Thursday, December 14, 2006

Featured Album


Pete Townshend – White City

His third solo album - released in 1985; based on a narrative about urban life in West London. Apart from Chinese Eyes and The Iron Man; Pete Townshend’s solo albums are as important to me as the Who’s. White City being no exception.

Reviews from Amazon


"WHITE CITY, which Pete Townshend called a novel, recalls the depth of TOMMY. There are many memorable tracks on this collection, including "Hiding Out", whose deceptive sweetness belies the detached destruction of "Crashing by Design". Thebracing "Face the Face" is as musically gripping as any of Townshend's solo work, as is the rumbling "Give Blood". PinkFloyd guitarist David Gilmour lends on a hand on the formerand Big Country drummer Mark Brzezicki puts his walloping stamp on various cuts as well. "

"The soundtrack to a very hard-to-find video, White City finds Pete doing what he does best. Reflecting.
Although a lot of the symbolism will mean nothing to anyone outside London (White City is a London housing estate apparently) the images can be applied to anywhere. We all know someone who 'drives to comittees in their German car'...we can all 'look over chequered fields to see the towering web of steel'.
Some fantastic guitar work by Dave Gilmour finishes off this unusual album...I dock the CD one star for not including the extensive sleeve notes provided with the vinyl version I bought oh so many years ago!"

Track Listing:

Give Blood (9/10)
Brilliant Blues 8/10
Face The Face( 9/10 Punchy song with a great bass line)
Hiding Out (8/10 Nice vocals)
Secondhand Love (8/10 Standard blues riff, great lyrics)
Crashing By Design (9/10)
I Am Secure (8/10 Reminds me of God Speaks of Marty Robbins)
White City Fighting (10/10 In my list of favourites, fantastic chorus and great melody.)
Come To Mama (9/10 Great Who-like track.)
Night School (7/10 Bonus track on the new re-mastered version. The version on the film I prefer) Save It For Later (9/10 Great cover version of which I'm yet to hear the original.)
Hiding Out (7.5/10 Different mix

Overall = 8/10

Not his best conceptual story but holds some of his best solo work.