Mudcrutch is by no means a radical departure from The Heartbreakers, and that's a good thing. The qualities that make them such a timeless, uniquely American band are still prominent here. What makes Mudcrutch such a welcome diversion is the way they incorporate a few new influences and brilliantly blend them into the fabric of what has always been there. The Heartbreakers have perfected the art of making Byrds-influenced Southern rock records, a style that is uniquely American and timeless. The band still draws on '60s music, but Mudcrutch has found a secret weapon in the hands of the amazing Benmont Tench. He plays less piano and more organ for Mudcrutch, and does so in a way that turns this into a psychedelic Southern rock record. It's still uniquely American, but this has a very retro feel. The nine-minute epic "Crystal River" is a perfect example, as is the "I Won't Back Down" sequel "Scare Easy." Even "The Wrong Thing To Do," a song that borrows a tad from "Mary Jane's Last Dance," has that vibe. Those two songs represent two of the strongest moments on the album.

Where Heartbreaker records were obviously inspired by The Byrds, Mudcrutch reaches further back than just the '60s. "Six Days On The Road," "Shady Grove," and "This is a Good Street" have a great strut to them, reminiscent of the work of Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, and Buddy Holly. Petty has been hosting a show on XM Radio called Tom Petty's Buried Treasure, filled with gems from America's musical past — Chicago blues, cowboy songs, and hippie music. Now rather than just admiring those styles, he's infusing his songs with elements of them and the result is music that is livelier and more invigorated than anything he's done in quite some time. That's not a knock on a record like Highway Companion — which is a fine record filled with great songwriting — but is high praise for a project that has a vibe of relaxed fun.

Petty and his collaborators aren't getting any younger but it wouldn't be such a bad thing for him to have one more outlet, especially one this good. Mudcrutch isn't likely to resurface, but I won't be sorry if they do. If this is the final hurrah for the band that almost was, let's hope they capture one of the handful of shows they did on their short California tour. The Heartbreakers have yet to release a truly powerful live album. It would be fitting if Mudcrutch beat them to the punch. It would be a small victory, but a fitting one.