Tom Petty & Heartbreakers - Long After Dark
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Free Music Notes for Long After Dark
Free Music Review: Tom Petty's Underated 5th.
Hit: 4 Stars
Four terrific albums and non-stop touring had done two things to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. It had made them a first-class rock band with a distinct sound, and it had pushed them close to burnout. After the breakthrough of both Damn the Torpedoes and Hard Promises, the backslide was inevitable, and "Long After Dark" was it.
In the old days of LP's with a side one and two, I remember wearing the A-side of this album to the groove. The first five songs are vintage Petty, with "Deliver Me" and "Change Of Heart" both songs that should have been hits. "One Story Town" is a classic rocker that would have fit on any previous Heartbreakers album, and "You Got Lucky" was probably the last gasp of Petty's 'new-wave' connection to the 80's. It would have made a full five star EP.
However, the second half of the album shows its wear and tear. Only the sardonic "The Same Old You" and the glorious "A Wasted Life" hold up with earlier material. The other three songs are a tad generic, with "Between Two Worlds" and "Straight Into Darkness" sounding like leftovers from better work. Still, Petty's off-line songs can still whup a mediocre band with a guitar string tied behind its back. Even a tossed of lyric (from "The Same Old You") can merit a smile:
"I remember you back in '72
with your David Bowie haircut
and your platform shoes."
It is one of the reasons why I feel that "Long After Dark" is unjustly under-rated. Petty had been on a hot streak for so long, that less than stellar material felt like a gigantic let down. To me, this was the final moment in Petty and the Heartbreaker's early chapter. The prolonged break between this album and the slick and more Southern Rockish Southern Accents marked a distinct and sharp divide in style. (Well, with Let Me Up (I've Had Enough) being a coda to that era.) It's still a superb album, and marks a transitional point in Petty's career.
Free Music Review: Looks like we've finally reached the turning point
Hit: 4 Stars
In 1982, TPATHB had reached the turning point, from their youthful exuberance and rocking spirit to their maturation as rock artists finding a balance with their music and their vision.
This album marks the transition as good as any after "Hard Promises" visited commercial pop/rock territory perhaps in response to the overwhelming success of their masterwork, the essential rock album, "Damn The Torpedoes".
It kicks of with the midtempo rock of "One Story Town" sung in Petty's familiar drawl. "You Got Lucky" was the albums hit and features a good dose of 80's synthesizer, it is a track people either hate or love, despite its relative success, I think people do not appreciate this song as much as they should. "Deliver Me" is romantic rock and roll and features an outstanding bridge and outro.
"Change Of Heart" starts of with some crunching guitars and is a spirited love song, incidentally released around Valentines Day as the albums 2nd single. It was a live staple of the time and recently dusted off as a suprise on the Last DJ Live at The Olympic show. "Finding Out" recalls earlier spirited rock and is a fast paced rocker with some great backup vocals from new bassist, Howie.
"We Stand A Chance" is perhaps my favourite songs off this album. With its crunching guitar and dark vibe It could have been on "Your Gonna Get It", Petty delivering a menacing vocal. Back to midtempo with "Straight Into Darkness" which is a popular track that is Bruce Springsteen even loved. "The Same Old You" may have attitude but misfires in my opinion, some of the singing sounds sloppy and it doesnt hold up.
"Between Two Worlds" is the albums other nadir, I just never got into this song. It is not terrible but the album could have done without it for sure. The closer sounds Ferry/Bowie inspired and is one of the most unique songs Tom sung. "A Wasted Life" will draw you in and will not let you go.
In the end we have an overlooked rock album, one of the best from 1982 that has at least 8 fantastic songs and 2 weaker tracks which seperates this work from say, "Damn The Torpedoes". For new Petty fans make this purchase as your 4th or 5th Petty album. You won't be dissapointed.
Free Music Review: Solid Album Has Aged Well
Hit: 4 Stars
A solid follow-up to "Hard Promises", "Long After Dark" signified a change in the overall sound of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The addition of synths and pumped-up rhythms were apparent nods of approval toward the exciting "new-wave" movement which dominated radio and MTV in 1982. Unlike many artists who attempt to cross genres, Petty failed to make a fool of himself as all sonic modifications were subtle. In fact, "Deliver Me" and "Change of Heart" are vintage rockers which would've been at home on any of the band's prior albums. Many long-time fans screamed sell-out upon hearing the hypnotic synth riff of the mega-hit "You Got Lucky". Interestingly, the song has aged quite well. In fact, the entire album, which seemed disappointing when released, holds its own with any Petty album. Other worthy tunes are "Straight into Darkness", "One Story Town" and the melodic finale "A Wasted Life". Overall, while not an instant classic a la "Damn the Torpedoes" or "Full Moon Fever", "Long After Dark" is a strong collection of songs which only hints at the ecclecticism ("Southern Accents", "Wildflowers" and "Full Moon") which would become a Petty trademark.Free Music Review: What's wrong with this album?
Hit: 4 Stars
I'm with most everybody else in the reviews section - what's wrong with this disc? I recall it was panned when it came out, and it's been lumped with the "lower-tier" of Petty's work (Echo, Let Me Up, She's The One). My ears hear something else. This has got a lot more spunk and energy than nearly all the tracks on Hard Promises. The Mike Campbell riffs are solid throughout, and Petty didn't lose any of his ability to write a good melody. You Got Lucky (anybody get tired of watching that video on MTV? - I did), One Story Town, Change of Heart, Deliver Me, and Straight Into Darkness all hold up pretty well after 20 plus years. Sure, Long After Dark isn't Wildflowers or Full Moon Fever or Damn The Torpedos, but if you have a hankering of for a straight slice of American rock, this should meet your needs.Free Music Review: Long After Dark
Hit: 4 Stars
'Long After Dark' is an often overlooked album by Tom Petty and yet it has some particularly good tracks on it. The steady keyboard beat of 'You Got Lucky' drives the song along and it has some of the best Petty lyrics of this era. 'Straight Into Darkness' is one of my Petty favourites and sits perfectly in the middle of this album. This album doesn't have the blatant rock n roll fun of his first album, the fire and power of 'Damn The Torpedoes' or the exuberance of 'Full Moon fever', yet it has a solid sound and feel to it that makes it stand out in it's own right. Not my first Petty choice or recommendation, but a great album never the less.
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