Mudcrutch

Mudcrutch

Reprise, 2008

http://www.mudcrutch.com

REVIEW BY: Mark Millan

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 09/30/2008

Tom Petty would have to be the luckiest guy in the world. He’s doing what he wants to, when he wants to, a freedom that very few have in the fickle world of the entertainment industry. Whether he’s fronting The Heartbreakers or flying solo, he seems to be incapable of producing anything but great rock ‘n’ roll (with one exception, but that’s a story for another day).

Today’s story revolves around his latest project, Mudcrutch. This was Petty’s original band from Gainesville, which capitulated soon after arriving in Los Angeles to begin their recording career.  Petty and two of his cohorts (Benmont Tench and Mike Campbell) became Heartbreakers but the other two members of Mudcrutch, guitarist Tom Leadon and drummer Randall Marsh, left to pursue their own ambitions.

Mudcrutch never even got around to releasing an album; they did, however, manage two single releases in 1971 and ’75, respectively. Fast forward to August of ’07 when Petty invited Leadon and Marsh to reform and record the album that never was. In April of this year, the group finally released their long overdue eponymous debut.

According to the liner notes, Mudcrutch was recorded live in just ten days without the use of headphones. Incredible it may seem, but it goes to show what can happen when truly talented players get together and just play. The record itself contains both old and new songs as well as a couple of very well-chosen covers. 

So superb is the band that it sounds as if they never broke up in the first place and have been playing together for an eternity. Admittedly, three of them have been, but how many bands could subtract three members, replace them with two, and still remain a great band?my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

The album kicks off with “Shady Grove,” an easygoing, jangling ditty with Leadon and Petty sharing lead vocals and harmonies. I was instantly hooked and you will be, too. The only question in my mind was if they could sustain the highly infectious vibe for a full album. Not surprisingly, they did, and I’m still hooked. 

First single “Scare Easy” is possibly the most Heartbreaker-sounding song, which is no doubt the reason why it became the first single. It’s a slow jam with Petty snarling, “Yeah, I’m a loser at the top of my game / I should have known to keep my eye on you.” The band even flirts with country-rock for a couple of tunes with “Orphan Of The Storm” and again with Leadon singing on “Queen Of The Go-Go Girls,” which is almost pure country.

About those covers -- “Six Days A Week” is a roaring boogie-woogie-fueled cover of David Dudley’s original, which is performed here flawlessly. The Byrds’ “Lover Of The Bayou” is covered superbly, with their own muddy chops added in for good measure. “Topanga Cowgirl” finds Tench showing off his bluesy honky-tonk riffs with style to accompany Petty’s famous laidback southern drawl, which is more evident here than on almost any of his previous works.

The nine-minute epic “Crystal River” is a modern day classic. A Dylan-esque arrangement and Petty’s simple, love-struck lyrics make for beautiful music. Tench takes the lead vocal duties for the self-penned “This Is A Good Street.” Backed by a catchy groove, it’s really too bad that just as you expect it to rock into a wee bit of jamming, the song ends abruptly just shy of the two-minute mark.

Petty’s own “The Wrong Thing To Do” is reminiscent of his hilarious Wilbury track, “Last Night.” A tight rhythm track is given life by Campbell’s signature slide guitar and Petty’s dry humored lyrics (“Well a hundred miles to go / You draggin’ your ass / I’m in a Japanese car / That ain’t gonna last.”)

The swaggering rocker “Bootleg Flyer” is another Heartbreaker-style moment that is seriously as good as anything Petty has ever recorded. It’s here the band finally let loose and carve out some awesome rock. Leadon and Campbell’s dueling twin guitar attack is backed by a tight rhythm track provided by Marsh’s drumming and Petty’s bass. Tench once again blazes away with some of his finest chops in years.

I am firmly convinced there is no end to Petty’s genius. Serving as Mudcrutch’s frontman and handling the bass duties with ease, he has turned out another stone-cold classic that stands tall alongside his best ever work, Damn The Torpedoes, Full Moon Fever, and Wildflowers.

Rating: A

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© 2008 Mark Millan and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Reprise, and is used for informational purposes only.