Instant Party - Import CD Review

["Scott Schrade" <schrade@akrobiz.com>]

There's a new double-CD "import" on the shelves this Holiday Season.
It's called THE WHO INSTANT PARTY - The Complete UK & US
Singles Collection.

The cover itself is pretty interesting (four pictures - one of each of our
heroes).  Moon, dressed in some nice 60's regalia, wearing some dark 
sun glasses, having a drink in what looks like someone's kitchen.  Pete,
with a mock serious look on his face, playing a cello, in what looks like
someone's living room.  Daltery, wearing a pop-art, half white, half black,
half solid, half striped, button-down shirt, looking the most sensible out
of all of 'em.  And finally The OX, holding a cigarette, stradling a motor-
bike (!), wearing a belt buckle which, ironically, looks to be about as
big as the CD itself.  All rare, fresh pictures.

Open it up & there's another rare picture, this time a group shot.  But it's
one of those group shots where everyone looks about 14 years old.  Pete's
"hip" jacket looks to be two sizes too big.  And is Entwistle flipping me
off while holding his bass & pretending to fret the strings?  I bet he is.

There's a ton of songs on this double CD &, for the most part, everything
sounds pretty decent.  Maybe too much high-end here & there, & darn it
if some tracks are lower in volume than the others (makes me have to get 
up off my lazy ass & either turn up or turn down my stereo).  My only con-
clusion can be that Jon Astley is now doing work for some of the bootleg 
companies, intent on spreading his vile deeds to all corners of Who audio
releases.

Which reminds me:  the Holiday Season's annual I-Hate-Jon-Astley Supper
Engagement will be held Dec.12th this yaer at Tavern On The Green in 
Rochester, N.Y.  Tickets are $45.00 & this year's keynote address will
be given by Craig Pompus of Sacramento who will not only share his com-
plaints about Astley's mastering techniques on Who releases, but will also
present evidence that Astley tampered with the transmission on his 1994
Volvo.  Be one of the first 25 people to show up with an attitude & receive
a pair of Anti-Astley brand hearing aids designed to correct many of his
mistakes.  You know where to put the cork.

Where was I?  Oh yeah, the big problem with this double CD is that about
half a dozen of the tracks have cropped beginnings - they start a second or 
two into the song!  Makes one stop & say, "Hey!  That wasn't right!" Dis-
appointing.

Very nice mix of songs, though.  You get standards like "Pinball Wizard,"
"I Can't Explain," "My Generation," "Magic Bus" (long & short versions),
& "Substitute," mixed with many of the lesser-known Who singles like "Dogs,"
"Dr. Jeckyl & Mr. Hyde" (try having *that* song stuck in your head for a
day or so!), "In the City," "I've Been Away," "Call Me Lightning," "Wasp-
man," & "Here For More."

The CD's themselves seem to be actual CD's & not CDR's.

I love the song selection on these CD's & also the pictures in the packaging
but the cropped song beginnings keep it from acheiving that "almost perfect"
status.

Final Grade:  B


- SCHRADE in Akron