Reviews (page 3 of 12)
This still sounds pretty great.
All teeth. I love it.
El debut de The Who en el mundo de la música viene muy marcado por el tema del mismo nombre que el álbum. Cuando lo escuchas entero te das cuenta de que no es lo que esperabas a partir del single. Unos temas muy influenciados por el soul y r&b norteamericano de la, al igual que los Beatles. Todavía muy alejados de lo que serían más adelante, se les nota que, vista la buena acogida de My Generation, se esfuerzan en autocopiarse en un par de temas más (intuían que ese era el camino). Con todo, es imprescindible para valorar el camino que siguieron una banda en el top 10 de las más influyentes del rock.
Lots of their classic tracks. Don't really see them as an album band apart from the rock operas but this was very good.
Love it! A transitional Who album, full of short, tight and dirty songs, punctuated by the “look out!” of My Generation. I love how the band evolved, but like early Stones records I always have place in my heart for the young lads being rugged.
One of my faves by The Who. It's probably their most solid album from their earlier period.
It's a nice debut album, sounds a lot like the Beatles' earlier albums. Favorite Songs: I Don't Mind, The Good's Gone, La-La-La-Lies, Much Too Much, My Generation, The Kids Are Alright, It's Not True, I'm A Man, A Legal Matter, The Ox
Marked up for the bluesy numbers
This one is quite nice, though Beatles fans wouldn’t understand.
It's perhaps a little disappointing to me that they created an album that sounds like this and disavowed it in favour of producing Tommy and The Who Sell Out. There's something real special here and everyone knows it now. Favourite track: The Good's Gone
7/10 I kinda like this RnB sound on The Who, even if I enjoyed their later stuff more.
Prescience of Pete Townshend singing about “a legal matter” aside, it was an enjoyably raw collection of songs. Very much first album vibes.
Gran álbum, últimamente viene bien esta página, que siga así. 8/10
A brilliant album. Big singles that set the Who up and became anthems for the young. Pete Townsend’s writing is fantastic, the playing is great, iconic imagery.
not bad at all. i like early Who that is stripped down to thier most basic Mod sound. this one's a winner in my book.
I was excited when I saw the alblum. Not thier best alblum but one of the best debut alblums. The song My Generation reminds of waking up with bruises and black mucus) on Saturday mornings after The Shack. (If you know, you know)
Absolute classic
It’s good
3.5
I actually listened to my Abbey Road Stereo Remaster (which used the 2002 full Stereo remix) and my 60s US fake stereo and it only makes me realize I need to get a true mono copy. Unfortunately there are late overdubs on the mono masters that are not present on the original four track so the double track vocals are gone on several tracks and a few guitar parts just aren't on the Stereo mix. But it totally make the difference in the thickness of the original release. If there is a draw back of this album it's that side one is a bit hit or miss. But from "Much Too Much" on, it's pretty damn good. The two hits, "My Generation" and "Kids Are Alright" and the instrumental "The Ox" are my favorites. Their "I'm A Man" cover and The Townsend lead "Legal Matter" are pretty tight too. I could do without the James Brown covers, though "Please, Please, Please" fairs a bit better. And "La-La-La-Lies" is by far my least favorite of the originals on here. All in all a really an incredible debut. (8.8) ★★★★
A bit uneven, but cool mod rock. 4 stars
I'm probably in the minority here, but this is my favorite of the Who albums we've had. I think they were a really good band out of the gate and there's some great stuff here, including the title track, "The Kids are Alright", "Much Too Much", and "A Legal Matter". The James Brown and Bo Diddly covers feel a little fillerish and hold it back a little, but still really good. 4 stars.
A pleasant listen. Who you got from mid 60s: The Who or The Kinks?
Groovy
Really solid album here. In some ways it reminded me of some early Stones.
Totally fun album. Never heard the Who's covers before. They do mean James Brown. I put the Who up there. It's my second favorite British Invasion band, with the Kinks as number two. Sorry, Beatles. As innovative and amazing as you are, you don't match the energy of the Who or the lyrical abilities of the Kinks.
Really nice to listen to but also bops even the more obscure ones. Very 60s but in a timeless way. Favs: I don’t mind, much too much, my generation (obv)
I Don't Mind has a Beatles influence (and its a James Brown cover), would they ever admit to it :)? Well, its the Who, the early Who (even better ;)). And My Generation is absolute top 10 song of pop music.
A blend of blues rock with harder titles, it's understandable why it's considered a landmark album of rock'n'roll. Favorite songs: I don't mind ; My Generation ; The Ox
Getting a little burnt out on this era's sound, but even so, this album is solid and easy to listen to.
I love early The Who. I like all the tremolo (only good modulation effect), but y'all are right about the VERY heavy "influence" from black musicians, especially track 1. FWIW, I like the James Brown cover and to hear a "rock" band do a rendition, but man, Roger, man. You gotta find your voice please. He's oscillating between James Brown voice and Bob Dylan voice (The Good's Gone). I love The Good's Gone, though. I really like this album!!!! I don't know!!!! I feel like early The Who is just doing everything pre-HardDaysNight Beatles were doing better and much more raucous, which isn't saying much, especially considering that by 1965, they had moved the fuck on. AND OH!!! THE VOCAL HARMONIES!!!!!! I was on my Doo-Wop moment for a while last month, and what I find so endearing about these early rock albums is how they combine those vocal harmonies with increasingly heavy styles. I love The Kinks because they were always a little tongue-in-cheek, but this doesn't feel tongue-in-cheek at all. It's often very fun and cute!!!!!!!!!!! THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT!!!!!!!!! I would return to this more!!! The Ox is basically a classic for me. Always LOVED THAT TRACK!!!! AND I WILL SING TITLE TRACK AT KARAOKE ONE OF THESE DAYS!!!! I AM THE HAPPY SMILER WHEN I LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah there are so many songs on this that I just like,, dude. I'm A Man. Bo Diddley awesome. But jesus christ.
