| 26th September 2006 07:04 AM |
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| Zack |
Here's one for the de facto Who board:
Which of these two consecutive albums is stronger? Here is my opinion:
Who Are You is the penultimate album with the great Moonie, but he had mostly lost his chops from too much partying (see: R Wood). He didn't even play on Music Must Change (one of the albums few highlights) because he couldn't keep a slow beat. Townshend contributed only six songs, which, notwithstanding the mighty title track, are among his weakest. They're all about how music must evolve, yet are horribly overarranged and awash in the same synths that threatened to ruin Quadrophenia. Just exactly what his lyrics were decrying! Sister Disco and Guitar and Pen are among my all time least favorite Who tunes. As for the three Ox songs, Trick of the Light is superb, but the other two are arranged to sound like the rest of the album and aside from JE's signature bitter and waggish lyrics, aren't good enough to carry the album
The much maligned Face Dances, conversely, contains some of Pete's most subtle arrangements and cogent lyrics (Don't Let Go the Coat, How Can You Do It Alone, and Daily Records). Though Daltrey's delivery is not particularly suited to those words, it doesn't do them grievous harm. You is one of the top 5 Ox songs in his catalog, and The Quiet One is fantastic for its autobiographical kiss off to the world, despite its being sung is a very strange voice. Another Tricky Day is one of the great Who songs of all time, especially the chorus. Kenny Jones is often slagged as a bad drummer but I disagree. I think he's great - no Moon, but who is?
To me, Faces Dances is the clearly superior album.
Discuss. |
| 26th September 2006 07:05 AM |
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| lotsajizz |
respectfully disagree....an off day for Keith Moon is still far better than Kenny Jones on his best day |
| 26th September 2006 07:28 AM |
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| Zack |
True, but even fantastic drumming on Who Are You wouldn't have rescued the album. |
| 26th September 2006 09:07 AM |
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| mac_daddy |
i havent heard it in a while, but i remember liking who are you; i didnt mind face dances, and would probably dig it more if i cared enough to find it, as i remember the pete arrangements. but my vote has to go with who are you and keith moon. plus the ox tune on that one (the decimal song) wasnt bad, either. |
| 26th September 2006 09:30 AM |
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| Gimme Shelter |
Who Are You |
| 26th September 2006 09:32 AM |
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| lotsajizz |
I like both...and I value Moon as much for his influence as his talent, meaning Pete and the rest PLAYED far better with Moon than with Jones, for whatever reasons. So I prefer 'Who Are You'...although "Just Another Tricky Day" may be Pete's greatest lyric ever.
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| 26th September 2006 09:41 AM |
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| Gazza |
Always liked Who Are You..Face Dances is patchy but with a couple of gems (Daily Records, for one)
however, Pete's "Empty Glass", which came out in between the two of them is by some distance the greatest thing he's done since "Who By Numbers" |
| 26th September 2006 08:25 PM |
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| Mel Belli |
What's the verdict on "It's Hard," then? A total loss but for "Athena" and "Eminence Front"? |
| 26th September 2006 08:57 PM |
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| rolling who |
Agree that 'Who Are You' is the worse of the two, probably their worst studio album other than 'Magic Bus: The Who On Tour' (which wasn't even a live album!?!?).
Moon couldn't play worth a damn ("Music Must Change" was 3/4 timing, and he couldn't keep it; even "Who Are You" is augmented by hand claps). "Who Are You" is a classic song (perhaps their last), but other than that, only the Ox-written "Had Enough" and Pete's "Sister Disco" hold water.
On the other hand, "Don't Let Go the Coat," "Another Tricky Day" and "You Better, You Bet" are utterly likeable songs. Always wondered why this album gets slagged so badly.
Same with 'It's Hard.' Always loved "Athena", really like the Ox-penned "It's Your Turn" and even the title track. Never a huge fan of "Eminence Front," but love to hear it at sports arenas. |
| 26th September 2006 11:45 PM |
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| Zack |
quote:
Mel Belli wrote:
What's the verdict on "It's Hard," then? A total loss but for "Athena" and "Eminence Front"?
And the title track. Interestingly, they've been playing Cry If You Want on the current tour. |
| 26th September 2006 11:50 PM |
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| aladdinstory |
IMHO from start to finish Who Are You is the stronger album. Face Dances is an interesting attempt at changing the band's sound: more pop-oriented arrangements, slick production, less aggressive guitar, even more keyboard driven than Who Are You. Who Are You rocks harder and more convincingly: New Song, Trick of Light, title track but also the jazzy Music Must Change and weird music hall-broadway hybrid Guitar and Pen provide some interesting sidestreet music excursions. Face Dances would've probably been better as a Townshend solo album.
It's Hard has its moments: Eminence Front, It's Your Turn, Why Did I Fall For That and the vastly underrated and sadly forgotten Cry If You Want (great drumming by Jones on that one). And It's Hard is the first Who album since Quadrophenia that doesn't sound like a dry run for Townshend solo album.
A forgotten classic of that era is the Townshend/Lane collaboration Rough Mix!
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| 27th September 2006 01:17 AM |
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| pdog |
I would go with Face Dances as an album, but say Who Are you has a few great tracks... Which are better than any track on Face Dances.
I agree with Gazza, Empty Glass is a great fucking album. I love it, and I play it more than any who album over the past few years...
Someone mentioned Quadrophenia. My only problem with it is it;s Mixed real poorly, the mastering is awful, and yet it is still one of greatest rock and roll albums ever created. |
| 27th September 2006 01:31 AM |
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| Zack |
quote:
pdog wrote:
Someone mentioned Quadrophenia. My only problem with it is it;s Mixed real poorly, the mastering is awful, and yet it is still one of greatest rock and roll albums ever created.
