Tom Petty – Full Moon Fever

Another proof of ALL these freaks, diddling around how the next mix sounds, and/or if you even will hear anything on a platter, .. and other bull more (no one´s really interested in!!). What counts, only counts, is THE MUSIC! That´s all, ... ... next laughable yuppie gen.

I was driving home from work in ‘89, and I heard Free Fallin’ on the radio for the first time. I immediately got off the freeway and headed to the nearest Tower Records store in San Diego where I bought my copy. Still sounds awesome.

Found this in a record store for 30$, it’s easily VG+ and my jaw dropped

Like others have said I can’t believe how silent the vinyl is, and the bass and overall dynamics are outstanding

Not to mention every song is a smash. Might be my favorite album in my collection

If anyone has a clipped, clean and fully intact hype sticker from this first pressing they'd be willing to sell, please message me. I bought a near perfect used copy years ago when the price wasn't so high, but unfortunately it was lacking that bit of ephemera 🫤

I always wanted this album on vinyl for years. So I bought a NM OG US Pressing. It sounds good, but, I gotta say, for this particular album, I actually prefer the OG CD because it’s crisper, fuller sounding with more detail and clarity yet with no harshness. The LP is warmer but it’s somewhat lacking in liveliness. And no, it’s not my turntable set up either as I have dozens of albums where the vinyl version betters the CD.

This sounds fantastic! Was surprised how quiet the vinyl was. Like it was pressed in Japan. Worth getting. Especially since the reissues are about the same price.

Is this the version with the scratched out Matrix number?

One of my best sounding records. Plays quiet with great dynamics. Really well mastered album, and great music too. Would recommend getting even at current prices.

Why is this so expensive? I'm thinking about getting it

With Full Moon Fever touted as Petty’s first solo outing, the album nearly redefines his relationship to rock n’ roll, taking a step back from the power of the Heartbreakers band in order to reestablish the romance surrounding the likes of Buddy Holly, Del Shannon and of course the Byrds … where he incorporates aspects from these and other artists who’ve inspired him, morphing those musical impressions in order to emancipate his sound, taking it to an entirely new and fresh level.

If Petty takes anything away from those aforementioned greats, it’s the ability to unite his vision while establishing parameters that suit him well, infusing a minimalist package that carries a punch, though never knocking the listeners out, preferring to weave a relationship with those folks, allowing them to glide alone with his music, making it very personal and very accessible.

Oddly enough, at the time, MCA Records initially rejected Full Moon Fever, saying that it was too low keyed, a mere shadow of what Petty was doing with the Heartbreakers. Perhaps in many aspects it was outside of what anyone had expected, though that being said, the album delivered no less than five top flight singles, showing that Petty was capable of extraordinary vision, and here with Jeff Lynne, Howie Epstein, Roy Orbison and George Harrison, he was reinventing himself, while dancing along the edges of the Traveling Wilburys.

Full Moon Fever is spacial, with each song being atmospheric and sprawling in its own way, creating a dynamic whole where nothing seems interdependent, with each song being able to stand on its own. In many ways the album feels nostalgic, yet it all comes across as entirely futuristic, making room for something more explorative-ly captivating, and while with twenty twenty hindsight, it might not be Tom’s best album, it sure comes across sounding like a whole lot of fun.

*** The Fun Facts: As to the album’s title, at one time it was a common belief that the full moon could and did induce looney behavior, with many claiming a defense of ‘Moon Madness’ to get them off the hook, a sort of temporary insanity.

The original American compact disc release of the album contains a hidden track in the space prior to Track 6, ”I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better.” This is the section where the cassette or LP would need to be flipped. The track consists of a brief tongue in cheek monologue over a background of barnyard noises. The interlude is not included in other physical versions of the album, though it is mentioned (as "Attention CD Listeners") in the album credits in all versions. This “Hello Listeners …” theme would be repeated again in a different manner on the Heartbreakers album Into The Great Wide Open. All and all, I found this feature to be entirely annoying, perhaps fun the first time, though quickly boring and tiresome thereafter.

Review by Jenell Kesler