The competition by the time The Who released this album was incredibly fierce, and keep in mind this was still during the time of absolute Beatle-domination where everything the group touched turned to gold records and dollar signs - in this competitive atmosphere, The Who still remain singular, even compared to contemporary groups such as The Kinks, who had a somewhat similar debut just the year prior, albeit with much more covers than The Who have here (only three, and I'll argue that's a good thing). Still, it's really no apt comparison, because The Kinks couldn't rock as hard as The Who - no group, not even The Stones, could out-rock The Who, and one only needs to see the line-up to see why. It's fitting that the first sound one hears is Pete Townshend's guitar, and the line between simple and complex playing is constantly walked on throughout their catalog; it's no different here, with a contained chaos to Townshend's aggressive chords and memorable riffs. Roger Daltrey proves a more than capable vocalist here, although his shining years were yet to come, and he does good by Townshend's originals as well as the covers present (well, most of them). John Entwistle still remains rock's best bass player, and already his prowess bleeds through - listen to his bass solo on the title track, for crying out loud. The same can very much be said for Keith Moon, rock's greatest drummer, and his uncontrollable self is already present on more than a few moments here, as well. It all comes together to make a more than tight band - they're so full of life that they're practically jumping off the needle, and the same can be said for the compositions themself, which showcases an already blossoming creative mind.
Townshend will go on to become one of the genre's defining geniuses - a constantly thinking ambitious mind who can't and shouldn't be halted. While he's got some maturing to do, the best moments of My Generation showcase the first spurts of genius in that mind. Few songs feel as declaratory as the opening "Out in the Street" is - every aspect of The Who is present on this song, and it's hard not to feel like the statement "You're gonna know me" isn't directed towards the listener - it's even harder to say that they're wrong. The eternal title track still remains an anthem of angst for young generations against the old, and it's hard not to love such an invigorating dose of proto-punk. "The Kids Are Alright" might as well be an early Kinks song, and the same can be said for the equally catchy "A Legal Matter", but for my money both songs are better than damn near anything on The Kinks' first 2 albums, with the former being a reflection on love and the latter being a darker look at divorce. We also have the instrumental track "The Ox" that closes the album, an enjoyable showcase of the group's instrumental talent, including John Entwistle's roaring bass (the title of the track is a nickname given to Entwistle by the rest of the group). These songs are by far the finest of the original crop of songs on the record (although the non-album "Anyway Anyhow Anywhere" comes close to taking the whole thing home), but other songs range from good to gunk - for the former take the melancholia of "The Good's Gone", and for the latter take the all too forgettable "It's Not True". The same can effectively be said for the covers, but in practice only one is a true dud. The rendition of Bo Diddley's "I'm a Man" is only saved by the rocking end of the song, and certifiably bogged down by Roger's confusing gruff vocal performance - it's a rough one. The other two covers are by no means the strongest of the album's work, but the rocking take on James Brown's "Please, Please, Please" is certainly nothing to sneeze at, and I find it just a hair better than their take on Brown's "I Don't Mind", although neither of these covers will really do you wrong.
The Who may have been a bit late to the British Invasion game, but call it fashionably late here. The Who's debut is a firestorm of maximum R&B energy cranked out by four of the sharpest and tightest musicians on the charts at the time. A great set of original songs with a sprinkle of some mostly solid covers makes for a fairly standard debut formula, but rarely has it been done with such vigor and life as it is here. The Who would continue their indomitable stretch of pure rocking for many years, and My Generation set the standard for everything to come next - They're gonna know you, so settle yourself in for a hell of a band.
RATING: ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯
Listen to My Generation.
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