Reviews (page 9 of 12)
Dull. Middle of the road. Uninspiring. Like a lot of the very American stuff on here tbh. Maybe it’s a cultural thing
Not bad, a few hits. Thought this was gonna be worse than it is.
cool but tom just got better
Not sure I like Tom Petty’s younger voice very much - I prefer his later music. This album sounded kind of like an early Bon Jovi style. Listens: 1 Fave Track: American Girl Rating: 3
On first listen it is somewhat bland. Not bad at all, though.
Was waffling between a 3 and a 4 here. I guess this is the only petty album on this list which is absurd. The debut is far from my favorite of his works but it is a great debut. The singles breakdown and american girl really stand out. The rest are just some solid country rock, not as memorable though
Rockin' Around (With You) 3.4 Breakdown 3.7 Hometown Blues 3 The Wild One, Foreever 3.2 Anything That's Rock 'n' Roll 3.3 Strangered in the Night 3.4 Fooled Again (I Don't Like It) 3.6 Mystery Man 2.8 Luna 2.5 American Girl 3.6 Score: 3.25
I know very little about tom petty, didn't recognise anything from this album, and looking at his discography doesn't spark many memories except for free fallin', assuming it's that one. This album was very of it's time, breezy pop rock, there were a couple of decent songs, liked breakdown and American girl. Wouldn't rush back but it was fine, 2.5.
Know some Tom Petty songs and have liked what I've heard so was looking forward to this..... Unfortunately the majority of this is quite forgettable. However, I do think "American girl" is an amazing track and helps to redeem this. It captures that small town American dream brilliantly, similar to how Springsteen does. 3, largely because of American girl. Breakdown is decent too
Classic
I enjoyed this fairly well. A couple of classic and well known songs. I had never listened to this album.
Not my favorite Tom Petty output, though American Girl is an obvious classic. Three stars because it's mercifully short.
"Breakdown" is awesome but "American Girl" carries this album big time. There really aren't any other standouts for me. I do like the overall sound of it and could see it being on a wider rotation of 'set and forget' albums/artists.
Tom was an expert songwriter and hit maker. Albums not so much
Surprisingly I haven't known any of the songs on this album though I do know some other songs by Tom Petty. It's a good rock'n'roll album, nothing too outstanding but I enjoyed the sound of the album. The second half was a bit better, more consistent than the first one. Overall good, 3.5 out of 5.
Okaish Rock'n Roll.
Like the second half of the album better than the first. A bit cleaner and more interesting than the first, more rock, part of the album.
Filler be filling, hits be hitting
A good debut of Tom Petty and his Heartbreakers. American Girl really cemented the follow up albums from this.
American girl and Breakdown are classics but a lot of the rest is forgettable
Kind of an average album with a couple solid songs. I wanted it to be better than it was. Probably won't ever listen to the whole album again but the classics on there are classics for a reason.
I reviewed this 82 albums ago! Here is my analysis: This one is fun, but not my favorite Tom Petty record. It feels like a very formative album in creating the TP sound. I like the mix of old rock n' roll with singer songwriter and 70s rock influences. Some of they lyrics are a bit cheesy, but that feels intentional. Obviously, American Girl is the biggest and best banger on this record.
Mid
Easy listening + good classic rock. Not huge variation but that's okay, great vocals (almost beatles-y) and bluesy guitar riffs. Would listen to again
Decent rock'n'roll record. A bit retro, even in 1976. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: American Girl Date listened: 10/04/24
Whoever he is I've heard his name. hopefully not too rock. Tedious dad rock. not unlistenable but not great
Surprisingly likeable. It probably won’t make my playlist going forward but quite enjoyed listening to Tom Petty warbling away.
Uplifting rock guitar, piercing harmonic vocals, playful guitar riffs. Throughout the whole album there's a recurring theme of lovey dovey lyrics and that standard pop-rock-band vibe. 7,5/10
01) Rockin' Around (With You) - 7,5 02) Breakdown - 8,0 03) Hometown Blues - 7,0 04) The Wild One, Forever - 6,5 05) Anything That's Rock 'n' Roll - 7,5 06) Strangered in the Night - 7,0 07) Fooled Again (I Don't Like It) - 7,0 08) Mystery Man - 7,0 09) Luna - 7,0 10) American Girl - 8,5 TOTAL: 7,30 (73/100) It's an OK rock album from the seventies, but nothing spectacular and nothing we didn't hear before. Speaking of that, there isn't one song I've heard before on this album :-)
No clue about Tom Petty (Only thing I've ever listened from him was his rendition of why my guitar gently weeps on the George Harrison memorial), but after the last three albums I got (A soulless record, a scary record and a record that I have personal problems with) I have a gut feeling I'm going to like it. I dig the vocals (Sometimes sounding like Bowie, other times like the Beatles) and it's indeed a more pleasant listen than the last few records. I'm not the biggest fan of the more classic rock n roll and the country music influenced songs are a big miss to me, but I can admit that it's a really well done record. The more rock ish songs like The Wild One, Forever or strangered in the night were probably my favourites. Overall a fun kind of shorter record from an artist I had never heard a song from. Some good solos and catchy songs here and there but since I can't say I was blown away by anything in here and I got major Dad Rock vibes from listening I'm going to give it 3 stars (AKA good but doesn't get to enter my spotify library). Best Song was strangered in the night Worst song was breakdown
A few really big hits in this consistent, but typical, rock album.
It's pretty good. Really liked Breakdown and American Girl. Nothing else really caught my attention though.
