The Who Sell Out; Or Reasons To Be Cheerful, Part Four

 

 

Both long time readers and recent visitors should know by now that "The Who Sell Out" is my favorite record of all time. There is no need to reiterate my feelings about the music. I will however, offer what I hope are some helpful thoughts regarding the just released super deluxe edition.

Now I know many of you stopped buying physical product of any format years ago, while some still purchase CDs only. I'll refrain from going into detail regarding digital versus analogue, CDs versus vinyl, MP3s, etcetera. That debate can be saved for another post. 

Or not. 

But, in order to review the box, some of these issues will need to be addressed, especially for those like me, who prefer the vinyl experience.

First, the cost. 

$119 isn't that expensive, relatively speaking. It only hurts because you have to spend it all at once on one thing, as opposed to say, six things over the course of a year. And I am sure it hurts even more when you are in the habit of getting your music for free. 

Please humor me, while I break this down.

An 80 page coffee table book on music, filled with tons of information and photos, would usually sell at Barnes & Noble for approximately $35-50, sometimes more, when it's a book by Jimmy Page or Paul McCartney.

Five CDs, if released individually over the course of a year, would sell for about $12 each. 

That's $50 for the book and $60 for five CDs.  $110. So far, nothing crazy here. 

What's left is approximately $10. So if I offered you, a fan of the Who...or any band, really... a bag of goodies that included two 45s with picture sleeve replicas, a few posters, a couple of 45 adapters, and a bunch of other fun readable treats for $10, it'd be a no-brainer, no? 

Yes! Of course! 

(Does anyone remember fun?)

There's your $119.

Except, if you don't care about physical product, or a coffee table book, or 45 vinyl replicas, or if you feel you've outgrown the collectors mentality, and fun, then it really wouldn't matter if this box was half the price, would it?

No, it wouldn't.

The issue is more about whether you need to have all of this in your grubby little hands when you can just stream the music, or in some instances, just "take it" from certain sites.

This is where we will most likely disagree.

I went all in and purchased the deluxe box, the stereo vinyl and the exclusive MONO LP, on "Heinz Baked Beans" orange vinyl seen above, available exclusively from The Who store.

I am thrilled with all of it. 

The stereo remastering is wide and bright, not just on the vinyl, but on the CDs, as well. This is by far, the best the stereo album has ever sounded. Details like Pete's strumming on "Mary Ann With The Shakey Hand" are crystal clear. The alternate mixes on rarities like "Early Morning Cold Taxi" and "Fortune Teller," as well as faves like "I Can See For Miles" and "Magic Bus" are in a word, stunning.

The MONO vinyl is big and punchy, though maybe just a bit boomier than the original UK mono LP. Still, a delight nonetheless. Both vinyl editions are in lovely gatefolds with detailed notes and both are strong pressings.

The book is full of amazing tidbits, with essays by Richard Evans, Chris Huston, Pete Drummond and Townshend himself, as well as Pete detailing his demos. The track annotation alone is almost worth the price of admission.

One thing that really amazed me was reading how Townshend was asked about the music he was wrtiing in 1967 and he replied, "It's power pop," coining the phrase years before Big Star. And on Disc Four of the set, "The Road To Tommy," which features many of the stray tracks from 1968, The Who has never sounded more like a power pop band. That disc alone plays like a lost classic. Actually, not before "Sell Out," or ever again, have The Who been so overtly poppy and melodic. I think this is what has appealed to me for so long without actually realizing it.

The bonus material is far better than your average boxed set, with only Disc 3 offering studio chatter and "fly on the wall" versions. Pete's demos are not just guitar and voice. They are fully formed and arranged and quality throughout the entire set is superb. I thought I had heard it all, but I was wrong.

So do you need to spend $119? 

If you're a casual fan, no I guess you don't. 

I can't imagine this new edition would suddenly make "Odorono" sound any more appealing to those who prefer "My Generation" or "Baba O'Riley." But if you love The Who and this album, and already love the beautiful melody and structure of "Odorono," despite its subject matter, by all means, get the damn thing!

It's no secret. You are not hearing all of the music by grabbing a 320 kbps file and playing it through either your computer or your preferred device. It's math. You wouldn't watch "Casablanca" if Ugarte, Peter Lorre's character, was obstructed, or missing altogether. Or if Sonny Corleone's character was only implied in a cheaper version of "The Godfather." Would you? 

Is a snapshot of Michelangelo's "David" just as breathtaking as standing at its foot? 

OK, enough. Even I have had enough of me.

I understand, there is a big difference between noticing a character missing or a scene being cut in a favorite film, and noticing missing audio. But a compressed file does that very thing, whether you notice or not. You may not care. And if this was a $119 deluxe box of "Face Dances," I wouldn't care either. But it isn't. It's "The Who Sell Out." Or it could be your favorite record. And this is why a few times a year, it's okay to spend a few bucks on something special...if you're able.

What I am saying is, try to reel in your cynicism. If you're here, you love music and you are probably used to my gushing. So try and dig that feeling, and stop rolling your eyes and your contemptuous snorting. I can hear it through the screen.

If you're a vinyl fan, get them while you can.  There are different bonus tracks on both stereo and mono, but hardly the feast of rarities found on the CD set.

This big box of "The Who Sell Out" is worth every penny and I think you know, if I didn't think so, I would not hesitate to shit all over it.

And while it is available, check out this terrific new "Classic Albums" episode on this very album.