QUADROPHENIA

This album came pretty late to me in my fiendish musical interests. I had always listened to The Who ever since childhood, and loved everything I heard but never really paid enough attention. Well, now, I can truly see the masterwork that is Quadrophenia for myself. The Who is really one of those bands on this website that isn't quite "prog", but fits in there "somewhere". They really are just a classic rock band, and Quadrophenia is one of their few excursions into somewhat "prog waters". The whole linking of tracks and recurring theme (Love Reign O're Me) which all builds up to the grande finale...the album has many prog elements as does "Tommy" and "Who's Next", but nowhere near what we find throughout Genesis, YES, King Crimson etc...

Quadrophenia is just an extremely pleasent album for me. Discovering this album so late, after hearing "Who's Next" and "Tommy" so often, I was shocked at how great these songs were that I had never heard. Namely "I've Had Enough", "Doctor Jimmy", "The Rock" and many others..."Love Reign O're Me" is a track I think we all know very well from radio play, but still a masterful song, especially when you learn that it is the backing theme for this entire album. Townshend just shows his musical genius so well on this album, and it makes me really feel great hearing his style so dominant on this album. I love every song on here, the whole album has just enough prog and rock combined to make it that extra step forward for big music lovers. This is not just mindless rock and roll madness, but a construction, a story and an amazing mood and feel throughout. I took a few weeks of listening to this before I felt confident to give it the masterpiece marker.

I was never a HUGE fan of The Who, probably because my prog excursion detoured me from anything I percieved as mainstream classic rock, but The Who stand aside as a really brilliant band and this album, along with some others by them, proves this. I remember hearing "I Am One" as a child and this is always a family favorite in my life, another classic track. I have also found that Quadrophenia is far less popular than that of "Tommy" and "Who's Next" amongst my peers. I guess this is due to a less accessible opening and longer, 2 disc approach? Well, whatever it is, Quadrophenia is an incredible album and gives you such an amazing mood and feel...simply amazing.

This album ranks up with "Who's Next" and "Tommy" as their best masterpieces. I recommend checking out Pete Townshend's solo works also because he is really the musical mastermind behind alot of this greatness. Check it all out! The Who, classic rock masters in prog territory, "you can't beat it"!!!

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