John Entwistle - So Who's The Bass Player?

Only recently have I truly familiarized myself with the rich musical legacy of The Who. Buying a copy of Who’s Next on vinyl last year was a beautiful gateway drug into their world of “maximum R and B.” Upon further inquiry into their greatness, it is clear that one of the key components to their success was the immense skill and quiet work ethic of bassist John Entwistle. So Who’s The Bass Player? The Ox Anthology is a posthumous compilation of Entwistle’s solo material and shows a side of him rarely seen in his collaborative work with The Who. This collection, spanning two discs and thirty-eight tracks, is a testament to Entwistle’s talents as an arranger and instrumentalist. Songs like “Heaven and Hell,” “Ted End” and “Pick Me Up (Big Chicken)” brim with creativity and display the brass-playing skills that made Entwistle principle French horn player in the Middlesex Youth Orchestra as a child. His songwriting is marked by a wry lyrical humor and willingness to experiment with elements of production and song structure. The anthology demonstrates the validity of Entwistle’s musical ideas and his great potential as a songwriter. Unfortunately, the album also reveals this potential was not realized on a consistent basis. The very elements that worked for Entwistle in his greatest compositions also worked against him at times, making some of his work appear forced. While there is evidence here of shining moments in Entwistle’s solo career, the majority of the material comes off as simply mediocre. I understand the compilers’ attempts to showcase a wide variety of Entwistle’s musical pursuits, but the aforementioned problem might have been alleviated had the anthology been more selectively put together. There is enough good material to pack a single disc but not enough for two. So Who’s the Bass Player? is a historically significant record of Entwistle’s work, and for that reason, I am excited to include it in my collection. Realistically, however, I doubt it will get much play. There is too much average material to wade through before getting to the good stuff. If I really want to evoke memories of this talented musician, I would be far more likely to spin his best work with The Who and enjoy how his playing helped place that band in the upper stratosphere of rock and roll. [www.johnentwistle.com]