Graded on a Curve:
The Who,
Who Are You

1978’s Who Are You may be some people’s idea of a great Who album, but it’s certainly not mine. From its over-reliance on the synthesizer to its concessions to the Days of Disco, I never liked it, and find it sad that it was Keith Moon’s final contribution to rock before his untimely, if all too predictable, demise.

From the unworthy “Sister Disco” to the subpar “Love Is Coming Down” to “Who Are You,” which I have always felt was the Who’s absolute career nadir, the LP reflected, at least in my mind, a band falling apart at the seams. Townshend’s songs aren’t his best; the aforementioned “Love Is Coming Down” is downright saccharine (what’s with the strings?) and a cheap imitation of “Love, Reign O’er Me,” “Had Enough” is a synthesizer-driven and lightweight concession to the sound of the times (is that chorus wimpy or what?) rather than a revolt against them, and as for the synthed-up and mechanized “905,” what is it, anyway? Townshend, who spoke so eloquently of England’s “teenage wasteland,” with its leapers, zoot suits, and motor scooters, is here reduced to producing a song about a test tube child. What’s worse, the song isn’t very good.

“Music Must Change” proves its point, because if this dull and static number is music it does indeed need changing. It sounds, as does “Sister Disco,” like bad Broadway music. On the positive side, “Sister Disco” has some propulsion and a good melody, which is more than can be said for “Music Must Change” and “Guitar and Pen.” Unfortunately, that synthesizer has to go. As for the rambunctious but synth-dominated opening track, “New Song,” it’s as likeable a song as any on the LP, but its lyrics are a lie; the band does anything but sing the same old song with Who Are You, and it’s unfortunate because the same old song is far better than the LP’s slapdash combination of synthesizer madness, subpar numbers, and disco-rock tunes.

The not-very exciting “Guitar and Pen” is yet another track that sounds like Broadway show music; sure, Townshend’s guitar work is excellent and Daltrey’s singing is impassioned, but the song has more changes than a chameleon, and none of its many changes make it any more interesting. The very hard rock of “Trick of the Light” is the only song on Who Are You that truly moves me; the band cranks up the old Who sound and lets rip.

As for the ever-popular “Who Are You,” I really like the lyrics and Daltrey’s impassioned vocal performance, and Moonie sounds like he was actually present. But the much repeated and owl-like refrain of “Who are you?/Who who?/Who who?” has always irked me, the song’s midsection is lacking in tension despite some nice guitar work by Townshend, and the song again sounds like a concession to the times, and more oriented towards discoing down than rocking out. Not that I have a problem with disco. But the Who?

Some of the problem with Who Are You lies with Keith Moon. His drum pummel is in evidence but significantly muted on most of the LP, his legendary abuse of drugs and alcohol having finally taken their toll. Indeed, he was in such bad shape that he was unable to play the drum part on “Music Must Change” and was simply left off the track. Others at the sessions for the LP have testified that Moon was at a loss, had not done his homework, and was disgusted with his inability to play up to his formerly astounding standards.

But most of the problem stemmed from Townshend’s failure to address how to keep the Who relevant in the face of punk rock. His answer, on lackluster and best-forgotten tunes like “Music Must Change” and “Guitar and Pen,” demonstrates, to me at least, that he had no idea of how to face the challenge posed by the Sex Pistols and others. Contrast the Who’s response with that of Neil Young, who basically cranked up his guitar and produced music every bit as explosive as that of punk.

It’s only on “Trick of the Light” that the Who took Young’s approach and kicked out the jams. Which is too bad, because “Trick of the Light” was as good a template as any for the Who’s continued relevance as a rock band. As for the rest of the LP, I can do without it. In fact, it makes me sad. Keith Moon, rest his soul, deserved a better send-off than this.

GRADED ON A CURVE:
C-

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