I like Tom Petty, with or without the Heartbreakers, I really do. I was lucky enough to see them live on one of the relatively few (I believe) UK tours they did (the Into The Great Wide Open tour I think it was called), and the music has some real high points. Having said that, there is also a lot of very humdrum, standard Southern rock / boogie rock / by-the-numbers rock on this album. Its nowhere near bad, but it's not amazing.
Strong album, probably a 3.5 for me. I like his 80s output more.
Rockin' around (with you), the wild one, forever, and especially Mystery man I liked a lot. Some of it seems like they're working toward an idea of rocknroll more than just writing songs that call themselves into existence. Other Petty stuff seems more urgent somehow than this first album, but it's good.
Rockkia ja ei tylsää åomputusta vaan mukavasti variaatiota ja käytetään ajastani kohteliaat 30 min
Alright
It was pretty solid. I've never listened to any early Tom Petty, it was much better than I expected.
3.5
Super short album. All the songs were short, like it was inspired by the 50s, which a lot of sound seemed to pull from. Reminded me of Eddie and the Cruisers soundtrack...
Good album
Okay? I guess?
Good album. 30 min run time wins it for me
It was well produced rock
7/10
Not familiar with Tom Petty at all but quite bopping
Pretty cool
It's an ok average album.
Nice! Gitarren schrummen und „gmögige“ Melodien. Genau so hatte ich Tom Petty in Erinnerung von den wenigen Songs die ich kenne.
Solid 3/5 from me. A good song or two, but not an album I would want to listen to in full again. 3/5
Never been a big Tom Petty fan, this did not change that opinion. Songs are fine but nothing particularly creative, they seem to be chasing after Rolling Stone and David Bowie sounds but never quite get there. Predictable beats. Production value is quite good.
Soft rock, pop, country.... un po' di tutto e sempre molto leggero... la voce di Petty ricorda o ha influenzato tanti altri... il problema con il sottoscritto è che ricorda anche Riccardo Fogli dei Pooh...
The thing about Tom Petty is that he started in a pretty good spot. It's hard to hate on him or his music. He didn't have to 'evolve as an artist' or grow into his audience. He just kept cranking out pretty much the same album over and over for 30-some years and died as a pretty well-regarded entertainer. This is a pretty good album from early in his career, and you're not going to shock your ears if you play his last album right after this one.
Nothing too exciting for most the album
Not a great Tom Petty album. But it was ok, I guess.
This album felt timeless. I put in on while I did my homework and found myself moving along to the beat. It doesn't have a distinct 70's sound, and really sounds like some of the songs could have been made more recently. The vocals were good, so was the guitar and the drums. I am not rating this album higher because it don't think it blew me away. It was average, fun listen.
Okay to listen to, not more not less.
This album takes a smidge of country, a sprinkling of southern rock and a decent helping of good old rock ‘n’ roll to create something that sounds timeless, and if you didn’t know when it was created you probably wouldn’t guess it’s from the musical doldrums of 1976. Pretty good stuff all the way through, and one bona fide classic hit with American Girl at the end of its succinct 30 minute run time.
It's not a sensational album, but I enjoyed it.
Do we need to have a Tom Petty album on the list? Without a doubt. Do we need to have multiple Tom Petty records on this list? Perhaps not. Petty and various incarnations of the Heartbreakers spent a career cranking out decent rock records, each with a single or two to rise them a little above the crowd. Does it need to be THIS Tom Petty record? Breakdown and American Girl both stand apart as surprisingly strong for a band's debut. However, the remainder of the songs are forgettable. He had better albums, and I’d rather the spit have been left open for another artist.
Erstes Album des Gitarrenrock/ Gitarrenpop der 70er und 80er Jahre. Manche Songs erkennt man nach den ersten Takten, manche "spult" man einfach weiter, wie früher im Kassettendeck...
Like listening to the classic rock station.
Solid for chill listening. Lyrics are a little hard to understand at times, like he’s drunk (which he probably was lol). I am a Gainesville girl who loves this Gainesville boy though.
Solid debut record from Tom Petty, but the hits are so far above everything else here. They’re not bad songs, just a little bland and generic.
Nothing crazy, not a very memorable album but not bad.
Own it
Tom Petty's debut feels a lot like the debut from Lynyrd Skynyrd - just instead of waiting for 'Free Bird', you're waiting for 'American Girl'. It's almost unfair to the rest of the songs, because they are by no means bad. They are just completely dwarfed by the closing monster track. And had the record been one song longer, the anticipation would have been too painful. "God it's so painful, Something that's so close, And still so far out of reach"
Tom Petty’s debut album is quite good, not the best in his catalogue, but it’s never truly great. I mean, up until “American Girl”. What a track!
Good album, never listened to the whole album before. Enjoyed it a lot.
So funny-- some of it "holds up"-- obviously "Breakdown" and surprises like the timeless (but not familiar?) "The Wild One, Forever", but some sounds soooo young and like generic southern rock. Definitely a giant in his/their infancy...
Good album
Not a bad RnR debut album. Nothing remarkable, but solid. Later releases were better.
Need to listen more.
Unremarkable.
Nothing wrong but pretty forgettable
Solid Rock album, nothing exciting
Enjoyable enough nostalgia
peppy
Decent album, but not quite a 4 or 5 star. Some great tracks. Breakdown - fantastic The wild one, forever - a typical Tom Petty song. Similar to Springsteen Fooled Again - decent track American Girl - quite good It's a 3 star
más old school rock, pensé q no me gustaría nada pero sus hits no estuvieron mal (american girl especialmente xq sale en Silence Of The Lambs)
Was ok. Not something I would seek out again.
