Mojo (album)
Encyclopedia
Mojo is the twelfth studio album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
, released on June 15, 2010 on CD
and June 29 on BD
. It is Petty's first album with the Heartbreakers in eight years. Mojo debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200
, selling 125,000 copies in its first week of release. The album is also the band's first album since 1981's Hard Promises
to feature returning original bassist Ron Blair
in its entirety, as he only played on two tracks on the previous Heartbreakers album, The Last DJ
.
that it was his intention to record the album live in the studio without overdubs.
He said of the album's tone, "It's blues
-based. Some of the tunes are longer, more jammy
kind of music. A couple of tracks really sound like the Allman Brothers — not the songs but the atmosphere of the band."
a song from the album, "Good Enough", on their website on February 24, 2010. "First Flash of Freedom" is now streaming on the website. Videos for "Jefferson Jericho Blues," "First Flash of Freedom," "I Should Have Known It," "Something Good Coming," and "Good Enough" have been posted on the band's YouTube
channel.
Tom Petty has also released five of the songs prior to his upcoming Mojo tour via his YouTube
account, the first of which was the single "Good Enough", released on March 4, 2010. The songs released as of June 10, 2010 are, in order of release:
The last three of the songs were clean, non-overdubbed songs filmed in his new studio, as he expressed in a roughly twelve-minute "Mojo Documentary". He notes that he has had the studio for "eight or nine years", which dates back approximately to before the recordings of his last studio album with the Heartbreakers, The Last DJ
.
In addition to his YouTube account, Mojos tracklist was made available via an article on one of ESPN
's websites, on June 8, 2010. The article goes into very brief detail of the tour and of the songs. Most of the songs were made available on the website through a "Streampad" music player, at least until the album was officially released.
, except where noted.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers are an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. They were formed in 1976 by Tom Petty , Mike Campbell , Benmont Tench , , Ron Blair and Stan Lynch...
, released on June 15, 2010 on CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
and June 29 on BD
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
. It is Petty's first album with the Heartbreakers in eight years. Mojo debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, selling 125,000 copies in its first week of release. The album is also the band's first album since 1981's Hard Promises
Hard Promises
Hard Promises is the fourth album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers released in May, 1981. Its original working title was Benmont's Revenge...
to feature returning original bassist Ron Blair
Ron Blair
Ron Blair is the original bassist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. He was the band's bassist from 1976 to 1981. In 2002, he returned to the group after a 21-year hiatus, replacing his own replacement, the late Howie Epstein.His father was a Navy man, so the family relocated every few years...
in its entirety, as he only played on two tracks on the previous Heartbreakers album, The Last DJ
The Last DJ
The Last DJ is the eleventh studio album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The tracks "The Last DJ", "Money Becomes King", "Joe", and "Can't Stop the Sun" are attacks on the greediness of the music industry....
.
Recording
In November 2009, Petty told Rolling Stones David FrickeDavid Fricke
David Fricke is a senior editor at Rolling Stone magazine, where he writes predominantly on rock music. In the 1990s, he was managing editor before stepping down.-Background:David Fricke is a graduate of Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania...
that it was his intention to record the album live in the studio without overdubs.
He said of the album's tone, "It's blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
-based. Some of the tunes are longer, more jammy
Jam band
-Ambiguity:By the late 1990s use of the term jam band also became ambiguous. An editorial at jamband.com suggested that any band of which a primary band such as Phish has done a cover of be included as jam band. The example was including New York post-punk band Talking Heads after Phish performed...
kind of music. A couple of tracks really sound like the Allman Brothers — not the songs but the atmosphere of the band."
Promotion and release
The band began streamingStreaming media
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
a song from the album, "Good Enough", on their website on February 24, 2010. "First Flash of Freedom" is now streaming on the website. Videos for "Jefferson Jericho Blues," "First Flash of Freedom," "I Should Have Known It," "Something Good Coming," and "Good Enough" have been posted on the band's YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel.
Tom Petty has also released five of the songs prior to his upcoming Mojo tour via his YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
account, the first of which was the single "Good Enough", released on March 4, 2010. The songs released as of June 10, 2010 are, in order of release:
- "Good Enough"
- "First Flash of Freedom"
- "I Should Have Known It" [Official Video]
- "Something Good Coming" [Official Video]
- "Jefferson Jericho Blues" [Official Video]
The last three of the songs were clean, non-overdubbed songs filmed in his new studio, as he expressed in a roughly twelve-minute "Mojo Documentary". He notes that he has had the studio for "eight or nine years", which dates back approximately to before the recordings of his last studio album with the Heartbreakers, The Last DJ
The Last DJ
The Last DJ is the eleventh studio album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The tracks "The Last DJ", "Money Becomes King", "Joe", and "Can't Stop the Sun" are attacks on the greediness of the music industry....
.
In addition to his YouTube account, Mojos tracklist was made available via an article on one of ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's websites, on June 8, 2010. The article goes into very brief detail of the tour and of the songs. Most of the songs were made available on the website through a "Streampad" music player, at least until the album was officially released.
Reception
Track listing
All songs written by Tom PettyTom Petty
Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
, except where noted.
Personnel
- Tom PettyTom PettyThomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
- Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar on Track 3, Rhythm Guitar - Mike Campbell - Lead Guitar
- Scott ThurstonScott ThurstonScott Troy Thurston is an American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and session musician. He is currently a member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, in which he sings harmony vocals and plays guitar, keyboards, and harmonica....
- Rhythm Guitar, Harmonica - Benmont TenchBenmont TenchBenjamin Montmorency Tench, III is an American keyboardist best known as a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.-Early years:...
- Acoustic and Electric Piano, Organ - Ron BlairRon BlairRon Blair is the original bassist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. He was the band's bassist from 1976 to 1981. In 2002, he returned to the group after a 21-year hiatus, replacing his own replacement, the late Howie Epstein.His father was a Navy man, so the family relocated every few years...
- Bass - Steve FerroneSteve FerroneSteven "Steve" Ferrone is a British drummer.He was a member of the Average White Band, and has recorded and performed with numerous other high-profile acts, including Slash, Chaka Khan, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Scritti Politti...
- Drums, Percussion
Charts
| Chart | Peak position |
Certification | Sales/shipments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
2 | 295,183 | |
| Billboard Rock Albums | 1 | ||
| Billboard Digital Albums | 2 | ||
| Canadian Albums Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
3 | 14,000 | |
| German Albums | 12 | ||
Year-end charts
| Chart (2010) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
99 |