8.1/10 Out in the Street- 7.5/10 (the who was in paris?) (3rd) I Don't Mind- 8.5/10 (Fave) The Good's Gone- 8/10 (Fave) La-La-La-Lies- 8/10 (Fave) Much Too Much- 7.5/10 (1st) My Generation- 9.5/10 The Kids Are Alright- 8/10 Please, Please, Please- 7.5/10 (2nd) It's Not True- 9/10 I'm a Man- 8/10 (Fave) A Legal Matter- 8.5/10 The Ox- 8/10
My Generation still lands like a brick through a plate‑glass window. As debut albums go, it’s less a calling card and more a declaration of intent—raw, impatient, and gloriously volatile. Where many first records feel like sketches of what a band might become, The Who arrived already swinging, fusing Mod swagger with a proto‑punk snarl that made their peers sound almost polite. Compared to the Beatles’ tidy Please Please Me or the Stones’ blues‑club apprenticeship on their debut, My Generation is the moment the kids grabbed the steering wheel. Pete Townshend’s windmill riffs, Keith Moon’s barely‑contained detonation behind the kit, and Roger Daltrey’s brash bark all collide into something that feels less produced than unleashed. Even today, the title track’s stuttering defiance still feels like a cultural line in the sand. It’s not flawless—some covers feel like holdovers from a band still figuring out its studio identity—but the album’s energy, attitude, and sheer nerve make it one of the most confident first swings in rock history. A debut that doesn’t just introduce a band, but announces a shift in the entire vocabulary of youth culture.
I love Who's Next just as much, but it’s always a joy to hear this more unhinged, raw, and less polished version of that smart inferno that is My Generation. Aside from a few duds (especially the first section of the Bo Diddly Cover “I Am a Man,” with its rather annoying vocals and a tad too uninspired shuffle intro - before it turns into this amazing, noisy, piano-led guitar freakout in the mid-section / also not a big fan of “I Don’t Mind”), this is an essential collection of songs that would become a blueprint for much of the college and indie rock of the ’80s and ’90s. Its influence still lingers, much like that of The Kinks, who in turn seemed to have been a massive influence on the band at the time of writing. Much like The Beatles’ mid-’60s output, this record has an immediate impact upon listening, even though it’s a far more visceral affair. Some of the hooks here are incredible - easily matching The Beatles in quality. I mean, honestly: how many bands would leave off a brilliant cut like “I Can’t Explain"?
Outside of the blues cover you’d expect from a British rock band of this era and the James Brown songs, there are moments that showcase The Who as a powerful, rising force, balancing the brawn of Keith Moon’s wild drumming and Pete Townshend’s muscular riffing with melodic pop sensibilities (“The Kids Are Alright” as a good example). The riff that kicks off the wonderful “The Good’s Gone” foreshadows entire waves of jangle pop, “The Ox” presages heavy metal and “My Generation” might’ve been one of the first punk songs put to wax. It’s a pretty strong debut to unleash on the world, much less polite British society.
It aught not to be possible for an album to be better than most of the songs on that album but somehow this does it. Drums and bass alone make it good. Not a big fan of Pete or Roger… not great songwriting with a few exceptions. There’s something brassy and in your face about this album… no dynamics, no subtlety that I both admire and get annoyed by.
The album some of the generic Brit rock sound for the era, especially early in the album, but then My Generation hits like a brick wall and you can see where they broke out and found a different louder sound. The Ox packs a good punch too. One of my favorite bands growing up and it was fun so hear where it started.
Some of the album cuts are a bit boilerplate, but it’s a pleasure to listen to this era of The Who. Pete’s mostly only doing harmonies and backing vocals here, Keith is just reined in enough, the songs are short and sweet, and Roger’s vocal has some dynamism to it - a lower register even - which would be shelved in favour of bombast. The Diddley cover is practically black face tho and completely unbelievable, at least as concerns the vocal. The rest is great! But wow!
i already really like the who and it’s just a great album in general
What an album. It genuinely made my day. This is rock in its pure, youthful form—loud, rebellious, but at the same time light and insanely enjoyable. The lyrics are sharp and full of attitude, capturing that restless energy perfectly. It feels like the whole album is bursting with life, like it can’t sit still for even a second. From a musical side, the raw production actually works in its favor. The performances feel immediate and real, with that garage-like edge that makes everything hit harder. The rhythm section drives everything forward, and those explosive moments just keep coming. Honestly, it’s not just a great album—it feels like a spark. Something alive, something that still carries that same energy decades later.
I’m starting to really get The Who… this is a great debut where you can see the influences they’re drawing from but also there are glimpses of who they would become. This album works as a historical document for the band but also just a really good album with great songs. Especially the title track…
Its cool The Who definitely dabbled in trying out different styles and sounds. They always rocked which is incredible. Not their best imo but still rocks.
Favorite Song: My Generation
Great play
Listening to the UK mono version of the album. Its sounds are dated, and the singing isn't amazing. However, the songwriting is very good, especially for its time. The instrumentals were pioneering for hard rock, and still hold up alright with classic rock music. Probably a 3.5 rating, but I'll give it a 4 for its history considering it is 1965. The title track is really good, and I also like the Ox, with some of its piano reminding me of Queen and the drumming is great. I also really like the song circles, although it's not technically a part of this album, included on the US but not UK version.
This is a fun album....very Beatles like. Solid four stars.
excellent ... 4+/5
Keith Moon is him.
Great album with some great pop songs. Favourite track: The Kids Are Alright.
