Southern Accents [MCA, 1985] Tom Petty's problem isn't that he's dumb or even that people think he's dumb, although they certainly have reason to, it's the way he can't stop feeling sorry for himself. Defending the South made sense when Ronnie Van Zandt penned "Sweet Home Alabama" but in the Sun Belt era it's just pique. The modernizations of producer Mike Campbell do mitigate the neoconservative aura of side one somewhat. Side two is less consequential and therefore more significant. Do, however, note that its real show-stopper is "Spike," in which a couple of redneck--I mean good ol' boys prepare to whup a punk. It's satire. Yeah, sure. B-
>>130604757 Tom was loaded on prescribed medication for his hip if I remember correctly. I think he had taken too much because he still wanted to put on a show for his fans. Showman up until the very end.