Not too exciting but Tom Petty is great
listened 2x - 3.4/5
why he sound like that
A sign of great things to come but ultimately not a particularly noteworthy album.
I like Tom Petty so I was looking forward to this. But after a couple of listens, the only tracks that hooked me are the well known ones: Breakdown and American Girl. The rest was just meh.
"Break Down" and "American Girl" are the obvious standouts. The rest is middle of the road Petty. Though I do appreciate it feels looser and less produced than some layer stuff.
Ля как он ухмыляется на обложке, ох уж этот сердцеед Том Петти. Сладкий мистер рокнролыч. не знаю что сказать про этот альбом. Послушался легко на заднем плане. Три звезды.
Enjoyed, just wish it was Wildflowers instead.
Not a big fan though there are some moments that are pretty memorable. I don't think I would have listened to this back in 1979. This is more like a 2.5 than a 3
While I don’t totally vibe with Tom Petty’s music, I do respect its place in the pantheon of American music. This is the definition of suburban rock. It requires teenagers in cars and keggers in the woods. It’s what the kids in Fast Times at Ridgemont High listened to. Not a bad thing. Just can’t relate.
Not bad just mid. It's listenable but not really exciting.
Tom Petty is classic and deserves to be on the list. However, these aren’t my favorite songs of his. I guess that’s why they’re called the Heartbreakers. Don’t always live up to the expectations.
Early TP, some of his biggest hits.
Some great tracks but not my favorite Tom Petty
While some of the songs were as good as I remember, others just didn’t make the cut.
An extremely good song with some filler.
strong 3
I personally like this album! "Breakdown" is one of my favorite songs from this era, and definitely from this album.
It's good for a debut album, even tho it's not the most shocking debut album. The songs are pretty forgettable, but there are some that are good, my personal favorites are Anything That's Rock N' Roll and American Girl. It's not really hard to listen 'cause it last a bit more than 30 minutes, so that gives it a bit of a point.
This is my first proper listen to any of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers albums and I was not disappointed. There was a lot of variety in the scope of the tracks from this classic rock behemoth. I found it an enjoyable and easy listen. My standout track was American Girl the album closer.
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Rock around (with you)
Not my type of music☝🏻🤓 Está bien, no es que me encantara la verdad, but it was okay. 6/10 (Me super encanta la portada del disco tho)
3.5/5. Good, easy listening.
3.5 actually, but I'm sticking with 3
What I appreciate about this album is it's simplicity. The songs are on average around three minutes, say what they're trying to say, and get out. In an era that was defined by sprawling proggy epics, it is nice to see a release so concise and to the point. Another great part of this album is that while it doesn't seem to be tied to the concept Rock & Roll fundamentalism, it's too aloof to be part of the then burgeoning punk movement, and not committed enough to the traces of Southern Rock that creep out in the second half. The boys just want to rock out and play their show, ideals (in either direction) be damned.
Pretty mediocre for as good that Tom Petty is. The debut album is shorter and a bit more raw with 2 good hits sprinkled in there but most of the tracks fall flat and are skippable. Tom Petty in general might not be the best front to back album kind of artists. Stick to the hits. 5/10
Not so bad.
Yeah, I think I'm okay only listening to Tom Petty's hits. This album is good, but I don't think it's great. It's consistent, which I really appreciate, but Luna and American Girl are the only really highlights, and they're not dramatic highlights by any means.
Hard to go wrong with Mr Petty. Gone too soon.
it's all right. I didn't realize he modulated his voice so much. I've heard a thousand petty songs, but always like at a ball park or grocery store, never focused on a whole album before. Some good, some bad.
Not as many jams as you’d hope
A generous 2.5, carried entirely by American Girl
Background music, nothing you'll remember later.
Not my thing.
Songs are surprisingly short and feel like they could keep going, they have the energy and wouldn't be tiring. Decent album.
I like Tom Petty’s music but only a couple standouts on this album for me. I liked “Breakdown.”
- Ich hatte (leider) nie viel mit Tom Petty am Hut und habe das bisher auch nicht nachgeholt - Rein musikalisch habe ich irgendwie nichts an dem Album auszusetzen, weil es runder, ideenreicher und spritziger Heartland Rock ist. - Dennoch war ich nach dem Hören total unbeeindruckt und unberührt. Auch bei American Girl musste ich feststellen, dass ich den Song (trotz 300 mio. Clicks) noch nie in meinem Leben gehört habe und es auch da keine "Offenbarung" gab. - Lediglich Breakdown hat mich zum Mitwippen/nicken gebracht. Ein richtig geiler, stilvoller Song. - Ich habe sogar das Gefühl, dass ich das Album gut finden MÖCHTE, weil ich theoretisch nichts dran auszusetzen habe. Aber wenn ich ganz ehrlich zu mir selber bin, muss ich leider feststellen, dass mich das Album insgesamt einfach gelangweilt hat. - Ich hoffe, dass mich irgendwann die Erkenntnis gegenüber der Genialität von Tom Petty wie ein Blitz trifft (vielleicht ja mit den sehr wahrscheinlich noch kommenden Alben). Bis dahin bin ich aber ehrlich. 2,75/5
I didn't like it at first half but then it started to sound good
pretty ok
Good but there are bether ons
3 Tom Petty isn’t one of my favorite artists, but he does have a good amount of songs that I enjoy, and this album didn’t do much to change my standing opinion on that. American Girl is still a great tune (though its placement as the closing track here felt kind of off to me), Breakdown is still kind of overrated, and every other song was just okay. It really feels like Tom Petty was still finding his footing here being that most tracks don’t really have a ton of energy or personality to them, especially compared to his later work (shoutout to Full Moon Fever - that’s a really good album, and I’m glad it’s been revitalized a bit with Love is a Long Road’s inclusion in the Grand Theft Auto VI trailer). Really don’t think there’s anything here I would go out of my way to revisit except for American Girl - a song I already knew prior - but I wouldn’t describe anything here as unenjoyable, and with a 30-minute duration, it definitely doesn't outstay its welcome by any means. That all being said, as I mentioned, this guy has better albums out there, so I hope this isn’t the last time we see him here.
