Reviews Roundup - Pete Townshend

The Townshend Legacy 

Overview by Matthew Anthony Allair

    Song writer, guitarist and co lead singer of The Who, Pete Townshend is probably one of the most important figures from the 60s through the early 90s. Along with Bob Dylan, and Ray Davies, Pete didn’t have a McCartney for his Lennon, or a Jagger for his Richards, he mostly depended on himself, and as much as The Who’s John Entwistle wrote a number of songs, Pete was pretty much the creative driving force of The Who as far as content. In fact, he was so prolific that Townshend would sit on home demos away from The Who for his own uses. The trauma that Townshend faced with past managers Chris Stamp, and especially Kit Lambert, and with their disfunction as managers, helped seal the fate of his eighty's decisions. In spite of Bill Curbishley's role with The Who, Townshend mostly made the management decisions for his solo career. It was difficult enough that The Who themselves had been full of trauma. He didn't need anything else to add to his addiction issues. So, he started anew.  

    Pete’s writing just didn’t extend into some of the most insightful and incisive songs of the 60s, he wrote instrumentals, orchestral, and pure creative experiments that would carry over to his solo work. Some of Pete’s early solo albums were as much ‘accidental solo albums’, I could argue as the first two Phil Collins solo albums were ‘accidental solo’ albums. After a period, Pete would take longer and longer gaps between solo releases until he rejoined with Roger Daltrey to put over several albums under The Who banner, with Endless Wire and The Who.

    Yet much of Townshend’s solo work is fascinating, his evolution as a keyboardist, piano player, and guitarist, post Who, is notable. Some have argued that by 1980, Townshend started to save his best songs for his solo work, and while his solo catalogue is smaller, he has been prolific creatively.

Who Came First (1972)

    Pete’s first unofficial yet 'official' solo album came about due to a set of circumstances that that to do with bootlegs. Pete was signed to Track Records, and due to his devotion to Meher Baba, he had contributed tracks to two tribute albums to the guru, Happy Birthday and I Am. When inferior copies were circulated in the US, Decca asked Pete for permission to release the recordings, but Pete had other ideas, two songs from those tribute albums would be included, and tracks from the abandoned Lifehouse project. Those three Lifehouse songs were “Pure and Easy, Time Is Passing” and “Nothing Is Everything (Let’s See Action)”. The tracks from the Tribute albums were “Contact, Evolution” along with “Forever’s Not Time At All” and “Parvardigar” The remaining tracks were “Sheraton Gibson” and the other cover “There’s A Heartache Following Me”. The story about the album is more complicated when you consider the six bonus tracks added from the Ryko Records reissue in 1992, as well as the three remaining bonus tracks added in the Hip-O release from 2006. Those added tracks included “His Hands, The Seeker, Day Of Silence, The Love Man, Lantern Cabin, Mary Jane, I Always Say”, and the Cole Porter cover “Begin The Beguine”

    Regarding the Lifehouse recordings, Pete’s drums and bass are pretty basic, he wasn’t going to compete with Moon and Entwistle – part of his genius was always letting them put their own creative stamp in that band. Often the Daltrey vocals added more power, for example, to “Nothing Is Everything” solo recording. “Evolution” is a Ronnie Lane song that Pete contributed to – this wouldn’t be the first time they would work together. “Sheraton Gibson” has remained the most remembered and celebrated track from this period. Regarding the bonus tracks, there’s an undeniable charm to songs like “Sleeping Dog” and others. Of course, “Nothing” and “The Seeker” were recorded by The Who and released as singles, this was just his take.

Rough Mix (1977)

    Former Faces bass player, songwriter Ronnie Lane had originally wanted Townshend to produce his solo project and it turned into a collaboration. Yet Glyn Johns was brought in to produce it. During the period between The Who’s By Numbers record and before Who Are You and the record developed in earnest with an all-star cast of side players. Lane and Townshend played, guitars, mandolins, banjos, bass, ukuleles and vocals. Pete and Ronnie seemed to have a creative sympatico in the late 70s, and there is often a light feeling on many tracks. The title track and instrumental was co-written by Lane and Townshend. The bulk of the songs would be sung by the writer. Some of the all-star players included Eric Clapton, John Entwhisle, Mel Collins, Ian Stewart, Charlie Watts, with support from players like John “Rabbit” Bundrick, Boz Burrell, Henry Spinetti and Peter Hope Evans. Pete’s primary songs were “My Baby Gives It Away, Keep Me Turning, Heart To Hang Onto” and the two most known tracks “Misunderstood” and “Street In The City”. Pete did trade some lead vocal lines on a few Lane numbers. “Misunderstood” has a certain unique whimsy, and “Street In The City” has a certain lush introspection in the arrangement, and it’s not the last time he would work with arranger Ed Ashley. 

Empty Glass (1980)

    After Keith Moon passed, The Who were facing their embers, they soldiered on with Kenny Jones, another Faces alumni, but Townshend must have sensed the diminishing returns for the band, as I previously suggested, some would feel Pete was holding back his better songs for himself. In many respects Empty Glass was a tour de force and a massive hit. Chris Thomas, an alumnus of George Martin, was brought in to Produce. Musicians like John “Rabbitt” Bundrick, Tony Butler, Simon Philips, Kenny Jones and Peter Hope Evans were brought in, while Pete handled the guitars and many keyboard parts. The album loosely explored themes of the loss of friends, alcoholism, drugs and relationship problems. His self-reflection and self-confession had started as far back as 1975, but it was far more evolved by this point. 

    The opening track, “Rough Boys” was a shot across the bow that he hadn’t lost his edge with its cluster of horns at the end, it was the second hit after the significant “Let My Love Open The Door” became massive single. “And I Moved” was originally written for Bette Midler, who passed on it, but it raised eyebrows with some over the question if Pete was Bisexual. The excellent “I Am An Animal” was another type of confessional. “A Little Is Enough” would be another single, as well as the whimsy of “Keep On Working” Certainly, the group of “Boys, Animal, Moved” and “Open The Door” demonstrated a new range to Townshend. The title track, “Empty Glass” was another spry guitar number with interesting shifts. It also had other lively numbers like “Jools and Jim, Cats In The Cupboard”, and the pop rock blues of “Gonna Get Ya”. “Cats” features some great organ work in the mix. Pete sounded liberated on the album, and it would be the start of more bold risks.

