The Who - Quadrophenia (Remastered) (Album Review)
Thursday, 08 March 2012
Written by Mark O'Donoghue
If one was to compile a catalogue of the great bands in rock history The Who would undoubtedly hold a place high up the list alongside the likes of The Beatles and The Stones. The high octane quartet made up of Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, Keith Moon and John Entwistle were a pivotal band in aiding British rock n roll’s transatlantic explosion back in the 1960’s.
Albums such as 'Tommy', 'My Generation' or 'Who’s Next' might be better known but 'Quadrophenia' is essentially the Who’s forgotten masterpiece, with the bands best known songs arguably appearing on their other albums. Yet this rock-opera album is perhaps The Who’s finest, the zenith of Pete Townshend’s considerable song writing talent, with standout performances from every band member.
This 2011 revisit to The Who’s 1973 album is the second re-working of it, with a CD released in 1996 which saw Daltrey’s vocals enhanced from the original Vinyl version. This package offers even more with sizable goodies included in this box set, including essays by Pete Townshend and others involved in the recording, extensive photos, original handwritten lyrics, and sleek packaging.
Essentially reviewing this particular album means taking into consideration what is new, what has changed from the two previous efforts because the quality of the music is not in question, only the reasons for another re-release. If you’re a producer or audiophile enthusiast you might appreciate the re-mastered material, but for most listeners it is hard to tell the difference from the original mix, which was so well put together in the first place.
The story of this album is still however a fascinating one, the name is a variation on the term schizophrenia reflected by the four distinct personalities of Jimmy, the opera's protagonist – each said to represent the personality of one member of The Who. Most of the narrative details the mercurial urgencies of young Jimmy, the disenchanted Mod who also could represent just about any teenager who has ever lived. As such, the words and sounds and feelings are diverse, from the rough bluesy feel of 'I’m One' too the claustrophobic 'Almost Cut My Hair'; the story is of a sensitive, chemically altered kid uncomfortable inside his skin.
In delving into 'Quadrophenia', its apparent how well-constructed the opera is, with the use of recurring themes for each band member, and each character. When Daltrey’s ghostly voice echoes from a distance in 'I Am the Sea' the effect is positively haunting. This leads into the 'The Real Me' where Daltrey’s thunderous vocal, full of character and fire, practically explodes from the speakers. The visceral guitar and keyboard interplay is very much the work of the same band that created the hard rock of Who’s Next, but the ambition of the music is more apparent. '5:15' might be the centre piece of Quadrophenia, and it’s one of their most perfect songs ever, adding frenetic horns and pounding piano to the band equation.
The real treasure in this box set is the wide spectrum of Townshend’s demos for the album. Yet most of these are curiosities and telling for the fact that they weren’t included in the final cut, although the demo version of 'The Real Me' is a pretty groovy adaption of the more intense final cut. There are a couple of instrumental tracks that would have been entirely out of place on 'Quadrophenia', but they offer a fascinating glimpse into the musical mind of Townshend, such as the ELP-flavoured 'Wizardry', a very uncharacteristic prog-rock experiment, or the plaintive piano chords of 'Fill No. 2'. It would be a shame if any of these tunes were brilliant, and fortunately, none of them are.
If I were old enough to have been around to review the original release in 1973 then I might have very well awarded the album with 10/10. However as this is a second re-issue of what is of course a brilliant two-disc album then I feel 8.5/10 is a more appropriate figure. If, for whatever reason, you’ve never added 'Quadrophenia' to your music collection, it simply can’t be recommended more unreservedly. Even after four decades the music is so urgent and alive that listening to it remains an exhilarating experience.
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Albums such as 'Tommy', 'My Generation' or 'Who’s Next' might be better known but 'Quadrophenia' is essentially the Who’s forgotten masterpiece, with the bands best known songs arguably appearing on their other albums. Yet this rock-opera album is perhaps The Who’s finest, the zenith of Pete Townshend’s considerable song writing talent, with standout performances from every band member.
