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Joined: January 03 2010
Location: Lowell, MA
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Points: 3247
Posted: October 13 2010 at 21:24
Can't vote, my 2 favorite Who albums.
Who's next is one of the greatest albums ever. There really is no remotely weak track, they still sound fresh decades later.
Quadrophenia has some of the most diverse material and was a huge risk after the success of Tommy. It also has some amazing tracks that still sound great now.
Ahhhh, the music of my youth. Quad really spoke to me when I was Jimmy's age.....especially the father-son relationship and Jimmy's problems with women, family, self-identity, and drink & drugs.
Who's Next is a lighter, more freewheeling romp.....chock full of teenage anthems and great tunes. Goin' Mobile and Love Ain't For Keeping are my two favorites....it was those little songs in between the bonafide classics that really made the album. Not a duff cut within a mile of that one.
As to choosing a fave 'tween the two.....really can't. Like saying which do you like more, the left chamber of your heart or the right.
I like to feel the suspense when you're certain you know I am there.....
Quadrophenia is my second favorite album of all time-it's emotional without being whiny and every single component of the band, from Daltry's singing to Moon's drumming to Entwistles intricate basslines and Pete Townshend's songwriting, guitar work and compositional skills, was at the best it had ever been and ever would be. Who's Next is a great album, but Quadrophenia is a masterpiece in every sense of the word.
Joined: August 01 2007
Location: United Kingdom
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Points: 3659
Posted: October 14 2010 at 13:22
I agree, they are their best 2 but Who's Next has the edge for me for sheer consistency. Quadrophenia just loses steam a couple of times despite being overall excellent.
Joined: September 20 2010
Location: Serbia
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Points: 10213
Posted: October 17 2010 at 03:48
Nightfly wrote:
I agree, they are their best 2 but Who's Next has the edge for me for sheer consistency. Quadrophenia just loses steam a couple of times despite being overall excellent.
I have been reading an article that the edge you mentioned above was made by producer Chris Stamp who said whats enough is enough and WN was issued instead of Lifehouse project which should be another conceptual, a double album with a storyline .
BTW,my fav track from WN is Bargain. All great triggers tracks on that album, no question, but I dont like a production so much - that original LP sounds abit strange to me.
I voted for Quadrophenia as their best studio album . My fav The Who albums are Quadrophenia, The Who By Numbers and Who Are You. Never have been a fan of 60s The Who although I LOVE I Can See For Miles, which is THE best The Who song of 60s IMHO.
Joined: January 04 2007
Location: Grok City
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Points: 17778
Posted: October 18 2010 at 20:28
Hi,
Looking back at it all ... neither. The album that really made The Who the best ... is always "Who Are You" ...
That is not to say that "Tommy" was not major, and it was the album and the work that made them really big. Quadrophenia is excellent. but it did not stand up at the time in concert as the rest of their stuff and songs did.
The early 60's was a different band, and I don't think they were as important or as meaningful as they became.
Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com
I liked Who Sell Out because it had pre-Tommy elements in the making. It was a strange album derived from their early period or actually their transition into a different one. I was a huge Kinks fan and I found the early material to be reminiscent of Ray Davies. I enjoyed Who's Next and disliked Quadrophenia. Roger Daltrey developed a more overbearing scream on Quadrophenia. It was evident on Who's Next but was more tolerable for me in those sessions. I love his blusey rock screaming on "Live At Leeds" but on Quadrophenia he was doing something else with it and I just couldn't relate to it. Quadrophenia did not have the softness that Tommy had. Quadrophenia was more in the listeners face where Tommy had a dark progressive element within. Especially with "The Amazing Journey" and "Underture" where Keith Moon sounds like a young Carl Palmer, the guitars are going backwards, the overall performance on acoustic guitar, the excellent harmony vocals, the dark melodies and much more that Quadrophenia had no representation of. Just my personal deal totally. Quad was great in it's own right! I was spoiled by Tommy.
Joined: September 27 2007
Location: Sweden
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Points: 10665
Posted: October 20 2010 at 09:16
Nightfly wrote:
I agree, they are their best 2 but Who's Next has the edge for me for sheer consistency. Quadrophenia just loses steam a couple of times despite being overall excellent.
Joined: January 07 2008
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Points: 1072
Posted: October 20 2010 at 09:48
Quadrophenia is in the top 10 albums ever. It is flawless. Anyone who criticizes it should plug their ears, cover their eyes and fill their mouth with caulk.
Joined: May 22 2007
Location: Michigan, U.S.
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Points: 66363
Posted: October 20 2010 at 09:59
My favorite is their compilations Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy and Who's Better Who's Best. That being said I am a long-time fan of Tommy. I didn't get Quadrophenia until many, many years later and I haven't really gotten my head around that one yet. Who's Next has a lot of great tunes on it that show up on the above mentioned compilations, so that is where my vote goes.
I like the economy of the shorter single album better (Who's Next) over Quadrophenia plus the former has three 24 carat Who classics on it in Baba O'Riley , Behind Blue Eyes and Won't Get Fooled Again. (the ultimate condemnation of the failure of the hippy counter culture in my book - meet the new boss, same as the old boss)
Pete Townshend's concept albums and /or Rock Operas smack of overreaching ambition(although we should all be thankful he pushed open some doors in this field clearly)I've always felt his efforts in larger scale rock formats were foiled by the limitations of his collaborators.
