Who (album) explained

Who
Type:studio
Artist:The Who
Cover:WHO (The Who 2019 album).jpeg
Released:[1] [2]
Recorded:3 February – August 2019
Studio:British Grove[3] and Metropolis Studios, London, England
Genre:Rock
Length:45:45
57:01 (w. 3 bonus original tracks)
61:34 (w. 4 bonus original tracks)
Label:Polydor, Interscope
Producer:Pete Townshend and Dave Sardy, with (for Roger Daltrey's vocals only) Bob Pridden and Dave Eringa[4] [5]
Prev Title:Live at the Fillmore East 1968
Prev Year:2018
Next Title:Essential The Who
Next Year:2020

Who is the twelfth studio album by the English rock band The Who, released on 6 December 2019.[4] The band's first new studio album in thirteen years, and the second overall comprising the duo of vocalist Roger Daltrey and instrumentalist Pete Townshend, it comprises ballads, rock music, electronic experimentation and "classic Who-ish" songs, according to Townshend.

Promoted by three singles, including the lead single "Ball and Chain", WHO was a commercial success, reaching number three on the UK Albums Chart and number two on the American Billboard 200. The album was also positively received by music critics. The Who supported the album with their Moving On! Tour.

Recording and release

In January 2019, The Who confirmed that they were working on their first album of new material in 13 years (since their 2006 studio album Endless Wire), which would contain "dark ballads, heavy rock stuff, experimental electronica, sampled stuff and Who-ish tunes that began with a guitar that goes yanga-dang", as Townshend stated.[6] As with previous Who albums, vocalist Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend recorded their parts of Who separately.[7]

"Ball and Chain", released as the first single on 13 September 2019, is a re-recording of a Pete Townshend solo song called "Guantanamo", which was released on his 2015 compilation . A second song, "All This Music Must Fade" was released as a single on 3 October 2019 and a third, "I Don't Wanna Get Wise" received a release on Spotify and iTunes in November 2019.

The album was supported by their Moving On! Tour.[8] "Got Nothing to Prove", one of the deluxe edition bonus tracks, was initially recorded as a demo in 1966, but was ultimately discarded by their manager and producer Kit Lambert due to lack of emotional resonance in the lyrics. "Sand", another early demo from 1966, is included on the Japan edition of the album as a bonus track.[9] [10] "Got Nothing to Prove" was later offered to Jimmy James and the Vagabonds, (who supported the Who at their Marquee Club performances in 1965) who also declined it.

The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 album chart for the week ending 21 December 2019.

On 30 October 2020, The Who released a new deluxe edition of Who featuring an updated version of "Beads on One String" newly remixed by Pete Townshend plus a bonus CD of live acoustic tracks from their only two live shows of 2020. The extra songs on the deluxe version of Who were recorded in Kingston-on-Thames on Valentines Day 2020, exactly 50 years to the day since the band's seminal show at Leeds University that resulted in the live album Live at Leeds.[11]

Composition

Conceptually, the album tackles the struggles of being an elderly rock musician, as The Guardian writer, Alexis Petridis noted. "Townshend seems more troubled than ever," Petridis stated, and this feeling overlaps into songs such as "I Don't Wanna Get Wise", which according to Petridis, "views a rock career as one of inevitable decline."[12] Musically, the album sounds like a "traditional" Who record. Senior Rolling Stone writer, Kory Grow, called WHO, "classic rock comfort food" and commented on its nostalgic feel: "Townshend and Daltrey...can still summon their inner Who-ness in their mid 70s."[13] Likewise, Ultimate Classic Rocks senior editor, Michael Gallucci, reflected on how the band's newest album sounds more like a "conventional" Who record, despite the album being thematically different from any of their previous works: "It's a throwback record for the most part, with nods all over the place to their classic work. It's not a retread, but it sounds like a Who album, which is crucial for something like this, as well as an upgrade for the 21st century."[14]

Cover artwork

The album cover was designed by pop artist Peter Blake, whose work includes the band's Face Dances and The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album covers. It is a patchwork of 25 squares: 22 squares showing different coloured images placed around three squares forming the word "WHO" in the centre of the album cover. The 22 squares depict some of the band's influences and symbols of their career and culture:

Critical reception

Who has received generally positive reviews from critics. According to Metacritic scores, fans gave the album a 7.4/10 star rating, while critics gave the album a 79/100 score. Praise for the band's performance also resonated with critics. In the Chicago Tribune, Pablo Gorondi complimented Daltrey for, "sing(ing) with power, sensitivity, range and conviction, just as he has done for decades", and called Townshend's voice a "highlight", while still "rip(ping) power chords and perform(ing) slinky riffs."[17] Gorondi continued his praise by stating that the dominant reasons why the album was "such a joy" were due to "Townshend's songwriting and guitar playing and Daltrey's superlative singing."[17]

Despite the praises for its 1970s rock sound and Daltrey and Townshend's performances, Who has received criticism. According to Matthew Taub of Consequence of Sound, some tracks are "not particularly well conceived", citing songs such as "Detour" and "Hero Ground Zero", as "just sit(ting) there" or "feeling more like an intermission".[18] Taub also commented that the track "Break the News", which was written by Townshend's younger brother, Simon, sounded like it was, "plucked from some kind of factory for generic acoustic pop songs — somehow like 100 other songs you’ve heard, yet none you can actually name."

