TOM PETTY: “Wildflowers” (Warners)

SOMETIMES IT’S hard to know where Tom Petty begins and the Heartbreakers end, such is the ease with which he switches from band to solo albums. And even though Wildflowers is effectively the follow-up to his 1989 solo effort Full Moon Fever, it features contributions from all of the Heartbreakers, albeit in a less active, more subordinate role.

The main difference, it seems, is in the stylistic approach. On band albums, the sound rarely strays from the Byrds-like jangly guitar textures and Blonde On Blonde organ fills, which provides the inspiration for the bulk of Petty’s work to this day. On his own, Petty takes more chances with the sound and production and though Wildflowers isn’t as instantly accessible or MTV-friendly as it’s predecessor it contains some interesting and worthwhile material.

Recruiting Rick Rubin as co-producer undoubtedly gives it a welcome edge as demonstrated by ‘You Don’t Know How It Feels’, a Neil Young-type slow rocker punctated by a booming bass-drum and snare rhythm. ‘Time To Move On’ is a neat re-working of Springsteen’s ‘My Home Town’ and ‘Cabin Down Below’ is a Creedence-like piece of swamp-rock with Petty growling out the lyrics with suitable abandon.

‘Hard On Me’ could and should be a massive hit single. Not unlike the anthemic ‘Free Falling’ from Full Moon Fever it’s classic Petty, with gritty guitars set against a restrained rhythm and delicate vocals. There is some undistinguished filler on Wildflowers, including the title track which sounds like a leftover from a Wilburys session, but to his credit Petty takes risks as well, most of which succeed.

As the credible face of American mainstream rock and a guardian of its illustrious past, Tom Petty still has something worthwhile to say. Wildflowers does his reputation no harm at all.

• Colm O’Hare