WHO'S NEXT

I guess I have very few things to add to other reviews. They say it all and more! So I´ll make it short and simple. It was the first The Who album I remember hearing (it belonged to one of my uncles who was kind enough to borrow it to his 15 year old nephew). In many ways I can say this album is quite progressive (well, the band DID progress since their early days). And how I loved it!! (thanks uncle!) But I also remember they were quite criticized at the time for the use of keyboards (or, to be more precise, the use of synthesizers). So much for the purists... I was sorrow for them, because this is simply The Who at its peak. It´s really hard to believe that such masterpiece came as simply the collection of tracks from the abortive (and overly pretentious) Lifehouse project.

I really like the new CD edition of this work because it includes one of Who´s most beautiful and poignant songs ever: Pure And Easy. I really don´t know why they did not put this jewel on the original LP. Everybody had to wait for the Odds & Sods release four years later. Nevertheless, it also features some of The Who´s best known stuff like Baba O´Riley, Behind Blue Eyes and Won´t Get Fooled Again. The remaining tracks are also great and show Pete Townshend´s genius as a songwriter and the band´s unique chemistry.

Conclusion: one of rock´s biggest masterpieces and surely a must have in any prog rock colletion.