Mudcrutch: Petty’s California Country

Mudcrutch
Mudcrutch
(Reprise)

After a 30-plus-year career as a big-time rock star, and with his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame credentials secured, Tom Petty has the luxury of doing as he pleases. What apparently pleases him at the moment is getting his old band back together.

And why not explore what might have been? Mudcrutch left the relatively small pond of Gainesville, Fla., in 1974 to pursue a record deal in Los Angeles. Judging from their tracks on the 1995 Petty box set “Playback,” they were a pretty good band, too. Shortly after arriving on the West Coast, though, the band splintered when the label expressed interest in Petty as a solo artist. A few of Mudcrutch’s bigger pieces eventually became key cogs in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The rest, as is often said, is rock and roll history.

“Mudcrutch,” the band’s years-in-the-making, self-titled debut, is a sunny, sometimes spirited slice of country-rock that indicates Petty still might have made out just fine had he stayed the course with this lineup. Petty steps a bit outside of his normal sound, but doesn’t stray too far. Mudcrutch ventures into California country explored by The Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers in the late ’60s and early ’70s while still devoting plenty of attention to classic rock. The result is an enjoyable mix of both styles that does nothing to damage Petty’s sterling reputation as a tunesmith.

That the album is good is not surprising. The core of Mudcrutch comprises the same three musicians – Petty, guitarist Mike Campbell and keyboardist Benmont Tench – that have been at the heart of Petty’s finest work for more than three decades. Joining them this time is Tom Leadon (brother of Eagle and Flying Burrito Brother Bernie) on second lead guitar and Randall Marsh on drums.

“Mudcrutch” isn’t a case of Petty giving charity to old friends. It’s a band project, and the credits suggest a spirit of band participation. For starters, Petty puts down the guitar and picks up the bass as he did during the first incarnation of Mudcrutch. In addition to sharing lead guitar duties with Campbell, Leadon trades lead vocals with Petty on “Shady Grove” and gets to be the front man on his “Queen of the Go-Go Girls.” Tench takes a turn at the mike, too, on his “This is a Good Street.” Campbell and Leadon compliment each other well, and play some nice harmony lines on the traditional “June Apple.”

Whether it’s the largely major-key tonality of country music, getting back together with old friends or just the joy of playing a few cover tunes, Petty seems to be coming from a more positive place than when he recorded 2006’s reflective “Highway Companion” 2002’s somewhat bitter “The Last DJ” or 1999’s post-divorce album “Echo.”

His enthusiasm comes shining through on the album’s first single. “Scare Easy” is classic Petty, and puts on display everything his fans have come to expect. Specifically, it’s got sharp writing, a catchy chorus and lots of tasteful playing from Campbell. The song proves that Petty put his heart into this disc, because one would think he just as easily could have held back the track for his next Heartbreakers or solo outing.

The subject matter of the post-Katrina song “Orphan of the Storm” is the only thing that really dates “Mudcrutch.” Otherwise, it sounds like it could have been released any time during Petty’s career. The topic is given a characteristic Petty treatment. While many songs relating to the hurricane’s aftermath skew toward overly political or preachy, Petty’s titular character is typically resolute (think “I Won’t Back Down,” from “Full Moon Fever”).

The band stretches its legs a bit on the mellow groove of “Crystal River,” which at nine and a half minutes is the longest studio recording in Petty’s catalog. It doesn’t drag, though, which is a testament to the chemistry between the bandmates. “Crystal River” is one of the real highlights of the disc, and representative of the album’s laid-back feel throughout.

One minor complaint with “Mudcrutch”: It includes a completely unnecessary cover of “Six Days on the Road.” Sure, the Flying Burrito Brothers did it, too. But it’s been done countless times since then, and better than this version. A music lover such as Petty surely could have come up with a great country cover that hadn’t been beaten to death already. As my friend Dalton said, “They may as well have covered ‘Louie, Louie’.” A more interesting choice comes from The Byrds’ catalog: “Lover of the Bayou,” which according to All Music Guide has only been recorded by two bands that didn’t count The Byrds’ Roger McGuinn as a member.

McGuinn likely would be proud to be part of Mudcrutch the band and the album, which should unquestionably be taken as a recommendation.