New Albums

* Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, “The Last DJ,” Warner Bros. Petty has always seemed to have more in common with Joe Rock Fan than the larger-than-life stars with whom he shares Rock and Roll Hall of Fame membership. It’s no surprise, then, that the anger, frustration and sadness over the state-of-the-rock-union in this loosely thematic album reflect the view of the disheartened classic-rock fan more than that of the jaundiced rock star. The album works on a number of levels, but the ambition behind the songs and the off-the-cuff production don’t slap you in the face. Petty brings a disarming, regular-guy passion to his treatise, invoking many of his ‘60s and ‘70s rock heroes along the way.

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Also:

Apples in Stereo, “Velocity of Sound,” spinART

The Black Heart Procession, “Amore del Topico,” Touch and Go

Bon Jovi, “Bounce,” Island

John Creamer & Stephanie K., “Bedrock Compiled and Mixed,” Bedrock

DJ Dan, “Round Trip,” Kinetic

Steve Forbert, “Any Old Time,” Koch

Art Garfunkel with Maia Sharp & Buddy Mondlock, “Everything Waits to be Noticed,” Manhattan

Jennifer Love Hewitt, “BareNaked,” Jive

Hot Hot Heat, “Make Up the Breakdown,” Sub Pop

Jurassic 5, “Power in Numbers,” Interscope

Sinead O’Connor, “Sean Nos Nua,” Vanguard

Ron Sexsmith, “Cobblestone Runway,” Nettwerk

The Soft Boys, “Nextdoorland,” Matador

Soft Cell, “Cruelty Without Beauty,” Cooking Vinyl

Sonic Youth, “In the Fishtank (EP),” In the Fishtank