The Cavern
Rock & Words
THE WHO SINGS MY GENERATION (The Who, 1965)
Artist: The Who (B+)
Recording Dates: Apr – Oct -1965
Release Date: December 3rd, 1965. UK
Record Label: Brunswick/Decca
Producer: Shel Talmy
Rating: 8
Era: Rock & Roll II, Early Sixties (1960-1966)
Subgenre: British Invasion
Best Song: My Generation, by far
Tracklist: 1) Out In The Street; 2) I Don't Mind; 3) The Good's Gone; 4) La La La Lies; 5) Much Too Much; 6) My Generation; 7) The Kids Are Alright; 8) Please Please Please; 9) It's Not True; 10) The Ox; 11) A Legal Matter; 12) Instant Party (Circles).
The Who arrived on the recording scene much, much late compared to the other major British bands. I mean, it was late 1965, on the cusp of the pre-psychedelic era; the Beatles, the Stones, the Byrds, the Kinks, and the Animals were already established groups on both sides of the Atlantic, and Cream was still in the early stages of formation. However, this album showcases a remarkably mature band, with a powerful sound and virtuosity from all its instrumentalists, unlike anything seen before.
The album is a gem for two reasons: first, because it showcases melodic ballads and a pop side of The Who that we haven't heard on any other album. And this is by no means a flaw. Many of these songs are very good, and it's quite interesting to hear them making songs that are a bit closer to the sound of the first half of the 60s—"pretty," carefree, dealing with somewhat banal themes, very melodic, and full of catchy hooks. And second, because of the way they approach the rest of the tracks: without yet fully developing their signature style of heavy guitar riffs and drumming, they sound like a cutting-edge band, very evolved for the time, with proto-psychedelic undertones and an aggressive and menacing attitude in both lyrics and harmonies and performance. Thus, on the album we find tracks reminiscent of the rhythm and blues of the Rolling Stones, the riffs and harmonies of the Kinks, and some touches of the Byrds, but we also find some experimental reminiscences of the Velvet Underground, and a sound closer to the Beatles' Revolver than to Rubber Soul. Even the title track, the hugely popular "My Generation," has been considered by many to be the first punk song in history, and continues to influence countless garage bands.
The truth is that this album, rather underrated by fans, falls a little short of the rest of their discography, but it undoubtedly ranks among the top 10 albums of '65, showcasing some things more advanced than what the Beatles or the Stones were doing around the same time, becoming a highly influential album for its generation and catapulting the band to fame in a matter of hours. Mind you, this didn't happen overnight. The band had already been working for a couple of years, had gone through crises to the point of almost firing Roger, and the album was shelved for almost six months for various reasons before finally being released. Anyway, these guys were a couple of years younger than their British Invasion contemporaries, but they weren't amateurs and they didn't sound like it. They had been on the London nightlife scene for a while and had a very strong Mod fanbase, who idolized them for their rebellious attitude and for smashing their instruments on stage. They had also already released some successful singles, without which the record label would never have allowed them to include so many original songs on the LP. Here, then, they have an aggressive sound, still lacking Townshend's typical guitar riffs, but with a generally furious attitude that hadn't been heard even with the Animals, and already including some solos that would be refined to create the later style we know these guys for.
The album opens with "Out of the Street". A tremolo-laden guitar riff and Roger's shout, "Out!" launch the frenetic song into action. Daltrey delivers a strong vocal performance, showcasing the wild and powerful character with the feline voice he would later become known for. The song features a catchy riff and spectacular backing vocals from Pete and John. It's worth noting that Keith's drumming is perhaps the most powerful ever recorded on an LP up until 1965. Keith is a drum machine, even on seemingly simple R&B tracks like this one. The song is full of hooks, rising and falling in intensity and rhythm, and has that "Early Sixties" feel, radiating a positive vibe. Even so, it reveals some very interesting elements.
