To paraphrase the song that became their swansong of sorts… Who are they?
Certainly not the Who of old – as more than a few diehard fans have pointed out, the Who ceased being the Who the moment Keith Moon passed into the hereafter. And if there was any doubt, the coffin was sealed, so to speak, when John Entwistle gave up the ghost in 2002. Pete and Roger may be on top of their powers, but without their rhythm section, then sorry, the Who ain’t the Who.
Nevertheless, after 24 years, Townshend and Daltrey have had ample time to rethink their intentions and reinvent themselves in ways that make up for the absence of their missing colleagues – not an easy task considering the indelible impact Moon and Entwistle had on the band’s sound as a whole. Nevertheless, to their credit – more likely to Townshend’s credit specifically -- Endless Wire is an admirable attempt to revive the classic Who signature. Certainly it’s a far more compelling album than the band’s last album, the roundly lambasted It’s Hard. It clearly references the band’s heroic legacy, from the synth loops that preface “Fragments� (comparable to the classic Who’s Next) to Daltrey’s bombastic vocals and Townshend’s deft guitar play. Songs such as “Mike Post Theme� (a tribute to, rather than a composition by the famous TV composer), “Black Widow’s Eyes� and “Two Thousand Years� boast all the pomp and fury associated with the Who’s most heroic anthems, while the mini-opera “Wire & Glass� replays a classic Who device, albeit in abbreviated form. The album as a whole is more acoustically-oriented (tellingly, tour drummer Zak Starkey is only credited on one track), and, for that matter more personal and emotional (“A Man In A Purple Dress� addresses Townshend’s infamous child pornography bust). Not surprisingly, Townshend handles the overwhelming bulk of the instrumentation and shares equally in the vocal duties with Daltrey. Were this a Townshend solo album – and lacking three or four of the bolder songs it could be -- it would easily qualify as the best of his career.
It isn’t though. And that’s fine – it still qualifies as a capable return to form. Who are they? If they’re not the Who, they’re still the next best thing.
~ Lee Zimmerman
Release date: October 31, 2006
Buy Album from CD Universe
