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ALBUM REVIEW

THE WHO

THE WHO BY NUMBERS

Released -  1975 on MCA Records. Produced by Glyn Johns

Roger Daltrey - Lead and Backing Vocals
Pete Townshend - Guitars, Keyboards, Ukulele, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals on "However Much I Booze" & "Blue, Red and Grey"
John Entwistle - Bass Guitar, Brass, Backing Vocals, Vocal Harmony on "Success Story".
Keith Moon - Drums and Percussion

Additional Personnel: Nicky Hopkins - Piano on "They Are All In Love"

All songs written by Pete Townshend except "Success Story", written by John Entwistle.

Review

This album has to be the Who's most underrated. About as honest as Pete Townshend ever got on record as he tackles some personal problems here. "However Much I Booze" is one of those songs, his lead vocals on this one declares that "there is no way out" of the life he got himself into. "How Many Friends" is another one that I think most adults can relate to, and shows us why a younger Townshend years earlier might have looked ahead and wished of dying before he got to where he was now. If nothing else, at least the older Townshend now sees it just wasn't his parents generation that was a so cold.

I have heard many true Who fans put down the song "Squeeze Box", yet I'm not sure why. This one is clearly the best tune on the album. A happy-go-lucky song that don't feature the instrument it's lyrics tell about. The album's opening number is also kick-ass. "Slip Kid", is perhaps the most underrated song on this underrated album. Why didn't the Who ever play this one live, or a better question, why the hell would they play "Dreaming From the Waist" instead? For me anyway, a somewhat forgettable song and perhaps my least favorite one on here.

John Entwistle's "Success Story" is one great rocker too and fits in nicely with the rest of the album's mood. This LP was not suppose to be a concept album, and it's not considered one, yet the songs all do tell a story about where the Who were at this point of their career. Overall, it might not be their best album, but it has stood the test of time nicely.

- Keno, 2003

To listen to some soundclips from THE WHO BY NUMBERS or to purchase it, click on any of these links: The Who By Numbers (Remastered)  

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