The second track, "I Don't Mind", is a James Brown cover. Nah, they're not exactly known for their soul, but it seems Roger was a big Mr. Brown fan and insisted on including a couple of covers on the album—in fact, they're the only ones. The song isn't THAT bad, but it sounds like everyone's holding back. Except for Pete's guitar solo, which creates some interesting riffs, the song is slow, boring, and even Roger sounds like just another run-of-the-mill singer. They remind me of how the Rolling Stones sounded in 1963 or 1964. Back then, this song might have been a huge hit, but in the early days of the psychedelic era, it sounds like a children's song.
Fortunately, the guys more than make up for lost time with "The Good's Gone", the album's third track. This song is undoubtedly the best after "My Generation." From the tremendous opening arpeggiated riff, it has a somber and menacing feel. Without reaching overwhelming complexity, the guitar echoes, Entwistle's great bass playing, and the backing vocals give it an avant-garde touch, hinting at the psychedelia that would permeate all of '66. The chorus is brilliant, simple, yet equally dark and perfect. The drumming is amazing, somewhat reminiscent of Ringo Starr's work on "Ticket to Ride." Hey! Listen up! At 2:20, we hear some killer guitar riffs! The kind only Pete Townshend can pull off. These are the first hints of his style, and the song sounds simply fantastic when it returns to the opening riff with the drum fills Keith adds. This song is majestic and superb, at least 8 months ahead of the sound that existed in the US and UK at that time, and which surely influenced more than one Californian band.
"La La La Lies" is a simple song, the kind that puts you in a good mood while you listen to it, but doesn't compel you to repeat it over and over. Perhaps the standouts are Keith's always powerful drumming and Nick Hopkins's distinctive keyboard work. Yes, none other than the great Nicky Hopkins we just mentioned in the review of Jeff Beck's *Truth*, which highlights his excellent work as a session musician since those early days. But hey, Roger isn't pushed to his limits at all. Admittedly, the melody is very cute, but it's overly simplistic, and it could have been composed by the Apson brothers during a creative block. Well, at least it's not annoying, even though the sequence of tones is very repetitive. The Kinks' influence is very noticeable in the song, but Pete definitely falls short compared to Ray Davis here.
"Much Too Much" is a slight improvement, and here the Kinks' influence is more noticeable in the riffs and harmonies. Daltrey still seems to be holding back, but the drums sound bombastic (amidst the terrible production), and Townshend adds some noteworthy touches in addition to his attempts at guitar solos. Nick Hopkins also contributes his own flair. The song would undoubtedly be much more enjoyable if the sound weren't such an amorphous mush where the bass and guitar are barely distinguishable, and where the cymbals suddenly become a wall that drowns everything out. This isn't the musicians' fault, but rather the producer's, Shel Talmy's. On the other hand, although the song has a cheerful and carefree style, there's something menacing and dark about Daltrey's voice, which also sounds clean and much lower than what we're used to from him.
Next comes the album's masterpiece. The record could be good without "My Generation", but the inclusion of this generational anthem gives it so much more power. "My Generation" is considered the first punk song in history, and I think those who claim this aren't far from the truth if we consider the overall attitude, the lyrics, the performance, and the few chords it relies on. It's not far removed from the Ramones or The Clash, and it sounds as fresh as the day it was released. The truth is, the song is based on the impressive instrumental display of the musicians (including Daltrey on vocals; those stutters are brilliant). Here we can hear the first bass pre-solos with John Entwistle in that dizzying opening when the drums fall silent. The backing vocals provide tremendous support for the lead vocals while Pete delivers guitar riffs that don't vary in their tonal sequence throughout the song, but the sequences never get tiresome. At 1:05, we hear some incredibly fast bass lines again, which could be considered the first bass solo on a non-instrumental track. Then comes the first pitch shift, and Roger's vocals become wilder and more brash, leading into a tremendous drum solo where Moon sounds like he's massacring his drums. This leads to another pitch shift during the coda-like section where everyone is showing off their instruments. The only downside, besides the production, of course, is the song's length—a mere 3:10 fleeting minutes. No matter, there will be extended live versions where they stretch it out to over 15 minutes of virtuosity. This version has the advantage of not being tiresome at all and leaves you wanting more. Magnificent.
