“Endless Wire” opens with “Fragments,” delivering psychedelic melodies similar to the renowned classic “Baba O’ Riley.” Although it seems to fall short in comparison, it retains captivating mind-bending lyrics such as “Are we breathing in,/Or breathing out?” Daltery’s voice has become deeper and darker with age but still holds power and conviction with his voice.

The new make-up of the band is a wiser, older version of what it once used to be. Lack of the late members, Keith Moon and John Entwislte has an obvious effect on the production of the music itself and the sound it once evoked. The Who’s sonic attributes was once much more powerful, credited to the sound produced by drummer Moon.

But regardless of the loss of the two members, the effect the band produces is still impressive. On “Endless Wire,” the listener sees a vast degree of change. The genre style of the original band was known for its Brit-rock style, and The Who has made a turn from British mod-rock to country-folk in this album. You can hear this on “Fragments” as well as the following track, “A Man in a Purple Dress.”

The third song on the album, “Mike Post Theme” gives a taste of the past of the original Who, being a reflection of the personal past of the band itself, as with the line, “There comes a time in every little punks life where he has to write a song for his common law wife.”

The second half of the album consists of a rock opera of epic proportions titled “Glass and Wire,” based on Townsend’s blog novella, “The Boy Who Heard Music.”

After 24 years, this album was a great risk that both Townsend and Daltrey took, but the outcome is a positive one. Even missing two big pieces of the puzzle, it’s apparent that The Who is still going strong and has made a damn good comeback.

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