All of Hypnotic carries a sense of knowing urgency, as though jamming on itchy blues is the only logical defense against the inevitable.
A tight, spirited follow-up to 2010’s bluesier, less essential Mojo.
Hypnotic Eye is a record about the pure joy of sound, a rush that doesn't lessen upon repetition ... and this is a surprisingly, satisfyingly vigorous record.
There are few, if any, attempts to reenact Petty’s vintage hits. This is the Heartbreakers four decades and a million shows later, deepening their attack with sturdy reliability.
Hypnotic Eye is a bastion of consistent excellence.
Almost 40 years on, Tom Petty has been kind to his mind and his voice. And the Heartbreakers have been kind to Petty. Hypnotic Eye is all the proof you need.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have provided a blistering reminder of rock ‘n’ roll’s subversive nature with Hypnotic Eye.
Where the band may have long ago settled in as an established, familiar presence, it's striking to hear a nearly 40-year-old outfit present one of their best albums yet.
Hypnotic Eye may just be a solid middle-of-the-pack release as far as Petty albums go, but only a fool would complain about having another 45 minutes of music from one of rock & roll's premier units.
By the time the second half of the album rolls around, the near-constant procession of sluggish tempos and downbeat refrains begins to wear ... These missteps aren't enough to erase the positive impression of Hypnotic Eye's best moments, but they may cause you to wish that Petty would just lighten up already.
No myths to sell, just the idea of a working rock band reclaiming what's left of a center-right boomer rock coalition. Hynoptic Eye gets my vote.
Hypnotic Eye ends up a dynamic mini-album—but doesn’t quite sustain its momentum for an entire full-length.
Hypnotic Eye is little more than a decent record with a few ideas above its station.
Ranked alongside the Heartbreakers’ back catalog, their 13th falls somewhere in the middle. As a measuring of the fire inside Petty, however, readings are strong. Listening to Hypnotic Eye, you can rest assured he’s still kicking.
Petty’s last contribution to the pantheon of rock music is as fresh and interesting as his best work as a songwriter. Just taking ‘Fault Lines’ as an example, the band push the boundaries to the edge with one of their most hard-hitting tracks they ever recorded. Other standout moments include ‘Red River’ where Petty’s melancholic vocal is contrasted with one of Mike Campbell’s grittiest guitar riffs, and at the other end of the scale, the laid-back ... read more
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers stick to their bluesy turn starting on Mojo for their final album, Hypnotic Eye, the twelfth in nearly four decades. It's a proper sendoff for the group, even if it doesn't exactly feel like a traditional Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers album by any means.
Tom Petty and crew at least sound driven by this sound, with a sense that they knew that they were wrapping up their careers but still had life left in them. Hypnotic Eye therefore is not an album that goes ... read more
1 | American Dream Plan B 2:59 | |
2 | Fault Lines 4:27 | |
3 | Red River 3:59 | |
4 | Full Grown Boy 3:26 | |
5 | All You Can Carry 4:34 | |
6 | Power Drunk 4:39 | |
7 | Forgotten Man 2:48 | |
8 | Sins of My Youth 3:49 | |
9 | U Get Me High 4:11 | |
10 | Burnt Out Town 3:04 | |
11 | Shadow People 6:43 |
#26 | / | Rolling Stone |
#36 | / | American Songwriter |
#36 | / | Fopp |
#54 | / | Uncut |