 The Who - Endless Wire Review
by Zane Ewton
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In spite of relatively frequent touring it has been 24 years since the last original Who album. Obviously the length of time didn't faze Pete Townshend in the least. Endless Wire is an incredible addition to the Who catalog and a deep, dramatic song cycle that recalls the best aspects of the Who.
The band does, and will forever, miss the presence of Keith Moon and John Entwistle. They were simply too good and completely different from everything else to not be missed. Fortunately Roger Daltrey's voice remains powerful, Townshend's underrated acoustic work is fantastic and his songs are remarkable.
The nine tracks of Endless Wire each stand on their own beautifully but the Wine & Glass mini-opera that rounds out the disc is a powerful, focused set of songs.
Long-time Who fans may squirm at what they see as the continued decay of the Who legacy. Fans called for the band's end after Moon died in 1978, after some uninspired reunion tours through the 80s and 90s, and most recently after the death of Entwistle in 2002.
Townshend and Daltry still manage to carry the Who, and with releases as good as Endless Wire they have the makings of a career renaissance. If not commercially then definitely artistically. Townshend borrows from his past, most notably the intro to "Baba O'Riley", but it doesn't feel desperate. Endless Wire is the natural flow of where the Who were going, just 24 years late.
The album includes a bonus DVD with a few live performances from early in 2006. It's completely unnecessary to have another live recording of "I Can't Explain" or "Won't Get Fooled Again", but maybe you will want to pick up the album instead of downloading it.
Either way you won't be sorry.
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The Who - Endless Wire Label:Republic
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