Search - Who :: Meaty Beaty Big & Bouncy (24bt)

THE Definitive Early Years Who Collection

Johnny Boy | Hockessin, DE | 07/14/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Let me start the review by saying this: If you are looking for a career spanning retrospective for The Who, look elsewhere, because this isn't it. If you want 'Won't Get Fooled Again,' 'Baba O'Riley,' 'Squeeze Box,' 'Eminence Front,' etc., you certainly won't find it here. In fact, many of these weren't even released or recorded yet when this was released in 1971.



Now that I have said that, I move on to my review.



This collection spans 1965 to 1969, in essence, the early years of The Who. This is a must have for every Who fan, whether you are a casual fan, new fan, or longtime/die-hard fan, this is one record every single Who fan needs to own.



'Bouncy' was released in 1971. 38 years later, it still holds up and is the most comprehensive early years collection of The Who to date. Mostly every single early Who classic is here. 'My Generation,' a rare extended version of 'I'm A Boy,' 'Magic Bus,' 'I Can't Explain,' 'Pinball Wizard,' and one of my personal favorite Who classics which never got the respect it deserved, 'A Legal Matter,' from 'The Who Sings My Generation' (1965).



The only complaint I have is the omission of 'The Ox,' also from '65. In my opinion, that is the early Who at their best. It is a shame to see that song omitted, and at 43 minutes, it could easily fit here, too. And why not include an underrated Who classic, like John Entwistle's 'Whiskey Man,' from 'A Quick One' (1966)? All of these would fit.



But despite those omissions, this is a must own for any Who fan. It is a thoroughly enjoyable collection that I can readily recommend to just about anybody that likes good rock and roll or music in general.



Overall, I can't say it enough, this is easily one of the top Who collections on the market. No collection captures the early Who ('65-'69) quite like 'Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy.' It is an essential part to any Who fan's collection.



Highly, highly recommended. A near flawless collection.



ENJOY!!!"