The Who - Greatest Hits
Sounding as good as it can do on your home stereo.
What is there to say about a release like this? It’s obviously a dream for fans of the home-grown Dons, but it’s unlikely to win the band any new devotees. That said it’s a highly enjoyable listen.
Disc One is filled with studio versions of classics such as ‘The Kids Are Alright’, ‘Substitute’ and ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’, so there’s little in need of an introduction here. It’s worth noting though that the people responsible for compiling this selection seem to have got both the balance and positioning of the tracks right.
Disc Two is unquestionably the more exciting of the album, showcasing live performances from 1965-2007. It’s just a shame their infamous on-stage antics cannot be seen, or one of the recordings doesn’t contain the sound of equipment being smashed.
Tracks such as ‘Pinball Wizard’ display the band’s startling ability to drive crowds into a frenzy, mixing breakdowns and heavy grooves to a fine measure. This potion is then distilled directly into ‘I’m Free’ - a track that will remind everyone that some legends are still living (Pete Townshend) - before it’s all filtered out through ‘Squeeze Box’.
The freshly brewed ‘Naked Eye' / 'Let’s See Action' / 'My Generation’ is perhaps the biggest treat on the whole album. A 14-minute long performance that drops into the kind of bass-bin destroying jam session that would no doubt have had sweat dripping off the walls at the time.
Overall this concoction is a lengthy, well-packaged and great tasting homage to some of our Isles’ longest serving musical heroes- as British as the rock they play. From the blues tinged intros and ambient interludes to the driving rhythm and riffs it’s all here, sounding as good as it can do on your home stereo.
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