The Who

I agree on both counts. I listened to Who's Next a few days ago to see if my opinion had changed-it has'nt. I turned it off half way through. They have done some great tracks but not one good album IMO.
 
I really don't understand all the backlash against Who's Next. Sure, it's over the top and isn't as guitar driven as their early singles and they left the best song off the album (Pure & Easy), but it's still stunning. The Song Is Over is one of the most underrated Who songs, up there with The Quiet One and So Sad About Us.
 
It's funny that you mention Pure & Easy. I bought a version of Who's Next that had it as a bonus track. As much as I liked the usual favorites like Behind Blue Eyes, Baba O'Riley, and Won't Get Fooled Again, the song that really stood out for me was Pure & Easy. Great song.
 
There's actually at least two versions of Pure & Easy; an early version on the expanded version of Who's Next and a later version on OdRAB & SoRAB (and a few comps, like The Ultimate Collection). Both are good, but I think the Who's Next version has the edge.

I really think that leaving it off the album was one of Townshend's worst mistakes. Placing it near the beginning, and concluding with The Song Is Over would have made the album that much stronger.

I think a case could even be made for including songs like Too Much Of Anything. Something like:

1. Baba O'Reilly
2. Pure & Easy
3. I Don't Even Know Myself
4. Bargain
5. My Wife

6. Too Much Of Anything
7. Getting In Tune
8. Behind Blue Eyes
9. The Song Is Over

(And then release Won't Get Fooled Again b/w Going Mobile as a single)

I don't know how that would play, but you get the idea. Who's Next is one of those albums that's almost perfect as it is, but when you hear some of the outtakes, you begin to think it could have been even better.
 
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