Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Hypnotic Eye
(Reprise Records)

Tight, distorted guitar and equally as distorted vocals from Tom Petty atop hard snare shots move the flangy “American Dream Plan B” that opens Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ new Hypnotic Eye. “Fault Lines” follows with Ron Blair’s bass rolling us into a fast ’50s-sounding send-up, Mike Campbell’s rangy lead mixing perfectly with equally nasty-sounding Scott Thurston’s rhythm guitar.

As always, the songwriting and playing here are top-notch, with guitarist Campbell part of the production showcasing what this ultra-tight unit behind Petty’s perfect songwriting is all about.

“Full Grown Boy” gets away from the hard, straight rockin’ with a plucky mid-tempo waltz; there is very cool styling here, with Petty not sounding like himself very much at all. “All You Can Carry” is a perfect Benmont Tench organ-led chorus, commercial riff-tastic Buffalo Springfield sound-alike. “Power Drunk” is about as youthful as Petty has ever sounded, with a sly, laid back verse, funk of a chorus and instrumental bridge out of nowhere. “Sins of My Youth” floats with some nice Bossa nova-like rim shots from drummer Steve Ferrone and floaty electric piano from Tench (again Petty not sounding like Petty at all). “U Get Me High” is a snappy bass/power chord slinky Stone’s-like infectious rocker with the verses opening into great harmonies in the chorus.

The whole 11-song concoction ends with a solid, nasty, singable “Shadow People,” with Thurston’s harmonica making its presence known once again.

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ Hypnotic Eye is a pleasure to rock out to from beginning to end.