Their Best Pre-"Tommy" LP, And A Concept Classic!!
11/03/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The Who sell out on several levels in this album (one of the best concept albums ever!): (1)-They obviously sell out by having the LP sound like a Radio London broadcast, complete with wacky late 1960s AM style commercials & public service announcements. (2)-They sell out in an unexpected way, by not following through on the concept all the way to the end of the album!! (That was due to the fact that The Who were on tour during the making of the LP, and, with the release date looming, just plain ran out of time). But the LP works regardless, and this CD version contains many extra tracks & radio spots not included on the original 1968 analog release. Classic tracks include: "I Can See For Miles", "Odorono", "Our Love Was, Is", "I Can't Reach You", and "Tattoo". My only complaint is that they didn't include the 2 real-life radio spots the Who did back in the late '60s: "Little Billy" (for the American Cancer Society), and "Do You Want Kids, Kids?" (for Planned Parenthood). Both these tracks would have worked wonderfully within the "Sell Out" concept. But still, it's my favorite Who album of all... even above "Who's Next" (a close second). Extremely funny and entertaining, this LP is a must for all Who fans. It lampoons late '60s pop-AM radio, and embraces it at the same time. Don't miss this one."
The Definitive Version?
Edward B. Hanel Jr. | Kailua, HI USA | 12/27/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"For those fans looking for the recent Japanese releases with the miniture cardcoard LP sleeves, this is the second in the series: Polydor POCP-9195. Not only one of the finest Who LP's with the stunning I Can See For Miles, this release features a copy of the "Psychedelic Poster" given away with the original UK LP release. With an eye for detail, Japan Polydor even included a small detachable sticker on the cover. The music is a must for all Who fans, the Japanese packaging a delight. Be forewarned, this version uses the 1995 re-master, so the guitar on I Can See For Miles doesn't drift from speaker to speaker as on the original stereo LP. A minor quibble for a great effort to make one of the true classic 60's LP's sound fresh and alive."
Track Listings (23) - Disc #1