane's Last Dance” Isn't Worth Buying.

The Good: Catchy tune, Decent performance, Collectible value?
The Bad: Poor use of medium, Unremarkable cut.
The Basics: A disappointing one-track c.d. single, “Mary Jane's Last Dance” offers nothing the album it was from does not already have.


C.d. singles take a beating from me as a reviewer, but it is hard for me to have compassion for them, especially in the age of digital downloads and especially when the producers of such things are wholly unimaginative about them. C.d. singles, at one point, sought to overcome the limitations of the cassette single by providing more than just the single and a b-side. For a long time, b-sides were tracks that weren't even released on the album the single was associated with. And with the emergence of the c.d. single, listeners often got tracks not from the album as well as remixes of the named single. Thus, when scouring the internet for rarities from one's favorite artist or performer, there is little more disappointing than a one-track single, like the single for “Mary Jane's Last Dance” by Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers.

“Mary Jane's Last Dance” appeared both commercially and at radio stations as a one-track c.d. single intended to promote the first Greatest Hits album by the band. It was a successful single for the band with its catchy lyrics and easily grooveable sound. The song did well, but on its own single it is truly a waste of money. The reason for that is simple: the one-track single contains only the album cut of the song. As a result, those who hunt this down are not getting anything they couldn't already get on a very common c.d.

With only one song occupying less than five minutes of space on the disc, “Mary Jane's Last Dance” is hardly an inspired use of the c.d. medium, but it is a fair example of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, at least as they were in the mid-1990s. The band wrote the song, Tom Petty provides lead vocals and the band played all the instruments on it. No one in the band produced the single, but because their long-time producer was involved, one suspects this is the sound the band wanted for the single.

“Mary Jane's Last Dance” is a musical storysong with a very simply tune which is plucked out on guitars and bass. The percussion is minimal until the choruses, but the song is very danceable and fun with a quirky undertone that comes from the lyrics and vocal performance. This is a surprisingly poppy performance from the classic rock band.

Tom Petty’s vocals on the song are fun and actually sound almost like he is doing a parody of Bob Dylan. Petty drawls many of the lines and one can almost hear him smirking through the simple rhyme scheme and amusing story of Mary Jane, even though it is arguably the story of a young woman killing herself. Petty’s vocals are smooth and articulate but come out with a twang that is uncharacteristic for the artist. Petty actually strains to the lower registers of his vocal range – keeping the lyrics clear the entire time – while the backing vocalists go for falsetto accents to his lines.

Lyrically, “Mary Jane's Last Dance” is a simple musical storysong. With obvious rhymes like “. . . she grew up tall and she grew up right / with them Indiana boys on an Indiana night / Well she moved down here, the age of 18 / She blew the boys away, was more than they had seen / I was introduced and we both started groovin’ / She said ‘I dig you baby but I got to keep movin' . . .” “Mary Jane's Last Dance” has a singsong feel to it that masks the depth of the musical protagonist's depression. The song is well-written and enjoyable, if a bit simple.

Sadly, the simplicity might be fun, but wasting time and money is not. There is nothing but the one track on this c.d. single and fans deserve more. There are better ways to get “Mary Jane's Last Dance” than shelling out for the c.d. single.

For other c.d. singles, please check out my reviews of:
"Gimme More" - Britney Spears
"Don't Look Back In Anger" - Oasis
"Was It Worth It?" - Pet Shop Boys

4/10

For other music reviews, please click here to visit my index page with a listing of all of the c.d. and singles reviews I have written!

© 2011, 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.


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