Needs more heartbreak
Pretty mediocre but american girl rounded it up another star
I feel like I’m missing something with this album, like I like it but it’s not blowing me away. Like Pettys voice. Mystery Man was pretty cool. Really like American Girl, who doesn’t?
Upbeat and immensely fun. A bit too pop, if that makes sense.
I'm generally not a big Tom Petty fan, his voice is a bit annoying, and there's a lot of music out there that is better and more interesting to me. This record has two classic tunes on it "Breakdown" and "American Girl" but again, neither really does all that much for me, I like "Breakdown" more than "American Girl" I guess if I was forced to choose. "Fooled Again (I Don't Like It)" got a decent bit of airplay where I lived too. I don't think this is a bad record. I just don't particularly like it.
Not bad, just didn't blow me away.
Not the most profound debut, but American Girl shows lots of future potential.
50s rock n roll with Beatles harmonies
Ein bisschen glatt, ein bisschen zu eingängig. Aber gut.
This one is fun, but not my favorite Tom Petty record. It feels like a very formative album in creating the TP sound. I like the mix of old rock n' roll with singer songwriter and 70s rock influences. Some of they lyrics are a bit cheesy, but that feels intentional. Obviously, American Girl is the biggest and best banger on this record.
Decent Album
This is the kind of album that will trick me into thinking it's way better than it is, because sonically it just *sounds* perfect to me. Everything about it, from the way the guitars and bass sits, to the vocals. It's just right. An absolute pleasure to listen to on my monitors. But American Girl is not enough of a record to lift up the rest of the album, which, though a really solid listen, feels a little meandering. I kind of tune out midway through and forget where I was. Maybe I'm hypnotized by those perfect 70's sonics. Definitely piqued my interest in Tom Petty, though, I hope we gt more from him. 3/5.
pretty good
it's alright but boomer rock doesn't really do it for me
There are a few songs I'm really into and overall the quality is consistently good. But not much stands out as a must-listen
Immediately before rating my previous album I thought to myself "It'd be nice to get Tom Petty" - imagine my shock when his debut appeared on my screen. And a solid debut it was.
Listened to this while playing Paperback Adventures. Game is still in progress. There were a few good songs on this album...but it is just not my favorite genre. Decent for what it was though!
What slightly let's this down for me is the production. It needs a fuller fatter sound.
While I recognize the impact of the arrival of Tom Petty, I just can't stand his voice.
Not a bad album, but the released singles are probably the strongest songs from it.
A few real gems on this album, but is otherwise just a solid album with good, basic, American rock & roll. Wanna give it a 4 for nostalgia sake, but it's really a 3.
Stripped-down old-school rock. I like Tom Petty’s whole thing on paper but I’ve always had a hard time getting into it outside of the big hits. It’s a very decent short-and-sweet album with no particular flaws but not much that thrills me. Best song: American Girl
Cool to know this is the debut album for Tom petty and the Heartbreakers. Definitely not my favourite but had a lot of good songs on it. Felt like a super quick listen which made me go back and look and it was 10 songs only 30 minutes total which feels crazy but all in all the guitar was nice and the classic Tom Petty voice most people recognize made it quite enjoyable.
Quiet boring. Nice Songs but something you would listen to of you need something for the background noises.
short and sweet. nothing mind blowing but nothing bad. American Girl easy stand out. high 3
I like Tom Petty but was bit blown away by this album
There were most certainly better albums coming out in ‘76 but this still holds up as classic Americana. This in spite of the cover art. Looks like something a 13yo boy of the era would conceive with an album cover generator. “Holy shit, a bandolier! Hell yeah!”
A good album with multiple hits.
Great Debut album by an icon musician and band. Not my favorite Tom Petty album but I have a feeling Dam the Torpedos, Full Moon Fever and of course the epic Wildflowers will be on the list….I hope
3.7
Loved Tom Petty. Really good listening music.
At times sounding ahead of its time, other times like a throw back. More raw and less polished than their later works. This seems to be a moment of time of a band starting to find their own unique style.
Bumped it up to a 3 thanks to Breakdown and American Girl. Otherwise it feels very meh
Some good moments here & there, but pretty average overall. Not bad, but not top-shelf shit either.
Solid, American blues rock. Not the greatest thing I’ve ever heard but certainly listenable.
