Just found out they done a new one. Shows them Beatles up a bit, doesn't it? Lazy.
Here are My The Top 12 The Who The Albums. Thankfully not so productive that there's a mound of stagnation to dig through, appreciated.
So that's why I don't remember these later albums. The surviving band mellow out to the point of boredom and lose nearly all their identity as a result. Shame they already used the Who Are You title.
Fave: The Quiet One maybe, it doesn't make much difference when I won't listen again
They're still capable of variations on established themes, but Townshend seemingly used his good ideas by 30 after all. Possibly duller than Face Dances, I'm not going back to check.
Fave: All This Music Must Fade
Pete Townshend had a solo career in-between albums, but this time he thought to invite Roger Daltrey to belt out over the top to make it sell better. It sounds exactly like you'd expect an ageing retrospective throwback to sound, if you need that. The 'mini opera' was disappointing.
Fave: A Man in a Purple Dress
I generally skipped this one. Like many debuts, it's more a time capsule of the era, which is undoubtedly an interesting time. Keith Moon keeps things interesting and unpredictable.
Fave: The Kids Are Alright
An admirably weird ensemble effort. Nothing you'd really listen to in isolation, but an interesting experience concluding with their first... "epic?"
Fave: Cobwebs and Strange
Pretending that the previous album never happened, the energy's back, there are more decent songs than could reasonably be expected and the hypermodern time capsule album cover is skill. Since they decided a rest was for the best, what would normally be foreboding genre fusions can be appreciated as novelties.
Fave: Eminence Front
Mature Who may have seemed an oxymoron, but they aged into introspection gracefully, if unexcitingly. I miss the arrogant world-conquering ambition, but you can't keep it up forever. The last couple of songs are good, the last one featuring the most infectious guitar of the whole catalogue.
Fave: How Many Friends
The first offbeat classic, the loose concept succeeds in tying the completely random package together. A variably sincere storybook with a lot of silly filler, though it's only really 'Heinz Baked Beans' that's long enough and annoying enough to warrant skipping.
Fave: Tattoo
Playing to their established, ageing crowd rather than trying to keep up with the punks, cheesy synth is a welcome addition that helps to rekindle the fun while it lasted.
Fave: Sister Disco
Even as a fan of '70s prog, this was a bit quirky for me to get into at first. But I persevered, and its overambitious blend of hard rock with vintage bandstand/barbershop charm succeeded eventually. Though I always preferred the instrumental bits where I get a break from the stupid story.
Fave: Underture
A more straightforward story with a denser cinematic soundtrack, this took even longer to appreciate than Tommy without the eccentricity to fall back on, and with shallow preoccupations, the disconcerting totalitarian tang of late Waters-era Pink Floyd and the best stuff waiting in the second half.
Fave: Sea and Sand
I came to this later than the rock operas, its random bunch of songs I didn't know and no-effort title not making it stand out from the rest. Maybe it's the ghost of the failed project tying it all together, but it's one of the most solid and consistent rock albums I've heard.
Fave: Baba O'Riley or take your pick