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All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes (1982)

    The follow up to Empty Glass triggered a significant amount of critical controversy, which we will get into in a moment. Once again, it was Produced by Chris Thomas and retained some of the same players as the prior album, Tony Butler, Simon Phillips, Mark Brzezzicki, Peter Hope Evans and new faces like Virginia Astley. Pete played all guitars and synths like the Prophet, ARP and Synclavier. Some of the material were tracks not used by The Who, but it also reflected a willingness to be influenced by the new wave scene. There has been hints of this influence on Empty Glass, but it was more pronounced here. Pete might have been listening to the Stadium rock trends that were ubiquitous.

    In the same declaration of intent, the album opens with “Stop Hurting People”, a partly spoken tone poem with a musically rich chorus, bridge and ending section. The keyboards with guitars feel fuller, and the track hints at a more orchestral sound for the album. The great “The Sea Refuses No River” opens with a slow burn yet with a clever Harmonica line. The drums and percussion is far more inventive on the first two tracks. The lovely “Prelude” features piano, synths, acoustic guitar and a simple vocal that leaves the mental image of an old man lamenting the work. The spry “Face Dances Pt 2” is the most up number as it was the single and reached the top 20. “Exquisitely Bored” begins as a folk blues that is insightful about human nature, yet also manages a Reggae feel in places. The second half opens with a few more experimental numbers, “Communication” could have been a throw back to The Who, with another tone poem, the track has a similar feel to The Who's "Cry If You Want" from that very year. “Stardom In Action” is idiosyncratic yet lively, the same is true with the new wave feel of “Uniforms (Corp D’Esprit)”, the playful, yet insightful “North Country Girl” plays like a memory. The excellent “Somebody Saved Me” feels like a self-confession. The closer “Slit Skirts” is the most remembered track and the most likely single, the Joni Mitchell influence is hard to miss on the track. The maturity and honesty of the record makes this one fascinating. 

Scoop (1983)

    If you want to see a bold move, the compilation of Scoop would have been a surprise after his second album. Complied by the alias ‘Spike’ Producer Helen Wilkins put together this collection that featured home recording and demo material from as far back as 1965 featured such future Who numbers as “So Sad About Us, Squeeze Box,” Piano from “Quadrophenia” as well as “Bargain” and “Behind Blue Eyes, Circles, Magic Bus, Cache, Cache” and “Love, Reign O’er Me”. A lot of the experimental material was fascinating as well, “Brrr” “Zelda, Politician, Dirty Water” a Piano vamp on “Tipperary”, and such tracks as “Melancholia, Things Have Changed”, and “Popular” which was re-written as “It’s Hard” on the Who album, the moody “Initial Machine Experiments” from a Yamaha CS-80, “Body Language” was another similar voice experimentation from the Chinese Eyes sessions. “You’re So Clever” was another electro track submitted for Bette Midler. After the country dobro of “Cookin’”. The last half couldn’t have been more audacious in it’s range, “Mary” was a lovely ballad from the abandoned Lifehouse sessions. After the noddle of “Recorders”, you had the psychedelic feel of “Goin’ Fishin’, a clear nod to Brian Wilsom, then the jazzy “To Barney Kessell” and the playful “You Came Back”, even absent drums – it was a delight.

The album featured extensive liner notes from Mr. Townshend that offered a glimpse into his creative process. This would not be the first of these compilations, but the generous offering must have been interesting as a next release. Pete almost played just about everything on these recording, including bass and drums with a few notations. What makes the recordings so inspiring is that Townshend isn’t just recording demos, he is often using the technology to experiment with audio effects or microphone positions to leave the listener with an immersive experience, there’s real artistry within the craft.

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White City (A Novel) (1985)

    His next album had a loose narrative within a number of the songs that takes place in a low income West district of White City and a circle of youth struggling with survival and their dreams as well as racial tensions. The accompanying film directed by Richard Lowenstein about an aging rock star with concerns about South African Apartheid that does a charity concert for his former neighborhood growing up. All of this is where the ‘novel’ idea applies, but the album works as a standalone full of great songs. Townshend managed to release three singles from the album “Face The Face, Give Blood” and Secondhand Love”. Once again the album was produced by Chris Thomas. Some newer faces supported Pete on the project. David Gilmour played guitar on “Give Blood” and guitar on the co-written “White City Fighting”. Once again, John “Rabbit” Bundrick, Tony Butler, Mark Brzezicki, Simon Philips, Peter Hope Evans returned along with Pino Palladino, Phil Chen and Clem Burke. Pete just played Guitar.

    The opener, “Give Blood” has some powerful guitar work from Gilmour, and was a plea for non-violence and world peace, it was also a top five single in America. “Face The Face” was the other top 30 single in the US, a modern yet retro swing number with horns that reconnected with Pete’s father’s big band jazz background. The bright and poppy “Brilliant Blues” managed to be reflective about maturing. Pete might be one of the rare rockstars from the 60s who realized he needed to grow up. The poppy “Hiding Out” manages to have a world music influence. The driving blues of “Secondhand Love” had an updated edge and released as another single. The edgy “Crashing By Design” had the most pop new wave feel on the album. The lovely, and partly acoustic “I Am Secure” is deceptive,  it opens with a heavy two chord groove before it shifts to the proper acoustic song. The aforementioned “White City Fighting” has a compelling guitar figure by Gilmour before it becomes lively. A reflection that the character childhood life wasn’t rosy as was remembered. Pete also adds some great extra lead guitar in the last half. The closer “Come To Mama” has a slow, instrumental build before coming to life in the second half with the vocal. A surprisingly solid album, and not surprisingly it did well.

