If you needed more evidence that The Who died long before it got old, then "Endless Wire" provides ample evidence of the band's sad, ignominious demise.

First off, let's stop calling the band The Who. Sure, guitarist/songwriter Pete Townshend and vocalist Roger Daltrey have survived into late middle age. But if The Who didn't die when brilliant, manic drummer Keith Moon died in 1978, then surely the band was finished when bassist supreme John Enwistle died in a Las Vegas hotel suite in 2002.

Call it the Townshend-Daltrey Band, call it any other preposition you choose, but "Endless Wire," the lifeless new release from the band calling itself The Who, will go down as one of the saddest codas to a magnificent legacy as ever there was.

This album has been called proof of the band's revitalization, but the post-Moon Who has foisted stinkers on us before. Remember "It's Hard," the last album, from 1982?

Don't get fooled again.

The Who mastermind Townshend, whose stellar writing practically invented teen angst with songs like "My Generation," and classic albums like "Quadrophenia," has gone from angry young man to boring old gasbag.

"Endless Wire" is not worthy of what Townshend himself openly refers to as The Who "brand." Rather, it is the cynical last gasp of a guy who has run out of ideas.

Want proof? How about a new "rock opera" as featured on this claptrap of self-indulgence? And it's about getting a hit record, no less.

Townshend has apparently spent too much time figuring out which songs to peddle for shilling Hummers ("Happy Jack") or TV shows -- the various "CSI" incarnations have Who songs as themes -- to actually come up with something worth listening to.

Even within the rock opera only "We Got a Hit" and "Mirror Door" have any sense of a pulse. Of course, The Who as we knew it was never about hits but about whole pieces of work, like "Tommy" or "Quadrophenia." And by they way, "Endless Wire" ain't a hit, making the irony of this mess all the more delicious.

The album opens with something called "Fragments," which begins with a synth sound that comes off like a dozen casino slot machines. "In the Ether" has Townshend growling so deeply you'd swear Tom Waits had been brought in for a guest vocalist spot. And it ain't pretty.

Townshend's lyrics have always been a bit obscure, a little Zen, and nowhere is that more apparent than on "Fragments," where he asks, "are we breathing out or breathing in?" Hmmm. Sounds like an endorsement for Scuba gear is in the making. Then there's "A Man in a Purple Dress," a brutally sanctimonious piece of tripe that shows how far Townshend is grasping to remain relevant. And of course there's "God Speaks of Marty Robbins," a dull and meaningless little ditty about "waking up and hear(ing) the music."

Speaking of waking up, "It's Not Enough" "Black Widows Eyes" and the lovely title cut are among the few things on the album that keep you interested. Every once in awhile, Townshend's power chords and Daltrey's howl, which is in surprisingly good shape, come through to show you the ghost of the splendid cacophony they once combined to create.

But you can't help but ask yourself, "we waited 25 years for this?"

The album actually sounds more like Townshend's solo material than The Who in whatever incarnation you choose to remember it. An accompanying DVD of the band live at Lyon is best ignored. Better to buy a copy of The Who "Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970."

Look, it would be embarrassing for a man in his 60s to sing of the frustrations of young men. And yes, people grow and things change. To be sure, this is an album showing where the band is now as opposed to where it's been. So in that sense, it shows a new phase for what's left of the band.

But if you want products that better reflect the "brand" of the Who, you're better off checking out "Who's Next," "Quadrophenia," "Live at Leeds," or even "The Who Sings My Generation." But "Endless Wire" is not the starting point for getting to know the Who. If anything, it represents a sad footnote in the band's career.

13 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by OMCreader on Nov. 15, 2006 at 12:35 a.m. (report)

Kurt said: horrible review... the reviewer neglected to mention the best traditional "who" songs: Mike Post Theme, Sound Round, and Pick Up the Peace.

Posted by OMCreader on Nov. 14, 2006 at 2:58 p.m. (report)

Tony said: I've never been a huge Who fan - more of a Stones man myself - but I couldn't believe this review, so I borrowed the new disc from a friend. I'm here to say the reviewer is dead wrong. Endless Wire is at least as good as anything I've heard from The Who since, I don't know, 1973? I'm sad to say that even my beloved Stones haven't produced an album this good in over twenty years. Sigh.

Posted by OMCreader on Nov. 14, 2006 at 1:37 p.m. (report)

Irish Up said: Totally biased review...I think its a great effort by the band and like most of the songs. BTW this was # 2 on Billboard's Rock Album charts this week. Not bad.

Posted by OMCreader on Nov. 13, 2006 at 8:08 p.m. (report)

steve axelrod said: The person WHO DID this review rely hasn't a clue about THE WHO. First of all Pete and Roger know it's not the same as the original band. This is a very good album. Also looking back before the death of John Entwistle , they got back together to help him out money wise, and when John Entwistle passed away they kept on with the band. Because unlike before, they enjoyed themselves unlike when the who was complete before anyone passed having to deal with the pressure of fame back then. Being there is so much crap called music today that is a joke and an insult to be called music.This reviewer that put down THE WHO should do a article on how to cover a band that makes it own music, doesn't use other peoples music and gave the bands today what they have because of THE WHO!!!! A really good album and a bad reviewer WHO'S HIS NAME????

Posted by OMCreader on Nov. 12, 2006 at 4:19 p.m. (report)

dereksmalls said: A few years ago, Pete said he had forgotten how to write for the Who. That has become apparent, it's a solo album folks.