59. The Who - My Generation (1965)

1. Out In The Street
2. I Don't Mind
3. The Good's Gone
4. La La La Lies
5. Much Too Much
6. My Generation
7. The Kids Are Alright
8. Please, Please, Please
9. It's Not True
10. I'm A Man
11. A Legal Matter
12. The Ox

Enter the third great titan of the British Invasion. The Who changed so much throughout their career that it's funny to listen to their debut album and marvel at how unambitious it is compared to the legendary classics they would soon be recording. That's only with the benefit of hindsight, though. By the standards of this year, this album was fairly ambitious, with its completely wild sound (just listen to those drums!) and the fact that a mere 3 songs were covers-quite a feat in those days. Pete Townshend wastes no time in establishing his lyrical voice, and you can already hear evidence of the trademark wit that he would develop over the years.

The covers tend to drag the album down a bit though, particularly the James Brown songs. I said this before on the Rolling Stones debut, I'll say it again here: Do not try to emulate soul legends on your first album if you are white. It won't really end well.

The originals are really something, though. Most everyone knows the title track by now, with its famous stuttering delivery, the bass solo, and the fact that "Hope I die before I get old" sounds that much funnier 45 years on. Keith Moon's drumming at the end of the track is enough to make you run for cover. It's even worse on 'The Ox', a furious instrumental that has everyone playing on overdrive and Pete Townshend doing God knows what to that poor guitar of his. Sometimes it feels like there's more protesting howls of feedback than actual guitar solos on this album!

Amidst all this sound and fury, there's actually a good number of cheerful pop songs. 'The Kids Are Alright' is Beatlesque in its upbeat, carefree catchiness. My personal favorite is 'A Legal Matter', a charming song about divorcing your pregnant wife 'cause you're bored (I told you Pete had a sense of humor!) . The harmonies aren't quite as full as the Beatles', but the music has a bite that the Beatles wouldn't be able to match until 'Helter Skelter'.

This album set the terms for what a proper debut album should be: Unique, proud, laying down a distinct sound, yet showing a glimpse at the glories to come. 8/10