Lifehouse Elements

Containing all the aforementioned tunes ("Baba O'Riley" is given orchestral and ambient treatments) plus Who Are You's title track and "New Song," Elements is rife with classic-rock touchstones, albeit with alien arrangements. But Elements may prove problematic for more casual listeners. Townshend strains vocally; one can't help but recall the power of the Who's Next songs and find these wanting. Finally, Elements really sounds like a collection of songs--an acute flaw in a concept album. Ah, but what songs. It all makes one ponder how rock history would be different if Townshend had pulled his pet project together in the heyday of the Who. --Steven Stolder