I prefer later Who, but this wasn't bad. 3.7
Very good album. Always been a bit of a passive fan of The Who but I've probably not given them as much time as I should have. There are a few tracks I would skip if listening again but Im looking forward to hearing more The Who albums on the list. Then again, Townshend has been up to nonce-sense so I'm not sure I can ever really become a fan.
Rock, leaning bluesy and jazzy
An album which was the quintessential representation of rock and roll. I liked it although the most recognized song which was played a lot on the radio was "My Generation" which I've never really been a fan of; however, the worst song was: "The Ox" and the best song was: "A Legal Matter".
Good one
bump because my generation is so iconic, but that cover of I'm a man . . .smh
Mod pop, garage rock, R&B, power pop, proto-punk.
Very solid debut album by The Who. I generally like their more rocking and less power poppy songs but it's pretty enjoyable if not a bit jarring when they do blues covers like I'm a Man. My Generation, the song, may get its flowers but The Kids Are Alright is the best part of the album. Still you can see the initial seeds of a band that will soon be one of the biggest in the world.
first listen it's good
It's a bit dated now but has some really great and influential tracks.
Хорошие старое, было приятно послушать
Classic 60s rock! The Who's early sound was a little reminiscent of the beatles but with an edgier sound. Lots of hits, overall enjoyable.
Four stars for the hits, and no additional stars for the rest. ★★★★
22/02/2026 I don't think we can argue the 4 stars here can we. Spotify listeners: 7.4 million
I really love the who. Everything that makes them great is already apparent here, but unrefined
Great stuff - pretty heavy for 1965!
Very good album 3.9/5
This was better than I expected, I think. Some of the original British albums from the ‘60’s are kind of meh to me. But, I really liked The Who By Numbers and this was comparable.
It's 60s rock for sure, but even in a space that feels trite, Who manage to have fun with it and make the sound their own. A far cry from where their career ended up but still enjoyable
I love The Who. One of the first bands I have ever seen. This album was released the year I was born. It features one of my all time favourite songs My Generation. Love the raw energy of the recording.
It's fascinating to hear this album and notice that, even though you would never confuse it for anything other than an R&B record, The Who seem interested in changing the formula in subtle ways to make this album truly their own. Maybe their guitars will sound a little heavier than usual, or perhaps they wrote a song that's more lumbering and sparse. Regardless, I think "My Generation" provided a great jumping-off point for the band and signaled their artistic growth through the rest of the decade into the 70's. This album and The Beatles' "Rubber Soul" were released on the same day, and I feel like these two albums fall on opposite ends of the 4-star spectrum for me. "My Generation" provides enough creative material for me to call the overall project good at the bare minimum, whereas "Rubber Soul" has plenty of quality tracks, but it's just missing that last bit for me to call it a masterpiece. So when you check my profile and inevitably find that these two albums share the same score, it will at least make some sense to you. Standout Tracks: The Good's Gone, My Generation, A Legal Matter, The Ox Score: B-
Fun, groovy, loved it!
I knew two songs from this album (and artist, if im being honest). This was GOOD.
Hørte det i sterio udgaven. Der var den god. Den skal lige have en mono tur inden dommen. Det ændrede ikke så meget. Det er solidt, og godt, men albummet står i skyggen af sit eget kæmpe hit.
Noget lyder som tidlig Beatles poprock. Noget er mere Blues’et og har en fed kant. Og så er der selvfølgelig titelnummeret der bare sparker max røv.
This is good!
better than i thought. jangly garagey rock
Bangers. I love the Who
Hard not to hear this album and think about what a major rock band The Who went on to become. But even if this was 1965, and I was hearing this for the first time on my friend's turntable, I would have to stop and say, "Whoa, who is this?" The drums are an absolute avalanche, and the bass is just as assertive. I also love the noisy clatter of the relatively lo-fi recording. It really bottles the frenzied, garage rock energy of the band. "My Generation" is of course the top song here, but there are plenty of other good tracks too, particularly on the second half. Overall, great energy with some excellent songs from a classic band.
There's a staggering difference in play counts on this record; maybe the widest gaps that I've seen yet. The single- "My Generation" has 266 million (as per Spotify), and the lowest on the record has only 300 thousand. Pretty wild stuff, when a lot of these songs really are quite good. I guess that's just a testament towards marketing or popularity and how people will come back to what they know. The Who is really a subtly inventive band for this sound and era. They do quite a bit of unconventional things that just happen to fit into the sound, which is really nice. They'll do the Beach Boys-esque soft vocal harmonies, like on "Much Too Much", they'll do the super hard rock stuff, they do Beatles-esque pop, like on "The Kids are Alright". "My Generation" is the standout track. It's really fun and a bit rough around the edges in a great way. I love Daltrey's vocal performance, the stuttered lines are so cool... the bass is super strong, and the drums are hard hitting and manic in the best way.
Not the best Who albums by any measure but still has some great songs
Ol’ School Rocks
Rlly like the Who, fav from this might be “much too much”
A The Who classic that came in swinging
4/5
So good!
Great album, will definitely revisit
A classic, falls just short of five stars for me
A scrappy, uneven debut with sparks of greatness. It doesn’t have the polish of Who’s Next, but you can hear the attitude and chaos that would shape future classics. The title track and a few others shine, even if the album as a whole feels like a mixed bag. A rough start — but a vital one.
Still so exciting. It must have been quite something hearing The Who burst onto the scene 60 (sixty!) years ago. Such an important band. The influence of this on nearly every rock band since is immense. And that stutter in my g-g-generation? I bet Liam Gallagher - talk about influenced! - is still jealous of it. Love it.
Such a different sound from Who’s Next! Really enjoyed this one.
60’s album. Makes me nostalgic for the times in the last couple years when I listened to other 60’s albums. Low 4
Good 60’s record 7/10
I have learned that The Who are much more than just their CSI: Crime Scene Investigation theme songs. It's funny though, the first thing I thought when I looked at the album cover was that the blond guy looked like the Greg Sanders character from the original CSI (before even thinking about the theme song connection).
