It's not billed that way but given
the Who's productivity since their initial split in 1982, it's difficult not to view 2019's
Who as the band's final album. It's only their second album in 37 years, and if it takes them another 13 years to complete a third -- that's the length of time separating
Who from 2006's
Endless Wire -- both
Pete Townshend and
Roger Daltrey will be well into their eighties, a seemingly unlikely age for new work by rockers. Then again,
the Who have long outlived
Townshend's youthful desire to die before he gets old, a fact he began to contend with during the mid-'70s, when he chronicled his middle-aged disappointment on
Who by Numbers.
Who doesn't sound much like
Who by Numbers.
Keith Moon and
John Entwistle are long gone,
Daltrey's voice has been sanded away to a gravelly rumble, and
Townshend found himself rejuvenated by playing with bassist
Pino Palladino and drummer
Zak Starkey. A different rhythm section along with the aftermath of aging does mean
Who feels polished and precise, but if the group has swapped kinetic energy for professionalism, they're not exactly settled. Much of the credit should go to
Townshend, who continues to wrestle with emotions and ideas that are just outside his grasp, setting his struggle to music equal parts muscle and mark. There are a few new wrinkles, such as the smooth, soulful "I'll Be Back," the album's most romantic moment. It's one that's needed. Elsewhere,
Townshend attempts to find his place in a world in turmoil, coming to terms that he's fine with the passing of time, but that doesn't prevent him from throwing barbs.
Daltrey responds in kind, treating the songs with care and respect. Age has diminished his range but increased his sensitivity, a combination that benefits
Who, since he handles vulnerable moments like "Break the News" with sensitivity and mines "All This Music Must Fade" and "I Don't Wanna Get Wise," discovering their undercurrent of defiance. After all these years, it becomes clear that the relationship between
Daltrey and
Townshend -- the singer serving as the songwriter's best interpreter and editor -- is at the core of
the Who, which is why
Who feels like a
Who album: The two still bring out the best in each other. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine