Editor's Note: The title of the article refers to there being 3 reviews in it. I included the most important one.

Petty, Pearl, And Punk
By Eric Lehtonen
The Racquette - February 7, 1980

Tom Petty - Damn the Torpedoes
Tom Petty will never have to live like a refugee again. His new album has risen to number three on the charts and he and his backup band, The Heartbreakers, are getting the recognition they deserved for so long.

Damn the Torpedoes is a classic example of the work of a long-underrated artist who is finally making his move to the top. All through Damn the Torpedoes there is an intensity remiscent of Bruce Springsteen's Born To Run. While Petty is not a "rock-poet" as is Springsteen, he is no slouch at making music which hits a very emotional chord in the listener.

There are several cuts which stand out on Damn the Torpedoes. Side one has "Refugee" and "Here Comes My Girl," two songs which excellent lyrics and vocals from Tom Petty, and some guitar work from Mike Campbell. Also notable on this side is "Century City," a fast-moving rocker reminiscent of the early Beatles.

Side two contains the single "Don't Do Me Like That," which has now made the Billboard's top ten, the last word in popularity. The album ends with "Louisiana Rain," a rice ballad with a strong country flavor to it.

After several good albums that did not sell, Tom Petty has scored a success with Damn the Torpedoes, and if you are in the market for an album full of good tunes, Damn the Torpedoes will not disappoint you.