Animadinho, parece uma banda bem vibes anos 60. Álbum curtinho, show de bola. Bicho estileira na capa, já tava a frente do seu tempo, antes dos anos 80. Ele passa por vários estilos interessantes, pior que é gostosinho mesmo, mas nada que me fez adicionar na playlist. American Girl já ouvi em algum lugar, mas nunca tinha ouvido da banda. Foi uma boa meia hora, 3*
1. Rockin' Around (With You): tem um clima divertido, não entrega tanto, mas gera uma expectativa pro resto do álbum, de que parece que vai ser divertido de ouvir. 2. Breakdown: guitarrinha gostosinha, vibe tranquila, tem até um tecladinho tímido, boa de ouvir até, refrão daóra, gostei. 3. Hometown Blues: segue a vibe bem divertida que o álbum vem ditando até aqui, gostei também. 4. The Wild One, Forever: essa já achei mais melosa, meio Bon Jovi, não me agradou tanto quanto as outras. Daqui pra frente, todas elas voltam pra vibe mais divertida, são um pouco genéricas, mas são bacanas. A última fecha com uma música não muito diferente das outras, mas um pouco mais intensa. É um bom encerramento. Músicas curtinhas, bem divertidas, curti. Álbum bem ok, simples, porém legal.
It's ok, a couple hits, I guess I don't really like Tom Petty s singing voice.
Some interesting riffs and moments. Not a huge fan of the vocals.
"American Girl" and "Breakdown" were the singles that I previously knew. The rest was serviceable and decent Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers tracks that were a bit slow and not memorable.
This album has a very unique and nice sound that makes me want to give it four stars, but the short length and the slight repetitiveness keeps it at a three for me, a good one, but a three.
This was decent, a little rough around the edges but that is to be expected for a debut album.
Had some good moments but nothing special otherwise.
This was a very forgettable album. I like the genre. I like classic rock. But there was nothing special. If I heard it on the radio I wouldn’t think twice about it, but I would look it up. 2.5 stars
I've never been a huge fan of Tom Petty, just doesn't hit the right spot for some reason. This is the first whole album of him I hear, but it didn't really do much in favour of changing my mind. Even the supposed hits just fly over my head. It's hard to give a fair rating, but I think reasonable a weak 3 might be appropriate.
This was a nice album. None of the songs were bad and at it's worst it was a bit bland with the same sound through a lot of the songs. Then there are a few great songs such as "American Girl" and "Breakdown". This is one of the better albums of late for me but I still think it falls just short of a 4 star as I still feel I could just listen to the hits and be content.
A classic.
Soso little short. Some well known songs
this music is so normal
Barely noticed this as it passed me by, except American Girl which is a great track
American 80s rock and roll. Not very interesting, but some catchy songs such as the second song of the album, Breakdown.
Some classic songs on here but overall, did not love it. It’s good for a debut but the songwriting is not 100% there yet.
good but not my thing. bit boring
I like Tom petty but this album was fine not very memorable.
It's absolutely fine, middle of the road heartland rock, with the huge exception of American Girl. That songs is fantastic, and the best known song from this album for a damn good reason. It can't save the record from mediocrity however. 08/11/23
Very generic, cookie cutter 80s rock. Very good for a debut album, but mediocre by itself.
Cute album. A little fun, his vocal gimmicks are kind of annoying. Feels like standard 70s pop rock.
Some good classic rock. It's crazy how much more complex and high energy American Girl is than the rest of the album. For sure worth having on a 1,001 albums list even if it isn't my personal favourite.
First listen, it did nothing for me. Second listen, ok I like some of the instrumentals. Third listen, okay I guess I can live with his vocal choices.
7/10 Tom Petty is always appreciated. He makes me feel cool.
“god it’s so painful, something that’s so close is still so far out of reach” Top Tracks: 1) AMERICAN GIRL (SO GOOD) 2) Breakdown 3) The Wild One, Forever 4) Fooled Again (I Don’t Like It) 5) Luna
It was good ... classic. Not something I'd likely turn on, but not necessarily something I was skipping through
Took a couple of rotations before I could start to appreciate it. I like Mystery Man and Luna besides the hits Breakdown and American Girl.
Dude had to be on a lot of drugs. Some great songs. Probably slightly overrated.
It was fun listening to this album, the first by the group, which is much more rock n roll, less heartland, than what I had come to expect, more Stones, less Mellencamp. Tho, the latter is undeniably there. Petty’s voice is a little more raw and then on his more popular tracks which gives the album this feeling of edginess that I really liked. While this is a technically impressive album without any real low points, I can’t quite put my finger on why I don’t LOVE it. It simply doesn’t really inspire any awe or make me need to dance. I probably won’t listen again.
Glad to have listened to this. Like hearing how he is trying out new things to find his own sound. Thought he sounded a bit like Van Morrison on some of these tracks.
I mean, I love Tom Petty, but his debut is probably the weakest of his albums. Probably included for American Girl, which still sounds fantastic. 5* for that, 3.5* for the album.
Fine
Solid debut
A few good songs here
I feel pretty indifferent towards this album. And kind of this type of music in general. I have never had much of a connection to this sound. And so I see this as just kind of decent. I still enjoy some songs, but nothing sticks out to me as an excellent piece of music. For the positives, Tom has a somewhat unique voice, that is kind of rough and phlegmy. And the album is pretty short, which means no song is really overstaying its welcome. But because of that same positive, it does mean most of the songs just kind of fade out when they could probably keep going. Some songs don't get to do much because they are cut so short. Again, not a record that I really think excels in any one department, but something that I can see other people enjoying much more than I did. Rating: 5/10
Couple of good songs but meh on the rest. It's no Damn the Torpedoes
1 • ça bouge j'aime bien 2 • belle voix 3 • ça groove 4 • meh 5 • meh 6 • stylé 7 • meh 8 • meh 9 • meh 10 • mouais
Forgettable
the only thing im not forgeting about this album is the absolute shit ass cover, like what the fuck is that the songs are good, its just that ill never remember them except for the ones i already knew: american girl and breakdown.