Enjoyed this, good British rock, several song si already heard too
Listened to the original 35mm Mono version of the album.
3.9/5
Low key best lekker. Vibey jaren 60 pop liedjes. Wel crazy dat Pete Townshend op deze meerstemmige liefdesliedjes het idee kreeg om zn gitaar aan gort te slaan, maar goed het waren andere tijden. Heel passend bij de titel maar het nummer My Generation is een cross generational punk banger 3,5 sterren
Nice discovery - sounded pretty good, like a "harder" take on an early Beatles album. I've never liked the title track, the tinniest, most anaemic "anthem" I have ever heard, at least until Moon goes crazy at the end (perhaps he felt the same). Fortunately the other tracks are much more solid (esp. "The Ox"). Got me listening to "Pin Ups" for once, so kudos.
Real good stuff. The ox is wild
While I was familiar with the obvious later albums by The Who, I never bothered to listen to this one, thinking it would be "immature" or "raw". Well, it kind of is, but in a good way. The sound is really rough and hard for '65 and, although the production does not really higlight it, Keith Moon's drumming is amazing -- I invite you to check him out in the videos of the concerts of that period: he is insane in every sense. The only negative aspect is Daltrey's vocals: he sings well but he has got no personality, his voice sounds different in every song and his imitation of american accents is quite ridicolous (worse than Mick Jagger's, who, on the other hand, in terms of personality and recognizability had almost no peer). This is also the reason why the James Brown's covers are not reallt convincing...
I have listened to the Who before and my thoughts have not changed. Old gold!
my generation 1965 united kingdom rock
A remarkably heavy album. The Who burst with Punk energy and begin a sixty year long journey of maximum excess and destruction. Only the James Brown and Bo Diddley covers diminish this record at all. The originals are truly original and offer surprises all these years later.
I was surprised by how good this was. A lot more bluesy than I expected.
Iconic, dock lite misogonystic lyrics ibland men det kanske var andra tider….???? Idk
8/10
One of the classic debut albums, this gives a flavour of The Who's live prowess and songwriting chops - a few standout tracks and solid covers. They would come in to their own in later albums, replacing some of their edge with smarter, stronger writing, but this would have been bombastic and exciting at the time. It's a little dated and watered down by today's standards but well worth a listen for cultural perspective. If I were (and I am) making my own list of 1001 Albums, I would set a limit of two albums per artist - this would likely not be one of the two by The Who.
*Listened before the project* You just can’t deny this one is good
I love The Who, but I think I’ve only had hits albums. Right away I like this opener. My only beef right now is stream services and the “super deluxe version”. Just give me the option of the original album as is. 🤣 This album is great and solidifies my love for The Who. I love how The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Who all started with a love of the same music and gave us vastly different music from that same starting point. And then those bands gave us Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. I’m thankful for streaming because when I was a kid my record store was K-Mart. All they had was what was popular at the time. Hence greatest hits tapes.
I love that this album is the international debut and beginning of the Who’s journey. You can see where they’re going through their songs and stylings, but also feel the roughness that they then shape into their smooth tones. I adore this album.
didn’t listen to all of it but best album played so far. art is a reflection of the times. and man this album is chill
Was surprised how much I enjoyed this, especially the instrumental tracks. It's one of those albums you need to imagine being released and how unique the sound would have been.
Being such a massive Beatles fan, I often (unintentionally) dismiss other British groups of the ‘60s. The Who, however, is one such band that is impossible to ignore. This is a classic album with some fantastic tracks, and although some people complain about the rough sound quality, I think it adds to the proto-punk aesthetic.
This starts off as many other 60s beat combos do, ok sounded 60s pop songs which I invariably compare less favourably to the beatles... But the whole have something else going on. They are more aggressive, there is a power to their more interesting parts. My generation holds up today as a powerhouse of a pop song and the kids are alright is tremendous. The rest of the album flows in and out of stuff that sounds similar to their peers and stuff that helps them stand out and leads to their later evolution through their career. I don't think they quite reach the consistency here, but the heights are easily hit with the title track and it was a lot of fun to have on. I don't really understand the super extended release, like is can't explain from the album sessions, is it on another album? Why is it tacked on when it was a hit for them. Whatever. This is fun and I would like to go back and listen more, especially to the bass and drums knowing what a rhythm section they become in their later albums
Sam jestem zaskoczony, ale ten album jest naprawdę przyjemny. Tak - przyjemny! Mieszanka klasycznego rocka, vibe The Beatles czy The Rolling Stones plus coś własnego. Szczególnie dobrze słucha mi się ostatniego "The Ox", aczkolwiek album zawiera więcej dobrych kompozycji. Może warto się przyjrzeć The Who bliżej?
Not my taste, but very good listen if your feeling nostalgic for good rock
The Who – My Generation My Generation serves as a high-energy palate cleanser, effectively washing away the sonic debris of previous experiments. What stands out most is the production’s surprising soul influence; rather than the typical British Invasion sound, much of the record feels like an aggressive tribute to American R&B legends like James Brown and Sam Cooke. The musicianship is tight, and the vocal delivery carries a "raw soul" edge that gives the tracks a distinct, international flavor. While it may not reach the atmospheric heights of a modern masterpiece, it is a solid, technically impressive debut that successfully captures the transition from traditional R&B to high-voltage rock. A "decent" 3/5 that values musicianship over gimmicks.
- Jeg ser for meg at jeg lager god frokost til dette albumet. God frokost god dag. - Twista The Beatles med mindre pop og allsang - Ikke for veldig konsentrert lytting, ingen bangers bangers
Love the vibes. Definitely an album I would listen to again :>.
