THE WHO SELL OUT

This jaunty, sarcastic, sometimes cynical, sometimes brilliant, sometimes tedious release by the Who reminds me that many legendary rock bands sound nothing like what we hear today on classic rock FM. For example, who would guess that the band that blasts out "Who Are You" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" would find rave reviews with this dithering collection of tongue-in-cheek songs? Listeners born after 1975 beware: The Who Sell Out is probably not what you think it is.

So what is it? It's a mostly goofy art-pop album that sounds very '60's and very British. Is it bad? No, it's just ... The Who Sell Out. Be prepared for a handful of genuinely fun pop tunes like "Our Love", a few moments of Who-style heaviness, and songs that will probably make you shrug your shoulders with ambivalence. I found the second side of the album more musically engaging.

The album's best moments are the faux-commercials, which are legitimately brilliant at times. Commendable cynicism-- something I can't imagine a massive pop-star of today coming close to including in their work. Frankly, this is what elevates the song for 3-star status to me. Maybe some of the B-sides will reveal themselves to me in the future, but for now, I think that this music will probably hook some listeners much more than others.

Songwriting: 2 - Instrumental Performances: 3 - Lyrics/Vocals: 2 - Style/Emotion/Replay: 3