Customer Reviews

All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A lot of critics panned this album when it came out in 1982, but it's very highly regarded by many fans. A good artist makes music that comes out of the heart and soul, with the true fans in mind, instead of writing ordinary pop fluff that might be very commercially successful and critically-acclaimed but not remembered or thought highly of in the long run. This was the first of Pete's solo albums which I got, after having queried the girls on the lists I'm on for female Who freaks about which of his solo albums would be best to start with. It really is an ideal album if you're just getting into his solo work (EG is also a great place to start). Personal introspective songs like "Stop Hurting People," "Stardom in Acton," "Somebody Saved Me," and "The Sea Refuses No River" weren't written to make some fast money or get rave reviews, but to share one's soul and heart, in all their naked, raw, painful, poignant glory, with people who truly care about the artist. It's saying "This is who, how, and why I am; take me or leave me." And expressing one's inner spiritual and emotional turmoil in song was no longer hip by 1982, so of course critics wouldn't like it.

Unlike EG, this would not have made a good Who album as well as a solo album. There's no wonder Pete got such a huge female following when he went solo, because the types of songs he wrote changed in scope. Female Who freaks are a minority because most women don't get into the type of loud angry rock they did, but Pete's solo work is just the sort of thing that the average woman would fall in love with, being so personal and sensitive. Too many other artists tank when they go solo, since they're still singing the type of songs they sang with their original band and can't break out of the mould to create their own new identity, with a unique identity and vision.

First, the basics: This is an excellent CD. The writing is primarily excellent, occasionally inspired, and w/ just a few 'wince' moments that let you see the Man Behind the Curtain. Then there's the music w/ all of Mr. Townshend's trademarks: melodies with intelligent hooks that propel the song, not make the song subservient to the hook; world-class musicianship, powerful choruses, AND that thing fans have come to expect (poor Pete) -- Mr. Townshend's ability to consistently provide us with a hand-full of turns-of-phrase that so perfectly match their musical settings they become a permanent part of us. And then there's the production values. Superb! Awesome! Richly Satisfying!
Secondly, reading the other reviews of All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes, I'm struck by the criticisms of "overproduction," "pretentiousness," etc. Those reviewers probably weren't there in the 70's when the Rock-Zeitgeist became ripe w/ the desire to, 'have it all:' to have authentic rock 'n roll, WITH grown-up lyrics/subject matter AND WITH top-quality production values. A little poetry added to the mix would be nice, too.  When All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes hit the racks, we had a whole record that fullfilled that Zeitgeist. But even more to the point, if you want more from your Rock than escapism, if you've ever had that sublime experience of enjoying good music WHILE feeling you were taking part in the greater-conversation going on in our culture -- YOU NEED THIS RECORDING.

After releasing his very contemporary, timely sounding, and also quite brilliant Empty Glass album (hell, even the NME didn't hate that one) during a period of debauchery that nearly killed him, Townshed cleaned up, went completely outside the realm of fashion, and poured out this cathartic album, which has some of his strongest, most emotional music and most perceptive lyrics ever (e.g., his shot at skinhead fashion: "On my parka is some band I don't rally understand", from "Uniforms"). Hell, this album has some of the most emotional and perceptive music anybody has created on one album.

The highlights for me are the majestic "The Sea Refuses No River," and the harrowing, yet strangely witty "Somebody Saved Me." But almost every song here is noteworthy, and some still sound quite distinctive. One could say it's overblown and overdone, but I like it that way. Anything less would have been cheating us of his best.

If you like intelligent, emotional music, give this one a spin: you might just be blown away.

I could be the only Townshend collector who came in because my favourite artiste is the determining factor re what I collect.Virginia Astley is the sister in law of Pete Townshend and I'm her biggest fan so I collect her entire family and things by people she worked with such as Jocelyn Pook or Martin Stephenson.
When Pete asked Virginia to play piano on the song "The sea refuses no river" she hesitated as it wasn't HER music and she didn't think she could do it. But he said "go on Virginia its in you" so she did and,unwittingly,inspired another song here "Slit Skirts"...a chance remark which Townshend turned into a song .
It came about because Virginia was just about to make her debut as a Ravishing Beauty when Pete said "what will you be wearing slit skirts?" to which she replied "no just regular normal dresses I wouldn't be seen dead in slit skirts". And so,with a name change to "Jeannie"...close enough to Ginny...a song was born which she also played on.

