Like the soundtrack to "She's The One," "Echo" reunites him with guitarist Mike Campbell and keyboardist Benmont Tench, the heart of his backing band, The Heartbreakers. It also reunites him with co-producer and Rap industry forefather Rick Rubin, who's production skills brought renewed vitality to Petty's "She's The One" soundtrack, as well as to Johnny Cash's Grammy-winning "Unchained." In the end though, only great songs can make for a great album, and neither Rick Rubin nor The Heartbreakers can help in that department.

Most of the songs here start and end in the same place, muddling through boring chord progressions that lack any sense of classic Petty melody. Mike Campbell, whose hook-laden guitar riffs and solos have become a signature of the Petty sound, is listed as the lead guitarist - but most of the songs are conspicuously absent of any lead guitar parts. In the end, songs devolve into bluesy, dirgey rants that go nowhere. Case in point - the first single, Free Girl Now, a boring three chord stomp in which Petty shouts throughout in slurred Dylanese (a frightening trend in the classic rock world).

It's obvious from all the advertisements and hoopla on VH-1 that Warner Brothers records is counting on this release to rejuvenate sagging sales. Petty and the band have already hit the road to support the album in their first major tour in 5 years. The heat of the summer will be the true test- for what it's worth, I'll put my neck on the line and wager that you'll be hard pressed to find a new Tom Petty song on the radio this summer.

My recommendation - if you're a die-hard Petty fan run out, buy this disc, and you'll probably find something you like. If you really don't care about Tom Petty and just want to hear some great music, look elsewhere for your music fix. You won't be missing much.

Change is Bad
Tom and his long-time accompanying band The Heartbreakers continue to do on ECHO what they have always done best: play simple, honest, down-to-earth rock 'n' roll music. ECHO, unlike recent forays into acoustic-driven pop (FULL MOON FEVER, INTO THE GREAT WIDE OPEN) or deeper, more amped-up rock (WILDFLOWERS, the soundtrack to SHE'S THE ONE), is a pleasing mixture of both the aforementioned musical styles of the past, as well as an all-new sound that defies categorization. There's "This One's For Me," a track that's so reminiscent of ITGWO it isn't even funny; "Counting On You" and "Lonesome Sundown," which are somewhat WILDFLOWERS-esque in their first-person narrative style; "Rhino Skin," a cut that could've been an outtake from LET ME UP (I'VE HAD ENOUGH); and stuff like "Free Girl Now," "Swingin'," and "I Don't Wanna Fight" (in which long-time Heartbreaker guitarist Mike Campbell takes lead vocal duties) that present their own, unique sound that's new with this album. But, no matter what Petty Era the tracks are comparable to, they always keep that familiar, roots-rock feel that's sure to keep this album echoing among your walls for a long time to come.

An incredible album
I have read many of the other reviews here and I have seen many people say how this album is inferior to Damn the Torpedoes, Full Moon Fever, etc. I am baffled at how underrated this album is. I wasn't expecting much when I bought this, and boy was I surprised. I would argue this to be among his top albums. I grew up in the 90's, and let me tell you it is hard for me to listen to an album as productionally perfect as Full Moon Fever and Damn the Torpedoes without cringing just a little. I love how Rick Rubin has made everything more relaxed. The album has a down-on-your-luck-but-going-to-beat-it feel.

1. Room at the Top - lyrically and musically, an incredible song. Not much else to say.
2. Counting on You - a weaker track, but still a really good song.
3. Free Girl Now - An inspirational rocker that made me think of women in a different way (i'm not joking)
4. Lonesome Sundown - A nice tune.
5. Swingin' - Epic song that inspires
6. Accused of Love - An infectious melody with a great chorus
7. Echo - One of Tom's best ballads
8. Won't Last Long - pretty standard good melody
9. Billy the Kid - Great song.
10. I Don't Wanna Fight - worst song on the CD. Why? probably because it was written by mike campbell. just really bad lyrics, although it gets easier to listen to over time
11. This One's for Me - another catchy song with a good chorus
12. No More - this one is really good and the title explains the feel of it
13. About to Give Out - one of the most country songs he has ever written. The verse is a little cheesy but the strings that are added onto the chorus make up for all of it.
14. Rhino Skin - I have seen a lot of people complain about this song. Well I didn't like it at first, but now it is one of my favorites. I has a very epic feel, especially when the voice harmonizing comes in.
15. One More Day, One More Night - a pretty good song, although the album probably could have ended better with a different one.

This album proves that Tom Petty can still write great material and the Last DJ was just a fluke of crap.

