I often think of George Harrison and John Entwistle as two sides of the same coin; two rather fine songwriters overshadowed by the more notable and prodigious output of the stellar songwriters in their respective bands — Harrison by Lennon and McCartney in the Beatles; Entwistle by the Who’s Pete Townshend. The monster bassist, alternately known as the “Ox“ and “Thunderfingers,” gets his due with Rarities Oxhumed – Volume One, the first in a series of posthumous releases.
The trio of openers, “Bogey Man,” the epic sounding keys wash of “Darker Side Of Night,” and “I’ll Try Again Today,” mine that rolling and roiling growly low territory Entwistle liked to route ‘round in. Not the strongest of vocalists, still Entwistle outfits himself well through all the singing he manages on these tracks. And, of course, his bass playing is unmatched. The snapping and strut of the Alice Cooper-like “I Wouldn’t Sleep With You” is pure heavy Entwistle, his tongue planted firmly in cheek with the lyric, and maybe the best studio track here.
The rest of the demos and remasters are all pretty much gems in and of themselves with the collection ending on another strong trio of live songs — a wonderfully messy “Under A Raging Moon,” “Shakin’ All Over,” and an Entwistle classic, “Trick Of The Light,” which originally appeared the Who’s Who Are You album. It’s particularly raw and fantastic, recorded during the John Entwistle Band’s final tour in 2001. Rarities Oxhumed – Volume One allows the listener a good dive into John Entwistle’s unique songwriting, reaffirming the man’s well-deserved driving bass reputation and allowing one a good peak into his slightly cynical lyrical view.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