You should pick up the single CD of Who tracks from the Quadrophenia movie soundtrack that were thoroughly remixed by John Entwistle. I'm One and I've Had Enough sound like completely different songs, and there are a few Who numbers not on the regular album. Oh, and the bass is much louder.
I agree Empty Glass is better than the Who albums that preceded and followed it. |
| 27th September 2006 01:35 AM |
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| sirmoonie |
quote:
Zack wrote:
Here's one for the de facto Who board:
Which of these two consecutive albums is stronger? Here is my opinion:
Who Are You is the penultimate album with the great Moonie, but he had mostly lost his chops from too much partying (see: R Wood). He didn't even play on Music Must Change (one of the albums few highlights) because he couldn't keep a slow beat. Townshend contributed only six songs, which, notwithstanding the mighty title track, are among his weakest. They're all about how music must evolve, yet are horribly overarranged and awash in the same synths that threatened to ruin Quadrophenia. Just exactly what his lyrics were decrying! Sister Disco and Guitar and Pen are among my all time least favorite Who tunes. As for the three Ox songs, Trick of the Light is superb, but the other two are arranged to sound like the rest of the album and aside from JE's signature bitter and waggish lyrics, aren't good enough to carry the album
The much maligned Face Dances, conversely, contains some of Pete's most subtle arrangements and cogent lyrics (Don't Let Go the Coat, How Can You Do It Alone, and Daily Records). Though Daltrey's delivery is not particularly suited to those words, it doesn't do them grievous harm. You is one of the top 5 Ox songs in his catalog, and The Quiet One is fantastic for its autobiographical kiss off to the world, despite its being sung is a very strange voice. Another Tricky Day is one of the great Who songs of all time, especially the chorus. Kenny Jones is often slagged as a bad drummer but I disagree. I think he's great - no Moon, but who is?
To me, Faces Dances is the clearly superior album.
Discuss.
Good point, I'd have to agree. Who Are You tried to hard for the big soaring Who anthems and Pete didn't have it - the band didn't have it, they hadn't done anything in years.
Face Dances was the new middle aged Pete, some cool songs that I wish an earlier Who had done - sorry, Kenny Jones is just all around bad.
I guess when it comes down to it, I listen to Face Dances more than Who Are You, and I listen to It's Hard more than either one. |
| 27th September 2006 01:38 AM |
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| sirmoonie |
quote:
Zack wrote:
You should pick up the single CD of Who tracks from the Quadrophenia movie soundtrack that were thoroughly remixed by John Entwistle. I'm One and I've Had Enough sound like completely different songs, and there are a few Who numbers not on the regular album. Oh, and the bass is much louder.
I agree Empty Glass is better than the Who albums that preceded and followed it.
The movie soundtrack is incredible, Joker James and Don't Come Back - its unreal the songs this man has written that never see the light of day. |
| 27th September 2006 01:39 AM |
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| _Boomy_ |
I like "Face Dances" better.
Did you steal my money??????!!!!!!!!! |
| 27th September 2006 01:45 AM |
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| pdog |
It's funny, every few years I want to pick up The Quad Sdtrk...
This may be the year! |
| 27th September 2006 02:28 AM |
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| Zack |
Don't bother. Just check your mailbox in a week or two. You haven't moved, have you? |
| 27th September 2006 07:51 AM |
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| Ronnie Richards |
IMO both Who Are You and Face Dances are very weak albums: bad songwriting mixed with horrible production.
and It's Hard is so bad that it's literallty sickening.
Rough Mix, on the other hand, is fucking great (and very underrated) |
| 27th September 2006 10:07 AM |
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| Joey |
quote:
lotsajizz wrote:
respectfully disagree....an off day for Keith Moon is still far better than Kenny Jones on his best day
Amen !
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| 28th September 2006 01:14 PM |
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| MrPleasant |
Who Are You |
| 28th September 2006 03:02 PM |
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| mojoman |
quote:
Gazza wrote:
Always liked Who Are You..Face Dances is patchy but with a couple of gems (Daily Records, for one)
however, Pete's "Empty Glass", which came out in between the two of them is by some distance the greatest thing he's done since "Who By Numbers"
exactly. if townsend would have taken the best material and put it together not to mention the energy what a disc we would have. face dances is just weak and forced and its hard is not much more inspired. townsend just spread himself too thin with 4 albums in two years.
[Edited by mojoman] |
| 28th September 2006 03:48 PM |
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| Joey |
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| 28th September 2006 03:53 PM |
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| glencar |
Joey, will you be buying the Jones Beach DVD/CD combo? |
| 28th September 2006 04:15 PM |
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| Joey |
quote:
glencar wrote:
Joey, will you be buying the Jones Beach DVD/CD combo?
Only if you come see THE WHO with me this December
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V
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| 28th September 2006 04:25 PM |
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| glencar |
When is it? |
| 28th September 2006 04:42 PM |
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| Joey |
quote:
glencar wrote:
When is it?
12/07/06 --- Day of Infamy |
| 28th September 2006 04:45 PM |
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| glencar |
Possibility. Lemme check my schedule. I expect first 10 rows seating & many beerskis. I don't really care about hotels. |
| 28th September 2006 05:13 PM |
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| Joey |
You make Joey all giddy .
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| 28th September 2006 05:14 PM |
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| glencar |
I hope giddy doesn't = horny! |
