Customer Reviews

Hard Promises

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This is without a doubt Tom Petty's finest recording. From the opening Byrds riff of "The Waiting", every song is a winner, and several are absolutely breathtaking. Two years after coming into their prime with what many would say is their best album, "Damn the Torpedoes", Petty and the Heartbreakers raised the bar lyrically while remaining at their musical peak. The worst songs were as good as their earlier material, while the best transcended anything done previously or since.

Some of the songs would have fit well on "Damn the Torpedoes" - the same sound, great performances, fine lyrics, and simply more of what TP fans loved 20-some years ago. Others went in new musical or lyrical directions and succeeded well, from the lighter pop sounds of "Letting You Go" and "You Can Still Change Your Mind" to the Dylanesque storyline in "Something Big". The icing on the cake, though, are the heartfelt and increasingly sophisticated lyrics that range from moving to passionate and even sublime on "The Waiting", "A Woman In Love", "Letting You Go", "You Can Still Change Your Mind", and especially the glorious "Insider".

"Insider", a duet with Stevie Nicks, is a quiet song that builds to a passionate, gutwrenching climax of understated but profoundly moving bitterness. I consider it the best song here (actually I consider it the best song ever written by Tom Petty), and the album title was taken from its lyrics. I can't imagine a better song about the pain of a relationship gone sour or lost.

"Hard Promises" was the last of 4 nearly-perfect albums of increasing quality between 1976 and 1981. This is Tom Petty grown up, but not old. After "Hard Promises" the band began a slow decline, producing 4 inconsistent and even bad albums before Petty's comeback with the Traveling Wilburys and Full Moon Fever. There were some really good songs even in that period of decline, and I respect the way TP tried going in new directions and took chances. But if you like the early sound of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, it simply doesn't get any better than this.

This is without a doubt Tom Petty's finest recording. From the opening Byrds riff of "The Waiting", every song is a winner, and several are absolutely breathtaking. Two years after coming into their prime with what many would say is their best album, "Damn the Torpedoes", Petty and the Heartbreakers raised the bar lyrically while remaining at their musical peak. The worst songs were as good as their earlier material, while the best transcended anything done previously or since.

Some of the songs would have fit well on "Damn the Torpedoes" - the same sound, great performances, fine lyrics, and simply more of what TP fans loved 20-some years ago. Others went in new musical or lyrical directions and succeeded well, from the lighter pop sounds of "Letting You Go" and "You Can Still Change Your Mind" to the Dylanesque storyline in "Something Big". The icing on the cake, though, are the heartfelt and increasingly sophisticated lyrics that range from moving to passionate and even sublime on "The Waiting", "A Woman In Love", "Letting You Go", "You Can Still Change Your Mind", and especially the glorious "Insider".

"Insider", a duet with Stevie Nicks, is a quiet song that builds to a passionate, gutwrenching climax of understated but profoundly moving bitterness. I consider it the best song here (actually I consider it the best song ever written by Tom Petty), and the album title was taken from its lyrics. I can't imagine a better song about the pain of a relationship gone sour or lost.

"Hard Promises" was the last of 4 nearly-perfect albums of increasing quality between 1976 and 1981. This is Tom Petty grown up, but not old. After "Hard Promises" the band began a slow decline, producing 4 inconsistent and even bad albums before Petty's comeback with the Traveling Wilburys and Full Moon Fever. There were some really good songs even in that period of decline, and I respect the way TP tried going in new directions and took chances. But if you like the early sound of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, it simply doesn't get any better than this.

Many folks cite "Damn the Torpedoes" as the best album Petty and his band have ever made, but for my money, it's this disc instead.

Why? I think it has more texture and a little more sophistication - plus the smart, tuneful hard rock songs Petty fans know and love. For every hard rocking "Woman In Love" - which moves in crescendos and fits and starts -there's also "Something Big," a moody, enigmatic tale fueled by Benmont Tench's organ. Other highlights include "The Insider," featuring Stevie Nicks, "A Thing About You" which barrels ahead and goes straight for the throat, and, of course, "The Waiting," which mixes the rock n roll with a little folk-rock sensibility.

If you love that last song, I'd suggest the live compilation, "Pack Up The Plantation," which contains a wonderful live version.

