With "The Seeker" Pete Townshend and the Who take that proverbial one step backwards.

A subdued (for the Who) rock and roller that gives the impression of having slightly more muscle than it shows, "The Seeker" addresses itself to the futility of seeking The Answer (which, we are informed, neither Bobby Dylan, the Beatles, or even Timothy Leary has to bestow). Built around a rather familiar rock riff and employing a typically obvious change to hook in its chorus, it's highlighted instrumentally by sympathetic interplay between Townshend's guitar and Entwistle's bass, bombastic (and unusually well-recorded) Moon drumming, and a Chuckleberry-ish break by Townshend, who elsewhere amuses himself by brushing up on his "Sally Simpson" piano licks.

Well-performed and clever as it is, though, it's a trifle mundane compared to most everything from Tommy or the group's live act. Distinguished by neither the pulverizing fury of "I Can See For Miles" nor the perverse wit of "Pictures Of Lily" and "I'm A Boy," it is reminiscent of "Call Me Lightning," "Magic Bus," and other disappointing singles Townshend slipped us in between strokes of genius.

What's most disturbing about this single is its tone: After the success of Tommy, Townshend seemingly feels called upon to re-define his context, to reassure us that he's not off building a soapbox. Very somber, this. They should have given us Entwistle's exhilarating "Heaven and Hell" instead.

On the back is Daltrey's "Here For More," his second released attempt at songwriting. Unlike his earlier "See My Way," this one is even a little hummable, comprised of a catchy melody and nice bluegrassy guitar from Pete. Country-flavored in the typically charming English way, it demonstrates that Daltrey may yet surpass Ringo Starr.

Bring on the live album, he said for the millionth time.

“V.T.T.L.O.T.F.D.G.F.”

Quite a few musicians have utilized initials for song titles -- Michael Jackson's "P.Y.T.," Abba's "S.O.S.," Donald Fagen's "I.G.Y.," etc. But the more curiously initialed tune has to be "V.T.T.L.O.T.F.D.G.F.," short for "Voyage to the Land of the Freeze-Dried Godzilla Farts." Fishbone's original guitarist, Kendall Jones, explained to Rolling Stone, "When Norwood [Fisher] wrote it, he introduced it to the band saying, 'Man, I've been hearing about all these Nazi right-wing groups on the news saying the Holocaust was staged. So what if America said it never dropped two atom bombs on Japan, that it was actually Godzilla popping a couple off?' Only Norwood would come up with something that out." The same year "V.T.T.L.O.T.F.D.G.F." was released, the film Godzilla 1985 appeared in North America.