The 1980 Listening Post - Roger Daltrey - McVicar

Roger Daltrey - McVicar 

#264

June 1980

Roger Daltrey

McVicar Soundtrack

Genre: Rock

3.5 out of 5 

Highlights:

Free Me

My Time is Gonna Come

While this is technically a “soundtrack” and we don’t do soundtracks it’s a bunch of original songs and is generally considered a Daltrey solo record. 

While it’s a Daltrey solo record it features performances by Pete Townshend and John Entwhistle on a bunch of tracks. 

So, it’s a Who records that’s not a Who record. I’m sure there’s a story there. I’m not interested in it, though, if it brings me any more information about Face Dances about which the less said, the better. 

Also, it should be noted that none of the songs are written by Daltrey (or Townshend or Entwhistle). And there’s a turgid ballad by Russ Ballad—I mean, Ballard. Ballard contributed “Free Me” which is excellent, even if it is sort of an interpolation of “Devil Woman” by Cliff Richard and the surprisingly electric “My Time is Gonna Come”.

The album takes two moments to be a soundtrack. The “Escape” tracks by Jeff Wayne are dynamic and exciting.

I know that this review probably turned you off from this record but, truly, except for a couple missteps, it’s not bad. Certainly better than Daltrey’s other offerings. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqH5-BDcJmk&list=PLlvn8uktX5LvdfzEf7oTQO8DBKXsyKCJ1

The 1985 Listening Post - Roger Daltrey - Under a Raging Moon

Roger Daltrey - Under a Raging Moon

#368/1004

September 1985

Roger Daltrey

Under a Raging Moon

Genre: Rock

2 out of 5

Was “After the Fire” a leftover track from All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes? It sounds like it, like it was written at the same time as “Stardom in Acton”. And it is a Townshend track. 

As the album went on I couldn’t help but start to feel…resentful. Is this a brand name cash grab? What does Daltrey think he is, some kind of draw unto himself? He’s a shitty singer who has bad taste in music. If I wanted a raspy “singer” in his 40s I’d call Rod Stewart. If I want songs that sound like 3rd rate latter day, exhausted Who, I’d go buy that shitty Who album. 

When Roger warbles “Rebel” he’s so obviously phony.  And the title track…ripping on “Baba O’Reilly” so freaking hard…stahhhhp!

This album is an excuse to drink and do coke on the company’s dime. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/under-a-raging-moon/296548171

The 1984 Listening Post - Roger Daltrey - Parting Should Be Painless

Roger Daltrey - Parting Should Be Painless

#44

February 1984

Roger Daltrey

Parting Should Be Painless

.5 out of 5 

Oh, what fresh hell is this?

Abandoning hard rock in search of a hit, Roger enlists a bunch of other people’s material and shits all over it. As a vocalist he makes Rod Stewart sound like Pavarotti. On “Parting Should Be Painless”, a cover of a song by the unknown (by me) Kit Hain, the thing should retitled “Singing should be painless…except for Roger” cuz he sounds like he’s being tortured. 

This makes me want to strangle a cat.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/parting-should-be-painless/296548247