Song for song, I think this is the best of the "old" Petty albums - the ones that range from the group's debut to "Long After Dark." After that, the group - now with bassist Howie Epstein in tow - charged off in different musical directions, like the concept album "Southern Accents" or Petty's Wilburyish solo album, "Full Moon Fever." "Hard Promises" is the best of the old guard.

Having grown up with the beautiful musicianship of Tom, Mike, and Ben, I can't recommend this album enough. "Damn the Torpedoes" may be commonly accepted as TP's best album but "Hard Promises" is by far Petty's most complete collection of songs. It spans the frantic emotion of "Woman in Love" to the absolutely beauiful closing ballad "You Can Still Change Your Mind." Even with weaker songs like "King's Road" and "Nightwatchman," this album remains incredible as a whole. "Something Big" sounds so unlike Petty's usual style but it is my all-time favorite Heartbreakers' song. Any classic Petty fan would grow right into loving this collection.

"Damn the Torpedoes" and "Full Moon Fever" or any of the 'best of' packages are better for casual fans, but I think this is one of Tom's best albums. The theme here is mostly relationships gone good and bad. "The Waiting" is the most well known song, just a fun Hard/Pop-Rocker with relatable lyrics. We all know the waiting IS the hardest part! "A Woman In Love (It's Not Me)" was also a hit. It's another in the line of breakup songs he seems to have no shortage of. It has somewhat more of his past, rootsy-rock sound.

Other than the hits "A Thing About You" is a self-explanatory cool, fast rocking tune. "King's Road" is a commentary-like rocker that would be at home on "Damn the Torpedoes". There are also a couple nice ballads such as the underrated "Insider" which is kind-of a duet with Stevie Nicks. They sing together and their voices blend beautifully. "Letting You Go" is an airy '60s styled lite-rocker. The closer "You Canb Still Change Your Mind" is a gentle, semi-serious song unlike anything he'd done before, but it fits in here.

There's a couple trademark Petty story songs. The funky "Nightwatchman" paints a pretty good picture of a tedious security guard's job. The mid-tempo "Something Big" is an entertaining tune about a guy bored in his hotel and looking for night life and room service. The only one I don't like is "The Criminal Kind", which just seems like a boring and bluesy ramble fest.

Hard Promises...what an album. Damn the Torpedoes was the bestselling Heartbreakers album. Did it deserve sellings: Yes. Is it better than Hard Promises: No.

Weak spots? That is a hard thing to think of for this album. Best of Heartbreakers right here. Real rock 'n' roll. A classic album. Need nice slow songs? "Insider" & "You Can Still Change Your Mind" is there for you. Upbeat, fun songs? You got it: "The Waiting" "Kings Road" & "A Thing About You"

If you want a great Petty album or rock 'n' roll album of any kind, take Hard Promises

Petty's writing on classic songs like "Insider" and "The Waiting" is surely on a par with Dylan, and may even surpass that. This is such an emotional, hellbent, crazy-sad rock and roll record, filled with little twisted masterpieces. Petty topped his previous albums with "Hard Promises" and never quite equalled it afterward. That's OK. Any artist who hits a peak like this can be forgiven for "Into The Great Wide Open"...

A very risky move at the time, Petty abandoned the rootsy, radio-friendly "Damn The Torpedoes" sound and ventured into harder rock territory with this CD. The songs are top-drawer, featuring infectious rockers like "The Waiting," (although a superior version was recorded in 1995 by Linda Ronstadt), "Nightwatchman," "King's Road," and "Something Big." One of the gems here is "She's A Woman In Love," which was never released as a single. Hard Promises missed the commercial mark(et) and was ahead of new wave-laden early 80's Top-40 rock radio, but it's aim stands the test of time.

THis is TOm Petty and his band at their best. This album was never equalled. THe only weak point are the drums, really annoying, flat sound. The rest is close to perfection (well, if you like pop anyway...). Congratulations. This album was released in 1981.

This is the best of Tom's albums. It picks up exactly where "Damn the Torpedos" left off. I'm not going to go through it song by song, because there are no weak points. Tom is great, then and now!!! If you are a Heartbreaker fan, then this is your album!