Mudcrutch

Some great songs on here, Scare Easy*, Orphan of the Storm, The Wrong Thing To Do*, Lover Of the Bayou*, Crystal River. The band has a country feel to it but the magic that is being played is a recording you will want to listen to over and over. Any song with a star next to it is a really great song to listen to and truly shows how magnificent Tom Petty and Mike Campbell were, and are to this day!!

Years ago, on a trip down to the Deep South, an elderly Southern gentleman commented to my grandmother that "The South never forgets." That remark came back to me as I was listening to MUDCRUTCH, the debut effort from Tom Petty's pre-Heartbreakers band. Was Petty remembering (and, perhaps, yearning) for his earlier, pre-stardom days when he put this project together? And if so, is it really wise to try and recapture the past? MUDCRUTCH, a mixed bag of hits and misses, only partially succeeds in answering these questions. Things kick off with the infectious twang of "Shady Grove." Petty and co-lead guitarist Tom Leadon share an easy-going lead vocal, while the band provides an arrangement that is spirited and crisp. A great way to start things off! Ditto "Scare Easy", a classic Petty song that could easily have fit on any Heartbreakers album between '79-'92. From the tight instrumentation to the snarling lead vocal, this is a Petty gem from top to bottom. Toss in great lyrics ("I got a soul that ain't never been blessed/Yeah, I'm a shadow at the back of the hall/Yeah, I got a sin I ain't never confessed") and you have a true winner! "Orphan Of The Storm" lopes along nicely enough, but upon repeated listens there's an almost fake feeling to the track, like the band's trying to force a square musical peg into a round musical hole. Much more relaxed and enjoyable is "Six Days On The Road." This is a jam, pure and simple, but it never seems forced or over the top. It's also on this cut that the true star of MUDCRUTCH first emerges...keyboard player Benmont Tench. In all his years as a Heartbreaker, Tench has never been looser or more on fire, providing runs and fills that both dazzle and enhance. Sadly, things come to crashing halt with the bloated, overlong "Crystal River." The days of nine minute arena jams are SO long gone, and what could have been a gentle four-to-five minute ballad gets blown into something yawn-inducing (Once again, though, Tench shines). The disc's only real misstep. There's a sweet story/song to "Oh Maria", a cut that would have fit nicely on Petty's last solo disc, 2006's atmospheric HIGHWAY COMPANION. His plaintive lead vocal wraps around the lyrics ("Oh Maria/Whiskey and rye/Walking up the stairs/With a man twice your size") in a way that is equal parts heart-breaking and resigned. Lovely. And then there's "This Is A Good Street", with lead vocal by Mr. Tench. Funky, edgy and fun, this tale of lost love could have gone on for at least two more minutes as far as I'm concerned...it's that cool! Tench has had his songs covered by the likes of Stevie Nicks, Rosanne Cash and Lone Justice, and "This Is A Good Street" shows why....he's an incredibly gifted, albeit underrated, songwriter. There's a snakey vibe to "The Wrong Thing To Do" that is just captivating. The instrumentation is gutsy, without being overpowering, while Petty's lead vocal is equal parts mysterious and dangerous (I love how he drags out the word "care" in the chorus!). Toss in some killer lyrics ("Well, she was blonde and tall/She was twenty-three/Born into the world to get the best of me/And she never paid back/Half what she stole/SHe wanted my money/So I gave her my soul") and you have one of MUDCRUTCH's best cuts. The same can't be said about "Queen Of The Go-Go Girls." In the tradition of Ringo, Keith, Dave Davies and Jane Weidlin, Tom Leadon steps in for a lead vocal that is, at it's best, weak, at it's worst...well, you get the picture. "June Apple" is a slice of Southern rock, and while an instrumental is a nice way to break things up, this one seems dated and out of place. Much like "Crystal River", it almost feels as if the genre's time has come...and gone. It's at this point that MUDCRUTCH really starts to get bogged down. "Lover Of The Bayou" is nice enough, with some great guitar work from Leadon and Mike Campbell, and gorgeous underlying keyboard runs courtesy of Tench, but by song's end this really seems to be nothing more than an outtake from HIGHWAY COMPANION. "Topanga Cowgirl" has a nice bounce to it, with spirited instrumentation and a tight arrangement, but the song is so light as to be inconsequential. It almost seems like a studio jam that made it onto the disc to meet a certain time/length requirement. The same can be said about "Bootleg Flyer." There's a lot of energy here, but there's also a "been there, done that" feel as well, which is something you don't ever expect from Tom Petty. Once again, great playing, but a less than stellar song. Things end on a stronger note with "House Of Stone." This country shuffle boasts understated (but sharp) instrumentation, an easy-going lead vocal and great lyrics ("Got a brand new suit/I got two pair of pants/Easy on the eyes/And I love to dance/I could dance right now/If you give me the chance"). So....my Five Final Thoughts on Mudcrutch and MUDCRUTCH...1) It may just be time for Benmont Tench to record that long-threatened solo album (BENMONT'S REVENGE, anyone?!?)..2) Who knew Tom Petty was such a great bassist??..3) Would this album have gotten made if it wasn't Petty's old band? I'm not so sure...4) Would I automatically buy another album from the band? Ummmmm....probably. And....5) Are there some things the South...and old rockers!...should forget? Nah, that's part of both their charms!! (As with all my reviews, I'm docking the disc half a star for not including the lyrics).

First heard the song "Scare Easy" on the DVD for the movie "Appaloosa". Liked it so much that I had to try this Mudcrutch CD. Glad I did...what a great collaboration of musical talents! Rarely do I find a CD where I immediately like every single track the very first time I hear it. This is one of those CDs. I'm no music critic, but I know good sound when I hear it. This CD has become one of my favorites---particularly enjoyable to listen to while driving.

I'm a fan of Tom Petty ( though NOT Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers- go figure!). I've listened to both albums one after another numerous times & the Heatbreakers always leave me cold, but Tom Petty's work is terrific (except for "Highway Companion" which I thought was a bunch of tunes that didn't make it onto other TP albums- for good reason!).I love Tom Petty's work in the Traveling Wilburys, too...I didn't know anything about Mudcrutch; didn't know I was "waiting " for it!This sounds to me very much like a lot of the music that came out of San Francisco in the late 60's & early 70's. That musical era/ musical explosion of ideas ushered in what was probably the most creative & & far reaching period in American music!That's a pretty serious legacy to call upon & these guys deliver! I loved the choices they made too! The songs are, of course mainly written by Tom Petty, but they fit in so well with the ones that were written by someone else (Including a Roger Mcguinn tune!).The playing sounds like an album that was recorded in 1970 & inexplicably forgotten, then remastered "last week" & released. It's clean & well thought out- Nothing there that doesn't need to be there; everything there that does! Perhaps that's "maturity" in evidence. I don't know.The vocals, again are mostly Tom Petty, but other voices come to the fore to add a vocal richness that is not evident on Heartbreaker albums.There are a couple of "Heartbreakers" with Petty on this album, but it's the "new" people that flesh out the sound so effectively & so satisfyingly. This is a "must" for any sort of Tom Petty fan.

I've always liked Tom Petty, although at times, he tends to be content to flow in the mainstream. Looking at a recent setlist from his current tour, it consists mostly of his big hits. Nothing wrong with big hits, but for me, Petty shines best when he veers off the beaten path a little and does things like The Traveling Wilburys, or jams with Dylan, etc.I'll confess right now that I haven't purchased every single Tom Petty record because several are kind of mainstream and at times, less than consistent. That said, I do own a handful of his albums that have held up nicely over time.When this "side project" (it really isn't, in that the lineup is 90% Heartbreakers, but I digress) record came out, some reviewers commented that it evokes an early Grateful Dead vibe, and I read several comparisons to "American Beauty". That being an all time classic record, I decided to buy Mudcrutch.Jerry Garcia always enjoyed playing the old bluegrass standard "Shady Grove", and recorded it on several albums with his bluegrass buddy David "Dawg" Grisman.Mudcrutch begins, appropriately, with a good interpretation of "Shady Grove". Then, there's a couple of so-so songs, but the Grateful Dead vibe really kicks in full throttle with "Crystal River". That song, along with at least 3 or 4 more, retains the Grateful Dead spirit, even extending the jams to nearly 10 minutes.Out of 14 songs on the record, there are 2 or 3 throwaways, but overall, Mudcrutch is Petty and his buddies at their best.

Obviously most people will know of Mudcrutch from its singer and frontman, Tom Petty (of Heartbreakers fame) who put together the band way back in the early 70s; though they ultimately broke up. But Petty got the boys back hence and finally put out their debut in 2008 - entering the Billboard 200 at a remarkable number 8.Mudcrutch are less American rock 'n roll and more southern rock, with some country thrown in. Nevertheless, there is some great guitar work from Mike Campbell of Heartbreaker renown, and Tom Leadon.The band rattle straight into a cover of the traditional 'Shady Grove' which is somehow as mellow as it is energetic. It sounds great, as does the Petty-penned anthem of 'Scare Easy'. 'Orphan of the Storm' is very country and here Tom gets to show those vocals in their natural habitat - You can almost hear the bayou in his voice. 'Crystal River' and 'The Wrong Thing To Do' are equally great tracks, as is Benmont Tench's playful 'This Is A Good Street'. Roger McGuinn's 'Lover of the Bayou' and Petty's 'Topanga Cowgirl' kick it home with some more great country rythm; and the album has some other good stuff inbetween. I admit I prefer Petty's heavier, more mainstream rock 'n roll. But Mudcrutch's debut certainly has a lot of that - and even the softer, slower tunes have heart and soul, which count for a lot.Not mindblowing, perhaps, but a strong, consistent effort regardless. And in my opinion, superior to their follow-up.

I bought this album recently and was highly impressed. Tom Petty has reunited with several of his old friends, who are also talented musicians, and belted out some of the best country-rock music we are likely to hear in a long time. The first time I listened to it, tracks such as `Scare Easy', `Crystal River' and `Lover of The Bayou' struck me as brilliant. More authentic Southern country rock than the Eagles and perhaps more polished than some of Neil Young's albums (although I would hesitate to criticise a master such as Young); I also thought I could hear hints of English Folk Rock (perhaps Fairport Convention). I guess this album must rate as an instant classic. The record is a great one for turning up in the car. I can't imagine that you would be disappointed with it.

WOW WHAT A DEBUT ALBUM!! every track on here is great, such is the quality, that you have to wonder why Mudcrutch where not a success. The album has a county flavour to it which once again really suits Tom's voice, but there are also some good rock and roll numbers too with "Lover of the Bayou" and "Bootleg Flyer" standing out. notable personal favourites include the fantasic and well crafted "Crystal River" the brillant single "Scare Easy"and the very catchy "Topanga Cowgirl" . This album is a must have for all Tom Petty Fans. Mudcrutch is an album that you'll play over and over again, I cannot recommend it highly enough

Good but not as good as Mudcrutch 2

Saw Mudcrutch on TV a while ago playing Lover of the Bayou. Superb, I wished it could go on and on.Saw the CD on sale at Amazon. Had to have it. So many different variations on this superb album; twangy guitar, rocky numbers, slow and fast numbers excellent keyboards and lots of instrumental sections.Tom Petty's vocals and guitar playing plus the excellent musicians that form Mudcrutch give this album excellent listening appeal. Can't fault it at all.