IT'S HARD

Well could The Who have done another stinker like the previous Face Dances? Most likely not, but remember that we are in the early 80's and the music scene stunk badly and was invaded by new bands armed with then-modern digital synths that allowed anyone to "write" music without actually knowing how to play it, and "old-timers" groups were having a difficult time either surviving (many didn't) or adapting (Eehhhmmm!!!... like Genesis). So still in tow is Kenny Jones and his impossible task of filling Moon The Loon's shoes, The Who decided to call it a day after the release of this album and a farewell tour! Sporting a rather modern picture on the cover, one could fear the worst.

And indeed, their last statement was not exactly their better one, but neither was it their worst: it easily surpassed Face Dances! Not very hard to achieve, but one of the main point is that the production of this album is much better than the flat-faced previous "effort". Songwriting-wise, the album is again in great part unusually (historically) supplied by Entwistle, but in here, his worst tracks easily surpasses anything from FD. Somehow Jones' drumming is a bit more adapted to the rest of the group, but the group had also softened by now! Pulled by two singles, the correct title track and the very good Eminence Front (although not coming to the waist height of Who Are You?), the album goes by rather smoothly and there are few cringey moments. Another good moment is I've Known No War, which like Eminence Front share the honour of being the longest tracks on the album.

But retrospectively, even if this album has its moments, it was clear the band had lost its impetus and had missed its exit! They might have followed Zep's example! I can't really say this album should be avoided, because I still have some personal feelings of this being a great group's prepared farewell album, but it was certainly not Cream's Goodbye or The Beatles' Let It Be!