Rhythm & Blues mod. One of the earliest albums I bought. I listen with renewed appreciation. Good fun great drumming good songs plus my generation vibrant exciting.
Muy buen álbum. Si puedo destacar una sola cosa serían más increíbles armonías, muy hermosas y diferentes a lo que me esperaba. Excelente vocales y muy buena letra además. Me gustó mucho y no soy fan del rock.
Awesome- cant believe I never listened to this before. More raw, more punk, than later The Who.
Talkin' bout my g g g g g g generationnnn
Great album, although tbh I expected more complicated compositions. Despite that, enjoyable listen, fun AND smart lyrics, and pretty traditional UK bluesy rock, reminiscent of early beatles with the Who's even more energetic signature.
Strong album thats a classic for a reason. Definitely rocked harder than I remember.
ive felt very distanced from the who ever since burning out my teenage fixation on them as my favorite band for a time, and digging into that would require effort i dont currently have lol. still this is far from a bad album...in a lot of ways its actually more artistically interesting than pete's later more bewildering Ambitious statements. for 1965, its both noticeably rowdy and noticeably eclectic...consisting almost entirely of originals by pete that mix different ratios of showing off the band's noisemaking power (especially keith's commanding and creative drumming) with lush sticky pop harmonies. different tracks emphasize different sides, but the mix is quite cohesive and allows for surprising individual moments where a track swings the other direction. the main point against the eclecticism (and the album generally) is the two james brown covers, which roger embarrasses himself all over. just in general he remains my sorest spot for the who....he's flexible and appropriately scrappy at this early stage at least (he hasnt given way to his uncomfortably strained arena mode), but the timbre of his voice remains kind of a stumbling block for me for whatever reason. idk its a fine album, better than my personal reaction would suggest for sure. im sure ill have even more who albums to hash out my feelings with later.
Some solid jams.
Classic who
Honestly, better than I imagined. really tight. There's a mastery of the music that borders on farce? We are so good lets play these songs as a laugh. I just listened to the Kinks and I think they are both way overqualified for the music they play and they both have a similar feel, where the kinks play it in earnest perfecting the pop tune, this album is I got drunk one night and played this for a laugh for my friends.
I think the album will slowly grow on me.
Nice
Really great blues rock / pop album. The drums are amazing on this, the entire band is tight. I wanted to listen to the original album but with the way music is nowadays I had to use Amazon to listen to an extended version that was way too long. Worth a listen.
Can totally tell this is their first record - really no idea what their sound will be and then "My Generation" hits.
Pete did, in fact, get old
It felt a bit over all over the place. I can see why My Generation is the standout song.
High 3 star to low 4 star. It has many elements of the era and easy going music; good to listen while driving. Also important to understand the context that this is one of the first use of distortion in a rock album.
Not my favorite Who album, but it's decent.
banger
Some great tunes on here but it’s clear they hadn’t quite found their sound
Probably some of their best work
My generation, too.
I like the Who. I don't Loooove the Who, but I do like the Who. That said, there are songs on here I had not heard. Some covers, not surprising for a debut album. I think this could have been titled Who Are We? A Beatles-sounding band? (The Kids are Alright) a bit gritty, a bit bluesy? Please, please, please) A lot of okayish songs. My Generation, though. Damn, that's good. 3.5 rounded up to 4.
I had only ever heard My Generation off this album. And I’ve heard the James Brown songs performed by James Brown. This honestly feels like a mix of the Stones and Beatles. That 60s British Invasion sound is so apparent, but also this feels fresh compared to some of the contemporaries. I wish my brain could experience the magic of putting this record on in 1965, having never heard anything like this before. I really enjoyed this record. It’s not as deep or written as well as what the Who, Beatles and Stones would go on to do (of course), but still a great album. 4/5.
I can't explain and Heat Wave
Here we have a genius, an incredible vocalist, a crazily good drummer and the Ox more than showing what they were capable of. What must it have felt like to be a teenager when it came out hearing those stuttering ffffs. In turn, sounding like the Beatles and the Stones they in fact didn’t need to emulate, they were fantastic then and still are.
My entry to The Who was Live at Leeds, which just didn’t work in for me. The songs sounded too much alike, too much soloing … just not a satisfying experience. Having somewhat written off The Who as a typical old fashioned classic rock band, I was surprised how much I liked My Generation. A nice mix of songs, melodies, varying guitar playing. The album has a nice vibe and energy, even if lyrics aren’t great. The Who is still a band I can live without, but now I don’t have to live without it. Favorite song: My Generation
All but two songs were new to me, so there were some nice surprises. The one letdown was the cover of I'm a Man. Favorite songs: Out In The Street, I Don't Mind, It's Not True, The Kids Are Alright
iskreno, dosta dobro! ugodno iznenađenje. najbolja stvar: la-la-la-lies
A classic!
The best Who album so far probably because it doesn't really sound too much like The Who.
Banging. Consistent. Much prefer this to later who.
This is certainly a good album, but it suffers from a lot of the same problems that most pre-Rubber Soul albums have, in that it has a few very good songs and a lot of (decent) filler. I found that my generation, I can't explain (bonus), the kids are alright, and the Ox were the most memorable tracks here. A good album, but too much filler to be 5 stars. The who would certainly get better on their later albums. Surprisingly, this was heavier then I remember. Certain parts of this album could be considered hard rock.
Absolutely great stuff
Some catchy tunes from one of the OGs. Who's surprised? First time going through The Who properly and it's been a good listen. fav tracks: My Generation, The Good's Gone
Really good debut, but their latter stuff is significantly better.
Great
Enjoyed this a lot
Good
Nice one!
