Although the stripped-down, immediate production of
She's the One was reminiscent of
Wildflowers,
Tom Petty's forays into
Lindsey Buckingham-inspired pop turned out to be a passing thing, since
Echo, his first full-fledged record with the Heartbreakers since 1991's
Into the Great Wide Open, is an extension of
Wildflowers, at least in terms of sound and feel. The weird thing is,
Echo sounds like a sinewy band recording, but its sentiment makes it feel like a solo record. To be blunt, much of
Echo feels like a by-product of
Petty's divorce from his wife of over 20 years; even the intoxicating hard rock of "Free Girl Now" has a layer of sorrow and regret. That weary melancholy is the bond that keeps
Echo together, bridging the gap between the ballads and the rockers, providing an emotional touchstone that makes the record more than just another
Petty record. Then again, the music on
Echo manages to sound like every other
Petty album, yet it stays fresh.
Petty, Mike Campbell, and
Rick Rubin (along with some help from George Drakoulias) keep the spirit of
Wildflowers alive by keeping the production uncluttered, direct, and muscular -- which just reveals what a strong, versatile band the Heartbreakers are. And while there are no surprises,
Petty once again delivers an album that works as a whole while having several clear highlights -- which is a pretty neat trick, actually. At times, the disc feels a little long, but all the pieces work individually and illustrate that
Petty is the rare rocker who knows how to mature gracefully. Although the album is spiked with sadness and regret, nothing on the album feels forced or self-conscious, either lyrically or musically -- and he is one of the few rockers of his generation that can make such a claim. [
Echo was also released on LP.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine