Tom Petty doesn’t have to release new albums. He’d be well within his rights to tour every summer and trot out old hit after glorious old hit for adoring crowds. But admirably—or perhaps, stubbornly—the 59-year-old continues to produce new material.
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In recent years, however, these “new” songs have been drenched in nostalgia. 2008’s Mudcrutch was a collection from Petty’s pre-Heartbreakers band; some of its songs dated back nearly 40 years. The same backward-looking atmosphere permeates Mojo, the first new studio album from Petty and The Heartbreakers since 2002’s The Last DJ. Unfortunately, Mojo is retro in all the wrong ways: It’s a collection of blues songs, based around rambling riffs and bland organ. On these original songs, the Heartbreakers sound like a subpar blues cover band—one whose attempts to convey authentic heartache, hardship and melancholy ring hollow.
It’s no coincidence that Mojo’s best song lacks traditional blues signifiers: “Something Good Coming” is a vulnerable waltz burnished with acoustic guitar and subtle orchestration. Its quiet optimism reminds that experience can still lead to great art.
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