"My Generation" is the debut studio album by English rock band the Who. Mod pop, garage rock, R&B, power pop and proto-punk are the Wiki-listed genres. The album was released quickly after their first few singles charted; the band thought it was a rush job. The album was critically acclaimed respectively for its hard sound unusual for the time, presaging punk and heavy metal. The core bandmembers were Roger Daughtrey (vocals), Peter Townsend (guitar, vocals), John Entwistle (bass, vocals) and Keith Moon (drums, vocals). Session musician Nicky Hopkins also contributed on the piano. Commercially, it reached #5 in the UK. In 2008, it was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for its artistic significance. This album really shows the talent of the band: Moon's drumming, Townsend's guitar slashes, their songwriting craft, the vocal harmonies and their flat ability to rock. It is also a solid set of songs for the time. The music is a collection of bluesy R&B songs, doo-wop, catchy pop songs and even going punk-like with chaotic endings. All the elements are here that you would hear in their later career and that alone makes this a very good album.
Classic 60s rock, filled with evergreens, surprisingly varied
Creo que The Who alcanzaron su sonido en los 70. Sus discos de los 60 me parecen poco inspirados y con un sonido poco definido. Con todo, contiene la eterna "my generation" y eso es argumento suficiente.
I just feel a bit of a disconnect with the Who. There is the image, the legend of young energetic mods, and then I play the albums. The odd great track and a whole lot of pedestrian fair. This is one of my more favourite records by them though, it has a naivety about it that endearing, and this is before we get into the art-school wannabe rock theatre/concept is all, Townshend started obsessing about. It’s ok 65 rock but a division below the Stones and not even playing the same game as the Beatles. 4 Star
# Playlist Track - My Generation # Notes - Super interesting piece of Rock music. "The kids are all right" almost sounds like a Beatles song, a very very distant relative to "Tommy" which comes out just 4 years after that. - Recommend!
Really loud skiffle, with one of the greatest drummers of all time. The Who have kind of receded from our consciousness of late, as classic rock radio has become less and less cool. Ultimately, there's a great deal in common with earlier forms of music -- particularly mass-market blues from the 50's and British skiffle. As the first side of the record wears on, the band shifts to songs like the titular one: 'My Generation' features an unusual delivery and a growling, plaintive wail that prioritize the full expression of an emotion (angst) over clean, pretty delivery. In that moment, they proclaimed that they spoke for their peers and, somehow, they made good. This is totally fine, plus one all-timer. And Keith Moon. Usually, I make some notes about how incredible John Entwistle was but he's pretty restrained on this one. Moon, though, is always a torrent of fills and ornament while somehow keeping perfectly steady time. He was utterly maniacal and also a drummer who elevated every piece he played on. There's something edifying about this record. 'My Generation' marks a departure, not just for the band but for rock music generally -- its key changes, structure, delivery and instrumental flourishes all feature more chaos, more posturing, more fire than the previous five songs and their solid foundation in the multi-part vocal groups and popular rock & roll that came before. On this album, this band moves into the future and inches a whole movement a little farther toward what we recognize today as rock music.'The Kids Are Alright' is a subtler step along the same path. 'It's Not True' was a surprise favourite for me -- great beat, fun melody and great guitar-playing. Townshend does start laying on the distortion as the album goes on, especially as 'It's Not True' settles into a late bridge and in parts of 'I'm A Man' (which must involve a Fuzz Face). The back half of the album, which explores the upbeat new direction, the instrumental skill of the band and a heavier sound is the much stronger of the two (much as I enjoyed the harmonies of the first), starting with 'The Kids Are Alright'. 'The Ox' is a tour de force that the whole thing closes on, a surf/blues/hard rock jam that would sound just as vital and driving as today. Notably, it's the only instrumental. If you wonder, at any point, who the stellar piano player is, it's none other than the man who would have been the fifth Beatles, Nicky Hopkins. Come for the title track, stay for the drums. 3.5/5, rounded up. The first half is a 3, then the title track hits and the second half is a strong 4.
Keith Moon, muthafukas!!!
I think I'd only ever heard the American version of this one before? It's the better one though, it drops a pedestrian cover of "I'm a Man", a song you've already heard better from multiple bands, for "Instant Party (Circles)", which is a highlight. This album is mostly a bunch of lightweight disposable pop songs like "Much Too Much" or "La La Lies" that wouldn't be out of place on like a Herman's Hermits album, but the cool thing about them is that everything here is covered over with this lo-fi humming quality that makes everything feel heavier than nearly anything else of the period. They're not quite the gold standard for heavy rock way earlier than you'd expect (give me the Sonics or those early Kinks singles any day), but they're pretty close!
Some surprises for their early style
I enjoyed this album a lot more than The Who album from 2 days ago
Solid.
For the same reasons I find early Beatles cringy at times, this is cringy at times. While the Beatles worked through those growing pains into something I universally like, I never quite lost that feeling with The Who. I don’t dislike this, and I know it’s their early work, but I’m always left wanting a bit more.
Great album
Cool album, especially for 1965. The Who really took the rock/blues trend and made it their own thing.
Starts slow but then the hits section starts!
Whoa. I did not realize "The Who" were so much more rockin' than rock. I fuck with them heavy. They feel like edgier Beatles. Very simple songs, simple refrains, lots of fun throughout.
The question is always, The Beatles or the Rolling Stones? My answer is: The Who. My grade school exercise books were littered with Union Jacks with The Who written in the crosses. The kids are indeed alright.
Day 28, and already on my third The Who album. Crazy. Anyways, this album is alright. I’ve heard a few of their hits from here before, but most of it was new to me. Neat how bluesy they sound in some songs, then how punk rock they sound in others. A very good album
The title track is a banger!! Aside from the pseudo-stuttering (which I've never understood), the vocals are strong, and the song rocks with a harder edge. "Please, Please, Please" and "It's it True" sound much like another famous British foursome of the time, but if anything, this shows that The Who (and the Beatles) were churning out the kind of popular music the fans wanted and is a testament to both bands' talent. Highly enjoyable album and a great debut for The Who.
