, Pete Townshend is responsible for a ferociously ambitious amount of music, expanding its reach into concept albums and rock-opera. He’s also a fascinating alloy of the primitive and the spiritual, as liable to create an auto-destructive anthem as he is a sensitive portrayal of an artist in crisis.
All of which means that his back catalogue, with and without The Who, houses some diverse and under-appreciated gems.
10. My Baby Gives It Away (Rough Mix, 1977)
man Ronnie Lane was often a combustible one (Lane recalled the Rough Mix sessions as “quite funny. A lot of rowing…”). It was nevertheless a successful creative union, Charlie Watts providing the beat for this twangy, folk-countryish ode to “sex inside marriage when awake”.
9. Naked Eye (Odds & Sods, 1974)
, both men giving their vocals the requisite welly.
8. Dogs (single, 1968)
There’s more than a pinch of Small Faces about The Who’s nostalgic hymn to the White City greyhound track, Roger Daltrey asserting that it was Townshend’s tribute to Ronnie Lane. Cue a fair sprinkling of music hall mockney, a whimsical melody, haring rhythm and droll spoken-word asides:
7. Tea & Theatre (Endless Wire, 2006)
This standout from The Who’s 2006 studio album – their first in 24 years – is a delicately-wrought summation of the band’s achievements as viewed from under the lengthening shadow of time, with Townshend and Daltrey the only ones left standing.
6. The Sea Refuses No River (All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes, 1982)
Critics and fans alike found Townshend’s dense, sometimes self-indulgent third album hard to digest, but there were moments of lovely clarity. Not least this self-admonishing nugget, which uses a watery metaphor to reaffirm his devotion to spiritual master Meher Baba. Townshend’s vocal is strident throughout, topped off by a great guitar break.
5. The Punk And The Godfather (Quadrophenia, 1973)
dazzles just as brightly though, Daltrey and Townshend sharing vocals on this powerful examination of the often conflicted relationship between a band and its adoring audience.
4. I Am An Animal (Empty Glass, 1980)
, which housed this tender and vulnerable acoustic plea for salvation.
3. Pure And Easy (Who Came First, 1972)
,” said Townshend. “It’s all here really.”
2. Blue, Red And Grey (The Who By Numbers, 1975)
.
1. Rael 1 and 2 (The Who Sell Out, 1967)
project.
Post a Comment
0Comments