Deep End, Live! (1986)

    Pete assembled a stellar band to promote White City, and did a series of charity concerts, and his appearance Brixton Academy in late 85, it was a mix of solo material, Who classics and various covers. Aside from Pete on guitar and vocals, it featured Gilmour on guitar, Simon Phillips, Chucho Merchan, once again John “Rabbitt” Bundrick, Jody Linscott, Peter Hope Evans, and the Kick Horns of Simon C. Clarke, Tim Sanders, and Roddy Lorimer. The show held a high quality and vibrancy. The track “After The Fire” was a Townshend original that featured on Roger Daltrey’s Under A Raging Moon. The numbers by the Who were “Behind Blue Eyes, I’m One, Pinball Wizard” and on the extended issue, “Magic Bus, Won’t Get Fooled Again” The covers included a new take on “Eyesight To The Blind” The solo tracks included, “Stop Hurting People” and “A Little Is Enough”, the other covers new takes on “I Put A Spell On You, Save It For Later” and “Barefootin’”. Much of Gilmour’s input is supportive but he has his moments in the spotlight and virtuoso Evans has a few moments to shine. There’s a certain freedom and interplay within the band. The live “Save It For Later” differs from the studio take that was included as a ‘b’ side. In later interviews Townshend would comment about his ambivalence about performing live yet the feel of the material has a fun, spry spirit and worth a listen. 

Another Scoop (1987)

    Sales from the first Scoop compilation must have done well enough to justify another two disc collection, of course, Pete had already reached iconic stature at this juncture, so that helped. Producer Helen Wilkins came back to oversee the project. Once again, it featured a wealth of demos for who material. “You Better You Bet, Pinball Wizard, Happy Jack, Substitute, Long Live Rock, La-La-La Lies, Christmas, Pictures Of Lily, Don’t Let Go The Coat, The Kids Are Alright” and “Call Me Lighting”, a drum less track that has some good guitar, bass, and decent guitar leads for 64. But the most impressive aspect is the originals, many from his home studios, and others are proper sessions with an orchestra that were shelved. To Begin with, there’s the incredible piano ballad “Brooklin Kids” and the acoustic “Praying The Game” from 78,  all arranged by Ted Ashley, the idiosyncratic “Football Fugue” or the evocative “The Ferryman”, three tracks that were shelved and one is puzzled as to why. 

    Just looking at the instrumental synth material. “Prelude: #556” sounds like an outtake from Vangelis ‘Blade Runner’, technically, “Prelude: The Right To Write” as an orchestral synth piece that was impressively put together. The moody “Baroque Ippanese” is a light electro percussion and synth piece, and “Cat Scratch” is a complex blend of electric percussion and random synth patters that is evocative. “Ask Yourself” is an adventurous instrumental and vocal that harkens back to ‘Eminence Front’, that takes a surprise shift. The vocal cover of Porter’s “Begin The Beguine” is lovely, and he even took a stab at a Sinatra flavored number with “Never Ask Me”. The laid back “The Shout” with light percussion, acoustic and Piano was an interesting summation of where he was before 85. The poppy “Girl In A Suitcase” may be a little out of his range vocally, but quite good.

The range makes this an impressive collection. 

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The Iron Man (1989)

    This is more a full project collaboration than a Townshend solo album, the project was inspired by his interest in the Ted Hughes tale of the same name from the late 60s and he wanted to build a narrative concept. A noble idea that featured an all star cast of singers and musicians. The first thing that was notable is the addition of Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle under the banner of The Who, for two songs. Plus the appearance of a blues legend like John Lee Hooker on several tracks or jazz piano legend Nina Simone on a track. Other songs featured Simon Townshend and Deborah Conway. Aside from Pete other musicians were Simon Phillips, Charlie Morgan, Chucho Merchan, John “Rabbitt” Bundrick, Peter Beachill, John Barkley, Patrick Clabzrv, and Pat Halling. 

    The premise is fairly straightforward, a Giant metal robot rises from the oceans, settles on a beach and befriends a boy named Hogarth, who after being frightened befriends the bemouth . Hogarth witnesses the machine fall, shatter, then put itself together again, before heading back to the sea, in a panic the boy runs, and later finds the Iron Man eating whatever scrap metal he finds. The boy runs to his father and the local farming community digs a hole and try’s to trap, but the machine isn’t tricked. The boy has to lure him into the trap with a metal bribe. After which the boy feels guilt after he starts to develop a connection with the metal man. The machine is freed and Hogarth leads him to a scrap metal yard. The machine starts to deal with waste problems. At the start of the tale, there has been a star in the horizon the grows closer, it is a massive space dragon that lands in Australia, nearly covering the continent, it demands living things to eat or it will destroy the planet. Globally military efforts fail and Hogarth asks the metal man to be their champion, and he agrees.  They face each other in the ordeal of a challenge by fire. The dragon gives up, and it is learned he was attracted to the negative things on earth, the dragon’s original purpose was the create celestial music, the creature is sent back into space and the Iron Man becomes a hero.

    With some of the more abstract ideas in the second half of the tale, it makes sense that Townshend would be attracted to it. Many of Townshend’s songs have a philosophical bent to them on the project. Most of Pete’s solo vocal tracks are  “I Won’t Run Any More, A Friend Is A Friend, Was There Life,” and “A Fool Says…” John Lee Hooker’s vocals are “Over The Top, I Eat Heavy Metal:” The Who perform “Dig” and “Fire”. Simon Townshend sings “Man Machines”, and Nina Simone performs “Fast Food”, there’s also the more ensemble of “All Shall Be Well” and “New Life / Reprise” with Townshend, Deborah Conway, Chyna, Nicola Emmanual. “Fire” is a cover of an Authur Brown song, and it’s a little heavy handed with the standard 80s production. The album is strongest with the more introspective songs sung by Pete. In many respects, the idea of the album reminds me of the 1969 Jesus Christ Superstar album that acted as a template for the later Broadway show – well get back to that in a moment. Yet the absence of Producers Chris Thomas or Glyn Johns was notable as Townshend was the producer. There was a lack of quality control that the sure hand of an outside producer could have helped with. The album was reviewed poorly as people didn’t understand it. But stage musicals were on the way for both Tommy and this project.

