Q Magazine's review of Substitute

["Brian Cady" <cadyb@home.com>]

Available on line at:
http://www.q4music.com

Substitute Songs Of The Who
Quite rightly, the tribute album has fallen into disrepute of late, acolytes
rarely reaching their masters' standards. Theoretically though, established
bands with extensive catalogues of their own have little to fear from
contributing to such projects, save complacency.
And so it is on this oddly sequenced affair: the bigger the gun, the more
ferociously they blaze. David Bowie, doing something from his own era rather
than pretending to be a teenager and therefore sounding comfortable for the
first time in years, adds glistening cadence to Pictures Of Lily. Pearl Jam,
freed from their conscience, go for a roll in the hay with The Kids Are
Alright, and Paul Weller skates around Circles with joy and reverence.
Better yet are three successive tracks towards the end. Stereophonics give
the still-wonderful Who Are You a delightful kicking, Kelly Jones displaying
a lightness of touch he struggles to attain on his own material. US
stoner-rockers Phish are straight by their standards on 5.15, but still
convey the song's thuggish pathos, while Behind Blue Eyes sounds as if it
were written for Sheryl Crow. The lesser lights - Fastball, Unamerican,
Cast, Ocean Colour Scene - struggle rather, and Kelly Jones guesting with
The Who themselves on Substitute was a silly idea. A curate's egg, but it
could have been much much worse.

Reviewed by John Aizlewood

        -Brian in Atlanta
         The Who This Month!
        http://members.home.net/cadyb/who.htm