This year, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers put out their 12th studio album and first release of original material in eight years, Mojo, affirming yet again that they do, indeed, still have it. Mojo, that is. From hip-swinging good-time shuffles (“Candy”), to melancholy introspective ballads (“No Reason to Cry”), to drawn-out Allmans-esque scorchers (“First Flash of Freedom”), the record finds Petty & Co. riding a bluesy groove, the frontman adopting a more collaborative role and giving his longtime bandmates the chance to step up and show off. Most noticeable is guitarist Mike Campbell, who doles out solos, riffs and sliding licks tastefully and with spirited and capable ease. Providing support on the current tour is veteran hard blues rock trio ZZ Top. Read a Q&A with ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons here. (St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa)
—Contributed by Leilani Polk
This article appears in Sep 16-22, 2010.