    The concept paid off as a theatrical staged version debuted at the Young Vic in late 1993 and ran for several months. The story didn’t end there as Hollywood decided in 1994 to develop the story for an animated feature. While Townshend’s work wasn’t used in the finished film, The Iron Giant, directed by Brad Bird, and written by Tim McCanlies, was Executive Produced by Townshend, and became highly regarded as an animated film. 

Psychoderelict (1993)

    What’s interesting about the bulk of Pete’s solo work is that he wasn’t doing concept records for most of it. There may have been general themes, but most were individual songs. It makes it fascinating that he went back to the narrative concept, and while The Iron Man may have seemed a focused outlier, he had committed to this approach with this album. Two versions of this album was released, the full narrative scope and a ‘songs only’ release. It was structured more like a radio play, and while it doesn’t reach the heights of  Quadrophenia, it does share a similar ambition. The album was produced by Townshend and it faces the same issue as the prior album, it needed a Chris Thomas or Glyn Johns to exert the extra quality control, but indeed there’s a greater focus than on the prior album, just a few choices drop the result down. 

    Aside from Townshend, the album featured many of the standard players, Bundrick, Brzezicki, Hope-Evans, members of the Kick horns, and a wide roster of musicians, singers and voice actors that helped the project along. Some of the guitar work doesn’t sound characteristic as Townshend wasn’t the only player, as Phil Palmer and Billy Nichols did play on the album. Perhaps this was done to compete with the popularity of alternative rock players at the time, hard to say. I had to listen to the music only version as well as the full album to access it.  The story has to do with an aging rock star with addiction issues, named Ray High, who get’s cynically used by his manager and a critic to revive his career, and bring back a long abandoned project to keep his relevance, in the process Ray gets entangled with a underage girl*, actually the critic, a teen, and that leads to murky  and questionable waters. In time, the critic takes credit for a hit song Ray wrote. 

    “English Boy” is the strongest cut on the album and not surprised it was the single.  “Let’s Get Pretentious” is the second best number. “Meher Baba M3 and M4” as instrumentals take nods to Who’s Next and Who Are You. “Early Morning Dreams” has some nice vocal harmonies, “I Want That Thing” opens with some in depth keyboard work before it edges into a 60s nod. Some light drums and bass drives “Outlive The Dinosaur” along with some funky acoustic. Some gothic organ leans into the laidback “Now And Then”, it features a strong chorus, The pop leaning “I Am Afraid” is pensive, but some great bass work anchors this. A false start sets up the up-tempo “Don’t Try To Make Me Real”. The next number, the laid back blues of “Predictable”  has some nice harmonies. The heavy and up-tempo “Flame” features another great lead vocalist. The keyboards of “Meher Baba M5” take a variation of the accordion from “Squeeze Box” with some clever over lapping synths. The closer takes a nod to 60s 12-string electric with “Fake it”. 

    If anything, the narrative helps take away from some good songs, the same problem would face David Bowie with Outside two years later. 

Scoop 3 (2001)

    The third, and allegedly, final of the two disc compilations of demos and released recording, The album was released and offered directly from his website, seemingly to by- pass record label issues Many of the songs were from The Who, “The Real Me, No Way Out (However Much I Booze), Sea And Sand, Eminence Front, Did You Steal My Money? How Can You Do It Alone,” Or “Theresa (Athena)” or “Variations on Dirty Jobs” or cuts from his solo albums. The German version of “Parvardigar”, “I Am Afraid, Tough Boys, Iron Man Recitative, Outlive The Dinosaur, Man and Machines, It’s In Ya”.

    Often it is the unreleased material that has been delightful, another acoustic version of “Dirty War”, another track from the White City, “Commonwealth Boys”, a number with a driving beat, guitar and piano and an ‘outside’ piano section. “Theme 15, 16 and 17” is a variation on a synth instrumental, curious, but not essential. The acoustic “Marty Robbins” is a plaintive and lovely little number. “I Like It The Way It Is” is from the same 78 Ted Ashley session, a self-admission of a man who doesn’t want to change his habits, more stunning work. “Collings” is another acoustic number. At times Pete is a vastly underrated acoustic player. The self-explanatory “971104 Arpeggio Piano” is a vibrant, digital piano and synthesizer sort of prelude. “Maxims For Lunch” is an electronic blues pop, and guitar, that has a certain whimsey, painting a picture of a slice of life moment. “Wistful” is another acoustic blues number with a few nice Jazz dynamics. “Lonely Words” sounds like a polished, country flavored ballad with some nice organ work. 

    “Prelude 970519” is a nice and brief Piano synth piece. The Synth string based “Iron Man Recitative” is another song narrative that retains the child like quality of the tale. “All Lovers Are Deranged” is a very different version from the David Gilmour take from his About Face album, this is far more pop and melodic. “Elephants” is a moody, blues based, synthesizer groove, interesting layers. “Wired To The Moon, Pt 2” is another atmospheric piano piece with a vocal improvisation. “Poem Disturbed” is a live piano and synth moment. Lastly, there’s “Squirm Squirm” is a charming acoustic and vocal number, it’s child like quality is similar to ‘Sleeping Dog’.  The compilation does a good job representing where he was at, even if some of the material doesn’t have the same dynamic as the prior Scoop albums.

Retro Reviews: The Who: It's Hard

  I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 70s and start of the 80s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums. 

