Born from the rubble of the ambitious Lifehouse project that The Who eventually abandoned (probably because it was so insane– seriously), Who’s Next is the magnum opus of the British rock band known for their over the top stage show and prolific musical output. This was the album that defined rock and roll for a generation of listeners, and is filled to the brim with iconic songs that have stood the test of time. A record that starts off with “Baba O’Riley” naturally is going to have a hard time keeping up that energy throughout the rest of the album, but The Who managed to accomplish that seemingly herculean task with ease, delivering one of rock and roll’s most celebrated and well-loved pieces of work in the process. There simply isn’t a dull moment throughout this entire album (even the low point of “My Wife” is still a reasonable effort) and is one of those rare albums that you can listen front to back without blinking an eye.
Who’s Next has everything I love about The Who– the melodramatic and epic song progressions, roaring vocals from one of rock and roll’s best singers Roger Daltrey, massive power chords from the one and only Pete Townsend, the beautiful melodic flourishes of bassist John Entwistle, and the frenetic flurry from drummer Keith Moon behind the kit. This was a band operating with incredible efficiency in 1971 th at simply couldn’t be stopped, delivering an album that has stood the test of time as a classic rock landmark from one of Britain’s best to ever do it.
Standout Songs: “Baba O’Riley”, “Getting In Tune”, “Bargain”, “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, “Behind Blue Eyes”