Every 10 years, a comeback
I ran to buy this CD when I heard "Free Girl Now" on the radio and flashed back instantly to "Refugee". Petty, sounding 20 years younger, and the remnants of the Heartbreakers, didn't try to recreate their 70's sound. But the energy level and feel of that song, and much of this CD, are like nothing you've heard since "Damn the Torpedoes". This CD isn't perfect; it's unnecessarily uneven, and there are bad songs here. With 15 songs running over an hour, several could have been left out and there would have been plenty of material left to make a near-perfect 40-minute recording. Still, this is the Tom Petty that finds its way into my CD player these days. It's the best thing he's done since "Full Moon Fever". Stylistically, the music is sometimes reminiscent of "Wildflowers", sometimes of the early Heartbreakers or the "Full Moon Fever"/"Great Wide Open" period, but not overproduced like those CD's. The songs are often on the light, fun side, but there are several that are full of emotion as well. There is so much more energy, melody, and harmony here than on "The Last DJ".

The standout songs are "Free Girl Now", "Room at the Top", and "Echo", all of which are heartfelt and echo the feel of the early Heartbreakers sound with a good bit of Dylan thrown into "Echo". "Accused of Love" and "Won't Last Long" are lighter songs that are as melodic and catchy as anything Petty has ever done, with hooks, rhythms, and psychedelic touches reminiscent of 60's pop songs. "This One's For Me" has a bit of that same feel, but is less memorable. "Counting on You" is reminiscent of "Honeybee" and, like several tracks here, is up there with minor songs of the "Full Moon Fever"/"Great Wide Open"/"Wildflowers" era. "Lonesome Sundown" and "No More" are pretty, but nothing special. "Swingin'" is boring and repetitive, though not as boring as most of the "Last DJ" songs. "Billy the Kid" has the same flaws, and the "getting up again" theme was done better as "I Won't Back Down" long ago. These two songs might have been left off the CD along with "About to Give Out" and the downright embarrassing "Rhino Skin". I just didn't need lyrics about elephant balls, sorry. "One More Day" isn't a great song, but it closes the album nicely with its soulful chorus and the slow buildup to a searing climax of dueling lead guitars.

Based on the reviews here, there seem to be all sorts of Tom Petty fans who like different phases of his career. If it helps to figure out whether your tastes might be similar to mine, I like the first two CD's, think "Torpedoes" and "Hard Promises" were masterpieces, that "Long After Dark" began a decline that continued gradually through "Southern Accents" and "Let Me Up". Just when I was about to give up on the man, I got big smiles out of the Wilburys, "Full Moon Fever", and "Great Wide Open", which may have been overproduced and were usually more whimsical than passionate, but were so well-crafted. Since then, nothing has really stood out to me. "Wildflowers" was really nicely done but for some reason I hardly ever listened to it, I didn't buy the soundtrack album, and I find "The Last DJ" to be abysmal except for a few songs. "Echo" is currently my favorite Petty CD just because I overplayed "Full Moon Fever" and "Great Wide Open", have to be in a silly mood for Wilburys, and the old stuff is, well...old, even if it's better. But I do hit the skip button a lot on "Echo".

Overall, "Echo" isn't perfect, but there are a lot of pleasures to be found here, and a few great songs. Every 10 years, from "Damn the Torpedoes" to "Full Moon Fever" to "Echo", Tom Petty seems to pull out of a slump with something new and interesting. This one isn't his best, but it's a keeper.

Petty and the Heartbreakers Take New Sound With
People who really liked Tom's old sound probably wont care for this album.But artists can't always keep doing the same thing over and over again.The songs on "Echo" are mellow compared to "Full Moon Fever" or "Into the Great Wide Open".Tom starts to tackle serious issues and having more love in life.I doubt that any of these songs are played on the radio, but I hate the radio and Tom does too.True fans should buy this album.
Just a few bars into song 1, "Room at the Top," and you know you're in the capable hands of a master songwriter. A mellow chorus wafts by, whispered in Petty's patented Byrdsian drawl, and the song seems to tick-tock to a stop. But storming over the top is a riff from guitarist Mike Campbell. Another chorus and you know there's a bridge creeping up. Petty, in a gesture that's both droll and dynamic, mutters "Hit it" to announce it. The proceedings slow again, then Campbell's gears start grinding again, and there's a grand crescendo that is, if you'll pardon the pun, heartbreakingly wicked. Then Petty murmurs a deep, resonate "No-oh" in a broken, brilliantly understated way that's rock & roll perfect! If you understand the alchemist genius that transmutes such humble metal into gold, you're ready to curl up with 14 songs of near-similar standing. Petty and the Heartbreakers have succeeded in making an album that's stunning in its simplicity yet as carefully ornate and wondrous as a stained-glass window. Indeed, renaissance might be an appropriate tag for the reborn Petty, except that he's never really gone away. Like that "Room at the Top" bridge, he's always been lurking around the corner, waiting to surprise you when the time is right. --Tom Lanham