Written by Rich RogersTom Petty and the Heartbreakers: “Hypnotic Eye”
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have been rock-n-rollin’ for many years now. We’ve come to like Tom’s nasal snarl and the unique sound the Rickenbacker guitars give them (yes, I know the Byrds did it first). And like too many of the old rockers today, they don’t get the airplay they deserve on classic rock radio–the branch designed to keep their style alive. Unfortunately, classic rock radio has turned into a museum that is actually choking the life out of classic rock. When bands like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Styx, Pat Benatar, or even Sir Paul McCartney are producing new music but can’t get it to their fans on the radio, it’s getting serious. But then again, these fans try to stay on top of what’s going on.
The last Heartbreaker’s album had more of a folk-rock feel. There’s that Byrds connection again. But with “Hypnotic Eye,” Petty and the boys go back to their blues-rock roots. Starting off is “American Dream Plan B,” a mix between determination to follow the dream until it happens and a cynical indictment on how tough it is to achieve the American Dream.
In fact, “Hypnotic Eye” bounces between that hope–with pieces such as the opener and “All You Can Carry”–and cynicism in pieces like “Power Drunk,” “Burnt Out Town,” and “Shadow People.” I always find it interesting to listen to a guy who’s become a multimillionaire in the American system talk about how tough it is to achieve what they’ve done.
Musically, the album starts with chunky guitars straight out of Collectives Soul’s “Gel” and keeps that style throughout. “Forgotten Man” has that loose Petty jangle we’ve all come to enjoy. “Full Grown Boy” is a nice, sinuous blues piece that works its way into your psyche, and then there’s the eerie, “Sins of my Youth,” a haunting love song from someone who’s been around the block more times than he wants to admit.
All in all, “Hypnotic Eye” is a solid 4-disc Tom Petty album, and you can do a lot worse than buy this one in whatever format you choose.
