Pete TownshendWhite City: A NovelStudio albumRecorded: 1985
Released: 30 November 1985
BandPete Townshend (guitar)
Steve Barnacle (bass)
Mark Brzezicki (drums)
John Bundrick (keyboards)
Tony Butler (bass)
Peter Hope-Evans (harmonica)
David Gilmour (guitar)
Chucho Merchan (bass)
Pino Palladino (bass)
Simon Phillips (drums)
Clem Burke (drums)
Phil Chen (bass)
Jackie Challenor (backing vocals)
Mae McKenna (backing vocals)
Lorenza Johnson (backing vocals)
Emma Townshend (backing vocals)
Ewan Stewart (recitation)
Also featuring Kick Horns:
Simon Clarke
Roddy Lorimer
Dave Sanders
Tim Sanders
Peter Thoms
All tracks authored by Pete Townshend, except where noted.
Side A1. Give Blood (5:44)
2. Brilliant Blues (3:06)
3. Face the Face (5:51)
4. Hiding Out (3:00)
5. Secondhand Love (4:12)
Side B1. Crashing By Design (3:14)
2. I am Secure (4:00)
3. White City Fighting
(Gilmour, Townshend) (4:40)
4. Come to Mama (4:40)
ReviewThis album reminds me of exactly why I stopped listening to The Who. Townshend's music consists mainly of repeating motifs that aren't particularly good to begin with, and his lyrics typically take the form of repeating phrases which do little to further the concept this album is supposed to have. The only track on side A that didn't leave me bored to tears was Face the Face, which is saved by a decent groove. However, Townshend's abilities are not what I'm here to critique.
The third track on side B, White City Fighting, was originally written for
About Face. David asked both Pete Townshend and Roy Harper to provide lyrics, but ended up not using the material, and each of them used the piece themselves instead. I only intend to review this version, though, because it's the only one to feature David on guitar.
Unfortunately, this seems like it was excluded from
About Face with good reason. This song makes Love On the Air look like a poetic masterpiece by comparison, and played here by Townshend's band, it sounds flatter and duller than even the worst material on David's album. I might come back and review Roy Harper's version for comparison, once I've had a chance to get the memory of this one out of my mind.
I'm already regretting wasting 38 minutes of my life on this tripe. Save yourself some brain cells and listen to
The Division Bell instead.