Who - Who's Next
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Free Music Notes for Who's Next
Free Music Review: This one is perfect.
Hit: 5 Stars
"Who's Next" was released in 1971. This album is very different from the Who's work on the compilation "Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy." "Who's Next" is a more mature album, but it still contains all of the energy and intensity of the Who's earlier work. It's hard for me to say which of those two albums is better. However, it is clear to me that both of them are an essential part of any rock and roll collection. Both are among my 25 favorite albums of all time."Who's Next" is a perfect album. Every song is excellent. I think that this album sounds so different from the Who's earlier work that it almost sounds as if they are a different band. But that just shows that the band was able to come up with new concepts, ideas, song structures, and melodies. It doesn't mean that they became better, and it doesn't mean that they became worse. Really, I think that in order to understand the Who, you need to have "Who's Next" and "Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy."
Pete Townsend was one of the two greatest synthesizer artists of the 1970s (the other being Stevie Wonder). The synth work on "Won't Get Fooled Again" is perhaps the best use of the machine that has ever been used in the history of rock. The way the synth pulls and tugs, and changes in pitch and volume, it almost sounds as if it was a living thing.
"Bargain" is one of the greatest love songs ever written. I guess in 1971 a lot of people must have been pretty surprised to hear the Who writing a song about love. But don't think the song is wimpy. This song has just as much intensity as anything else that they have ever done. Physically, the song is somewhat mellow compared to their other songs, but the intensity of the feelings that are present is just as strong and intense as anything else that they have ever done. When this guy tells the girl that he is in love with her, he sounds totally believable.
"My Wife" is, admittedly, somewhat sexist in nature, but only a politically correct wacko would find it offensive. Heh heh. Gotta watch out for those psycho women that go after you. Perhaps the song was intended as a joke? I don't know.
"Baba O'Riley" is a song about the feelings of youth and anger and alienation and depression, and about how sometimes it feels as if you are all alone and nobody understands you. This is a great song, full of understanding and compassion. Some people say that rock music has a bad influence on teenagers, but the way I see it, teenagers need to hear this song. This song lets you know that you are not the only one who feels the way that you do. Who knows, maybe hearing this song could be enough to encourage a suicidal teenager to change his mind?
A lot of the songs on this album go against the conventional, 3 minute song structure that was common at the time. This helps to give added dimension and personality to the songs. "Who's Next" is one of the best examples that I can think of of the idea of an album being a concept. Each individual song is excellent, but the album as a whole may very well be better than the sum of its individual parts.
"Who's Next" is a a great album. But don't be one of those people who buys only this. Get "Who's Next," but also get "Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy." In order to really understand what the Who was about, you need to have both of those albums.
Free Music Review: The second greatest album ever!
Hit: 5 Stars
I am fifteen years old, and I am convinced that three of some of the greatest rock and roll songs of all time are on this one album. Baba O'Riley, Behind Blue Eyes, and, of course, Won't Get Fooled Again are all in the top 20 on my list. Not only that, but there are no bad songs on this album. Every album has fillers or throwaway songs, except for a select few. This is a truly special album, and it is only bettered by one other: "Led Zeppelin IV", or the untitled album. That has got to be the number one album of all time. Buy both.The album starts off with the explosive Baba O'Riley, which is instantly distinguishable with the opening synthesizor. It's absolutely fantastic. I think that when artists try to mix with special effects in the studio, that they usually fall flat on their face, but the intro to this song really does it justice. It's a jewel of classic rock, and everyone should like it. Everyone. The lyrics may be a little weird, but let's face it, most rock and roll lyrics are. This song is almost flawless. After the breathtaking opener, the album segueways into "Bargain", which really is a funny song - "The best I EVER HAD!!!" Anyway, it's a good old fashioned rock song. Not too soft, and not too hard. Then comes "Love Ain't For Keeping". I think this is really a good showpiece of Roger Daltrey's voice. The song itself isn't much, but listen how he stretches his voice out in the verses! Then comes "My Wife" which is a lot of people's favorite, as I understand. It's really more of a pop song, but that's alright. It's a funny song, and it's nice to hear John Entwistle's voice for a change. "The Song is Over" is really an underrated song, I think. It's an honest song about breaking up, and Daltrey does an awesome job with the vocals. I'm glad this is the second longest song on the album. "Gettin' in Tune" is probably the worst song on the album, but it's not bad, either. I like it. "Goin' Mobile" is also a classic, and it's funny how Pete Townshend is able to write a song like this about driving. He's an air condition gypsie! "Behind Blue Eyes" is, I think, the greatest ballad ever recored by a rock group. Better than "Yesterday", better than "Imagine". It's an honest song about being a person with no friends, who's hated by everyone. And he blames you! This song is so deep, I don't even understand some parts, with my being only a teenager. And lastly comes "Won't Get Fooled Again". I cannot begin to describe what a good song this is. Oh my gosh. When I go to the restaurant, I turn this song on on the jukebox every time. It's the greatest rock song ever, by far! The intro, similar to Baba O'Riley, is so cool, and I love the guitar riffs and the siinging of Daltrey - everything. Listen t othat drumming! The guitar work on this song is rivaled by only one other: Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird". Even if the lyrics don't make sense, that's okay - they don't need to. This is pure, 100% rock and roll almost all the way through. This is clearly, clearly the greatest rock and roll song ever.
