Familiar Hooks Sound Fresh
By Rick Reger
Chicago Tribune - July 30, 1999

Although TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS' career extends back into the mid-'70s, Petty came into his own artistically and commercially during the '80s, and he's remained a popular and critical favorite ever since. Predictably, Petty's most recent record, "Echo," doesn't tinker much with the fusion of Dylan, the Byrds and classic hard rock that's become his trademark, but it's also no mere rehash of past glories. While the LP doesn't rank with Petty's more inspired efforts, his knack for in-the-tradition hooks that sound both familiar and surprisingly fresh remains finely honed. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers perform Saturday at the New World Music Theatre, I-80 and Harlem Avenue, Tinley Park. 708-614-1616.