Customer Reviews

Empty Glass

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Empty Glass" released in April 1980 is in my opinion a masterpiece and as far as I'm concerned Townshend is a musical genius. He has written so many great songs (not to mention the two rock operas "Tommy" and "Quadrophenia") and he continued to do so with "Empty Glass". Newly remastered for 2006 and now on the Hip-O label (Universal Music), a classic is now made even better. The sound quality surpasses the older remaster by leaps and bounds and there's a crispness that the older remaster lacked with the bass, midrange and output level all increased for 2006! The standout cuts obviously are "Rough Boys", "Let My Love Open The Door" and "Gonna Get Ya" (also included as a bonus track as a whopping eleven minute plus long version). But this album also included other superb tracks such as the self titled "I'm An Animal" (included as a bonus track "Alternate Version"), "Empty Glass", "Keep On Working" (included also as a bonus track "Alternate Vocal") and "And I Moved" (another bonus track "Alternate Vocal"). This was one of the best album's released in 1980 and it sounds as good today as it did twenty six years ago.

Originally released in 1980,as this was Townsend's third solo effort.I remember the day this record came out,as so many fans and critics alike were stating that this album could have EASILY been a Who lp.It's THAT good.Two tracks that got plenty of airplay on FM radio stations across the U.S. were "Rough Boys" and "Let My Love Open The Door".Two other cuts here that I was sort of taken away with were the intricately played "A Little Is Enough" and the rocking title track "Empty Glass".This reissue comes with four(4) good bonus cuts.An absolute must-have for all serious Who fans.

I don't like most modern remastered discs. They sound harsh, flat , two dimensional, in other words they sound more like an average cd and less like the master tape or the original LP. When a remaster is done correctly, it can be superb, so I'm not against all remasters. I am a huge Townshend fan, but I find the original releases of these cd's to be much less fatiguing, more musical!! Why?, because they are exact dupes of the LP"S. They just sound more anologue-like!! The other little trick they pull with new remasters is to pump up the level so the it sounds louder than the original at the same volume setting, but louder is not better!!!! Turn the volume up on the original and you'll find the sonics are acutually better. They play much louder without compession or harshness! It's a shame, glad I held onto my original cd's and LP"s. Just an analogue lover's viewpoint.
Five stars for music, 3 stars for sound.

Arguably Townshend's best solo album receives both a sonic upgrade and interesting bonus tracks. The remastered sound by Jon Astley is pretty good. It's mastered louder, is more compressed and generally sounds harsher compared to the previous edition(s) of the album (it was remastered a couple of years ago by Warner which had the license to Townshend's solo stuff except for "Who Came First" and "Rough Mix" recently). We get complete lyrics for all the songs as well similar to the previous release. The version I compared this one to was the gold CD that Ted Jensen remastered about five or six years ago. I'd go with the Jensen or first CD master over this as the only attraction are the bonus tracks.

We also get "And I Moved","Keep on Working", "I Am An Animal" all in what appears to be demo form some substanially different though they are hardly essential they are nice additions to this CD. Some of the tracks here and on the follow up album ("All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes") were presented for The Who to record but rejected; it's clear that these are intensely personal songs and would probably not have worked with Roger Daltrey singing them. The highlights include "Rough Boys", "And I Moved", "Just a Little is Enough" and the rough and ready "Gonna Get Ya" (which appears in a 10 minute unedited demo version as a bonus track as well as the other three previously mentioned).

This is an essential album for any rock fan.

I have always enjoyed this album. I remember when it came out at the beginning of the 1980's. A girlfriend of mine played it nonstop. I love "Rough Boys" and "Empty Glass." Pete has always been a terrific songwriter and guitar player, and this collection of songs showcases his brilliance, even though it was written during a difficult time in his life. A classic that I will never tire of. A deeply personal effort filled with confusion, anger, self-doubt, but extremely listenable.

Though it's often downplayed thanks to his experimental leanings, Townshend had a knack for writing the perfect pop-rocker that stretched from "I Can't Explain" and "The Kids Are All RighT" to "You Better You Bet" and "Athena". Empty Glass is, basically, an album full of those perfect pop-rockers. It doesn't make any significant advances past the Who's hard-rocking, synthesizer-driven, intelligent sound, which is my only complaint, and a small one at that. The whole album is just filled with some of the best melodies I've heard - top 5 "Let My Love Open the Door" is only the best known example; the ambiguous "And Then I Moved" (which casts Townshend's sexuality in a questioning light - not that I mind); rock critic insult "Jooles and Jim"; "I Am an Animal" and "Rough Boys" are similar: solid melodies, hard-to-forget refrains, lots of fun synthesizer parts. The hard-rocking side of Townshend's still here too: check the slide-and-harp blues "Cat's in the Cupboard" or the guitar-heavy title track and "I'm Gonna Get You". And every song is at about that level, which makes Empty Glass a must-have for Who fans. Interestingly, Townshend's voice has dropped an octave or so - no longer high and clear, so you can't expect him to hit the same notes as he did on "The Song Is Over" - instead, he's more at "Eminence Front" level. While I prefer the high-pitched Townshend (it just sounds so different! And I like different!), he's still a fine singer on this album.

If you want buy only one cd of Pete from the discography, this is the one, the best!

With Pete Townshend's bleak years from 1978-1982 hitting their peak in 1980, his music became an open-book revelation of his everyday errors. However, this personal approach draws the listener even closer. For starters, the Empty Glass says it all--Townshend remained a musically enlightened individual and was now attracting more female fans than ever before. Sadly, there was a lot of drinking day-in-and-day-out, but at least he eventually snapped out of it.
As far as the music on this golden record is concerned, one can't help but argue that it's full of heart and easy to relate to right from the getgo. From the hard-rocking "Rough Boys" to the sensitizing "I Am An Animal" and "And I Moved"; the colorful, mesmerizing "Let My Love Open The Door" to the head-banging "Jools And Jim" (in which Pete makes a sly reference to Keith Moon's death), Empty Glass fills you up with empathy for this genius who is simply experiencing a rough road in every aspect of the concept. Like The Who By Numbers, the music herein takes a simpler tune lyrically and melodically, but is not lacking in the slightest. "Cat's In The Cupboard" keeps the listener on their toes orally as to what comes next in the brilliantly erratic musical layout. "A Little Is Enough" offers more than enough glory in its delivery. The title track hits you right in the chest with depth and heartfelt anguish. And it ends with a special message from the man himself in "Gonna Get Ya". The only feature of this album that could have used more consideration were the choice of bonus tracks--all outtakes or alternative vocals of songs on the original record. The originals are far better. I guess Pete didn't have any other unreleased original or copied material to present onto the reissued version of EG. But with or without those four "retakes", Empty Glass remains a timeless classic that can always bring you up when you're feeling down.

If you're thinking about buying it but are hesitant after something like "Scoop," don't sweat it. This is an actual album, not a compilation of leftover weirdness, nor as flaky as "All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes." Good stuff, from rockers to more contemplative pieces, very listenable for the Townshend fan. "Let My Love Open the Door" does indeed sound very Who-y, almost a coda to "You Better You Bet," but that's about it as far as I'm concerned. The rest is Pete.

This is the very first LP I ever listened to back in 2002. It was my favorite. Then I went to Amazon.com and bought the CD. My favorites are
5. Rough Boys
4. A Little Is Enough
3. Jools And Jim
2. Empty Glass
1. Let My Love Open The Door