On his 14th album with the Heartbreakers, that acuity is chiefly brought to bear on disillusionment with the American Dream, played out through some spirited rock tunes and a couple that tread the fringes of bluesy jazz.
Direct comparisons with early Petty LPs miss the significance of his perspective as a 63-year-old, but there's no denying that he and his band have reconnected with the youthful vigour that first drove them.
• Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Hypnotic Eye. Warner Music.
• Four stars (out of five)
Single download: American Dream Plan B
For those who like: John Fogarty, Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen
- Jeff Harford
