ODDS & SODS

As its title indicates, this is a bit of bottom-of-drawers release, one that was thrown together when Daltrey was busy playing in Tommy (the movie), when Townsend and Entwistle toyed around the studios for the group or their solo career (I seem to remember both putting out a solo albums around this year), but unfortunately where Moon was left on its own and went on lengthy binges that would eventually destroy him four years later. Presented with an ugly shot of the group sporting American Football helmets, this collection was assembled from tracks that were leftover from 68 & 69 and others remaining from their monstrous project: Lifehouse and Quadrophenia or unrelated but still written in those years.

Opening on the brass-laden (courtesy of Entwistle) Postcard, while Farmer is an outstanding track with amazing Moon drumming, both from the 60's, O&S is an entertaining album that proposes over half of its tracks from that decade. Indeed Little Billy seems like it could've been another hit (read the story in the booklet) and Glow Girl (a cousin to Glittering Girl) then Faith In Something Bigger are intermediate track from the two years of silence between Sell Out and Tommy. A real surprise is the '64 cover of I'm The Face, which could be a Stone track of the times: while it sticks out a bit, it's lovely to hear it once in a while.

The 70's track include the interesting Put The Money Down (Daltrey lays some classic yells), while Pete yells out to Moonie that Too Much Of Anything , like Pure And Easy (probably the most Lynyrd-ish Who track in its middle section) , both originally for the Lifehouse and left away from Who's Next make a big positive argument for the album. Also from the 60's, but really sounding like Tommy ('69, thus sounding much more 70's >> hence why I discuss it in this paragraph) is the excellent Naked Eye, probably the best track (and proggiest) of the present album. The closing Long Live Rock is linked to Quadrophenia, which in itself is a compliment.

After the other compilation of MBB&B (regrouping for the first time many hits that had not been available other than in singles), in some ways this recognized "unreleased track compilation" will resemble much the official following studio release the tedious By Numbers and in some ways the excellent Who Are You, by mixing songs from years gone by. Personally (and since I tend to treat this compilation as a real album) I prefer O&S to BN, because the choice of tracks is simply superior to the next release

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