Highway Companion

Infobox Album | Name = Highway Companion


Type = Album
Artist = Tom Petty
Released = 25 July 2006
Recorded = Bungalow Palace and Shoreline Recorders, Los Angeles 2005-2006
Genre = Rock
Length = 43:56
Label = Warner Bros., American
Producer = Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Mike Campbell
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:0yk0ikxfbb69 link]
* Being There Magazine Rating|3.5|5 [http://beingtheremag.com/reviewalbum.php?id=486&issue=20 link]
*"Guardian Unlimited" Rating|4|5 [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/filmandmusic/story/0,,1825145,00.html 7/21/06]
*Music Box Rating|4|5 [http://www.musicbox-online.com/reviews-2006/tompetty-highwaycompanion.html July 2006]
*"Q" Rating|4|5 (#242, Sep. 2006, p. 110)
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/10850281/review/10905019/highway_companion link]
*"The A.V. Club" (B+) [http://www.avclub.com/content/node/51035 7/26/06]
*"Static And Feedback" [http://www.staticandfeedback.com/Music/0209high.html link]
Last album = "The Last DJ"
(2002)
This album = "Highway Companion"
(2006)
Next album =
-|

"Highway Companion" is the third solo album by American musician Tom Petty, first released in late July 2006 (see 2006 in music), and charting at #4 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The album was produced by former Traveling Wilburys bandmate Jeff Lynne, who also produced Petty’s highly-acclaimed first solo album, "Full Moon Fever", as well as the Heartbreakers' next album "Into the Great Wide Open". Petty released the album through Rick Rubin's American Recordings label and Warner Bros. Records, where Petty has had a record contract since his second solo album, "Wildflowers" (which was produced by Rubin). The tracks "Saving Grace" and "Big Weekend" were released 4 July 2006 on the iTunes Music Store.

A streaming version of the album was available on numerous websites before its release. The iTunes release of the album contained extras: a live version of "Saving Grace", the video for "Saving Grace" and an interactive media booklet.

pecial Edition

An expanded Special Edition of "Highway Companion" was released on June 5, 2007. This expanded edition included the original album unchanged, but added two new tracks and demos of "This Old Town" and "Big Weekend". The new tracks, "Home" and "Around the Roses", were recorded for the album in 2005, and were mentioned in Tom Petty's 2005 biography "Conversations With Tom Petty", but remained unreleased before this edition. The leatherette board packaging also includes two postcards.

Track listing

All songs written by Tom Petty

# "Saving Grace" – 3:48
# "Square One" – 3:26
# "Flirting with Time" – 3:16
# "Down South" – 3:27
# "Jack" – 2:29
# "Turn This Car Around" – 3:59
# "Big Weekend" – 3:16
# "Night Driver" – 4:28
# "Damaged by Love" – 3:23
# "This Old Town" – 4:17
# "Ankle Deep" – 3:24
# "The Golden Rose" – 4:43;Special Edition bonus tracks:

13. "Home" – 3:11
14. "Around the Roses" - 2:58
15. "Big Weekend" (demo version) - 3:04
16. "This Old Town" (demo version) - 4:24

Musicians

*Tom Petty - Lead vocal, Rhythm Guitar, 12 string guitar, drums, Backing Vocals, Harmonica, Electric Piano on “Night Driver,” bass on “Square One,” Lead Guitar and keyboards on “Jack”
*Mike Campbell - Lead Guitar, 12 string guitar, Vibraphone on “The Golden Rose”
*Jeff Lynne - Bass, Rhythm Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Autoharp on “Ankle Deep”

Personnel

*Produced by Jeff Lynne with Tom Petty and Mike Campbell.
*Recording and Mix Engineer: Ryan Ulyate
*Session supervision, equipment and guitar tech, coffee and tea transportation for Tom Petty: Alan "Bugs" Weidel
*Additional engineer for "Square One" and "Jack": Steve McGrath
*Recorded at Bungalow Palace and Shoreline Recorders, Los Angeles, CA
*Studio tech: Charlie Bolois
*Mastered by Brian Gardner at Bernie Grundman Mastering

External links

* [http://tompetty.com/lastdj_newsdetail.php?section=announcements&id=7757 Tom Petty signs exclusive recording contract with American Recordings, 6/15/06] , from Tom Petty - The Last DJ URL accessed 16 June 2006.
* [http://tompetty.com/lastdj_newsdetail.php?section=announcements&id=7811 Watch "Saving Grace" at TomPetty.com, 6/26/06] , from Tom Petty - The Last DJ URL accessed 29 June 2006.