The Who – It’s Hard (1982)

***

Producer: Glyn Johns

Musicians: Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle, Kenney Jones, Andy Fairweather Low, Tim Gorman

Songs: Athena, It’s Your Turn, Cooks County, It’s Hard, Dangerous, Eminence Front, I’ve Known No War, One Life’s Enough, One At A Time, Why Did I Fall For That, A Man Is A Man, Cry If You Want

Reviewed by Matthew Anthony Allair

    The new Who album is out, and the follow up to their more pop leaning Face Dances from well over a year before, this is the second time that drummer Kenny Jones has made an appearance, which has it’s pros and cons, but we will address that in a moment. The album also comes off the heels of Pete’s second solo album All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes over the summer of this year. It’s a polarizing record indeed, I can’t agree with the extremes on the album by my critical peers, while I can’t agree with the praise from Rolling Stone, I also can’t agree with the lambasting by others, the album sits somewhere in the middle. It cannot match the band in their 70s prime, but then again, I don’t think The Who wants to recycle their past glories. In fact, the album seems like a possible final statement, not only of the band, but a statement about the generation that Townshend has come to represent, and it’s possible that assessment might not be very flattering, but we will get to that in a moment.

    One point of note is that Entwistle has written three songs on the album, much of which is typical of John’s sardonic humor and tone. Unlike Producer Bill Szymczkk’s pop leaning, Glyn Johns has been brought back, but the objective remains the same. The Who has become a pop band with a rock edge. Admittedly Face Dances was full of mixed results and uneven, the band faced the tragic death of Keith Moon and, once they decided to continue, had to answer if they could continue, now Kenney Jones might have seemed like an odd choice to replace Moon, and the recent appearance of a player like Simon Phillips on Townshend’s solo album may have heightened that question as Phillips may have been a better fit. Yet Jones does a commendable job for what is required. My biggest complaint about Glyn John’s has little to do with the quality of the drums, bass, or layers of keyboard sounds, but how thin the electric guitars sound on various tracks, perhaps this was a band decision, or to emulate Chris Thomas’s sound on Pete’s solo albums. That issue isn’t true with every track, but many of them. 

    The opener “Athena” is a statement of intent that this is a pop band now. It’s a brisk, fun little number and one of the singles. John’s “It’s Your Turn”, sung by Roger, sounds like a passing of the torch to the next generation of rock artists, It has a little of the scorn of the prior “Success Story”. The issue with “Cooks County” is the fact that it sounds too self-consciously imitative of new wave, but unlike the keyboard work from Who Are You which was innovative at the time, this doesn’t work here, it also feels frivolous. The title track has a dramatic guitar opener and an improvement, it’s keyboard’s give it a heroic fanfare, and Daltrey delivers a good vocal, but it really only becomes effective in the second half. John’s “Dangerous”, sung by Roger, seems to hint a nod towards “Had Enough”, but it meditates on the issue of self-destruction. The single “Eminence Front”, sung by Pete, is by no doubt the best number on the album. It's a critique about the facades people use. While the drums hold a basic beat, it’s the keyboards and bass that hint at funk, a genre I doubt Keith would have been comfortable with. 

    The side two opener, “I’ve Known No War” may be an anti-nuclear proliferation screed but it also cast doubts on Pete’s generation that took their anti-war stance to such a degree that may have intermittently dismissed the necessity of the fight in World War Two, there’s also so lush orchestral work deep in the middle of the track. Roger’s read on “One Life’s Enough” is self-reflective, the piece is very similar to “Prelude” from Townshend’s Chinese Eyes album.  John’s last track “One At A Time” is a scathing rocker with John’s unusual horn embellishments, it could be a companion to “My Wife” from another vantage point. “Why Did I Fall For That” has a guitar opening that may remind some of a Ennio Morricone western theme, but the bulk of this pop number is deceptive, lyrically it is scathing and Daltrey’s vocal delivery has a contempt that is lost at first listen. 

    The one true ballad is “A Man Is A Man”, a plea for men to curb their worst impulses, and Daltrey’s read has a certain pathos, when you consider that Roger - by the mid 60s - did have a bit of macho preening, there is growth, the track also have bright guitar harmonics that feels atypical from the rest of the album.. The closer is just about everything Who fans could hope for, “Cry If You Want” has some real lift, some musical bite, some scathing lyrics, and a heavy rhythmic guitar solo from Townshend at the end that will leave the listener with little doubt he still has an edge. Overall, this is an improvement over Face Dances in spite of some uneven material at moments. 

    Andy Fairweather Low plays guitar on “Your Turn”, and Tim Gordon plays synths on three tracks, and the electric piano on “Front”. The cover is a clever nod to their past pinball association with the video arcade theme. Roger’s vocals are consistent throughout and Pete offers some strong and support vocals. Roger is still probably the best interpreter of Pete’s songs. Pete is still one of the most incisive lyric writer of his generation.  John’s bright bass work has never wavered over the years. Two of Entwisle's songs are good, and five of Townshend's song are quite good, so that makes for a decent average.  This isn’t The Who of past yore, this is no longer just a power trio with a singer, they are a different band now. One will have to accept the album for what it is, not what they wish it to be. 

    But what most critics miss in their superficial read on the album is something a little uncomfortable for the recent generation of decades before. Pete seems to be doing a self-examination of the idealism of his peers, there’s an uncomfortable truth that much of the idealism of the counterculture has been betrayed as they grew older, got more selfish in the seventies, complacent, and seems to have embraced wealth and materialism – which is all very well and good – but the children of that generation may have to hold their parents to account soon enough. What if the prosperity is put in jeopardy for everyone else? If this is the last Who album, and if Pete’s assessment is true and his generation failed, then there’s very little left for him or the band to say. Most peers may not like looking at that reality, this just a germ of an idea as to why the music press is so polarized about the album. Mirrors are uncomfortable things to face. I offer a qualified recommendation.  

Retro Reviews: Dolly Parton: Here You Come Again

     I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums.