Punk rock before punk rock was a thing. I liked this one very much!
Finally, a Who album that I enjoyed. The others have been just a little too weird. I liked this one. Easy to see their blues influence, and it wasn't so glam or experimental in my opinion.
Excellent! Proper rocker!
It even my top three Who albums, but still so solid
"The Ox" is one of my new favorite classic rock jams
Rodger Daltrey wishes he was black
I know a couple of these songs! I certainly hear the blues influence in the work, as well as similarities to The Door and The Beatles.
They were still finding their sound, but there are still some great songs on here.
The album as a whole is merely decent, but the title track, “The Kids Are Alright,” and the underrated “Much Too Much” are standouts.. remarkably ahead of their time. It’s amusing, though, how dated the record sounds nearly six decades later. As a Who fan it's the album I listen to the least, it's 3.5 but I'll round up.
This was pretty good I actually enjoyed it a lot. One of The Who albums I liked more.
beatles adjacent, multi-genre, can hear influence in modern artists jack white, black influence. Didn't know what version to pick (picked OG mono, 12 tracks for authenticity). Liked "I Don't Mind" the most. Only recognized "Kids Are Alright"
My Generation, explodes with raw energy and rebellious spirit. The title track remains a defiant anthem of youth, while Pete Townshend’s aggressive guitar work and Keith Moon’s chaotic drumming lay the groundwork for punk and hard rock. Though not polished, its urgency and attitude make it a vital piece of rock history. A bold and noisy entrance from a band destined to shake things up.
Some great tunes in there. But also at times a bit beach boyish. Goes from a great hit like My Generation to then another cliche song about love.
Much more than I expected from it, but that’s from my underestimating it. Finding which version to listen to was tough though. Good listen in the end, nice to see where rock was at during this time
a great record, it’s got some great tracks on it
Great album. This was the music that influenced the musicians that shaped my generation.
I love the Who - and whilst they would defn go to make better albums there are a few classics on here - my generation / kids are alright. Not a 5 but a strong 4.
Rock and Roll! With its feet in the 60s, it definitely sounds like it could be a later era or in a smoke filled blues bar. Trend-setting rock and catchy guitar songs. Not as good as Who's Next, though.
Absolutely rocked. These dudes were pioneers.
better than The Strokes
Classic.
Best Song: My Generation The album that kicked off one of rock's most influential bands. It is a solid album with a few bangers. It is a nice sign of things to come from The Who and may get the occasional listen but not as much as later albums. 4/5.
good Album
Agréable à l'écoute, ça tient pas mal plus des Stones que du Fab Four à mon oreille. En gros je suis quand même pas pitché à terre mais je vais peut-être y retourner comme je l'ai écouté une seule fois.
Talkin’ blut
great
Classic
excellent - an old fav
Amazing debut , ahead of its time with the heavy guitar sound. Not the fully developed Who sound yet though. Roger sounds a lot like John Lennon on a lot of the tracks!
I liked the rhythm of the songs and the lyrics
Great debut album. Interesting to hear The Who before they figured out they wanted to be more than just another Rolling Stones or Beatles.
This is classic rock. 4/5
Not enough Who in my life, but holey moley 30 tracks?
Definitely worth a listen for maybe the historical significance of British Invasion music. The opening riff to 'Out In The Street' is my favorite part of the whole thing, a great opening to an album. The cover of 'I Don't Mind' makes me hope that James Brown is at least somewhere on this list. I'm a little over 100 albums in and haven't gotten one yet. Also the last track is kind of just an instrumental 12 bar blues thing which kind of detracts. So many of the albums of this era seemed to pad out the length with things like that.
Great dad rock, some classic on here.
Fínt að vinna við!
Some classic tracks, but the Who were finding out Whom they were.
Glad I’d didn’t just FFFFF FADE away
Et knallsterkt album.
Enjoyed this.
This album really shines when it is not trying to ape the style of the time. Songs like "Out in the Street", "My Generation" and "The Ox" show that, for at least this album, The Who would inspire punk rock and harder rock to come, distancing themselves from the bands of this era still making music with a softer croonier sound, as is done by The Who is "It's Not True". Overall, a surprising listen.
I bought this in my initial Who obsession back in 78 as an eighth grader at Oliver Wendell Holmes Junior High in Springfield VA a couple years before Grohl went there. Other than Kids, and My Generation, I skipped most of it. I didn't listen to it much. Tommy and what came after got most of my attention. Now in 2025 in the last year of my 50's, it's a way different listen. La-La-La-Lies is great. Goods Gone and Much too Bad are close behind. It doesn't sound like any other Who. It's gooey and thick. One mass of energy rather then Pete, Keith and John occupying their own space. Roger hasn't found his anthemic, bare-chested, tassel vest place yet, but that's a good thing here. I have a feeling, that when need some Who going forward, I'm going to be listening to this one.
Ha, že par dni spim v moji The Who majici. Hud naključje, algoritm. Ni mi pa dejansko tolk znan album kot celota. So far, preposlušanih par komadov, tipičen 60s rock zvok, a se sliši The Who touch. Evo ga, "My Generation", fakin ikoničen komad s fejk jecljanjem. Sledi mu komad z istim stažem, "The Kids Are Alright", men osebni manj ljubši. "Please Please Please" je očitno ta bluesovski komad na albumu..l (Pri prvem poslušanju nekako totalno zgrešila "I Don't Mind"?) U, nevermind, je kle še cover od Bo Diddleya, "I'm A Man", k ne bi mogla bit bl esenca bluesa. "A Legal Matter" je kul, nism poznala od prej. "The Ox" - fuck yeah, Keith Moon! Ker dobr začetk komada, ampak ej, ne izgubi momentuma. Ok, ta komad najbl izstopa na celmu albumu. To je meni The Who, zato so mi bli zmer všeč.