Ok but pretty bland, milquetoast on white bread.
Heard before: No Favourites: Breakdown, Hometown blues, American girl Never listened to a Tom Petty album, but the songs I've heard from him are so good. However, the album as a whole slightly disappointed me, though it's still a decent album. It just isn't on the level of his best songs I've heard like last dance with Mary Jane, running down a dream etc.
American Girl and Breakdown are the highlights
3.6
3.5
Not quite Damn the torpedoes, but pretty solid. If you don't mind a time when the Heartbreakers could also sound like other bands of their day.
Slaba 3. Ocena bi bila viša da ima više dobrih pesama jer u nekim pesmama fr uživam (Hometown Blues, Anything thats rock n roll, Luna) ali ima previše iscrpljujućih mrtvih numera. Jbg
Not bad. Just boring.
10/6/23. Never was huge on Tom Petty, but this is solid rock and roll. Won’t revisit this one often but still a decent listen.
mehi
3.5 stars. "Breakdown" and "American Girl" are great, super catchy. Rest of it is more filler and harder to really get into.
Tom petty makes good rock music. Not many classics but a few I liked!
American girl is a classic. Not much interesting beyond it. 2nd half is stronger than the first.
Quite nice
Huh I’ve already heard this one. Pretty solid but ends on a 10/10
sympa sans plus.
Heard before: some A classic beer and beach record, chockablock with chugga-luggas, disposable tunes to get your toes tapping and fill the conversation during awkward pauses. Old Tom loved a pop song, and despite the rock and roll trappings, he has some some pleasant, if slightly under done, tunes here. It feels a little slight… until you get to the two big hit singles, which are totally iconic. Top tracks: American Girl, Breakdown, Mystery Man
Didn't do a heap for me
Straightforwardly decent but decidedly sub-transcendent. A very strange cover – what a sour smile from what looks to be a reluctant subject – and a strange choice to put the best and hookiest cut ("American Girl") at the end of the record.
cool vibe but not my likin
Was never a big Tom Petty fan but this album is OK. American Girl is a banger. The rest is fine. He tries real hard to sound like Bruce Springsteen but I prefer the Boss more.
"Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers" is the debut album by American rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Tom Petty moved to Hollywood from Gainsville, FL with his band Mudcrutch as they signed with Shelter Records. Shelter ended up dropping Mudcrutch but kept Tom Petty who formed the Heartbreakers after that. Besides Petty on vocals and guitars, the Heartbreakers include Mike Campbell (guitars), Benmont Tench (piano, keys, synths), Ron Blair (bass) and Stan Lynch (drums). Commercially, the band initially did much better in Europe after a tour and this debut hit #24 in the UK. It took a year after its release to reach #55 in the US. Their success would obviously change in the near future. A Bo Diddley drum beat and guitar begin "Rockin' Around (With You)." A long drawn-out pyschedelic guitar. Petty's typical nasally vocals. This is pretty raw knowing what'd they become. Well, then comes "Breakdown." A slow drum beat. The guitar riff and organ ooze in and out throughout the song. A bluesy vibe. Great backing vocals including Dwight Tilley. My favorite memory of "Breakdown" is when the Replacements covered and destroyed it in at a 1989 concert in which they opened for Petty. Before beginning the song, the Replacements' Paul Westerberg asked the crowd if they're all here to hear the Tom Petty shit and then said "We'll, here's a song we actually like." The closing band did a much better job. A pretty good rockin' song "Anything That's Rock 'n' Roll" closes the side. Speaking of Dwight Twilley, the guitar riff here is a dead ringer for his. "Strangered in the Night" has a cool and unique guitar riff throughout. Mike Campbell introduces us to the classic Heartbreaker sound. Maybe the most interesting thing here is the decision to close the album with "American Girl." Obviously, one of Petty's best songs. That guitar twang, the bouncey beat, the bass drop. A great guitar outro. And some of Petty's best lyrics as he describes a girl dreaming and comparing the sounds of the highway to that of being by the ocean. A stone cold rock classic. This album is a curious choice for the top 1,001 albums since it is Petty's only album in the challenge. Obviously selections should have been "Damn the Torpedoes" or "Long After Dark." Heck, even one of his first two solo albums. But, here we are. The majority of songs shows signs and the structure of what the songs would be in the future where they would be more fully formed and flushed with a band in more of a full-throttled mode. However, this album does have two of his best songs and best songs of that style and time. That alone makes this worth at least a listen.
Surprisingly entertaining classic rock album. From the cover and the track names I was expecting some boring, sloppy heartland rock. Well, the lyrics were cringe-y at times, but the songs were all catchy and their sound actually felt authentic and full of passion. I can't say I'll come back to this very often, but I'm positively surprised. Best song: American Girl
I recalled this being a better album
A good americana record.7/10
I don't think anyone is rushing to put Tom Petty at the top of their "Greatest Guitar Players of All Time" list, but it is very interesting to listen to his first album. It's sweet, carries a nice breezy feel to it, and is definitely tied to the heartland of America.
Honestly didn't think I liked Tom petty as much as I do. Solid 3.7 album for me. The Wild One, Forever got saved. So did Anything That's Rock n Roll
Definitely some classics here. I like how earnest a young Tom Petty was. He certainly has a unique voice. The arrangements are nice and I could happily play this in the background of some kind of gathering. I don’t think it’s by any stretch of the imagination a masterpiece, but I was pleasantly surprised by its consistency.