Dolly Parton – Here You Come Again (1977)

***

Producer: Gary Klein

Musicians: David Foster*, Jim Keltner, David Hungate, Dean Parks, Harry Bluestone, Ben Benay, Nick DeCaro, Jan Gassman, Jay Graydon, Ed Greene, David Lindley, Myrna Matthews, Marti McCall, Gene Morford, Al Perkins, Zedrick Turnbough, Dave Wolferi

Songs: Here You Come Again, Baby Come Out Tonight, It’s All Wrong but It’s All Right, Me and Little Andy, Lovin’ You, Cowgirl & The Dandy, Two Doors Down, God’s Coloring Book, As Soon As I Touched Him, Sweet Music Man

Reviewed by Matthew Anthony Allair

    Dolly Parton, who has been a staple of the country scene since she was first introduced to a larger audience by Porter Wagoner in the 60s, has not only been a prolific interpreter of other peoples songs, but she has remained an adept song writer in her own right – it’s often her originals that are interesting. She has released her most accessible pop cross over album yet, and while none of this veers into the rock territory, there’s some liveliness to the material. Producer Klien has been working with Barbra Streisand, so there’s a certain pop sheen to his presentation. She has remained a consistently strong vocalist over the years, and as demonstrated here, is able to evoke any range of emotions. She is as good of a storyteller as a figure like Judy Collins, or Helen Reddy. There's a certain ebullience to Dolly's approach that is indeed infectious. 

    There’s little argument that the title track is going to be a hit, it has a contemporary sense that should draw a lot of attention to the average listener. The other track, written by Dolly that should be a crowd pleaser, and chart topper is “Two Doors Down”. Her three other original songs just demonstrates the above the point, “God’s Coloring Book” is a childhood reflection. The tragic “Me and Little Andy” is a sweet and sour tale. The other contemporary ballad “It’s All Wrong, But It’s All Right” matches any of the other original material submitted for her to record. Many of those other songs are by some of the best writers out there, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, Kenny Rogers, John Sebastian, Bobby Goldsboro, and Kathy McCord.

    The ballad “Baby Come Out Tonight” has a light feel about a relationship that won’t work. The playful “Lovin’ You” has a spry swagger. The ballad “The Cowgirl & The Dandy” paints a wistful picture of two very different people. “As Soon As I Touched Him” has a gospel tinge in spite of it’s secular terms, yet another reflection on a lost love. The closer, “Sweet Music Man” is an insight of a writer who has moved on from the narrator to another. Her reading is quite poignant. While there’s plenty of the standard country elements, Klein has gathered together something that feels fresh. There's a homespun warmth to Dolly's vocals and demeanor that is difficult to not be won over by. While there’s no comparison, Dolly might not reach the heights of Joni Mitchell, but she is doing quite fine.

* In the 70s, David Foster was a session musician before he became a producer in the early 80s and reached his vaulted status. 

Retro Reviews: Neil Sedaka: The Hungry Years

     I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums. This is part two of a two-part tribute to the pop legend Mr. Sedaka, may he rest in peace. 

Neil Sedaka – The Hungry Years (1975)

***1/4

Producers: Neil Sedaka, Robert Appere

Musicians: Neil Sedaka, Steve Crooper, Dean Parks, Leland Sklar, Nigel Olson, Milt Howard, David Foster*, Chuck Findley, Jim Horn, Dick Hyde, Jackie Kelso, Artie Butler, Richard Carpenter, Donny Gerrard, Gail Haness, Biran Russell, Brenda Russell and Elton John

Songs: Crossroads, Lonely Night (Angel Face), Stephen, Bad Blood, Your Favorite Entertainer, Baby Blue, Tit For Tat, New York City Blues, When You Were Lovin Me, The Hungry Years, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

Singles: The Queen of 64, Goodman Goodbye

Reviewed By Matthew Anthony Allair

    Last years American release of Sedaka’s Back would have been a difficult follow up as it left an impact for those who listened. That album was also dependent from three UK albums before. So, The Hungry Years is the first album that represents with where Mr. Sedaka is, and the material is generally uniformly strong, while it may not be as compelling as the prior. Still he has an impressive roster of players, such as the iconic Steve Cropper, and the drummer from Elton John’s Band Nigel Olson, and such players as Chuck Findley whose work on the last album was memorable. The quality of the production remains high and the lyrical team and Cody and Greenfield are back. The singles “The Queen of 64” is a whimsical, if not frivolous piece, but the companion track “Goodman Goodbye” is a compelling and varied number.

    The first thing that strikes you with “Crossroads” is Neil’s impressive piano work, and while the number is not the Robert Johnson piece, it does seem to play with similar themes. There’s a certain swagger to “Lonely Night (Angel Face)” that is pleasant. The ballad “Stephen” seems to be a tribute to another musician. The single “Bad Blood” has some playful life and features Elton John on support vocals, that alone is another endorsement of Sedaka to have John involved. A scathing number about a questionable woman. The ballad “Your Favorite Entertainer” is a reflective critique about stardom, the background vocals have the same kind of rich quality you have been hearing with Steely Dan. “Baby Blue” is a pop blues that builds into a dramatic edge with some good guitar work, probably by Cropper.

    The side two opener “Tit For Tat” eases into a groove that is a comeuppance piece that has a sly sense of humor. The deceptive “New Nork City Blues” begins as a slow ballad that describes the though urban life, and this feels like the darker sequel to “The Immigrant”, and an acknowledgement of class differences. Impressive. The stride blues of “When You Were Lovin’ Me” has more of a gospel element that was seen in the prior “The Way I Am”. The other ballad, “The Hungry Years” has gotten a lot of attention, is probably on par with “Solitaire”, and wouldn’t surprise me if it was released as single. A lament about two people who have reached comfort and success and realize they are less happy. Sedaka has reconnected to his past by revisiting “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do”, first by quoting the original track then dovetailing into a new jazz blues arrangement. This new take reveals just how much more sophisticated and mature he has become as a singer and pianist He may even be chasing at the heels at new paramours like Billy Joel.

    In the last couple of years Neil Sedaka has managed to build up an impressive body of songs that may hold the test of time. One can never tell what will resonate with the public, but the songs from this album and Sedaka’s Back may have a durability that others shouldn’t underestimate. Elton John’s judgment was a good decision. Recommended. 

 * In the 70s, David Foster was a session musician before he became a producer in the early 80s and reached his vaulted status. 