Next comes "The Kids Are All Right", another melodic ballad, this time very reminiscent of the Beatles' "All My Loving," but with more punch from the guitar. The song is good, but I still think it feels a bit dated. True. Sometimes I forget that the recordings were made in early '65. The song is lovely nonetheless, full of hooks and some great drum fills from Keith. The backing vocals, on the other hand, are becoming a very distinctive feature of the band, always supporting Daltrey's voice, which sounds very fresh and youthful here. I particularly like the bridge at 1:10, where they create a little instrumental tension before returning to the main harmony. The song was a tremendous hit on the radio and as a single.
The eighth track is "Please Please Please", the second James Brown cover. Frankly, it sounds unnecessary and out of place with the rest of the album. At least here Roger pours his heart out singing and seems about to burst into tears at any moment, begging his girl. But I maintain that this sounds like something ripped from the Rolling Stones' first album with a Platters mix, and any other original Pete song would have been better, for example, "Can't Explain," which was released as a single around that time.
"It's Not True" is another Rhythm N' Blues song, well-structured, full of energy, and also belonging to the "Early 60's" side of the album. The song isn't bad; it's very fun and full of vitality, but I've always found it suspicious that Hopkins' piano stands out more than Townshend's guitar.
The tenth track is "The Ox", which was John Entwistle's nickname at the time. This is another groundbreaking song, entirely instrumental, where the drums deliver a frenetic rhythm right from the start, and Pete's guitar is dark, heavily distorted, and uses a delay-like effect that lends it a dark and eerie feel. In fact, at the beginning, the song lives up to its name, creating the illusion of listening to a bellowing ox. John also contributes a phenomenal bass line, adding to the song's darkness. The guitar, for its part, carries much of the song's weight, fitting perfectly on Pink Floyd's Piper album from 1967. It's quite ahead of its time, and Townshend showcases his tremendous guitar potential, employing countless tricks to keep us engaged and infusing the song with energy even when there aren't many variations in tone or lyrics to distract us. They're not needed at all. The song is sustained by the quality of the musicians, and produces chills due to its magnificence.
The penultimate song is "A Legal Matter", a hilarious track about a guy who doesn't want to commit to the girlfriend he got pregnant. The fact that Pete sings it himself is rather suspicious. A direct message to an ex? Anyway, the song is not only funny lyrically but also musically. The keyboard again stands out, although the harmonies are quite innocent. I love the part around 1:20 when everyone pauses simultaneously and the arpeggio leads them all back into the song's upbeat rhythm.
The album closes with "Instant Party (Circles)", which is perhaps the only song that sounds like December 1965, all the others being set in a time before or after that date. The track has a very Byrds-like atmosphere (there's even a "round and around and around..." part). Harmonically, it's very well done, with backing vocals again as pillars, some guitar riffs and zither-like effects during the solos, a very dynamic drum sound full of fills, and a sense of experimentation. There's also a constant sound that I can't quite place—is it really a trumpet or keyboards? Given the time period, I imagine it's a real trumpet, but again, with the awful production, it's impossible to tell.
All in all, a highly recommended album. I must emphasize that the sounds are quite intriguing because some songs sound like they were recorded a year or two earlier, while others sound like they were recorded a year or two later, which speaks volumes about the band's talent. The Who's style was still developing, but this is undoubtedly a tremendous debut, almost on par with the then-established giants of the British Invasion. Incidentally, this is certainly a band brimming with virtuosos, a supergroup that emerged organically, not through the selection of renowned musicians, as was the case with Cream, Beck's Band, or Led Zeppelin, and whose members at this point were barely 19 or 20 years old. It's also worth noting that they released an album of this caliber, with so little filler and so much quality, when the trend was to release albums with a couple of singles and the rest pure garbage. The band will mature as they release their subsequent albums, but this one is well worth having, as it's a classic that was quite influential in its time and still stands on its own today. By the way, someone should stick a corkscrew in the back of Shel Talmy's head, but even so, the album is highly recommended. And if I give it an 8, it's only in comparison to the rest of The Who's discography, but compared to their '65 albums, it definitely deserves a 10.
By Corvan
Oct/29/2008
