Way back in the 1960s, Britain was in full swing to some great new pop music of the time. The Who were a very good example that wasn’t The Beatles or The Rolling Stones from the UK. They were young, energetic and made great music to listen to. This is their first album, let’s hear what their music is like.

Out In The Street begins with some awesome guitar sounds, before Roger Daltrey’s clear vocal rises up. The drum patterns and guitars kick in, and we hear a great call to arms to the generation that The Who played to. A great way to kick off this album, and there is a freshness to the material here. Excellent.

I Don’t Mind has some awesome harmonies on it. It’s a great pop/rock piece from 1965 that simply works well. Do The Beatles and The Rolling Stones have contenders here? They certainly do. A simple song about taking it easy, it’s not hugely lyrical, just effective.

Next is The Good’s Gone is a catchy and awesome piece which discusses openly relationship issues. It’s a nice way to deliver such a statement in a four minute pop song. The group delivers a good statement whilst keeping the music going. Excellent listening, even on such a touchy subject. There is a rhythm guitar solo here, as opposed to a lead guitar solo. Unusual, but clever. Nice job. The outro is very Beatlesque.

Following is La-La-La Lies is a good pop/rock song which cleverly uses good harmonies and instrumentation to powerful effect. There is a beautiful piano in the background, along with the usual guitars and drums. Drummer Keith Moon played so well on this album, and deserves credit for it.

Much Too Much comes next and is another song about love based issues. It’s slightly different in comparison to the other songs here in content, but is still as consistent as the other songs on this album. Consistent and inspired listening, a genuinely quality listen is here.

My Generation is a really fantastic song, with the immortal line, “Hope I die before I get old”. Roger Daltrey stutters throughout (a nod to drug use, namely speed), and there is a bass guitar solo as well. All in all, this is the first song by The Who that you should hear. The whole piece is a standout of classic rock, and deserves a good listen. Keith Moon goes ballistic on the drums towards the end, great effort by these guys.

Next is The Kids Are Alright is a much more mellow song to listen to than what came before. It’s another unique and classic slice of pop/rock ingeniousness. Roger Daltrey sounds a little like The Beach Boys in terms of singing here, which is an interesting touch. More powerful drumming is here too, a sign of a band with a powerful rhythm, as well as great melodies. Nice stuff.

A touch of rhythm and blues with soul is here with Please, Please, Please which is a plea to a lover to stay, rather than go. It has some more harmonies, clean guitar solo sections and a jazzy piano in the background. It’s a great listen, and although is lacking many lyrical lines, it still shines through very well. Nice effort.

It’s Not True is a great song about denial of lies. Some of the lyrics here are fantastically written, coming in as a stream of consciousness sort of effect. It’s a good moral and musical listen, gossip is pointless. Music however, has a point, and so does this song. Another decent effort.

I’m A Man comes next which is an interesting blues cover and sounds warped. It’s a straightforward tune that is a nice addition to the album. Roger Daltrey does a great blues impression here. The piano and guitar solo is unusual. Keith Moon does a great job as The Who’s drummer and boundary pusher musically as well.

Next is A Legal Matter which discusses a rather nasty and difficult situation with a lover, by legal means. It advises against marriage and the classic ideals of a long term relationship, with a warning set to music. With divorces much higher today, this seems very relevant in the present.

Lastly we have The Ox which is a powerful and loud piece, driven as usual by Keith Moon’s superb drumming. It’s a great instrumental, and just sounds super good. A nice way to finish off this unforgettable and classic album. Guitar riffs are a plenty here, along with some wonderful piano. Sounding almost like The Velvet Underground and Jimi Hendrix, in a strange way.

This is an excellent album and a great way to showcase the energy and the spirit of both The Who and the 1960s in general. Even if you are not big on The Who, this recording is a great place to start for this particular era. Remastered re-releases have extra goodies attached, so be sure to check that out as well.

Energetic.

9/10