Very few albums can even come close to measuring up to this one - "Revolver" by the Beatles, "Led Zeppelin IV", "The Wall" by Pink Floyd, the Bestles' "White Album, and that's about it! Any album with songs like "Baba O'Riley, "Behind Blue Eyes" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" should be in every rock and roll lover's collection.
Oh yeah, one more thing. Keith Moon, not John Bonham, is the greatest drummer ever.
Free Music Review: Who's Left
Hit: 5 Stars
This is the best Who album ever hands down - Pete had a post Tommy and Hendrix compitition that resulted in a no nonsence approch to Rock - Catchy tunes good lead and chord changes - everything on this album is great - Perfect - there is a good show on DVD about the making on Who's Next - This was Townsends creative peak - He is a modern day artist - one who worked in his little studio at home for hours and hours on the writing of these songs and backing loops on Won't Get Fooled Again etc..
of course when rest of The Who got thier hands on Pete's Demo's they put thier own finger print on it so to speak - a lot of the songs were played live as much as possible using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio etc..This may be from a failed earlier attemp to Record in New York City in late 1970 using standard recording process - Pete was very unhappy with the results of that and was affriad of losing Kieth Moon to drugs there - He was becoming a bloody junkie partying there he said - so they left and started recording in England in early 1971 - on the DVD they had Roger Daltrey sitting at the mixer Board listening to the masters of this album - You can tell by the expression on his face and reaction to the tracks he was very proud to be on them - Townsend played Accostic Guitar on many tracks as a Guide for the rest of the band recording live - then he went back and played lead on top with electric guitar etc.. Kieth Moon's drumming was outstanding on all these songs - at this stage of the Who they had matured into the best live band out there then and used that approch to recording this album the third time ( they tired a live show too that didn't work either ) - overall it may go down as the best Rock Album ever - Recording - Song Writing - Musicianship - It just the perfect Rock Album that all others are compared to - I guess that's debatible but probably true - not bad for a bunch of blokes from Sheppards Bush - it was a long hall mates - A lot of live shows - about 800 of Live Tommy Concerts up to this point - so they were pro's at making good Rock at this point - Pete Townsend went to Art College for a while when he was about 18 and still thinks as himself as a artist not just a musician - His approch then was as a artist with a Electric Guitar as his brush - A real good one too - John contributed My Wife as a song to the group a some what lame song from his first solo ablum - The Who's version was ten times better here - Pete's Bargin and Won't Get Fooled Again is the best to me - If your gonna buy three Who Albums I would get Live at Leeds - Who's Next - and Quadraphinia these are the best - The Delux version of Who's Next has from the second recording effort the Young Vic shows worth searchin out- I was 10 years old when this album came out and still remember the first time I heard Won't Get Fooled Again - I was on a swing listening to a transister radio at my granddads house - after the song went off the DJ said " a new one from The Who I don't know if I like that new sound I think Tommy was better to me - I guess it takes time to like a new song I guess - to me Who's Next better - Out here in the fields I pay my own bills I get my back into my living - I don't need to fight to prove I'm right I don't need to be forgiven - Yeah Yeah Yeah Great Album buy it
Free Music Review: The Best? You Better, You Bet!
Hit: 5 Stars
Why is The Who's 'Who's Next' one of the most perennially played CD selections on FM radio? Surely it has retained the richness of sound that hasn't dated the music for over thirty years. With intricate music, spare, yet memorable lyrics, and powerful vocals and guitars, it has all the elements of a worthy classic rock album. 'Who's Next' may or may not be a concept album, but it doesn't really meander ever really. It seems to make a post-sixties statement about the meaning of power and what's essential in life itself. They always challenged the ordinary, so it's no surprise that they deflate the sixties as well. Even the shimmering synthesizers overthrow the sixties decade with its rich, rippling sound. It never seems at all self-consious, either, probably because their delivery is so confident.
