Tom Petty: Part 1

I don't like the idea of having a favorite band or favorite musician, but the closest thing I have to one is Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The music kind of gets to me at a level that most music doesn't.

So what is it that makes him great? I don't even know how to answer that. He has a very straightforward and extremely talented and tight rock band, but I could say that about alot of bands. I do think his voice and vocal style are a big part of it, but he's not exactly Frank Sinatra when it comes to vocal talent either.

It largely comes down to the songwriting. I don't know that he's the most talented wordsmith either, but he writes in away that is very raw and personal. To put a finer point on it, He writes like I think. If there's a common theme in most of his songs, I think I'd call it something like "desperate optimism." There's hope in all his music, because he knows how important hope is. Despite all the pressure in the world, real or in his mind, that seems to be dragging him down, he remains hopeful.

Also, it's about the longevity. Tom Petty has been a favorite artist of mine my whole life, from when I was very young, watching his videos on MTV, through now.

Petty's new album, Highway Companion, came out last week, so I thought this would be a good time to discuss him. However, I realized I have alot to say about him. So I'm going to cover him in several posts over the next week or two. Here are some posts I know I'm going to make:

* A review of Highway Companion
* A discussion of The Onion A.V. Club's 14 Classic Tom Petty Opening Lines.
* A quick walk through my memories of Tom Petty, from childhood through the present (I hope that one isn't too pretentious)
* A discussion of my all time favorite Tom Petty songs.

Those are the four big ones, I want to hit, I might make some other posts as well. Looking forward to it? Not looking forward to it? Either way... the wa-a-iting is the hardest part.....