Endless Wire - The Who
Endless Wire Image
Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 50 Ratings

  • Summary: The legendary band's first studio album since 1982 includes a full version of their mini-opera "Wire & Glass," which was recently released (appropriately enough) as a mini-album.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 22
  2. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. So they've got sprawl and focus issues. But this underproduced mess of an album also has an abundance of magnificent, quirkily anthemic songwriting.
  2. Daltrey and Townshend have made a record as brazen in its way and right for its day as The Who Sell Out and Tommy were in theirs.
  3. 80
    No one could have predicted Endless Wire would be quite this good. [Nov 2006, p.98]
  4. 'Endless Wire' isn't quite as awful as it should be. [28 Oct 2006, p.33]

See all 22 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 33
  3. Negative: 5 out of 33
  1. BrandonC.
    10
    Got to be a true fan to enjoy it so i guess i am go to see the who it's great!!
  2. GabeL
    8
    Allow me to start by saying this: it's a step up from It's Hard and Face Dances. A proper album to end a career on, if they choose to. The first half of the album is a bit of a muddle, but with most songs actually quite good - Two Thousand Years was a song that grew on me. One or two tunes aren't quite up to snuff, though (God Speaks of Marty Robbins confused the living daylights outta me). The rock mini-opera is quite cohesive, and despite a dip here or there, the emotions and energy seem to carry throughout the record. The sounds originally on the "Wire and Glass" single still stand out as the best of the bunch (Sound Round and We Got A Hit, especially), even though Mirror Door had its vocals rejiggered from the single. And despite what Pete and Rog say, we know that Tea & Theatre is a tribute to the fallen John Entwistle. Lord knows his thundering bass would've been appreciated. I will say, though, that getting the special edition package does yield more complete versions of We Got A Hit and Endless Wire. They sound single-worthy, for sure. All told, it's a damn good album. Not on the level of glory-era Who, but that's been the case since Keith Moon passed away. Get it if you feel like listening to the first album from this duo in two-and-a-half decades. Expand
  3. gmc
    7
    There's crap on it...Townshend needs to be reined in when he's too self-indulgent, but upon repeated listenings about half of it is pretty good stuff. Expand
  4. MichaelC
    3
    I am stunned by the accolades. I, too, am a (more than) 30 year Who fanatic. I was jazzed to get the new CD. But after listening through, I thought it was a practical joke. Then, to be fair, I listened two more times. Sorry, folks. It is downright awful. The melodies are boring and tiresome; Daltry's singing forced and shallow and the instrument playing and sounds truly uninspired. This is the first time that I will not download every Who song from a CD to my IPOD. If this is the best that the greatest rock band of all time can do at this point, they are done. Expand

See all 33 User Reviews