It arrived towards the end of last year. The first Who album since Endless Wire, the "best since Quadrophenia", according to Roger Daltrey. The first three tunes were released online in advance and they already felt strangely familiar, like they had seamlessly entered the Who canon of classic songs. All This Music Must Fade, Ball And Chain and the sublime I Don't Wanna Get Wise sounded reminiscent of elements of Who Are You, but brought up to date. There are power chords, strong vocals and lyrics that offer commentary on the bands career, put it in a contemporary context with observations on world issues. A live recording of Hero Ground Zero was also trailed online, to favourable comments, and the studio version sounded even better.
A few words on I Don't Wanna Get Wise. It is undoubtedly brilliant. One of Townshend's best tunes of the later era. Lyrically, it sounds ostensibly about Pete and Roger's, and by extension the band's, relationship and how that developed over the decades ("he was drunk, I was blind"...."those snotty young kids were a standing success"... and "we tried to stay young but the high notes were sung"). For Who fans, there are references to incidents that are familiar. But, like so many of Townshend's tunes from I Can't Explain onwards, it says more. In describing the particular, he inevitably encompasses the universal. How many other people could listen to these lyrics and see themselves in there? Everyone looks back. Everyone asks questions Everyone wonders. That's why it sends shivers. That's part of Pete's genius, why he's one of the greatest songwriters rock has ever produced.
Then there's Detour. On early listens, one of the standouts. When it came on the car stereo on my way home on the day of release, there was an irresistible urge to crank it up, let it blast out of the speakers at maximum volume. Its pure rocking, upfront Who, with a Bo Diddley flavour (hints of Magic Bus?), plenty of reverb and a quality bass line. Its a tune that screams to be turned up loud and comes complete with references to I Can't Explain and, in its title, the band's early incarnation. Easily one of my favourites on this record, one that I find I'm returning to often.
They have, of course, always had a softer side. And they're not afraid to slow it down, particularly on side two. I'll Be Back has a laid back jazz feel to it and, like many on the album, just sounds better every time you play it. Sung by Townshend, lyrically, its ostensibly about death. Or is it simply about a relationship returned to? "The time has come for us to see, if you'll take me back once again". Perhaps, like in many great songs, including others on this record, there's an ambiguity, its for the listener to take what they want from it. A similar observation can be made about She Rocked My World, which tells a wistful tale of a visit to the familiar territory of a home town - "old town's the same, but old friends are gone...who was that girl, pressed up against the wall" - and, in incorporating a scenario that is deeply personal, yet of universal experience, it has the short story quality of some of The Who's best work. But what was the narrator's relationship to the girl? Was she a long term lover? A one night stand that regrettably didn't go any further? Or did he love her from afar? Again, it's for the listener to decide.
Rockin' In Rage reflects the viewpoint of the more seasoned within society, the feeling of being increasingly out of touch, whether it be with social attitudes, politics or any other way the world is going. Street Song is a slow builder which opens side two and Break The News is a mid paced tune written by Pete's brother Simon Townshend.
There's a political aspect to some of the songs on this album. There's the aforementioned Ball and Chain and the excellent anti-war Beads On One String (a far cry from the "pretend you're in a war" sentiment of their early days). Then there is This Gun Will Misfire, one of the three bonus tracks on the deluxe version, and the concluding Danny And My Ponies, a touching protest against homelessness, very poignant at this point in history.
One revelation on the deluxe cd version of the album is one of the bonus tracks Got Nothing To Prove. It, is by all accounts, a demo from 1966 that starts with what sounds like a James Bond theme and then moves into a tune that wouldn't have been out of place on A Quick One. Lyrically, it puts me in mind of elements of Pet Sounds. How many more have you got tucked away Mr Townshend?
So, the best since Quadrophenia? That's quite a big claim given that the classic line up released two subsequent albums. You can never tell when an album's released just how great its legacy is going to be. But, having let its treasures settle, its definitely up there in the band's canon. It is undoubtedly the best since Who Are You, and possibly The Who By Numbers. Not bad for two blokes in their mid seventies over forty years later.
Whatever, as the album fades, there's an irresistible urge to start again with the opening of All This Music Must Fade and play it all again. To prove Pete wrong. No, we didn't hate this song, far from it in fact. We love it, like we did I Can't Explain, My Generation, Substitute and all the rest.
Come on, let's play it again.