12-02-2010Album reviews - The Who
Greatest Hits Review 3.5/5 - Released 8-02-10
If you hadn't heard of Mod Rock kings The Who until 2010 then there is a good chance all that changed with their inclusion onto the US's biggest sporting event of the year, Superbowl. An audience of over 100 Million people is not a bad way to get back into the minds of the public. Couple this with the band providing the theme song for the hugely popular CSI show and it seems the timing is right for the band to bring us another release. Hats off to the band, dropping a record the day after Superbowl will no doubt have Walmart customers scrambling for their latest English indulgence. Arguments aside about the credibility of that performance said by some to be all aesthetics and little more the CD delivers what an aging group tried to do with their midway medley.
And in that you have this album, as a new fan of the band this latest Greatest Hits is a good place to start. Containing all the 'Hits' (although I never classed The Who as a single's driven band.) it will keep everything easily in its place and at a fingertips reach. Opening with 'Baba O'Riley' and its juttering electronics leaves you hard pushed not to recognize the the song instantaneously and as you probably heard at that little sporting event, it is quite possibly the bands best ever piece. 'Behind Blue Eye's' once butchered by a red capped rapper appears next in it's former glory, this is how the song should be remembered.
The album isn't like many compilations littered with top ten singles and dance floor fillers. 'Eminence Front,' 'It's Not Enough' and 'Magic Bus' exemplify this albums lesser points, good songs but by no means what I would class a greatest hit. Unless that is you are a huge The Who fan but then you'd already have the original album most likely on the limited edition Vinyl. If you are a die hard Who fan then you may have guessed that this may be best avoided. Unless you just want to ensure you give Daltry and Co a bit more money to continue then you won't be paying for anything new and won't have anything that can't be found on 'Quadraphenia' or one of the other numerous collection of hits.
Into the second half of the album and literally steps into gear with select cuts from the studio room floor. 'Pinball Wizard,' 'The Kids Are Alright,' 'Who Are You?' and 'My Generation' sit as beacons of a band who once held the world at their feet. Listening to this is a pleasurable experiences and a must for anyone who can't get the hook's from Superbowl Sunday out of their head today. Coming with an accompanying second CD of choice live picks by the band themselves adds something more to the usual 18 or so songs of retrospect and for those without the live bootlegs this is the one main selling point for this version of what has already been delivered before. All in all a good place to start as new comer to The Who but for the die hard Quadraphonic's you may feel at best nostalgic and at worst cheated out of your hard earned money. I like this album and I will listen to it numerous times but that's mainly because I wore out their last 'Greatest Hits.'
