"Southern Accents" | Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Review by Stuart Levine
Daily Sundial - Thursday, April 25, 1985

Tom Petty has not forgotten his Dixie roots. His new album, "Southern Accents," tells an effective tale of what it's like to be a Rebel with a combination of hard rock numbers, slower ballads and the influence of Eurythmics' Dave Stewart.

The first single to be released, "Don't Come Around Here No More" takes a while to get used to, but like good wine, gets better with age. This is Stewart's most noticeable contribution to the album.

"Rebels" picks up where "Long After Dark" left off. It has a hard rock 'n' roll sound with guitarist Mike Campbell leading the way. One may wonder why this was not the single given to the radio stations across the country.

The title cut is Petty's theme for the album. He tells us he's always been a good ol' Southern boy and that although some Yankees may think he's lazy or just plain stupid, he doesn't care what they think.

The Heartbreakers' sound is crisp, clear, and to the point. Campbell, keyboardist Benmont Tench and drummer Stan Lynch have been together so many years, it's hard to find any musical faults.

For any long time Petty fan, this album has all the ingredients to satisfy the need for hard driving rock 'n' roll, TP style. If you're not familiar with the sound of Petty and his Heartbreakers, give the album a try, it has a sound worth listening to.