As Reported on https://pitchfork.com

As Robert Plant holds out with every fibre of his being to ensure Led Zeppelin’s legacy is utterly spotless, The Who are the latest band to throw caution (and sense) to the wind and not only release new material but also – gulp – political stuff. Surely not even the most rabid Who fan is welcoming any of this with open arms?

The Who will release Who, their first album since 2006’s Endless Wire, on November 22. Today, the British rock pioneers have shared the single “Ball & Chain,” a Guantanamo protest song the band performed during their recent tour. Check that out below, along with the album art and tracklist.

Pete Townshend said in a press release, “This album is almost all new songs written last year, with just two exceptions. There is no theme, no concept, no story, just a set of songs that I (and my brother Simon) wrote to give Roger Daltrey some inspiration, challenges and scope for his newly revived singing voice. Roger and I are both old men now, by any measure, so I’ve tried to stay away from romance, but also from nostalgia if I can. I didn’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable. Memories are OK, and some of the songs refer to the explosive state of things today.”

Daltrey has voiced his support of Brexit and made dubious claims regarding its likely impact on British musicians. According to a press release, the album also covers topics including the Grenfell Tower fire, spirituality, the power of memory, and “an old rock star that has lost his marbles.”

Who:

01 All This Music Must Fade
02 Ball & Chain
03 I Don’t Wanna Get Wise
04 Detour
05 Beads On One String
06 Hero Ground Zero
07 Street Song
08 I’ll Be Back
09 Break The News
10 Rockin’ In Rage
11 She Rocked My World