The Who
“Endless Wire”
Republic Records
For a lot of teenagers growing up in the ’60s and
’70s, the Who were the perfect distraction from an angsty
adolescence.
The band became famous in 1965 when, after playing their first
single on a British television program, band members destroyed
their instruments, guitarist Pete Townshend thrusting the neck of
his guitar into an amp. In the ensuing decade, the Who shaped rock
music with its grungy, proto-punk anthems. The band was among the
first to successfully use innovative elements such as synthesizer
sequencing, the rock opera album format (“Tommy,”
1969), and, of course, Townshend’s signature windmill
guitar-playing motion.
The band left behind a long-standing record of loud shows and
numerous destroyed hotel rooms. Though perhaps less celebrated than
the Beatles or the Rolling Stones, the Who was basically the
essence of the quintessential rock band.
“Endless Wire” is the Who’s first studio album
since 1982’s “It’s Hard,” and in the more
than 20 intervening years, the band has toured and released
material only infrequently.
But, with age has come maturity. It is fitting, after the 2002
death of original bassist John Entwistle, that the album opens with
a nod to the band’s storied past. The first track,
“Fragments,” features synthesizer sequencing recalling
“Baba O’Riley” from 1971’s
“Who’s Next,” but lacks the classic song’s
triumphant quality. “Fragments on Fragments,” which
also features synthesized sounds, is similarly downcast and
meditative.
“Endless Wire” showcases a plethora of inspirations.
Two songs, “Man in a Purple Dress” and “2000
Years,” are responses to Mel Gibson’s 2004 film,
“The Passion of the Christ.” “In the Ether”
is a persuasive take on Tom Waits’ growling vocals, while
other songs feature poeticizing reminiscent of Lou Reed. In other
ways, the album is a return to form, featuring “Wire &
Glass,” the group’s first mini-opera since
“Rael” on 1967’s “The Who Sell
Out.”
While not entirely cohesive, “Endless Wire” is a
neat distillation of pop songs more in line with classic rock than
classic Who. Some songs stand out, namely “Mike Post
Theme” and “It’s Not Enough,” but
“Endless Wire” almost inevitably lacks the stirring
power of the Who’s earlier music.
This is a sturdy album, but it is to the band’s
disadvantage that it is, of course, competing with the Who.