Retro Reviews: Neil Sedaka: Sedaka's Back!

 I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums. This is part one of a two part tribute to the pop legend Mr. Sedaka, may he rest in peace. 

Neil Sedaka – Sedaka’s Back (1974)

***3/4

Producers: Neil Sedaka, Robert Appere, 10CC

Musicians: Neil Sedaka, Ben Benay, Eric Stewart, Lol Crème, Kevin Godley, Graham Gouldman, Milt Holland, Jim Horn, Dick Hyde, Danny Kortchman, Russ Kunkel, Don Menza, Del Newman, Dean Parks, Brenda Russell, Brian Russell, Leland Sklar, William Smith, Chuck Findley

Songs: Standing On The Inside, That’s Where The Music Takes Me, Laughter In The Rain, Sad Eyes, Solitaire,  Little Brother, Love Will Keep Us Together, The Immigrant, The Way I Am, The Other Side Of Me, A Little Lovin’, Our Last Song Together

Reviewed By Matthew Anthony Allair

    This album represents a resurgence for early sixties star Neil Sedaka, from the end of the 50s and though the early 60s, Neil had a string of hit singles and a few albums, then it all started to wane for him commercially with the resurgence of the British Invasion in sixty-four. Yet Neil was already important after the transition away from the great American songbook, along with Rock N Roll, he was part of the Brill building circle of songwriters - a tradition of real craft. He was in a kind of wilderness commercially until he moved to Britian at the start of this decade and started recording a group of albums that gained attention and respect in the UK. Elton was impressed enough by his work to sign him to his Rocket record label and gather together this album. Technically, the album is more or less a compilation from his three UK albums, Solitaire, The Tra-La Days Are Over, and Laughter In The Rain. But this decision has allowed them to cut out the extra fat from those albums, and gather an impressive group of songs. The collective impression is one that is captivating, there’s just about nothing to skip over, and being that this is designed for the American market. This should help people to remember what an excellent singer and pianist Sedaka is. But Neil isn’t relying on nostalgia, he is a contemporary song writer that is on par with Elton John himself.

    The opening track “Standing On The Inside” seems to be a statement of intent as well as acknowledging his wilderness years, the playful piano and Wah guitar is a nice trace of coloring, as well as some claves. “That’s When The Music Takes Me” is a nice driving pulse with his piano, a great track about how music revitalizes him. The lush “Laughter In The Rain” has become the single, while the lyrics are simplistic, there’s a real lifting quality to the record and orchestration that acts as embellishment. “Sad Eyes” starts off as a deceptive blues with a shuffle and dobro, but some sophisticated chords belie the assumptions about the track rather quickly, the track leans into a New Orleans quartet, and sultry horns. The plaintive ballad “Solitaire”, a lost love tale where the card game is used as a metaphor, there’s a bottomless sadness to the track, and Neil delivers a strong vocal, there’s the additional touch with the Oboe ensemble . The side one closer, “Little Brother” is pretty self explanatory, probably told from a child who complains about his younger sibling, the Latin feel, the description and Spanish dialogue really captures a sense of place.

    Regarding side two, if “Love Will Keep Us Together” is not released as single, I would be quite surprised, some surprisingly good writing with a playful tone. “The Immigrant” has another full arrangement and some sincerity to remind westerners that America was founded on immigrants. The gospel infused “The Way I Am” paints a vivid image of a less than pleasant fellow, but there’s a real relatability that is similar to “Little Brother”. The rolling piano ballad “The Other Side Of Me” has some real drive during the chorus and almost hints at McCartney with it’s approach. The rocker “A Little Lovin’” has a Jerry Lee Lewis feel and some good guitar work that illustrates he can dabble in the genre, another vivid narrative song energetic number. The closer and final ballad “Our Last Song Together” can be about an ending relationship, but it also seems to acknowledge Sedaka’s need to move forward as a writer and not be tied to his early 60s past. 

    Something should be said about the supporting musicians, especially the band mates of 10CC, they really enhance and uplift the material. While there’s some sonically uneven material as this was culled from three albums, the mixture of intimate numbers along with sweeping orchestrations gives the album a good balance and keeps it interesting. The lyrics written by Cody and Greenfield makes much of the songs relatable and this album should have a broad appeal. The mix pop, ballads, Latin and Gospel, lite jazz, and even a romantic classical makes this a pleasant and compelling listen. It ends up being quite a pleasure to see Mr. Sedaka back in the spotlight and I will be curious to see his next release.  

 

Retro Reviews: Paul McCartney and Wings: Red Rose Speedway

     I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums. 

Paul McCartney and Wings – Red Rose Speedway (1973)

***

Producer: Paul McCartney

Musicians: Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, Henry McCullough, Danny Seiwell, Hugh McCracken, David Spinozza, Richard Hewson

Songs and music: Big Barn Bed, My Love, Get On The Right Thing, One More Kiss, Little Lamb Dragonfly, Single Pigeon, When The Night, Loup (1^st Indian On The Moon), Medley: Hold Me Tight / Lazy Dynamite / Hands Of Love / Power Cur

Reviewed By Matthew Anthony Allair

    Paul McCartney’s new album with his band Wings is a notable improvement over the bands first album Wild Life. An album that I described as Paul’s ‘depression album’, that album felt too aimless with some songs that ran too long or others that were underdeveloped, also that band was trying to find its footing, all of which felt like a cardinal sin for music writers that didn’t understand and held up his Beatles legacy in high regard. Paul has been willing to take risks, something that some in the public don’t understand. Elements of McCartney and Ram were a risk, and critics unfairly gave Paul a drubbing for it, all of which was bound it affect him, how could it not. George’s output has been the most interesting. John’s output has been uneven and he has been on shakier ground with his last release. Ringo is simply Ringo as far as his solo output. But Paul has shown some traction with last year's singles, the rocker, "Hi Hi Hi", the charming "C Moon", the pleasant "Mary Had A Little Lamb" and the provocative "Give Ireland Back To The Irish", so it's difficult to just ignore him.   