Good album, it never really blew me away like Full Moon Fever did though. Pretty standard radio-friendly dad rock, Some good songs on here though.
very "of its genre" and like indistinct to me, nothing unique. but fun
I liked it - easy to get through with some quality bangers, a little generic in spots though
The only real banger is american girl and its last :/
A nice listen. Likely won't revisit this one much.
Good!
There is definitely something underwhelming in the straightforward nature of this record which explains why it didn't take hold initially in the US. There's a professionally polished and hand-crafted feel to the music, even if some songs are simplistic (e.g., "Hometown Blues") and Petty's voice has always been an acquired taste and must've seemed even more so upon its market debut. One questions if this really sounded all that diferent from everything else on the radio in 1976 (it's the midpoint between Thin Lizzy, say, and Hotel California). "Mystery Man" is a nice find. It is weird that "American Girl," a little gem of a pop song closes, rather than opens, the record. And one can't quite fathom why this band had to first be recognized in the UK before achieving some chart success here. This is likable and competent, not a masterpiece but a few memorable cuts and solid playing throughout. Better was to come.
not bad
It’s aight. 3/5
A bit pedestrian
Nice and solid, but not exceptional.
About as straight down the middle as it gets, but you know what? That’s what Tom was best at, and he might be the best that ever did it.
The hits hit just hard enough to elevate the more conventional rock tracks peppering Petty’s debut.
I expected more from Tom, this album felt pretty bland
let me start out by saying that i love tom petty. hit after hit. going in, i was really looking forward to listening to this as i had never heard this entire album. that being said, to be honest i was a little underwhelmed. other than the two hits “breakdown” and “american girl”, the rest of the album was kind of average.
Pretty decent debut Favourite tracks: Breakdown, Luna, American Girl
Fooled Again I don't like it.... kinda sums up how I felt about this album. OK, so it's mid 70s, music was on a burst of change and Tom Petty churned out some alternative pop rock easy listening sounds, that were OK for the time, probably over endorsed by radio and movie soundtrack inclusions, but for me I just don't get it, I just don't see or rather hear anything special here.
Pretty good!
Rockin’ Around, Hometown Blues, Strangered in the Night, Fooled Again (me too) and American Girl. Kind of boring and only a few songs stand out but I don’t hate it. Good length as Chadbutt would say.
Enjoyable classic rock, pleasantly short. 3.5/5 FS: Rockin Around, Fooled Again, American Girl.
Not all that groundbreaking for me
Really not my thing, but at least it's tolerable.
Not their best album....but, American Girl is an all time classic...and you could really see what was coming! Classic rock and roll!
Liked the 2 big hits Breakdown and American Girl but didn’t care much for the rest of the album.
Classic rock that could benefit greatly from going off the beaten track every once in a while.
да пойдет алкоальбом: дешевое вино
Есть залипательные моменты, но в остальном база. Спасибо за 30 минут
Some okay standard American classic rock, pretty forgettable really but no real complaints. I thought I would like it more, as I'm a fan of Springsteen. My top pick is 'American Girl'
Pretty good, better to come. 5/10
I am not a huge Tom Petty fan, but this album wasn't horrible.
This is not very good. Extra point for American girl
Uncomfortably American. Not his best work.
A nice 70s listen
It’s ok. I prefer the later albums. Breakdown is all I’ve kept in my library.
Was going to go 4 stars, but Breakdown and American Girl are stand out gems on a pretty run of the mill album beyond those tracks. A mishmash of country and slow rock showcasing a band trying to find their style. Also, why is Tom Petty wearing a bandolier with bullets on this album cover?
Listenable, not memorable.
Decent listen with a couple bangers Rating: 3.3
Småtrevligt. American girl är ju ett riktigt örhänge.
Enjoyed listening to this album. Mix of punk / blues / rock. I had only heard Tom Petty's famous songs before this, and think this album shows more talent than free falling, etc.
bro tries to have rizz on the cover but fails misserably. I only know him as a JoJo reference which is good cause that albums kinda boring. Songs like Luna would have been better as an instrumental. He's not a good singer. Side 1 is quite passable Side 2 is mid (except American Girl) 6/10
I happen to be a Tom Petty fan but they definitely have better albums.
Enjoyed it, especially Breakdown, American Girl, and Anything that's Rock & Roll. 3/5
day 4. hmmm. I’m tempted to rate this higher because it is Tom Petty, but I don’t feel like there is much on this album worth listening to beyond the 2 songs I already knew. Gimme the first two and the last two, nix the stuff in the middle and I’d be good. I quite like the Luna->American Girl ending though. that being said, it’s not bad, just a bit samey-same. short songs and an easy listen. 2.5/5 rounded up to 3 faves - Breakdown, American Girl
Fun heartland rock album. Some tracks better than others. If it didn’t have the Petty charm and personality I probably wouldn’t think much of it.
Pretty pedestrian rock and roll. I bought a vinyl copy in the '70s after seeing TP live supporting Genesis at Knebworth in 1978, but it didn't get many outings. I was sadly disappointed.
Tom Petty is known for his hits, and you can clearly see the reason why. "Breakdown" and "American Woman" knock you away but nothing lives up to that energy and catchiness. I like his riffs, and his riffs wail like bluesy contemporaries Bad Company and ZZ Top. It's exemplary roots rock of its time with power pop influence in the chords and harmonic vocals from the likes of Badfinger. Much of it is forgettable, and some of it is pretty good, but they have so much potential if they could live up to their hits.
