Damn The Torpedoes Review

    Tom Petty died suddenly of a heart attack on Monday.  Artists ranging from Coldplay to Paul McCartney to Chuck D of Public Enemy all paid tribute to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.  Ultimately, the most crucial part of Tom Petty’s legacy is that whenever you turn on the radio and one of his songs comes on, you know instantly that it’s Tom Petty. His willingness to fight his record company to keep prices low for fans is also something artists from every genre can respect him for.  Another part of his legacy is that Petty knew that in an era of synthesizers and big hair there was a whole audience that craved rock ‘n’ roll in its purest form.  Petty was able to combine the hard edges of southern rock, the gentle jangly guitar sound, and harmonies of sixties bands like The Byrds to create a sound that was truly his own.  Petty’s music was pop rock that compromised none of rock’s grittiness.  Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ third album released in 1979, Damn the Torpedoes, epitomizes what Tom Petty was all about.

    In 1979, Petty’s recording contract was transferred to MCA after they bought his record company from ABC Records.  As a result, MCA took control of the publishing rights to Petty’s music.  In what would be his first, and certainly not last, rebellious incident against his record company, Tom Petty declared bankruptcy in order to get the contract voided.  MCA ultimately relented and renegotiated the contract in which Petty could keep his publishing rights.  This allowed Petty to record a new album with producer Jimmy Iovine at Sound City Studios and Cherokee Studios in Hollywood, California.  Iovine’s superb production would garner much praise from critics who all agreed that the sound on this album was a huge improvement over Petty’s previous two efforts.

     Damn the Torpedoes first two tracks contrast each other stupendously.  ‘Refugee’ is all about defiance and anger.  Specifically, it’s about Petty’s defiance and anger towards MCA for their attempt to take advantage of him.  However, ‘Refugee’ wound up becoming an anthem of sorts for male teenage angst.  ‘Here Comes My Girl’ quickly changes the tone. It is a love song and all the feelings that come with being in love for the first time.  The album is off to the races after these two songs as audiences have been introduced to the Tom Petty sound properly. The third track, ‘Even the Losers’ is pretty self-explanatory, but that’s what makes it so good. Even the losers get lucky sometimes.  The sixth track from the album is one of Petty’s most famous.  ‘Don’t Do Me Like That’ is a party rock song that has a chorus anybody can sing along to.  The rest of the Heartbreakers on this album are truly magnificent as well. Mike Campbell’s guitar solos and Benmont Tench’s keyboard enhance Petty’s already strong material making them the icing on the cake.

     Tom Petty may be gone, but Damn the Torpedoes and all of his other classic albums will live forever.  In an ever increasingly superficial industry, the simplicity and sincerity of Tom Petty’s music will be sorely missed.

      Rating:  *****