New Albums
By Randy Lewis
The Los Angeles Times - October 10, 2002

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, "The Last DJ," Warner Bros. Petty has always seemed to have more in common with Joe Rock Fan than the larger-than-life stars with whom he shares Rock and Roll Hall of Fame membership. It's no surprise, then, that the anger, frustration and sadness over the state-of-the-rock-union in this loosely thematic album reflect the view of the disheartened classic-rock fan more than that of the jaundiced rock star. The album works on a number of levels, but the ambition behind the songs and the off-the-cuff production don't slap you in the face. Petty brings a disarming, regular-guy passion to his treatise, invoking many of his '60s and '70s rock heroes along the way.