ALBUM REVIEW: The Who - A Quick One

    In retrospect, 1966 was a very odd year for The Who. Following the R&B-infused rocking debut that was My Generation and the subsequent singles with the album ("I Can't Explain", "Anyway Anyhow Anywhere"), it almost seems as though The Who were tempted to completely move away from their roots, immediately evident in that year's singles from the group, including "I'm a Boy", which was the remnants of Pete Townshend's first concept for a story-driven album that him and manager Kit Lambert called a "rock opera", a concept that I'm sure won't be important to the group later on. "Happy Jack" from later that year also felt like a distinct departure from the group's previous work, and the Ready Steady Who EP contained a few tracks that can only be described as leftovers that wouldn't fit anywhere else. The cherry on top of this bizarre year for the group is A Quick One, an album by The Who in which principle songwriter Pete Townshend only writes 4 out of the 10 songs on the album. Invariably, A Quick One sounds as scatted in concept as it is in execution, as the other 3 members pitch in on songwriting duties to highly mixed results; mostly, the record is only proof as to why Townshend was the primary musician for the group, with only minimal input thereafter.

    Now, it would be unfair of me to immediately jump into praising Townshend's tracks without first giving a fair shake to the other three, and certainly one stands out. John Entwistle proves a capable songwriter on this album, even funny at times with his two contributions. "Boris the Spider" is a goofy little song about a spider, and it's easily my pick for the best song on the record not written by Pete - the comedy of the track is only accentuated by Entwistle's peculiar vocals. Along with the serviceable "Whiskey Man" track later on, these two songs helped establish John as a capable writer in his own right, and certainly the group's go-to for weirder or more comedic tracks (something he'll become quite good at in the future). The other two members of the group leave a bit to be desired. Singer Roger Daltrey only contributes the Buddy Holly-esque disappointment "See My Way", a not particularly interesting rock number - it sounds like he's trying to write like Pete, but doing it not nearly as well. Still, if Daltrey's sole song is boring, than Moon's are at least anything but. It's only fitting that Moon the Loon would contribute the album's two most "what the fuck" moments with the Beatle pastiche "I Need You", a fine enough song with a silly John Lennon impression in the middle, and the certainly confusing "Cobwebs and Strange" instrumental track, a song so baffling that it warrants your attention. I've seen some people really praise this track for its comedy and strangeness, but to me it's little more than an eyebrow-raiser, although Moon's drumming is as good as ever. Throw in a Holland-Dozier-Holland cover with the pretty solid "Heat Wave", and there's 3/5 of a non-Townshend Who album - see why they didn't do this experiment again?

    Is that to say that Townshend's tracks are significantly better than everything else here? Well, one is, but we'll get to that. Most of Pete's stuff is quite good here, but most of it doesn't quite live up to the bombastic power of their debut record, which makes even the best cuts feel somewhat quaint - some things sound transitional here, and invariably that will lead to a lack of confidence, which this album certainly has. "Run, Run, Run" is a fine opening track, but it's the kind of song that would've been put on the shelf on the previous album as leftover material, and the same could easily be said for "So Bad About Us", although not quite as much. "Don't Look Away" at least has some killer harmonies on the chorus, and is overall more solid than the other mentioned songs, but they still lack that power - most of the album is produced in such a way where it doesn't hit nearly as hard, and ultimately it does a number in on songs like "Don't Look Away" or especially "So Bad About Us". With those three aside, there is one song that towers above the rest here, and it's Townshend's first attempt at creating a rock opera (although this isn't a grand album-sized one). "A Quick One, While He's Away" is a head above every other song on the album in quality. At nine minutes with five distinct and varied parts, it really is an impressive thing to behold, and it helps that the song's overall story is pretty silly. The group is tight and lively here, too, and it's probably the best sounding thing on the record. Having the best song be at the very end is certainly a nice reward for an otherwise inconsistent release...

    ...And if ever there was a word to describe A Quick One, it would be inconsistent. Undoubtedly the black sheep of the original albums, A Quick One is the centerpiece for what may be The Who's most strange and head-scratching year of their entire career. The following year they would get out of their growing pains with the power pop "Pictures of Lily" single, and would soldier on to create a fascinating and lovable concept record that same year, which makes the confusing period of 1966 even more odd. A Quick One is not only a transitional album for the band, but a certifiable sophomore slump; the high expectations set by such a fantastic debut record slightly sunken, even if a rebound was right around the corner. I remain confused by this album all these years later, even with its high points, especially when its best moments can be found in better places - most live versions of "A Quick One" still outclass the studio cut. The good cuts are worth it, but ultimately A Quick One is an inessential part of The Who's early days.

RATING: ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

Listen to A Quick One.