The Who - The Who: The Ultimate Collection
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Free Music Notes for The Who: The Ultimate Collection
Free Music Review: The Who By Numbers
Hit: 5 Stars
I'd like to start by saying that a best of, or greatest hits compilation, always leaves some fan's favorite song off. A compilation should really be judged by its inclusiveness of all the top 40 hits, as well as key album tracks. A compilation is not procured for fans who have all the artist's cds. It designed to make money and to appeal to window shopping fans who want all the hits, plus a little extra. Does this two disc compilation of The Who satisfy that kind of buyer? Yes. The Who have 16 top 40 hits to their credit, and they're all here except "The Relay" and "Athena". So in that sense, this compilation gets a thumbs up. Does this compilation have many non-top 40 classics? Yes. Too many to just list here, but as a compilation, this is the first to encapsule such a dearth of music from The Who. Unless you want to get The Who's box set. For those who don't want to buy all 10 studio recordings, this two disc pit stop has everything you'd want. It's about time someone realized that The Who deserves a two disc compilation instead of one. "Eminence Front", though not a hit, has been absent from Who compilations until now. All the tracks are digitally remastered, another plus when shopping for a compilation. The liner notes are alright, tracing the band's history, but it doesn't offer an exciting read. In my opinion, aside from The Who's box set, this is the best compilation of The Who thus far. A testament of a great rock and roll band. There's plenty more positive things to say about The Who, but I'll keep my critique to just this compilation.Free Music Review: The Who--The Ultimate Collection
Hit: 5 Stars
The Beatles were more groundbreaking, and the Stones were sexier, but during the 60's and early 70's The Who were the greatest Rock'n'Roll band in the world. They directly influenced both punk (The Clash opened for them in concert on several occasions), and hard rock (Led Zeppelin owes everything to Pete Townshend's playful finger-to-the-world attitude and Roger Daltry's rock and roll screaming). With their unique Mods-turned-Rockers status, the Who did more than perhaps anyone else to transform 50's style Rock-and-Roll into 70's Rock.
The Ultimate Collection is the best compilation I personally have ever seen, of any artist. I have lots of The Who's albums, but I don't listen to them much, because although they are one of my three or four favorite bands, this collection is so perfect that you hardly need anything else by them. I'm all the more thankful for this CD package considering how bad all the other Who collections are. A band like this deserves more than the skimpy overviews previously (and currently) offered. The Ultimate Collection provides a perfect, and perfectly well-rounded, view of The Who.
Note: The few essential Who songs that *do* get left off here are, IMO:
-"Baby Don't Do It" (bonus track on the CD issue of Who's Next)
-"Love Ain't For Keeping" (bonus track on the CD issue of Who's Next)
-"A Quick One, While He's Away" (from A Quick One/Happy Jack)
-Various tracks of the Tommy and Live At Leeds albums
Free Music Review: The essence of Who excitement. Essential!
Hit: 5 Stars
I've been a fan of theirs since the mid 60's and always felt their earlier recordings to be the most exuberant, spontaneous and whimsically creative. After their peak with Who's Next (1971), they took themselves way too seriously with Quadrophenia and then after that they sounded angry and lost their youthful innocence, which was so charmingly foppish to begin with. To me, the first CD is the best, it features early quirky gems like: The Kids Are Allright, Happy Jack, Boris The Spider, I'm a Boy, Pictures of Lilly, I Can See For Miles, Substitute, I Can't Explain and others through the Tommy opera and parts of Who's next. CD 2 picks up with some of Who's Next then finishes through Quadrophenia, By Numbers, and Who Are You. I hardly listen to CD 2. For me, early Who is the best. Keith Moon was a very original drummer. I could never understand however, why they would destroy their instruments. If someone put a smudge on my guitar, I couldn't sleep at night. Yet, Townsend would smash his Les Paul or Strat to bits for effect. Maybe back then, it was for rebellious shock value, but today it looks stupid, senseless, violent and wasteful. The music is still very cool however. In my opinion, the three Who CDs to own are this one, The Who Sell Out (1968) and Who's Next (1971). Live at Leeds (1970) is also highly recommened if you'd like to catch their live jamming at their peak too. This collection however is ESSENTIAL for any rock fan or historian.Free Music Review: Buy this Album!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
If you ever want your life to feel like a movie pop the Who: The Ultimate Collection into your car stereo as you drive around town running errands. Or better yet, strap on your headphones and blast these tunes as you take Sparky for a walk. You may look like an idiot to everyone else but you'll suddenly feel like Kevin Spacey in "American Beauty" or Fred Savage in "The Wonder Years." A perfect mix of nostalgia and adult-themed rock is blended together on this two disk compilation.
Coming of age classics like "I'm a Boy" and "Pictures of Lilly" juxtapose more mature anthems like "My Wife" and "Eminence Front." This album calls to mind Jim Shepard's "Love and Hydrogen"--a collection of short stories that includes a story about the Who titled "Won't Get Fooled Again." One wonders if Shepard wasn't listening to this two-disk set while he was writing the book.
Other reviewers have said this is an ideal album for Who beginners. I admit Shepard's "Love and Hydrogen" initially turned me onto the Who--I immediately went out and bought The Ultimate Collection after finishing his book, and I am so glad I did. I am now getting a much needed Who education. The album has become the soundtrack for my life this past year and the timing could not be any better as I am currently on the threshold of adulthood--that time when our lives are a perfectly balanced mix of juvenille tendencies and adult pragmatism.
Free Music Review: DUDE, THIS IS LIKE THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION, MAN
Hit: 5 Stars
Who Cd's seem to come and go in my collection. Hits packages alone, I think I've had three different versions.
The last one I had was a pretty good single disc set that covered all the goods from the KEITH MOON era and I think YOU BETTER YOU BET as well.
Anyway, I don't seem to have it anymore. Don't ask me why, my Cd's all seem to live crazy lives so I never really know whats going on with them.
So while on the look for a new collection I came across this. ULTIMATE COLLECTION? I've heard that before. First of all, for the price, I was surprised to see that this is actually a two disc set. Second, THIS REALLY IS THE ULTIMATE! It's good to see that somebody is finally thinking like a fan and not a PIG WIG!
YOU get a very hearty helping of sixties material including the LIVE SUMMERTIME BLUES! I'm not sur if its from LEEDS or WOODSTOCK, but either one is great.
You get a healthy dose of WHOS NEXT material, a classic album in itself, but 5 of the original 8 tracks are represented here. Then you get just enough of the other stuff (73-84), just right. Nothings missing even THE REAL ME and EMINENCE FRONT two superior songs that I've never seen on a hits package before! Did I mention that this collection has EMINENCE FRONT?
14 BUCKS FOR TWO CD's, LOOK NO FURTHER, THIS IS THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION!
TODAYS LESSON: Uppers or downers, either way blood flows.