Artist: TOM PETTY
Album: FULL MOON FEVER (CD)

Year: 1989
Media type: CD

Full Moon Fever is the first solo album by Tom Petty, though it features contributions from several members of his backing band, the Heartbreakers, along with fellow members of the Traveling Wilburys. The record shows Petty exploring his musical roots with nods to his influences. The songwriting was mainly collaborations between Petty and Jeff Lynne who was also a producer on the album. The album became a commercial and critical success peaking in the top five on the Billboard 200 and being certified 5x platinum in the United States and 6x platinum in Canada.

Petty had just finished the last Heartbreakers tour behind the album Let Me Up (I've Had Enough) when he decided to record a new album. Since the songs that Petty and Electric Light Orchestra front man/Traveling Wilbury collaborator Jeff Lynne co-wrote sounded "nothing like Heartbreakers songs", Petty decided to record the album as a solo effort. At first, this stirred a bit of controversy amongst some of the Heartbreakers although all of them, except the drummer Stan Lynch, contribute to the album. Recording was a low-key affair with many of Petty's friends contributing including the members of the Traveling Wilburys, minus Bob Dylan. A few songs were recorded for this album that did not make it: "Down the Line" and "Don't Treat Me Like A Stranger" were among them, and were released as b-sides. During the sessions, Petty wrote "Indiana Girl", an early draft of what would eventually become "Mary Jane's Last Dance".

The album is noted for being heavily influenced by Jeff Lynne resulting in a cleaner and glossier version of the Heartbreakers roots rock from previous albums. Lynne incorporated layers of keyboards and backing vocals giving it a Beatlesque feel. The songs show Petty paying dues to his influences with a Byrds cover ("I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better") and a nod to Del Shannon in "Runnin' Down a Dream". Other songs, such as "Free Fallin'" show Petty addressing nostalgia on his rise to fame.

The album became Petty's commercial peak as an artist helped by favorable critical reviews and three hit singles. The album was released on April 24, 1989 and rose to eventually peak at #3 on the Billboard 200 and number 8 in the UK. Petty released five singles from the album, two hitting the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 and three topping the Mainstream Rock chart. The RIAA certified Full Moon Fever 5x platinum on October 5, 2000 and the CRIA certified it 6x platinum on September 18, 1991.

Critical praise was generally high with Allmusic giving the album admiring the craft of the album and rivaling it the Heartbreakers Damn the Torpedoes. This review notes there are no weak tracks on the album calling it a "minor masterpiece". The original Rolling Stone review compared the album favorably to the Traveling Wilburys first album, Volume 1, saying it has the "same restless charm", but commenting that the album, at times, seems "sprawling". The review claims the album is "another rewarding, low-key side project for Petty" giving it 3 and a half stars out of five. A later Rolling Stone biographer claims Full Moon Fever was a "masterful solo album".

All songs written by Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, except as indicated.

TRACKLIST:

1."Free Fallin'" – 4:14
2."I Won't Back Down" – 2:56
3."Love Is a Long Road" (Mike Campbell, Petty) – 4:06
4."A Face in the Crowd" – 3:58
5."Runnin' Down a Dream" (Campbell, Lynne, Petty) – 4:23
6."I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better" (Gene Clark) – 2:47
7."Yer So Bad" – 3:05
8."Depending on You" (Petty) – 2:47
9."The Apartment Song" (Petty) – 2:31
10."Alright for Now" (Petty) – 2:00
11."A Mind with a Heart of Its Own" – 3:29
12."Zombie Zoo" – 2:56

LINE-UP:

Tom Petty – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards, sound effects, tambourine, vocals, handclapping
Jeff Lynne – bass, electric guitar, keyboards, sound effects, backing vocals, handclapping
Mike Campbell – bass, guitar, mandolin, keyboards, slide guitar
Phil Jones – percussion, drums

Additional personnel:
Benmont Tench – piano on "The Apartment Song"
Kelsey Campbell – sound effects, vocals
George Harrison – acoustic guitar and backing vocals on "I Won't Back Down"
Roy Orbison – backing vocals on "Zombie Zoo"
Jim Keltner – drums, maracas and tambourine on "Love Is a Long Road"
Howie Epstein – backing vocals on "I Won't Back Down" and "Love Is a Long Road"
Del Shannon – sound effects on "Hello CD Listeners"