Customer Rating: 
Summary: An Orphan of the Storm
Comment: I, like most outside of gainsville FL, had never heard of Mudcrutch prior to a few weeks ago. Being a fan of Tom Petty, I was of course interested when I learned that he had reunited his original band and was recording an album. I couldn't be more impressed with the end result. Mudcrutch makes softer, more country-flavored rock than do the Heartbreakers but it is beautiful nonetheless and a true pleasure to listen to. In fact, this Mudcrutch album is the best thing Petty has put out since Wildflowers in 1994. That is not to say that his other albums since then have been of low quality, I've loved them all (particularly Highway Companion in 2006) but Mudcrutch is a definately a notch above the rest. I certainly hope to hear more from this fine band in the years to come.
Customer Rating:
Summary: This may well be the best CD of the year
Comment: Last year, for me, it was Alison Krauss and Robert Plant's collaboration. This year, it might just be "Mudcrutch." Someone will have to work hard to come up with something better.
Rock and roll isn't dead as long as Tom Petty's around. He's back on the bass and it's like he's come home. Hard to believe this group hasn't played together for many years--it's like they just came home. To me, it also sounds like they're having fun playing.
Best of the CD: "Shady Grove", "Scare Easy," and "Topanga Cowgirl." I also like "Orphan of the Storm" their tribute to Katrina. That's after my first couple of passes. I suspect this CD isn't going to leave my changer anytime soon. I'd put "Mudcrutch" up with the Traveling Wilburys collections anytime.
One final plus: Mudcrutch has given us 14 songs with a running time of 56.7 minutes. I'm happy to see that since a couple of the CDs I've bought recently have been only 10 songs, which seems rather brief to me.
Rebecca Kyle, May 2008
Customer Rating:
Summary: After Ten Years, Tom Petty Finally Makes A Great CD
Comment: Ten years after his last great, or even good, CD, ECHO, Tom Petty has finally made another masterpiece by reuniting his pre-Heartbreakers band, Mudcrutch. If this band had succeeded in the beginning, Petty's music would have been the link between West Coast country-rock and Southern boogie-rock. It's nice to see a rock superstar go back to his roots, and moreover, Petty's advocacy of sanctions against Indonesia in retaliation for that country's trumped-up 2005 drug-smuggling conviction of a young Australian tourist makes MUDCRUTCH an essential purchase for both your ears AND your conscience.
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Tom Petty of old returns ! !
Comment: I have been an avid and loyal Tom Petty fan since Day 1, owning all of his albums (and I do mean ALL). For point of reference, I also am a huge fan of Springsteen, Mellencammp, early Rod Stewart etc.
What has bothered me most about Petty in the last 10 years or so, is the fact that he seems to have been stuck in some rut and the albums have all kind of blended together in a relative bland set of work. While his latter day work is decent, he sounds as if he has become complacent.
Enter - - MUDCRUTCH.
Tom gets his pre-Heartbreaker band together and records 14 very loose, down home, rockin', country-ish songs in a mere 10 days. They were essentially recorded live in the studio. There may not be one bad song on this entire CD.
Petty, clearly exuberant and revitalized, even sings better and with more energy than he has in years. He plays bass on every song, does not play guitar at all on the entire album.
The album opener, "Shady Grove" is a traditonal number that reminds me a lot of a ramped up Townes Van Zandt number. The guitar work is amazing.
"Scare Easy" is the second number and is the band's single. It is CLASSIC Tom Petty and is a straight a head rocking number. Sounds like something that could have fallen right off of "Full Moon Fever."
There are 3 flat out country songs that are GREAT: "Orphan of The Storm", "Topanga Cowgirl" and "House of Stone." If you like Tom's old "Mystery Man", you're gonna LOVE these wonderfully fresh numbers.
You also get your share of flat-out rockers: "Six Days on the Road", "The Wrong Thing To Do", the classic "Lover of The Bayou" and "Bootleg Flyer"...
"Six Days on The Road" sounds like they all had a few beers and said, "let's let'er rip" and it does. Very loose, barroom style romping number.
"Bootleg Flyer" sounds like it came right off of Petty's first album with the Heartbreakers. I'll leave it at that. It's so refreshing to hear these guys play with the intensity they once did. I thought this vibe was lost forever..........man was I wrong.
"Crystal River" is a 9 minute psychadelic free-for-all jam that is probably my favorite number. You can tell they had so much fun recording this number (and really the entire album).
There is even a song penned AND SUNG by Benmont Tench, "This Is a Good Street." I can't believe Benmont hasn't sung any more songs in the past. He does a great job. Kinda sound like it could have come off "Damn The Torpedos" - it has that feel.
The bottom line is, Tom Petty threw all his hit songs aside, forgot about writing radio friendly songs, and went into the studio with some great friends and recorded a very loose, country-rock album that will undoubtedly stand the test of time. It is that good. It is the best CD I've bought in a long, long time.
If you like early Petty, this is an ABSOLUTE must.
Buy it and don't look back - guaranteed.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A classic country rock record
Comment: When I heard that MUDCRUTCH was an instant classic, I had my doubts. I shouldn't have--Tom Petty has done it before, has he not?--but I did. Petty, Benmont Tench, and Mike Campbell reuniting with their pre-Heartbreakers band? Exciting and interesting, yes...but perhaps a bit too much of a geezerfest?
Well, I'm an idiot for having any doubts. Mudcrutch--band and album--is great. This is a country rock record like we haven't heard since the Eagls' heyday. The album kicks off with the traditional "Shady Grove," then slides through 13 other numbers, mostly written by Petty (with one apiece from Tench and guitarist/vocalist Tom Leadon, as well as a cover of Roger McGuinn's "Lover of the Bayou" and the country classic "Six Days On the Road," plus another traditional). I won't bother going song-by-song: think of the Eagles, or the Byrds, or the Flying Burrito Brothers, or any other seventies country rock act. Then add in Tom Petty. I can definitely understand this album being called an "instant classic;" no doubt the years will prove that term correct. Whether these guys make another record or not--and I truly hope they will--this self-titled debut will serve as a reminder that great musicians come from great places. Tom Petty and company have proven once again that rock 'n roll still thrives...even if it's with a country shuffle.
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