Customer Reviews

Deep End Live

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Search out the concert video of this, and then burn a cd of its soundtrack. There's just too much good stuff on it that wasn't put on this disc to make the cd a purchase you'll be happy with. Pete looks and sounds great, being content to be the bandleader and leave the guitar heroics to David Gilmour (yes, *that* David Gilmour). MIA here are a fun, relaxed, big-band version of "Won't Get Fooled Again", an even more fun acoustic singalong of "Magic Bus", and a hilariously screeching rendition of "I Put A Spell On You." If the powers that be are content to let a major film statement of The Who like _The Kids Are Alright_ drift in and out of availability, in mutilated form, then I guess there's not a lot of hope for getting a reissue of the Deep End concert. But you'll kick yourself if you settle for this.

I'm reviewing this CD for one reason only. To punctuate exactly what a couple of you have already said. Hopefully some layman at Atlantic Records will figure out they could make some money if they re-released this title on DVD. Caveat emptor -this is NOT the full length version of the audio from the concert. The music is excellent, but it's not all here. Incidentally, this is some of the best ensemble work I've seen or heard by a collection of musicians in a rock format. You can hear every musician on stage, and no one gets buried in the mix - but again, it's NOT ALL HERE. Some of the best performances are left off of this CD. I know this is basically a transfer of a recording that was originally slated for the LP format (the album featured the exact same playlist- I own that too) but someone has got to get it together and re-release the whole Deep End Live concert. This CD is lip service to the entire performance at best. If this is ever released on DVD format, I know I'd pick up a copy immediately. It's a definitive concert performance, aurally and visually. Listening Atlantic??

The full concert IS available on CD. Townshend released it a year or two ago on his Signature Series of CD's. [...] along with some other shows and specialty items.

A great collection of songs, both covers and originals. Simon Phillips on the drums is the closest thing to the sound of Keith Moon, and the effect is amazing. Solo Pinball Wizard is a must for any Who fan, as well as his cover of Save it for later. A great album.

For those who are complaining that this cd has too few songs, the full twenty-two songs are now available on a two disk set via Townshend's website Eelpie. And part of the proceeds go to charity! Finally!

All of the tracks on this CD are just great. Pity they didn't release all of it (one extra track 'won't get fooled again appeared on a vinyl single back then - and there is supposed to be more). This one could certainly do with a 'de luxe edtion' re-release.

This is post-electric PT at his best, backed by one of the best ensembles of studio muisicians around at the time. The sound is to die for and the band is tight as a drum. However, I have the concert video of the entire performance , and the song selections on this CD really stink. You'll never know what you missed! Too bad.

This was a really disappointing album for me, after having waited a long time to finally find it in a record store. The stingy ten songs we're treated to came from a 22-song charity gig which has yet to be released on DVD (though four of the songs on the album aren't on the video of this concert). I really wanted to like this album, since I'd heard good things about it and because Pete has such a fantastic voice (and his talent has nothing to do with what he looks like, contrary to what another reviewer said; beauty is in the eye of the beholder), but just felt really disappointed at how lackluster these tracks sounded. The songs aren't bad necessarily, just badly chosen and badly arranged. And why is there barely a word of onstage dialogue, something which makes live albums so great? I like to hear the band or singer interacting with his/her/their audience and the other bandmates, not just clinically performing the songs with only a hello and a goodbye and a thank-you. Perhaps they sound better on the video.

The standouts on here are "Save it For Later" (hands-down the best track), the energetic opener "Barefootin,'" "I'm One," and "A Little Is Enough." There are also standard renditions of "Eyesight to the Blind" (a very confusing and inappropriate way to end the record), "Behind Blue Eyes" (give this song a rest!), and the massively overplayed "Pinball Wizard." I would be so happy if I never had to hear that song ever again. "I Put a Spell on You" is also a highlight, though I've been told that the performance of that song on the video is enough to put a real spell on one! The most disappointing songs are "After the Fire" and "Stop Hurting People." Pete wrote "After the Fire" for Roger, a song he covered brilliantly and with a lot of emotion on his 1985 solo LP 'Under a Raging Moon.' But when it comes time to interpret his own song, he falls flat. There's still some demonstration of the emotions imbedded in the poignant lyrics, but for the most part it just sounds like he's doing little more than talking his way through this beautiful song that deserved better. The same deal with "Stop Hurting People"; on 'Chinese Eyes' it was really sad, poignant, bittersweet, and emotional, a combination of spoken word and sung lyrics, but here it too is treated to a lackluster rendition that amounts to little more than talking his way through it. I hope the record company that produced this album gets off of their hands and rereleases it with all of the songs that were performed that night, as well as releasing the DVD of this show.

This is a great effort, however, the content is limited. Since Pete provided another release of the Brixton concert, with all of the songs, it seems a re-release of "Deep End" with more tracks would be a good idea. For example, the Brixton live version of "A Little is Enough" is far better than the studio version on "Empty Glass".

A five star concert rates only three stars because it is edited down to only one CD.

How about a 25th anniversary 2-CD set, Pete? And while you are at it, a 25th anniversary DVD would be in order.

I have to agree with the critics on this album, but the standout version of "Save if for later" may be worth the price of admission. Give that a listen, but don't expect quite as much from the other tracks.