Joined: October 28 2008
Location: Wales
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Points: 13720
Posted: October 20 2010 at 12:05
A really difficult poll. Who's Next is a recognised classic, one of those albums which changed the face of rock.
Quadrophenia, on the other hand, tells a great story and is one hell of a barnstormer from start to finish. it also features my favourite town, brighton
Quadrophenia, if only for I'm One, the greatest angst song ever written.
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Joined: December 23 2009
Location: Emerald City
Status: Offline
Points: 17871
Posted: October 20 2010 at 12:50
lazland wrote:
A really difficult poll. Who's Next is a recognised classic, one of those albums which changed the face of rock.
Quadrophenia, on the other hand, tells a great story and is one hell of a barnstormer from start to finish. it also features my favourite town, brighton
Quadrophenia, if only for I'm One, the greatest angst song ever written.
Difficult poll......I love The Who!!! I picked Quadrophenia for these reasons. Plus it flows so well from start to finish as well as being a beast of an album.
Laz your spot on with Whos' Next too.....man...can I change my vote???
Joined: September 20 2010
Location: Serbia
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Points: 10213
Posted: October 21 2010 at 11:29
ExittheLemming wrote:
I like the economy of the shorter single album better (Who's Next) over Quadrophenia plus the former has three 24 carat Who classics on it in Baba O'Riley , Behind Blue Eyes and Won't Get Fooled Again. (the ultimate condemnation of the failure of the hippy counter culture in my book - meet the new boss, same as the old boss)
Pete Townshend's concept albums and /or Rock Operas smack of overreaching ambition(although we should all be thankful he pushed open some doors in this field clearly)I've always felt his efforts in larger scale rock formats were foiled by the limitations of his collaborators.
I disagree that Townshend" large scale" efforts suffered by "limitations of his collaborators", if you have in mind others from the band! JAE was one of the greatest bass player in rock music, the best example of " musicians musician", a songwritter who did some GREAT songs, also he pushed Townshend to that "large scale" because JAE recognized Townshend as "rock operas" songwriter before Kit Lambert.. Roger wasnt opera like singer as Mercury aswell but Roger did do a great vocals in VERY demanding Townshend songs. Moonie---what to say. I love Townshend solo albums alot, very introspective and this and that, alot of great tunes, but I dont think that hes SOLO catalogue could be compared with that stuff he made with The Who. IMHO, The Who were the most succesfuly a "supergroup" of that golden age 70s in UK.
PS Also, i think that The Punk And Godfather is MILES ABOVE better track than Behind Blue Eyes...ok, this is my personal opinion only.
PSS ...or this AMAZING jamming from "underrated" Side 3
I like the economy of the shorter single album better (Who's Next) over Quadrophenia plus the former has three 24 carat Who classics on it in Baba O'Riley , Behind Blue Eyes and Won't Get Fooled Again. (the ultimate condemnation of the failure of the hippy counter culture in my book - meet the new boss, same as the old boss)
Pete Townshend's concept albums and /or Rock Operas smack of overreaching ambition(although we should all be thankful he pushed open some doors in this field clearly)I've always felt his efforts in larger scale rock formats were foiled by the limitations of his collaborators.
I disagree that Townshend" large scale" efforts suffered by "limitations of his collaborators", if you have in mind others from the band! JAE was one of the greatest bass player in rock music, the best example of " musicians musician", a songwritter who did some GREAT songs, also he pushed Townshend to that "large scale" because JAE recognized Townshend as "rock operas" songwriter before Kit Lambert.. Roger wasnt opera like singer as Mercury aswell but Roger did do a great vocals in VERY demanding Townshend songs. Moonie---what to say. I love Townshend solo albums alot, very introspective and this and that, alot of great tunes, but I dont think that hes SOLO catalogue could be compared with that stuff he made with The Who. IMHO, The Who were the most succesfuly a "supergroup" of that golden age 70s in UK.
PS Also, i think that The Punk And Godfather is MILES ABOVE better track than Behind Blue Eyes...ok, this is my personal opinion only.
PSS ...or this AMAZING jamming from "underrated" Side 3
I agree that Entwistle was a very talented bass player and that his unique sound was crucial to the Who's identity. However, apart from the occasional brass parts he contributed here and there his entire repertoire consisted of just 'rock bass' The songs he wrote for the Who (even the good ones likes Success Story, My Wife and Boris the Spider) were tantamount to enjoyable gimmicky humour. I've always considered Moon a very sloppy drummer whose personality dwarfed his playing. Daltrey is an extremely accomplished singer but is often clearly uncomfortable on lyrics that were often deeply personal for Townshend (to the extent that I suspect Roger didn't understand them) It's not insignificant that the solo material from John, Roger and Keith is uniformly wretched.
BTW I really like the Who but have always felt Townshend would have been fully fledged 'prog' but for the limitations of his three colleagues. (and I think legions of Who fans would thank Roger, John and Keith for that) Similarly, I think we have Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth to thank that the Talking Heads were as enjoyable as they were before Byrne's ego cast the bass and drums couple to the periphery (from where I completely lost interest in the band's output)
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The Who heavy hitters
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Nightfly wrote:
. I love Townshend solo albums alot, very introspective and this and that, alot of great tunes, but I dont think that hes SOLO catalogue could be compared with that stuff he made with The Who. IMHO, The Who were the most succesfuly a "supergroup" of that golden age 70s in UK.
