Nearly a quarter-century (and bassist John Entwistle) passed between what had been considered the Who's career-capping album, It's Hard, and this 19-song epic, which at its best has the band of two pining for the days of Who's Next. Built from the triumph of the mini-opera Wire & Glass EP (included here in its entirety), Endless Wire mixes metaphors of music, war, and religion, while showcasing Roger Daltrey's ageless vocal cords and Pete Townshend at his windmilling best. Launching with a "Baba O'Riley"-like synth break in "Fragments," Daltrey asks "Are we breathing out or breathing in?" and Townshend answers with a thrashing, crashing Gibson. When the volume is turned up, there are echoes of three decades ago. --Scott Holter
01 Fragments 02 Man In A Purple Dress 03 Mike Post Theme 04 In The Ether 05 Black Widow's Eyes 06 Two Thousand Years 07 God Speaks Of Marty Robbins 08 It's Not Enough 09 You Stand By Me 10 Sound Round 11 Pick Up The Peace 12 Unholy Trinity
13 Trilby's Piano 14 Endless Wire 15 Fragments Of Fragments 16 We Got A Hit 17 They Made My Dream Come True 18 Mirrot Door 19 Tea & Theatre
Disc 2
01 Seeker 02 Who are you 03 Mike Post theme 04 Relay 05 Greyhound girl 06 Naked eye 07 Won't get fooled again