Album Review: Petty is particularly poor
By Andy Katz
The Lafayette - Friday, April 26, 1985

Tom Petty | "Southern Accents" | Backstreet Records
Tom Petty's new album "Southern Accents" is the worst to come from Petty so far. After "Damn the Torpedos" and "Hard Promises" did so well, it seemed logical to expect the same level of high quality music. If you pick this one up, you're sure to be let down. There is definitely a Southern touch to the album, but if that's the style Petty wanted to pursue, why is "Don't Come Around Here No More," an obvious rock tune, the first single to be released from the album? Songs such as "Spike," which has the annoying lyric "Hey Spike what do you like" repeated consistently, doesn't even deserve to be recorded. "Rebels" should be entitled "Mumbles" because the lyrics are barely discernable. The title song, "Southern Accents," is particularly poor. THe music is basically simple and Tom has always had trouble singing ballads.

During one of the recording sessions for this album Tom broke his hand. It was announced to the public that he had smashed his hand into a wall in a moment of exhilaration while hearing his new album. Be serious, Tom just felt the frustration that his fans will feel when they hear this album too.