Has anyone heard the new Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
album "The Last DJ"?

I've reading some really terrible reviews of it and I was wondering what some regular fans thought of it??

thanks

I haven't heard it but I think it's inspired by Jim Ladd on 95.5 KLOS.

Because he's the LAST big time DJ, as opposed to unknown college dj's, who actually picks his own music and runs his show like the old days. Picking songs is something the BEAN COUNTERS and SOFTWARE took over LONG ago in radio.

Hmmm...I'm starting to sound like a STRIKING LONGSHOREMAN


When thinking of "the old days of radio" I would rather hear RUSH'S "SPIRIT OF RADIO". They saw the WHORING of radio way back when.

I've only heard the title track and my detailed reaction was: "Eh"

Only heard the first three songs but i like it.

BBP

I picked it up yesterday. It's not their greatest work, but not that bad. I'll have to listen to it a few more times to get a feel of it.

There is a lot of record company angst in this album though.

unfortunatly big panda, it's all downhill from there. I find it ironic he sings about a rock star that ends up just going through the motions in "money is king" but to me this album sounds like he's just going through the motions.

What's on the DVD?

I didn't see any of them with the DVD at Best Buy; otherwise I would have picked that one up probably.

Nevertheless, I take this opportunity to state that Petty is one of the only 'old-time' rockers that I musically respect to the highest. He is so facile at crafting memorable songs and melodies. I've enjoyed his music immensely over the years.

Well said. Why don't we all listen to the disc a few more times and then decide how good it is.

BBP

I've only listened to the album once, only got it yesterday, and it kinda made me yearn for the older Tom Petty albums. He seems to be complaining throughout the album and the music is sub-par Tom Petty. Everyone puts out a bad album from time to time, this would be one.

Still, it will probably grow on me if I give it the time. I just saw his concert about a month ago and it was great, I think they only played one song off the new album though.

He's still one of my favorite artists. This album may not be his greatest, but it's still better than most of the stuff coming out these days.

I've only listened to the album the whole way through once so far, but I'm a little underwhelmed. Petty's probably the most consistent (in a good and bad way) artist around right now, but this doesn't quite hit the level of quality that most of his work does. Perhaps it wasn't a great idea for him to do a concept album about the evils of radio and the record industry. It's still better than most of the crap that's popular right now though. Plus, my opinion could easily change once I give the disc a few more spins.

Calling his songwriting ability "facile" is actually a bit of an insult, considering it basically means superficial and insincere, a notion I'd disagree with and that I'm sure you didn't mean.

I really never understood how critics can be critical on a disc by just listening to it once...

Oh well. Probably explains why i'm a DJ and not a critic. [Well, not a PROFESSIONAL critic. ]

When I first heard the title track, I was decidedly "Meh" about it, but then a couple days later I heard it being played in a bowling alley, and it got stuck in my head, until I went out and bought it. Now I really like the title track, the next 2 are good as well. I didn't notice anyone that I thoroughly enjoyed up until "Have Love, Will Travel" although "Joe" started out well until the lyrics started up

But I'll give it a couple more run throughs, see if I can find any other gems.

Did anyone else feel kind of odd about buying this? I mean by buying the album we're supporting the music industry that Petty is bitching about the entire time. Tommy would have liked it more if we had all just downloaded it and sent him $3

Great idea. Petty should have put it on the internet for free download and allowed people to submit donations if they wanted to. He's already wealthy, why not give something back to the fans. If any artist would do it TP seems like the kind who might.

BBP

Don't a lot of critics spin the disc 3 or 4 times before submitting a review??

Seems only fair.

Exactly. Does anyone feel the same about an album after one spin and after 4 or 5? It takes a few listens to really "hear" an album.

I already like several songs on the disc and I still havent listened to the last couple songs.

This is fun. Who else has an opinion?

BBP

While I'm not a professional critic, I do write for a music review site (see my sig.). I would have to say that first impressions of a disc are important. Sometimes you can just tell a great song/album from the first listen. Many people only listen to an album once or twice before deciding whether it sucks or not. In the mp3 age people can download a song or album, give it a listen and then download more music they might like better.

That said, I always give a disc 3-4 spins minimum before I write a review. I like to sit with an album for at least a week just to let it sink in. If an album starts to reward you after multiple listens then you should be able to say that in a review. If songs start to get repetitive and sucky then you should be able to say that. If you find yourself humming melodys late at night when you can't sleep you should be able to say that as well. Of course many reviewers are on stricter deadlines and write more reviews and so a week per album may be too long to ask in many cases.

Of course the criticisms of Petty's latest (I haven't heard it) here are all non-professional reviews... just instant opinions and as such they are perfectly valid. And it also makes the point I did in the first paragraph

Mordred

There are two versions of "The Last DJ", and I thought I would comment on the one with the DVD.

The DVD is 38 minutes long, with about 6 studio performances and TP interview segments in between. The performances are excellent, and will enhance your enjoyment of the new material. Fans will immediately notice the absence of longtime Heartbreaker Howie Epstein, replaced by former bandmate Ron Blair. I understand that Mr. Epstein was fired from the band because of serious personal issues. Hmm. And is it me, or is Tom starting to LOOK like Bob Dylan now....

But as far as the new album, I like it well enough. I find it consistent with "Wildflowers" and "She's The One", and better in my mind than "Echo". Petty's stuff has been getting darker and darker after the two albums he did with Jeff Lynne, with this one the darkest of all. The extra DVD makes it worthwhile.

I was listening to KLOS the other night (lenon's b-day) and the dj took the time to point out how great this album is and how it's a movement to simply purchase the album to show the record companies that we don't want corporate crap that they have been feeding us (boy bands and the such).

I enjoyed the song. it sounded nice and all. though I have to agree with most of you. It's sort of ironic. I mean come on, the whole thing about being "against the man" has been sold out to the man and now it's hip to be against the man. thus killing the theory in general to be different. I don't know if I can really imagen a corporate label to market a album like this other then by pitching the line of "this is against all the things the big companies are for, so be a rebel and buy it".

I give him credit though.

Does he take a shot at Clear Channel on this cd?