Pete began using his inlaws with increased regularity from 1978 when Ted Astley did some arrangemts for "Who Are You" and turned up again for "Street In The City" and brother Simon Townshend's first album. Jon Astley,also present in 1978,went on to become the official Who Archivist and its he who's responsible for all the remasters. Virginia made her first record in 1982 and used both Pete's daughters as backup singers,as well as some of his musicians. She was also on hand in "White City" and "The Iron Man" and was responsible for Pete recording All Shall Be Well.
The Scoop series of albums contains tracks which were collaborations between Pete and his father in law

When i was in elementary school I heard for the first time Townshend's Face Dances Part II. That song started a lifelong obession with the music of Pete Townshend and the Who. Chinese Eyes is simply a great album. Silt Skirts, Stardom in Acton, North Country Girl, Stop Hurting People...the whole album is classic. You will never get bored with it. On a side note, some of the members of Pete's band on this album left and formed Big Country.

Okay, I'm biased. Love Pete Townshend. Has an incredible body of work and I treasure this album. But I didn't always feel that way.... growing up the only exposure I had to The Who was through Union Jack muscle shirt-clad stoners I tried to avoid in school. So I came to the narrow-minded conclusion that their music (and PT's) was mindless anti-establilshment drivel.

One day I decided to put my then husband's PT and Who LP's on casette for him so he could listen to them while on deployment. Had it not been for a psycho cat trying to attack the turntable everytime I turned my back, I wouldn't have been forced to sit down and listen to this album....*

Stop Hurting People is a sincere and tender masterpiece. All the tracks in fact show sensitivity and stength and wit and love and honesty.... Aside from being a very clever lyricist, muscially he is a master, a gem, unique.

If you are not familiar with his work, treat yourself to this.... there are many other jewels in his collection to look forward to as well.

If you are already a fan and haven't heard this album yet... what are you waiting for!?

Enjoy!

*so I at least got one good thing out of that marriage!

The early 80s---make that the VERY early 80s were a great time for popular music. Disco was gone, techno pop hadn't arrived yet, and a lot of people were putting out some of their best music ever. That's definitely true of Pete Townsend and this album. Fans of The Who might be upset that the album isn't a hard rock effort, but people who just enjoy good music will love it. Most of the songs are very personal and heartfelt, with wonderful poetic lyrics, but there are also some songs that are just catchy and fun as hell to sing, like "Face Dances." Almost every style of music is represented on the album, from straight-forward rock ("Slit Skirts") to bluesy rock ("Exquisitely Bored in California") to light-hearted techno ("Uniforms"). There are also a few rock ballads such as "The Sea Refuses No River" and "Somebody Saved Me." Since the techno revolution wasn't fully in swing yet, there are a minimal amount of keyboards on the album and it has an all-around rock feel to it, just not hard rock like The Who. This is an album I listen to over and over without ever getting bored of it; it's Pete's best solo work and one of the best albums of the early 80s.

When I bought this cd I couldn't stop listening to it, and I listen to it about once a week now.

This could very well be Pete's best solo album. At the moment it's my favorite of his. I wasn't alive when it was released, but I've read that critics didn't think much of it when it was. I can't fathom why except it's not meant for some hit radio singles or raking in the money.

Pete is such a strong songwriter, and he taps into so many different emotions. He has the ability to pull you into a song whether it's social commentary or about his life. The pain, the glory, the grit...everything is laid on the table. I guess it doesn't hurt that he's quite a good guitarist as well.

I want to name my favorites on this cd, but to do that might have me mentiong the entire cd. Although Somebody Saved Me and Communication are usually at the very top of my list for favorites from this cd. Communication is great commentary, and Somebody Saved Me seems so personal and beautiful.

From beginning to end a classic album. Most of the previous reviews mention Stop Hurting People, The Sea...., Faces Dances II, Slit Skirts, Stardom in Acton and yes they are all great. My two favorites are Somebody Saved Me and North Country Girl. Musically and lyrically the album is tight, but the words and feeling with which Pete sings these two songs really touches me. I moved a year ago and just recently found my old LP the memories of the deep feelings in these song made me purchase the CD immediately. This one gets better with age! If you like Pete you can't go wrong!

These are NOT songs that The Who would likelyn have done, but they wonderful Townshend. While I like all of them, my favorites are "The Sea Refuses No River", "Exquisitely Bored", "North Country Girl", "Somebody Saved Me", and "Slit Skirts". They lyrics are quite meaningful and the music is fun and witty. Some of it is quite beautiful.

The exquisite little "Prelude" is a jewel. "Communication" is driving social commentary, "Uniforms" is hilarious, and "Stardom in Acton" is bitingly sardonic.

This is a fun album to listen to more than every now and again. It is testimony to Townshend's range and importance as a song writer. If you aren't familiar with it you should treat yourself.