Mojo, released on 6/15/2010 on Reprise Records, is the kind of record that a veteran band earns the right to make after nearly 35 years together. I love Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ latest release for a variety of reasons:

I love it for its production methods – a live studio record with minimal overdubs that allows the bands’ collective musicianship to evolve organically.

I love it for its rural, roots vibe. As Petty states in the Mojo Documentary, “I see southern landscapes. It’s not really a California kind of record.”

I love it because the band has total control over the content. Several tracks spill into six minute territory, far beyond the boundaries of a “radio-friendly” song. Benmont Tench, the band’s piano/keyboard player states, “When we sit around and we don’t have anything to learn and rehearse, this is the kind of music we play.”

Finally, I love it for its guitar heroics. Petty and the gang made a conscious effort to showcase Mike Campbell’s skills as a lead axe man. Tracks such as “I Should Have Known It” rock as hard as anything you’ll find on your local modern rock radio station.

Check out the Sam Jones’ Mojo Documentary to learn more about the making of this great album.
Mojo Documentary

Mojo album cover