The Who
It's Hard

It has been 23 years since The Who released new material; their last studio effort is encapsulated in this 1982 album, a controversial and, in some respects, bold work in expressing new sounds, yet still an interesting and curious effort. The lineup is the same that produced the previous year's "Face Dances", which disappointed many fans, as they were met with material lacking impact and a Kenney Jones still getting into the swing of things. "It's Hard" is certainly more appealing than its predecessor, showcasing a more cohesive band, with the new drummer fulfilling his role without making the listener miss Moon at every moment.

The opening of "Athena" is disorienting, the track starts with a melody that echoes the best of "Tommy", but then evolves into a danceable track, with horns emphasizing the chorus and Daltrey's voice, overall a track that's not bad and at times intriguing. Keyboards open "It's Your Turn", a powerful piece with the singer's great voice once again at the forefront, in a similar vein to "Cooks County"; with a lovely guitar by Townshend, "It’s Hard" opens, a track that speaks volumes about the state of the band, aware of reaching the end. "Dangerous" and "One At Times" are Entwistle's decent contributions to the album, which takes a surprising Funky turn with "Eminence Front", the best track on the album, although the electronics slightly mar the track’s atmosphere. More electronics supported by a nice echoing drum open the splendid "I've Known No War", a cold war song, remarkably performed by Daltrey. The rarefied atmospheres of "One Life's Enough" are curious, the conclusion of "Cry If You Want" is beautiful, another good rock piece. The rest is routine, sometimes redundant and lukewarm but still an example of excellent music.

At the time, the album went almost unnoticed by critics, it sold well, yet remains a marginal chapter in the history of this great band, nonetheless, it can be rediscovered and appreciated.