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah it was quite good! Deffo worth exploring Toms music more! Favourite song: Track 2 - Breakdown
A couple of bangers and some typical debut album trying-to-define-their-sound growing pains 3.5/5
Most of this album was pretty mid. I was hoping for a little more. My favourite song was American Girl.
Very good pop rock. A little soppy at times for me. ‘American Girl’ is an incredible good track!
Couple of bangers, hearing this band is like a nice warm blanket fresh out the dryer, you just feel right with the world when you hear it
Cover had me prepped to give 1 or 2, music was better than the cover suggested. Side note, I received a CV today that was strikingly similar in design and colour scheme to this album cover.
Similar to the Rolling Stones’ debut in that it’s a debut from a famous artist that doesn’t really feel essential. Songs like ‘Breakdown’ and ‘American Girl’ are great, but this spot on the list would be better filled by Damn the Torpedoes or Wildflowers.
Huge fan of Petty, and this debut album was a great start. But it gets much better as he matures into the 5 star artist he becomes.
There are a few really great songs, the rest are fine. As a whole, it's a good album but not nearly one of the best Tom Petty albums. 3.5
Some killer, some filler
Not a bad first album with a couple of Petty's most well known hits. An auspicious debut by a future superstar.
Znam i lubię kilka piosenek Toma Pettego, ale nie znałam żadnej z tej płyty. Nic specjalnego. Momentami ma fajny klimat, często zbyt bluesowa. Może jego inna płyta bardziej by mi przypadła do gustu. Podoba mi się utwór American Girl.
This would make a really good EP with 4-5 really good songs. But there are a few “stock” songs here that seem like they were thrown together in minutes which taint the quality of this album. Someone tell Tom it’s OK if a song goes past the four-minute mark. Breakdown could have been an all timer if it wasn’t for his bizarre Razor Ramon vocals in the first verse. “Anything that’s Rock ‘n’ Roll” continues to prove my theory of…If a song has “Rock and Roll” in the title, it is likely a dud.
Some feel good rock songs in here. Can’t feel bad listening to any of this, it has positive tone and energy. Some really awesome guitar playing all around.
I found this to be a decent little album. Highlights include Breakdown, Anything That's Rock n Roll, and American Girl. Straightforward rock and roll - fitting for the time period it was released in. Enjoyable licks, vocals are alright and it's short and sweet - nothing feels too short nor too long. Solid 3.
Pretty solid album, no real low points but my mind would definitely start to wander by the midway point. Feels like he's trying to do his best Van Morrison impression sometimes. Enjoyed the listen but probably won't come back to this. American Girl is a 10/10 song though
A lot of this album is that kind of classic American rock (a la Bruce Springsteen) that I just never really could get into. Tom Petty has a unique voice that is pretty great on some tracks but just gets weird and annoying (see The Wild One, Forever) on others like he doesn't have complete mastery of his mouth muscles. Really interesting how much his voice is different here from the voice I recognize more from later albums. The guitar, bass, and drums are all decent and definitely competent, but nobody is standing out really. None of this is helped by a top-heavy nearly mono-style mix that doesn't really do the musicians justice. The album starts off pretty great with the first two tracks, but after that becomes the American rock stuff that's just not my thing. It's definitely not terrible but the style really gets stale on me over the course of a full album. This is the kind of music where if you made a greatest hits out of 5 albums of content it would be really awesome, but having to listen to several deep cuts in a row starts to lose my attention. And then Mystery Man comes on and I have to reach for the next track button because that one sucks. If you don't skip Mystery Man and your brain tunes it out instead, you will not be snapped back to attention by the lackluster Luna. Just when I'm fully sick of the album and ready to listen to anything else, American Girl comes on and reminds me why this guy is so famous. That song is absolutely great and provides a stellar outro that pretty much makes you forget that you weren't really enjoying the last few tracks. On a separate note, it's pretty cool that they got Linda McCartney to pose for the album cover.
I liked it overall. Some songs were just OK, some songs were great.
Overall an alright debut album. American Girl is fantastic but the rest doesn’t quite reach that height.
Pretty good
Me gustó, me parece bueno, pero a la vez in rock bastante básico nada grandioso que me haga recordarlo
Kind of a weird pastiche record. It's especially for 1976 -- the year that punk happened. In any case, the tunes are fine and the performances are tasteful. The closing track is a gem.
The guy on the album looks like a fuck boy and Owen Wilson but with long hair. Hmmmm, it was ok, not really special. 0.5 extra star for it being rock.
Mid 70s radio-friendly rock with country influences. I guess it's nice enough, but not something I would listen to again, given a choice. 2.5/5
It’s fine
Bar music. Not sure why he does strange accents half the time. Curious.
That slid past nice and easy 70s style. I really only know Tom Petty as a shadowy character on the margins, and from the hit 'Don't Come Around Here No More' which I saw as a kid and always found intriguing
Some decent 70s rock for sure, but honestly it didn't really have enough going for it to keep me engaged throughout. It felt like Rockin' Around (With You) was almost the peak, right at the beginning of the album, and nothing else really grabbed me quite as much. That song wasn't nearly long enough either! American Girl is a classic though, so yeah, to me it was a bit of a nothing sandwich? I don't know, that seems harsh, but I'm sure I'll take one or two of these songs into my playlist. Favourite: Rockin' Around (With You)
Some great tunes, but also some unremarkable ones.