TOMMY

Of course I can say that "The Who" were a band able to move from the rock thug who smashed the guitars in 2-minute songs to orchestral rock music, complete with Overtoure and Underture. then collected in a concept album in opera style. Few bands can boast such a great evolution. And in the early seventies, Townsend, with Quadrophenia, managed to write, record and produce a work that for technical skill surpasses the progressive albums of the same era. So, chapeau to The Who.

Tommy still remains a very good record, naive, orchestral, often acoustic, with some pieces with a limpid and engaging melody, with some "crescendo" full of pathos. The Overture is a great symphonic piece that contains many melodies which will be expressed in the single songs. "It's a Boy", "1921" and "Amazing Journey" are pop pieces embellished with the voice of Daltrey. "Sparks" is an instrumental track with good effort from Townsend and Moon. "Eyesight to the Blind" is maybe the best rocksong of the album. "Christmas" is one of the most engaging melodic song ("See me, Feel me, Touch me, Heel me") of the Lp. Masterpiece. "Cousin Kevin" and "Acid Queen" are good rock pieces and "Undeture" close the first, wonderful disc, ,

The second disc open with two short, interlocutory tracks, but then arrive "Pinball Wizard", another masterpiece, another engaging melody and rhythm. "Go to the Mirror" contains the reprise of the main melody of the album, then there are other two short pieces, and "Sensation", a pop acoustic song (not remarkable). Maybe the third side is the weakest. "Sally Simpson" is not remarkable, instead "I'm Free" is very inspired and well-sung. "Welcome" is very theatral, and even proggy track, then, after another aborted piece, arrives the last song, "We're not Gonna Take It", that is a summary of the whole record.

Despite having a slight decline in the second disc, Tommy remains a great record, and a small (if not that it is big, being double) masterpiece that is a masterpiece as a whole, despite having various weaknesses; in fact, it allows itself to be appreciated for its whole, for how the songs, text and music, flow one after the other.

Vote: 9. Five stars.

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