THE WHO, ENDLESS WIRE CD REVIEW ON ROCK N ROLL UNIVERSE

A lot has changed in the 24 years since The Who released their last original studio album 'It's Hard' back in 1982. To put things in perspective, MTV was still in its infancy, actually playing music videos, vinyl was still the dominant choice for music buyers, Reagan was still president, and there were still 3 of the 4 original members of the legendary band alive.

Well, here it is, 2006, and the Internet has taken over as the favored choice for many to seek out, listen to and download music, we’re seeming to even be soon going past the CD being the dominant force for music, a form that wasn’t even one to be reckoned with when the last Who album ‘It’s Hard’ was released. Another founding member, bassist John Entwistle has passed on to that great gig in the sky, leaving Townshend and Daltrey the sole remaining members, rounded out by replacement and session players. It would be unwise to think that without Moon and Entwistle that the band could release anything measuring up to the classic albums of their heyday. With that in mind though, what these two have done is come up with a more than respectable offering that, if this is truly the end, is a much more fitting swan song than its predecessor was.

In most aspects this is certainly more of a Townshend solo album than a full fledged Who project, as it was always the sum of the parts which made the original band great. Without the contributions of their late compadres, it really couldn’t be anything else. But, for the most part, with a few exceptions, surprisingly it works. Much of the first half of the album is reminiscent of ‘75’s ‘The Who By Numbers’, insomuch as many of the songs are introspective, somewhat low key, with much acoustic instrumentation. While the album begins with a synth intro to “Fragments” that’s a nod to “Baba O’ Reilly”, anyone expecting a full fledged heavy rock extravaganza may come away disappointed.The second half, 'Wire & Glass', the mini opera, is comprised of fragments of songs that work within that context, but would be even better if some of the ideas were fleshed out into full fledged songs, as there are some interesting ideas that could've made great anthems. In comparison to earlier such song cycles such as "A Quick One," from 'The Who Sell Out,' this is where the material pales. While there are certainly elements which hearken back to albums such as ‘Who’s Next’ and ‘Quadrophenia’, much of what’s offered here isn’t likely to inspire lighters(or these days cell phones) to be held aloft in the air in tribute. Which shouldn’t be a surprise really, as the main protaginists are now in their early 60’s. But what these two have come up with is easily of a higher quality than 90% of what passes as chart fare these days, which for the most part is being produced by “artists” a third their age.

What you do get here is classy hard rock, with certain elements that wouldn’t be out of place on Townshend’s ’77 collaboration with the late Faces bassist Ronnie Lane, ‘Rough Mix’, only this time with Daltrey at the helm. Speaking of whom, it’s refreshing to say that even though his voice doesn’t quite have the same range as in his prime, he still has the goods to belt out a rocker convincingly. And while Pete doesn’t go for the guitar hero route here, his rhythm work is stellar, and that’s also an area which will recall The Who of old. Never one to go much for the extended guitar workouts ala contemporaries such as Page or Clapton, it still would’ve been nice if a bit more lead work were presented here, and that’s one thing that’s missed. Another key element missed that can’t be denied is the missing Entwistle, whose full bodied lead bass work always gave the band a heavier edge, and it’s glaringly obvious that without him around, this is a different animal entirely. Not that there’s anything wrong with bassist Pino Palladino’s contributions, they’re rock solid, but when you lose one of rock’s finest players of the instrument ever, it’s going to leave a hole that can’t be filled entirely.

Still having said that, these are memorable songs contained within, which while they aren’t instantly the classics that many fans hope for, after a few spins it’s an album that continues to grow upon the listener. While it doesn’t all work, enough does to make it a worthwhile addition to any Who fan’s collection. The question is though, with many music fans these days only interested in instant gratification, how many will take the time and effort to stay with it?

The package is rounded out by a 28 minute bonus DVD consisting of 5 tracks recorded live at the Vienne Ampitheatre, Lyon France, in July 2006 which is certainly watchable, although by consisting of 4 warhorses combined with the new “Mike Post Theme” just serves to show the disparity between the material even more so. As songs such as “Baba O’ Reilly” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again” have been well documented on pretty much every Who DVD that’s available, the inclusion of these seems a bit redundant. It would’ve been nice to see how the new material translates in a live setting, and would make it more essential. But, seeing as it’s free, one can’t really complain.

The bottom line here is that remarkably, and against all odds, The Who have come up with an album which defies expectations to become one of the more welcome surprises of this musical year. One which shows that there’s still life in these two rock veterans yet. Let’s just hope it’s not another 24 years before the next one. 7.5/10