Let Me Up (I've Had Enough) (1987)


 
1. Jammin' Me 2. Runaway Trains 3. The Damage You've Done 4. It'll All Work Out 5. My Life/ You're World 6. Think About Me 7. All Mixed Up 8. A Self-Made Man 9. Ain't Love Strange 10.How Many More Days? 11.Let Me Up (I've Had Enough)

 

After the somewhat experimental project of Southern Accents, Petty decided to go a bit back to the basics. Now that it was almost the late 1980's, it's not too surprising that the record is somewhat enhanced a bit by what some would consider too many keyboards and synthesizer sound effects. Petty was always able, however, to sound like himself and no matter what "style" he was pursuing, and he was always able to keep the vast majority of his fans happy.

The album starts out with its two strongest cuts, the single Jammin' Me and the highly melodic Runaway Train. Nothing on the album sounds quite as strong as these two songs, but its really hard to describe the rest of the album as "filler" - at least in the sense that all of the songs sound very good. His experiments into the unknown come out well received - as in the Eastern Waltz-like tune It'll All Work Out, or the somewhat retro ditty All Mixed Up that has just enough synthesized sound to make it sound "eighties-ish".

There are a few songs that sound just like the Petty of old, such as the heavy riff oriented Think About Me or the closing title cut that doesn't lose any perspective towards what a rock and roll album should sound like.

The whole album might not be as memorable as some of his well known stuff, but the entire record is a fun listen from beginning to end, and this one quietly became one of his stronger releases of his career.

Go back to the main page
Go To Next Review