Another observation was the generational tone of the album. Chris Willman from Variety stated, "There are hints of mirth amid the crotchetiness. Right in the opening line, when Daltrey sings 'I don't care, I know you're gonna hate this song,' followed later by 'I don't mind other guys ripping off my song.'"[19] NME journalist, Mark Beaumont, similarly noted this theme with the track, "I Don't Wanna Get Wise": "...(it) almost reads like a 75-year-old Daltrey talking to the drunk and tardy 20-year-old who sang 'My Generation.'"[20]

Track listing

All songs written by Pete Townshend except where noted.

"Sand" is a demo Pete Townshend recorded in 1966.

Personnel

Adapted from compact disc liner notes and online liner notes.

The Who

Additional personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2019)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[21] 64
Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[22] 51
US Billboard 200[23] 2

Year-end charts

Chart (2019)! scope="col"
Position
UK Albums (OCC)[24] 82
Chart (2020)! scope="col"
Position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[25] 81
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[26] 49

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Who to Release New Album 'Who' in November; 'Ball and Chain' Single Available . . 13 September 2019 . 18 September 2019.
  2. Web site: WHO. The Who. 2019-12-11.
  3. Web site: Pete: The new Who album: Day 1 at British Grove Studios. 2 February 2019.
  4. Web site: The Who announce the release of their new album 'WHO' plus UK Tour dates. 13 September 2019.
  5. Web site: Pete: Day 1 – Second Who Studio Sessions. 5 March 2019.
  6. Web site: The Who confirm first new studio album in 13 years. 14 January 2019 . . 13 September 2019.
  7. . 25 November 2019 . 25 November 2019 . Rodrick . Stephen . The Who by Fire.
  8. Web site: The Who Confirm First New Studio Album in 13 Years . Snapes . Laura . 14 January 2019 . 27 November 2019 . The Guardian.
  9. Web site: The Grooviest Song From the Who's New Album Was Actually Recorded 50 Years Ago. Ivie. Devon. 2019-12-09. Vulture. en-us. 2019-12-11.
  10. Web site: Listen to The Who's new single I Don't Wanna Get Wise. 2019-11-22. NME. en-GB. 2020-05-18.
  11. Web site: New Who Deluxe edition with live Kingston CD & 'Beads' remix . www.thewho.com . 6 October 2020 . October 6, 2020.
  12. News: Petridis. Alexis. 2019-11-28. The Who: Who review – back and still causing a big sensation. en-GB. The Guardian. 2020-05-18. 0261-3077.
  13. With a New Self-Titled Album, the Who Have Made Classic Rock Comfort Food. Grow. Kory. 2019-12-05. Rolling Stone. en-US. 2020-05-18.
  14. Web site: The Who, 'Who' Album Review. Gallucci. Michael. Ultimate Classic Rock. 3 December 2019 . en. 2020-05-18.
  15. Web site: Pete Townshend "This Guitar Has Seconds To Live" The Who Ad . September 2019 . www.feelnumb.com . 3 October 2019.
  16. Web site: The Who – Face Dances (cassette edition) . September 2019 . discogs.com . 3 October 2019.
  17. Web site: Review: Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey return to The Who's rocking ways. Gorondi. Pablo. chicagotribune.com. 6 December 2019 . 2020-05-18.
  18. Web site: Album Review: The Who Remain Blunt as Ever on Uneven WHO. 2019-11-29. Consequence of Sound. en-US. 2020-05-18.
  19. Web site: Album Review: The Who's 'Who'. Willman. Chris. 2019-12-06. Variety. en. 2020-05-18.
  20. Web site: The Who – 'WHO' review: 13 years since their last album, this stands up alongside their classics. 2019-11-20. NME. en-GB. 2020-05-18.
  21. Web site: ARIA Chart Watch #555. auspOp. 14 December 2019. 14 December 2019.
  22. Web site: Who on Billboard Japan Hot Albums. Billboard Japan. September 11, 2020. ja.
  23. Roddy Ricch Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 With 'Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial'. Billboard. Caulfield. Keith. 15 December 2019. 16 December 2019.
  24. Web site: End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2019. Official Charts Company. 4 January 2020.
  25. Web site: Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts 2020. de . . 18 December 2020.
  26. Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2020. Billboard. 28 December 2020.