i've never disliked the guy, and there's nothing wrong with the boomers holding on to something for their last few years, but it's a bit of a reminder of their continuing demographic dominance and buying power, isn't it? yeesh.
it's funny that it's tom petty, too, because it wasn't that long ago that i used full moon fever as an example of a record that was massively acclaimed and hugely successful when it was released, but firmly represented the past and will certainly never be listed in the list of best records of the year it came out in as a result of that. it didn't break big for a few more years, but 1989 was the year that gen x really displaced the boomers as the centre of american musical culture. it was the year that you started seeing a lot of crossover artists in alternative rock, industrial music, hardcore, etc. the implication was that full moon fever was arguably the last substantial boomer rock disc, before it was washed away in the flood of new music. what i was comparing it to was the arcade fire, which i felt occupied a similar place in relation to the coming gen x / y crossover. then, he goes and releases a number one disc on me. but, my opinion has not changed. it's a reminder, not a re-evaluation.
as for the disc itself? it's tom petty. he's not known for deviating from his successful formula of no-bullshit pop rock. but, i hear a lot of bowie in the vocal melodies - more than usual.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31G8V0U8fgo
