I played it yesterday or the day before, and it completely holds up. Solid like a tank. It's an effortless listen, a Swiss watch of an album, even with the bonus tracks tacked on at the end. I love it!
On "All This Music Must Fade," is Pete singing "who-oooo are you" in the background? That's what it sounds like.
Yup. It's funny, because it's a song about other artists "ripping off" others' material, yet this song musically references The Kids Are Alright and Who Are You. So Townshend is ripping himself off. Clever bit of irony.
Indeed. I still throw it on the turntable about once a week. What an album! I am more and more struck by Roger Daltrey's singing. He takes a different vocal approach to each song. Extraordinary. He is such a versatile singer, and this album seems meant to showcase that. Absolutely love it.
It really is terrific, just far too much auto tune, I happened to play Scoop 3, it came up on shuffle and All lovers are deranged which Pete donated to David Gilmour is similarly slathered in auto tune. I didn't notice it when I first bought Scoop 3 forever ago, but it really jumped out at me yesterday having listened to Who (2019) extensively.
This album may be the one I've played the most in the last few months. It keeps growing on me. It really does seem like a new take on the classic Who sound. I've grown to like the songs I wasn't at first sure of, like "I'll Be Back," which is kind of a return to the laid back feel of Rough Mix. Surprisingly, two of my favorite songs are the tracks written by or with other people besides Pete. "She Rocked My World" is probably the weakest cut and a curious album closer, but even that is gaining my respect. Word is that Pete is encouraged by the positive response to the new material and is considering working on a future collection. I hope so!
It really is a grower! I've been listening to it on and off since it was released, and I still am liking it more and more with each listen. It's a classic now, in my eyes.
I'm currently reading a book about Meher Baba and I thought this might be of interest: "Instead of putting forward a competing religion, Baba called attention through his silence to the underlying truth which is the same in all religions, and by means of which, he said, he would one day draw all religions and creed together 'like beads on a string'."
I can't understand why it matters who plays what if you like it? Pete wanted Gordon to contribute his part as he's a lifelong fan and admirer of Gordon's work (Pete has great taste and knows his stuff) so asked GG to work out something and play along to the track. Pete liked it and they used it. Yes, you wouldn't expect GG to go overboard and compose something overly intricate or "complicated" when its someone else's work. Pete could have copied what GG did, sure, but what would be the point in that? It's just two great musicians tipping the hat to each other and in my honest opinion it's a fine (and far less predictable) way to bow out.
I'm a fan of Pete's guitar playing and would prefer that he be the one to play the guitar on Who albums. I wouldn't think that to be a particularly mystifying preference.
Sure, I get that even if I'm not quite as particular about it, but it's not as though Pete chose to sit out the album and get a session guy in to play guitar. It's one song and the contribution is from one of the UK's all-time guitar greats who Pete greatly admires.
Pete has been fond of call backs for 40 years. "You Better, You Bet" ... "To the sound of old T-Rex and 'Who's Next"
Even longer. There's snippets of "The Kids Are Alright," "My Generation" and "I'm the Face" in Quadrophenia. Not to mention bits of "Rael" cropping up in Tommy and "Out in the Street" borrowing the intro to "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere."
TRUE. He coped to all this and MORE in 1978. Oh Pete. You were born a grouch. "New Song" You need a new song I'll set the words up so they tear right at your soul Don't take me too long But there's a danger that I'll plagiarize something old My fingers kill me as I play my guitar 'Cause I've been chewing down at my nails My hairline ain't exactly superstar But there's one thing that never fails This never fails I write the same old song with a few new lines And everybody wants to cheer it I write the same old song you heard a good few times Admit you really want to hear it Whenever I see you You always treat me like I'm some kind of perfect man Just 'cause I please you You explain, but you don't think I can understand My head is spinning as I scrawl with my pen 'Cause I've been pouring vodka in my soul Nothing really ever changes my friend New lamps for old New lamps for old We sing the same old song, just like a vintage car You can look but you won't ever drive it We drink the same old wine from a brand new jar We get hung over, but we always survive it Turn on the radio Love is proclaimed Again and again and again Join in and sing Now, don't be ashamed Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain Let it rain Let it rain We hum the same old lines to a different crowd And everybody wants to cheer it We run on endless time to reach a higher cloud But we never ever seem to get near it We sing the same old song
I really enjoy this album but I feel it's completely front-loaded. The first five tracks are all home runs, and the rest of the album is just okay. It would really benefit from a re-sequencing. "All This Music Will Fade" should have been the closer - what better way to end the album than Pete's little "who gives a ****?" at the end? "Ball And Chain" would work fine as an opener, or perhaps "Rockin' In Rage". Either "I Don't Wanna Get Wise" or "Detour" opening side two would be very effective. "Beads On One String" still works well as a side closer. That said - for all the "hope I die before I get old" jokes, having the album kick off with those five songs in a row, man, that should reaffirm anybody's love for the Who.
The Who always walked that line between Broadway and rock & roll. Losing their rhythm section decades ago and the survivors now in their mid 70s, Broadway freely flows, rock & roll feeling contrived at times and forced. I like the latest Who album. Guessing Barbara Streisand likes it more.
I think it's a remarkable album considering at what point in their career this is Too bad the regular vinyl doesn't do it any favours
It had become a car favorite, and since I'm not driving much these days not hearing it 4 times a week anymore. But I listened in a 5-disc changer shuffle last week and all the tracks were as good as I remember them being.
