The Who – Face Dances (1981) Review | Time and Tide Wait for No Moon

Kronomyth 15.0: Pete’s the face, baby, is that clear?

The prospect of The Who’s demise seemed to light a fire under Pete Townshend, who first channeled his energies into a new solo album (Empty Glass) and, finding a receptive public, Face Dances. Of course, this time there’s something missing: the energy, the anger, the warmed-over teenage angst are absent, replaced by a mature songcraft that feels more like a Townshend solo album than anything since Who By Numbers. The only two tracks that really rock are from John Entwistle: The Quiet One and You. Here, Roger Daltrey and Entwistle rumble like thugs—even new member Kenney Jones gets into the action. Otherwise, Face Dances an unusually mannered album, primped to a pleasant appearance by producer Bill Szymczyk (best known for his work with Eagles). Townshend is far too talented a songwriter to fall into bland pop pitfalls, spiking songs like Another Tricky Day and You Better You Bet with biting commentary and flashes of brilliance, yet it did seem that Szymczyk had smoothed out too many of the rough edges. The result is an album of sometimes dark subjects (How Can You Do It Alone, Did You Steal My Money) that come across remarkably light. Maybe that was the intent all along with The Who Part 2, or perhaps the band had dropped their compass in the confusion. Whatever the reason, Face Dances holds the dubious distinction of being a very good album that few critics thought made for a particularly good Who album. If this had simply carried Townshend’s name, critics likely would have viewed it as a glass half full. Still, audiences were reluctant to let go of the band’s coat, inviting them back for an encore (It’s Hard) by giving Face Dances a platinum reception. While both albums represent something of a postscript to the tale of The Who, Who Are You was a cliffhanger that required some sort of closure.

The Product

A1. You Better You Bet (5:36)
A2. Don’t Let Go the Coat (3:43)
A3. Cache Cache (3:57)
A4. The Quiet One (John Entwistle) (3:09)
A5. Did You Steal My Money (4:10)
B1. How Can You Do It Alone (5:26)
B2. Daily Records (3:27)
B3. You (John Entwistle) (4:30)
B4. Another Tricky Day (4:55)

All songs written by Pete Townshend unless noted.

CD reissue bonus tracks
10. I Like Nightmares
11. It’s in You
12. Somebody Saved Me
13. How Can You Do It Alone (live)
14. The Quiet One (live)

The Players

Roger Daltrey (vocals), John Entwistle (bass), Kenny Jones (drums), Pete Townshend (guitar, backing vocals) with Rabbit (John Bundrick) (help and inspiration on B4), Billy Nicholls (backing vocals). Produced by Bill Szymczyk; engineered by Bill Szymczyk and Allan Blazek.

The Pictures

Paint box by Clive Barker. Sleeve concept and design by Peter Blake. Back sleeve photography and reference for the portraits by Gavin Cochrane and Brian Aris. Graphics by Richard Evans. Rostrum camera photography by Paul Hutchings. Paintings by Mike Andrews, Clive Barker, Peter Blake, Patrick Caulfield, Richard Hamilton, David Hockney, Howard Hodgkin, David Inshaw, Bill Jacklin, Allen Jones, R.B. Kitaj, Tom Phillips, Patrick Proctor, Colin Self or Norwich, Joe Tilson, David Tindle.

The Plastic

Released on elpee and cassette on March 16, 1981 in the UK (Polydor, WHOD/WHODC 5037), the US (Warner Bros., HS 3516), Canada (Warner Bros., XHS 3516), Germany (Polydor, 2311 065) and the Netherlands (Polydor, 2302 106) with poster and lyrics innersleeve. Reached #2 on the UK charts and #4 on the US charts (RIAA-certified platinum record).

1. Re-issued on remastered elpee in 1984 in the US (Mobile Fidelity, MFSL 1-115) with lyrics insert.
2. Re-issued on elpee, compact disc and cassette in 1988 in the US (MCA, MCA/MCAD/MCAC-25987).
3. Re-issued on expanded, remastered compact disc on June 3, 1997 in the UK (Polydor, 537 695) and the US and Canada (MCA, MCAD-11634) with 5 bonus tracks.
4. Re-issued on expanded, remastered compact disc in 2000 in Japan (Polygram Int’l, POCP-9207) with 5 bonus tracks.