| Product: |
Who's Next - The Who |
| Date: |
15/01/02 (300 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: An all time classic, The Who's finest work, Timeless
Disadvantages: Subsequant who releases never were able to follow
If Tommy was good then Who’s Next is sublime. An album never surpassed by the band or for that matter their predecessors. A blend of the finest heavy r n' b, including all time classics such as won't get fooled again and behind blue eyes. This album is not a display of one-dimensional rock, it has a blend of different styles each of which with the usual quirky features associated with all who productions. If a better album has been made i would be surprised, Led Zeppelin's physical graffiti was really the only other album after who's next to really take music to a different level.
This album came at the peak of The Who’s popularity, following on from the success of Tommy and Live at Leeds. The Who really needed something special to keep them at the forefront of the rock scene, and with Who’s next they struck their gold. Who’s next is actually made up of a number of songs supposed to be used for Pete Townshend’s new rock opera masterpiece ‘Lifehouse’ but due to its complexity it was scrapped, and the unnecessary extracts were bundled together to create one of the greatest rock albums ever.
Babba O’ Riley
This is a truly masterful entrance to one of the greatest albums ever made. The first thing you encounter Pete’s experiments on a synthesiser, he was one of the first people to use this brand new resource. The rather obscure rhythm continues throughout the song, but an emphatic piano accompaniment, classic drumbeat, heavy guitar riffs and extremely tough and emotive vocals soon accompany it. This is one of The Who’s finest songs, each of the band members have pulled together to create a sublime offering. The song conveys a very strong message, backed up by an extremely tough display of musicianship. If this was to be part of Pete Townshend’s Lifehouse production, I can only imagine how special that would have been.
Bargain
A very popular Who so
ng, it isn’t one of my personal favourites but I think it conveys the musical talent and diversity for which The who were so famous for. This song encompasses some excellent vocals and guitars, which is usually quite a common feature for any Who song.
Love aint for keeping
This is a far mellower and laid back Who song, it isn’t often that you are able to say that but this really is. It is still very entertaining and charged Who songs, especially with Roger Daltrey’s typically gruff singing style.
My Wife
A John Entwhistle classic, a comedy-laden song about the perils of crossing your significant other. John also performs the vocals for the song and does so with intriguing success. My wife also has another additive as The Who utilise a much-abused resource, wind instruments. An extremely entertaining song, one that they still perform live now. One of The Who’s greatest pieces and often underrated because it was a classic not created by the maestro Pete Townshend.
This song is over
A song that starts out sounding like another depressing Pete Townshend retrospective. However when Roger takes control of the song it grows new wings and becomes an extremely entertaining and invigorating Who triumph. This song keeps the albums ethos going with its sense of morality and raw power.
Getting in tune
Another Who song which blossoms from a controlled slow introduction, into a more meaningful offensive rock barrage. This is another unappreciated classic in my opinion, it shows what the Who do so very well. This is an excellent track enjoyable throughout, a good song to just vent your anger out at.
Going Mobile
This is another one of those obscure Who songs which have a bizarre humorous sensibility. Possibly a reflection of their life on the road, although it is probably equally as likely to be an insane idea, concocted inside Pete’s rather complex mind. This is an e
ntertaining song, which is sung by Pete in the spirit in which it was originally presumably written.
Behind blue eyes
A timeless Who classic, a song which combines the classic Who feature of a slow thought-provoking swiftly followed by an angry onslaught, to destroy any of those previously made positive feelings. This is again one of the Who’s finest, impeccably performed and constructed, this is one of the more poignant and provocative songs the Who created.
Won’t get fooled again
What can I say about this one? Well won’t get fooled again is an all out heavy rock classic, the song from start to finish is a torrent of raw emotion, combined with some of the greatest instrument usage and vocals you are likely to find anywhere. It is a song that demands attention and compels all those who love it to indulge in either a disgraceful bout of air guitar or even worse to sing a long. This is one of the most renowned songs not just on this album, but also from the Who themselves.
Pure and easy
This is the first of the remastered additions to the album, it isn’t quite of the same standard as the rest of the album, but it is still an absolute gem. This is a rather too deep and meaningful song to be a Who classic, for any other band this would probably considered a classic.
Baby don’t you do it
Another previously unreleased track, this song is an absolute explosion of noise and life. It appears as though Roger and Keith were given a free reign to do as they wished with this track. It is an absolute barnstormer from the vocal and drumming point of view. Quality is perhaps at a premium but the rawness of the track is in itself genius.
Naked eye
Another Who song entangled with moral issues and self-recrimination. This is apparently a very personal song, which leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination. All of the lyrics are explicit and are then vocally given life by a
combination of both Pete and Roger. This is one of those hidden gems on an album, truly an exceedingly fine song.
Water
One of the basic elements is given new life and also a rather obscure connection to “somebody’s daughter”. This is a sublime Who presentation full of angst and energy, with a typically warped lyrical base.
Too much of anything
This is possibly another of Pete’s self criticising and soul-searching extravaganza’s. This song is of a slower tempo to a lot of the other pieces, but still has that angst ridden self-recrimination, which either says more or less than you think it is attempting to convey. An extremely aloof text, which is very hard to get into, however from an entertainment and musical prospective, it is another work of art.
I don’t even know myself
This song is a piece, which moves through many interchangeable levels, from the down, beat depression all the way back up to the up beat reprise. I am sure you know what I am going to say, but this is perhaps another insight into the insecurities of the writer himself. A superb track which has all those classic Who traits obvious to any Who fan out there.
Behind Blue eyes
This is a softer alternative version to the original classic; it is also an extremely well crafted song despite some rather rough patches, but not quite up to the standard of the actual version.
Conclusion
This is one of those extremely rare albums, which are within touching distance of perfection. It shows The Who in their least favoured situation (the studio), creating one of the most memorable albums not only of their career but also one of the greatest albums of all time. This album never loses its charm, just when you think you are starting to understand one aspect, another comes up and rears its ugly head. Truly a methodical masterpiece, one that will never be equalled again.
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