    The lineup features Paul and Linda, Denny Laine, Danny Seiwell and Hugh McCracken and David Spinozza on a few tracks. The material doesn’t always work, but when it hits on all cylinders, this is quite a thing to behold. It feels like Paul is getting his footing. “Big Barn Bed” as an opener has an informal feel, similar to Wild Life, but the feel of it warms up as the band plays with some pop blues and some boogie piano at the ride. The perennial single “My Love” may feel a little safe, but it has some stellar moments, especially with that McCullough solo. There’s also a wistful quality within the ballad, a deceptively excellent number. The dynamic “Get On The Right Thing” is the closest thing to a glam rock or pop number from the band, it also reminds one of “Monkberry Moon Delight” from Ram. Paul and Linda’s background vocals give the album a distinct sound. “One More Kiss” has a country feel and a little nod to “Heart of the Country”. The acoustic and introspective “Little Lamb Dragonfly” is probably one of the better tracks, and has a real charm. 

    The charming and brief “Single Pigeon” opens the second half, a piano ditty with a self-reflective sensibility. “When The Night” has a light, hybrid Spanish feel with a doo wop structure. Pretty easy going. But Paul manages to take some risks with the final two tracks, and I have to give credit for Paul to push away of his past. Musically "Loup (1^st Indian On The Moon)" has a tribal chantlike quality, and a middle section that takes pages from current Pink Floyd, before shifting into a swing, then funk and I have to give credit to Seiwell for excellent work. The album closer Medley begins with a pleasant ballad, “Hold Me Tight”, and this is not The Beatles number from 63, but a fresh piece that could have been developed into a full song, The following “Lazy Dynamite” manages a nice segway, there’s some nice lead work to be found. A dynamic shift leads into the light folk of “Hands Of Love” as well as a dose of music hall. The final, “Power Cur” is a light little ballad. This Medley is less Abbey Road, and more the frivolous material of the ‘White Album’ a mellotron closes out the whole affair as a coda, a fun little romp.

    The album doesn’t always work, with the three strongest numbers being ‘My Love, Little Lamb Dragonfly” and “Single Pigeon” are worth it. This is a solid effort, and I await his next release. A qualifying recommendation. 

Retro Reviews: Queen: Jazz

   I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums.

Queen – Jazz (1978)

****1/4

Producers: Queen, Roy Thomas Baker

Musicians: Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon, Roger Taylor

Songs: Mustafa, Fat Bottom Girls, Jealousy, Bicycle Race, If You Can’t Beat Them, Let Me Entertain You, Dead On Time, In Only Seven Days, Dreamers Ball, Fun It, Leaving Home Ain’t Easy, Don’t Stop Me Now, More Of That Jazz

Reviewed By Matthew Anthony Allair

    First off, let’s address the comments by some peers that Queen is a ‘fascist band’, this is an utterly ridiculous comment that helps to drop the intelligence of certain critics. This all stems from the prior single ‘We Are Ther Champions / We Will Rock You.’ The ‘Champions’ track was a message to every misfit and outsider who didn’t belong or won very often. One could say that Queen are a band of misfits, too self-aware, smart, and willing to take a joke over their flamboyance. Their humor has always been one of the more refreshing aspects of the band at a time when there’s too much self-importance, this may be one reason why some in the punk community as less hostile to Queen.

    The optimum word here is ‘We’ as in a collective, not ‘I’, for people who understand the textbook and historical definition of ‘fascism’ would know that Queen represents the very opposite of that notion. The use of “I” is a dicey proposition, even John Lennon had enough sense to give “I Am The Greatest” to Ringo Starr. The members of Queen don’t seem any more ego centric than any other band.  Let’s get onto the album. Roy Thomas Baker was brought back as the producer, and some press kits describe this as a ‘European Flavored’ album, whatever that means. Every queen album is always a reaction to the prior album, this takes the striped down sensibility of News Of The World, and adds a little more flamboyance to the proceedings.

    The album opener “Mustafa” is playful and dynamic and takes a nod to Freddie’s Persian origins. The next perennial single, “Fat Bottom Girls” is a country ho down with a hard rock edge, they haven’t lost their ability to wink. Freddie’s lovely ballad “Jealousy” features an acoustic sitar flavor. The other perennial single “Bicycle Race” is about as camp as you can take. John’s “If You Can’t Beat Them” shies away from his RNB and into pop rock. Freddie’s “Let Me Entertain You” is not the number from the musical Gypsy, but a spry rocker that is designed for the stage.

    The strong second half opener, Brian’s “Dead On Time” has a fast and lifting groove that will remind one of “Stone Cold Crazy” from days of old, the song is also a biting comment on the pace of the corporate sector. John’s “In Only Seven Days” has some lovely piano and acoustic guitar interplay, and the song sounds like a Stevie Wonder pastiche – but in a good way. The music hall flavor of Brian’s “Dreamer’s Ball” has a whimsical vibe with Brian mimicking a swing jazz ensemble via the guitar. Roger’s “Fun It” has a surprising nod to disco and dance, but in their own way. Brian’s country flavored ballad “Leaving Home Ain’t Easy” has a nice brief exchange with Freddie. Then Mercury brings it back with his well- crafted ballad then up-tempo number, “Don’t Stop Me Now”, with a rousing brief guitar lead, this will probably be the other single from Jazz. Then Roger closes it out with his grove rocker “More Of That Jazz”, a track that features a collage of songs from the album, why? I don’t know - probably to just sum up the experience.

    The last two albums haven’t reached the heights of A Night At The Opera, but then again that album would be difficult to duplicate, they haven’t tried to. This is a solid entry that offers some entertaining material, but there is the feeling that they are going to have to expand the parameters of what they are capable of. Freddie, Brian and Roger are three of the best rock singers out there when they sing in unison, and the band as a unit does some very good work as players, even great moments. They are all steady song writers, and I suspect the production embellishments are there for coloring, there’s a good share of substance within the jest. Ignore the critics on this one – it’s a good time.