The anthems are powerful. "Baba O Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again," the albums opening and closing songs, respectively, are raw with Roger Daltry's primal vocals, accompanied by skillful guitars and mesmerizing synthesizers. All of the songs are uniquely intricate. "Baba," contains a very able and frenzied violin/fiddle delivery that gives the song considerable depth. "Going Mobile" is environmentally friendly (with the memorable "hippie gypsy" line) in a way that is seldom dated from this period. Accompanied by intricate guitar, it has the fluidness to be a folk-rock classic.
If the eloquence of word and sound weren't enough already, then "The Song Is Over" has to be simply one of the most exquisite rock songs ever created. Up there with The Kinks' "Waterloo Sunset," "The Song Is Over" is haunting lyrically and transcending for Daltry's echoing vocals and the shimmering interplay of piano, synthesizer, and Keith Moon's able drumming.
The allegedly lesser songs are great, too. "Bargain" is a hefty piece of hard rock that delivers eloquent and spare statements about the essence of love. "Getting in Tune" is lesser than most of the rest, but what a song! It is an anthem that gives heft to the remainder of the anthems, but contains great one liners about saying something as a rock band. (Notably, they swagger in confidence more than, say, the Moody Blues' "Singer in a Rock and Roll Band".) Then, Entwistle's "My Wife" seems autobiographical and weighty with its theme of jealousy written convincingly like a first-person short story. Pete Townsend, the helmsman, though is certainly more able with his own rendering of a first-person short story, "Behind Blue Eyes". It is pungent enough and sung with vengeance by Daltry. It is substantial, but it could be parordied, somewhat. (An outlaw who begs for a blanket?) The only other song is "Love Aint' for Keeping". It isn't significant, except that its modestness helps frame the rest of the album. It also prevents too much overdrive.
'Who's Next' deserves to be a major rock classic because the lyrics, delivery, and skillful musicianship are stunning and almost matchless after thirty-five years. The best moments from the CD still raise hairs on the back of the neck. It has to be one of the ten best rock albums of all time.
Free Music Review: Most Essential 'Who'
Hit: 5 Stars
If you're going to define classic rock, you'll need to include "Who's Next" in the definition. There are a handful of albums that anyone growing up in the 1960's and 70's think of when they think of ALL-TIME classic rock albums... Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon", Beatles' "Abbey Road", Led Zeppelin's "4th/Zoso", Rolling Stones "Sticky Fingers, Jimi Hendrix's "Are You Experienced", Boston's "1st" amongst others.
Released on 8/25/71, The Who's "Who's Next" contained 9 songs - all receiving airplay (the least of those being John Entwistle's only writing contribution "My Wife"). 5 of the 9 songs on "Who's Next" made it to their "Ultimate Collection" disc. The album ending "Won't Get Fooled Again" was played at all shows in 1971 and retained on the concert list at every Who concert thereafter. This album reached #1 in the UK and #4 in the USA of the same year.
The classic song list (of the original release):
1. Baba O'Riley
2. Bargain
3. Love Ain't For Keeping
4. My Wife
5. The Song Is Over
6. Getting In Tune
7. Going Mobile
8. Behind Blue Eyes
9. Won't Get Fooled Again
The sound production is crisp. The digital remastering makes these great songs sound like they were recorded last week. The 22-page booklet features in depth info, facts, reviews, pictures, and tidbits on the songs themselves. I questioned the bonus material (7 extra songs totaling 33+ minutes of extra music)... and thought why mess with a classic? However, the songs here fit - like it was almost a continuation of the album (and those that know the old "Lifehouse" project will know that some of the bonus songs here are in fact a continuation). And to boot, I've actually heard some of these bonus tracks. The best bonus songs being "Pure And Easy", "Naked Eye", "I Don't Even Know Myself" and the stripped down alternate version of "Behind Blue Eyes" (awesome!!). Nicky Hopkins' piano work helped on several songs, but none bested Townsend's own ivory skills on "Baba O'Riley". On all the songs, Roger Daltry's voice was never better. John Entwistle brought his usual stunning bass playing. No drum or cymbal was safe with Keith Moon behind the kit. And the rock master guitarist (acoustic/rhythm/lead) Pete Townsend was simply playing on a different level during the making of "Who's Next".
Facts from the liner notes: "Going Mobile" and "The Song Is Over" were never played in concert due to the complexity of the songs. Pete played a vintage Gretsch guitar on "Bargain" gifted from Joe Walsh. The band was driving together when they saw the monolith (which is featured on the album cover)... and having just been discussing Kubrick's movie "2001 - A Space Odyssey" decided to take matters into their own hands (including a bathroom break and photo shoot). "Quadrophenia", "Who Are You", "Sell Out" and even the rock opera "Tommy" were Who classics in their own right - but the band's pinnacle is THIS album, "Who's Next". An easy 5-star review and should be considered essential in any rock listener's collection.