The Who Album: “Wire & Glass [1 Track]”

I love The Who...seen them in many incarnations...including "The Two" that they are now. That being said, I will give this review based on what I hear on this cd...not how much I love this band.

The cd single announcement at amazon basically said that this single is snippets from songs from an upcoming cd. I believe that is incorrect...as these short tunes are part of one complete short rock opera. The idea that this was song samples at first stopped me from wanting this, but then I decided to go for it (I'm a fan...I just had to).

Now as to realities...I cannot pinpoint it, but my best observation is to take the best of Face Dances and mix that with the worst of Quadrophenia, mixed with the basic Townsend solo demos..and this is the sound you get. Not bad...not always "the Who" but when it is, it works.

Instrumentations are well, but I do miss the distinctive bass of John "The Ox" Entwistle...Palladino does a fine job as any pro could here, but does not add or make any reminder of the traditional Who sound (to this cd's detriment).

Finally...Roger's voice. Like me, Roger is getting older...his voice sounds of the strain of toomany "yeaaaaah's" during "Wont' Get Fooled Again." Not only is Roger's voice raspy/hoarse, but the deep gravely bass is at a point where the listener will recognize the heights to which it will not go again.

As a Who fan, I gave this a 4, if I was not this would be a2.5-3.0. The Who is awesome, and we should enjoy them how they are today, but for the uninitiated...beware this is not the classic band from the top 40.

It was just Pete and Roger, with Pete on acoustic guitar. For those of us long time fans who are still mourning Keith and John, this was appropriate and touching; it acknowledged what was lost, but also showed the strength of what remains. They performed a new song: "Man in a Purple Dress." It was fantastic -- a great song, with meaningful lyrics that reflect this troubling time. Art of this caliber after all these years! -- an artist can only survive if he remains relevant and truthful, otherwise, he just belongs in a museum or enshrined in yet another "Greatest Hits" compilation -- with new work like this, they still have full Who Attitude and renew themselves as vital contemporary artists. Pete was like an old lion, who will *never* lose his teeth or his ability to use them, and Roger showed that he still has the best pipes of them all, and has the heart and guts to sing the song of an older man with the same power he brought to the best of the Who's earlier work. I will cherish the memory of this performance, alongside the wonderful memories I have of seeing them perform Tommy, Who's Next, and Quadrophrenia. I can't WAIT for the full release of Wire and Glass to come out....

To all the crybabies who are complaining that they spent 12 bucks on 11 minutes of music, learn to read about the product before you buy! Do you always just dive in and complain later?

Just read the product description above for all you need to know about this EP sampler. There is no surprise. Why do magazines review it even if it isn't a whole album? Because it's NEW music being reviewed. If you feel like a sucker then that's on you. Nobody was trying to rip you off.

And stop complaining about the cost of 12 dollars. If you don't buy from the first website or store that you come to then you can find it, like I did, for a very reasonable $7.99, with free shipping.

Now, that out of the way I am happy to say that this EP just quenched my thirst for the new album that is coming this October. The new music so far sounds like vintage Who with Pete's songwriting sharp and his guitar playing tight as ever. Roger on vocals sounds strong and sure. I am happy beyond words that these men are releasing new music after so many years, and it sounds vital and will satisfy the Who fan in all of us.

The EP is a sampler of the mini-opera that will be included on the new album. And in my opinion, it's soundin' great! This was simply intensified after seeing Roger and Pete perform a new acoustic song on Letterman's show a few nights ago. It was riviting, simply a brilliant performance.

So in conclusion if you want to hear what the new album will sound like then get this EP. If you can hold out for the album then all the better. I, for one, am happy I bought this and will gladly buy the new album, too.

Who would have thought The Who (Pete Townshend) still had music this good in him? No, this isn't The Who in their glory days. This album doesn't have the magic of their classic period. But it comes so CLOSE at times, that it boggles the mind. When last we heard from Pete, album wise, he released the mostly lame "Psychoderelict." A handful of good tunes helped that album, but a lot of filler, pointless dialogue, and murky production hurt that album. The album often sounded like Pete was asleep.

Here, though, the band roars from the beginning to the end. The different songs are good, and very strong, as far as I can tell. The melodies are top notch townshend, the instrumental hooks are well thought out, but not immediately captivating. The music is written by two men in their 60's, and it shows. The music doesn't have the intense vitality of early Who.

But why should it? After all, all Who albums represent the band at that point in their life. Even It's Hard, a fairly bad album, at least represents the poor state of mind the band was in at the time. It illustrates quite clearly, especially compared to Pete's masterpiece All The Best Cowboys, that he didn't really care about The Who any more. None of them did.

And even though their tours have been electricfying the last couple of years, the stale smell of "oldies revival" hung over them. With this release, though, they are making vital music again. is it going to change the world? No: they did that in their 20's. But it accurately reflects their state of mind. It rocks when it needs to (quite well!) and its mellow when it needs to be (and quite well. In fact, the mellow parts are probably the best produced sections.) It's a clearly thought out, well written rock opera. It's good music. Pete hasn't lost it.

It's a slow grower, but it really gets under your skin after awhile. It may not be worth the 13 dollars (11 minutes, are you kidding?) but the album, if it is as good as this, will be a return to former powers not seen since bob dylan's "time out of mind." I'm so anxious.

Wow, this is so much better than I was expecting. It's about time The Who returned to "rock opera"-inspired pieces. That's where I feel their greatest works have come from. Even Who's Next was salvaged from the ashes of a rock opera called Lifehouse. Wire & Glass just hammers the point home. This is spectacular stuff.

This EP sounds like classic hard rock Who. The drummer, Peter Huntington, is obviously channeling Keith Moon. Pino's nimble basslines recall the adventurous bottom end spirit of John Entwistle. Roger Daltrey is in magnificent voice, a little rough around the edges, which just makes it sound even more rock 'n' roll: Raw and edgy. And Pete's guitar is in full Who mode, from electric power chords to arpeggios to acoustic flourishes. What a joy to hear.

The Who haven't sounded this definitively Who in the studio since 1973, with the sole exceptions of "Who Are You" and their "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting" cover. It's so good to have them back. Thank you Pete and Roger!