Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
A new Eden, a sound that has carried hearts and souls for generations, two men at the very centre of Britain’s Rock history, a group that broke boundaries, smashed walls and guitars, and which withstood the test of time unlike any other, which dealt with the sudden loss of its powerful drummer, and then its soulful bassist who belied the assumptions of his chosen instrument and turned each note into a commentary of expression that didn’t require words, only the ability to listen and take heed.
Over the last few years there have been an abundance of live recordings released by The Who, and each one has hit the listener with a kind of grace, a serenity wrapped up in fierce melody and reminders of just how cool, how effective, how volatile and precious they were, and in the live recording of the Eden Project from July 2023, that same sense of natural force, the hurricane in the path of the human eye, is once again lavishly clear; and with the inclusion of The Heart of England Philharmonic Orchestra, and conducted by Keith Levenson, The Who’s Roger Daltry and Pete Townshend, alongside the live group members Simon Townshend, Loren Gold, Emily Marshall, Jon Button, Zak Starkey, Billy Nicholls, Katie Jacoby, Audrey Q Snyder, and Helen Fitzgerald, the exercise on committed and continual rock generosity is to be reckoned with and fully relished.
The Eden Project is a near perfect setting for the atmospheric tunes and staples of the band, the belief in the blueprint of survival and education stands with the trust that the music and lyrics have been held with the highest regard by millions, and as the orchestra plays, as the notes of abandonment, of intent, of playful innuendo, and dirty secrets merge, so does the brilliance of the faith in the united front assert itself, unfolding, unveiling, until all that is left is majestic, unadulterated power.
Across tracks such as a vast swathe of Pinball Wizard, including a tremendously appealing The Acid Queen, Who Are You, The Kids Are Alright, You Better, You Bet, I Can’t Explain, Won’t Get Fooled Again, the engaging 5.15, and Baba O’ Riley, The Who storm the palace of glass and dreams with such fire, such sophistication, that all is left to is rue having been unable to attend the performance in person, but also revel in the sheer scope of the project in its entirety.
A class album, worthy every drop of Who possible.
Ian D. Hall