Favorite Tracks: The Kids Are Alright
Classic dad rock you can’t hate it too much
Yes
Ohhhhhh so this is why Boomer Dads™️ believe that The Who are one of the heaviest bands of all time. Even today, this sounds *hard* as fuck. And I love it! Also, I’m deeply impressed by the playing on this record. Like, pick literally any instrument on this record, and the tone here is a tone that audio engineerings have been seeking out since this was released. It’s not flawless, especially on the last leg of the back half where it gets a bit too stoned-out noodlely, but it’s pretty damn close. Shocked that I’m turning into a big fan of The Who now.
Standout Songs: Out In The Street My Generation The Kids Are Alright, It's Not True I'm A Man I think the roulette knows what’s going on in the real world, because The Who just started their farewell tour. This coming just over a month after me getting Paranoid on the day Ozzy died. Cryptic.
Mellow rock. I like it.
I was surprised with how much I liked this. I expected the typical early/mid sixties sound of early Beatles, stones, etc… and there was a little bit of that, but there were also a lot of heavier sounds that foreshadowed genres to come like metal, harder rock, and even punk.
3.8
Blah
A good rock record that’s stands out from other albums from this time. BUT: the police found child pornography on Pete Townsends laptop. So fuck this creepy asshole.
Already listened to this album a bunch growing up. No surprise it's on the list. I remember being a kid and being really annoyed about the stuttering in "My Generation" but funny enough I really liked it today. And that's growth.
It's an odd one in some ways. There are some astonishing tracks, including really original songs ('The Good's Gone'), and canonic rock and roll ('My Generation' and 'The Kids are Alright'). But there's a few weedy R&B covers. But imagine hearing it in the 1960s - it must have been such a blast. Looking back you can see how it set the tone for lots of punk, rock, garage, and what became indie.
Awesome
Quite good filled with such a spesfic era of Boomer hope. It is funny how hard and edgy this album was seen at the time because to moder ears it does not feel that diffrent from a Beatles record. I mean that mostly as a compliment. Townshend is a great artist though a lot of this still feels stolen from much earlier and more intresting black artists. Complicated feelings for it but if I am honest to myself I still love this album a lot.
The Kids Are Alright is the best The Who song. This album has a handful of other bangers, too.
I thought about this one a good bit, I have to go 4. A classic mid 60s rocker, I’ve probably listened to My Generation over a hundred times and it’s just a classic.
Cool to learn how impactful this album was for the rock genre. The title track by far the best, but had other good instrumentals to it.
Early Who, let's you see a glimpse of their youth and where they would be heading. Some true classics and a lot of fun throughout.
I'm not a big Who fan but you gotta give it to them with My Generation and The Kids Are Alright. Instant classics! The rest of the songs are not too distinctive--sounds like they're still imitating others a little--but I did like how I heard a little of "Substitute" in "Much Too Much"
Loving the 1950s influence mixed with the rebellion of the 60s. I can almost see teenagers enjoying this music!! You can hear the sound of 60s rock n roll like the Beatles, but with even more grit.
I was in a barber's chair having electrodes put on me for a polysmnography. The technician resembled Flea, wore all purple scrubs and hairnet. and even had a duck tail showing a clear purple almost panty hoe texture underwear. What he said to me I'm don't remember. Except he wiped something from my moth then rubbed the tips of his fingers on a stick of deodorant and then wiped it under his nose and asked me if I wanted some. The chair would appear in different parts of 5he room and sometimes I'd be hooked up and could see my eeg sometimes I'd be waiting and others I'd be hooking myself up. Having different conversations with different nurses. I don't remember any conversations but there were several.
I used to love the who and honestly, this shit holds up
That's a lot of power for a 60-year-old album, and I continue to be fascinated by the life and times of Keith Moon.
Very 1965
Love the WHO but this album is not as good as some of their later stuff. Still good though.
Turn the volume up and enjoy
This is classic Who at its best. Great album! Shows the progression of their music in the 60s. Very listenable.
The title track is one of the great songs of the 60s, of course. The rest of the album is filled with good, energetic, thankfully-edgier-than-The-Beatles pop. If I liked just one of those songs as much as “My Generation,” this would probably be a five-star album. Close to 4.5, I’d say.
So they didn't know if they wanted to be mods or rockers? A powerful and impressive debut, with a clutch of first-rate songs, was born of the confusion, to the ultimate benefit of listeners everywhere. One digs fully, even if it's a touch ragged and reach-y at times, that would always be a trademark of theirs, no? "Kids Are All Right" and "Legal Matter" are sneaky good, and undermine the conventional wisdom that this was all about the power. The additional tracks on US release and subsequent updates add to its strength (obviously).
TALKIN BOUT MY GENERATION The hits were the hits. But this is so cool to see such a different side of the who. Just pop songs and even a few soul songs love it.
Favorite track: my generation other picks: the kids are alright, the ox, i don't mind
ok
I mean there’s nothing much better by 65 in the popular rock scene. Most of these are like covers of black musicians’ amazing works, but can’t deny shit slaps
Such an amazing first record - released just months after I was born - perhaps a true reason "My Generation" has created the meme and sound of the bi-decade sign of age... my personal generation started here. Bowie's "Changes", and so many others have created songs along the way... I first listened to the stereo version, then went and enjoyed the mono version. Try it! Fun record where you can get a glimpse of the Who to come!
Classic 70's rock. I think the remaster went on a little long, but solid.
This is less silly than some Who stuff and had some really cool blues on it.
Groundbreaking album
I'm on the fence with this one. Parts of this album are like a rock mission statement, parts like a Rolling Stones blues album, and parts like a standard mid-sixties generic rock album. But Townsend's guitar work is at times revolutionary (even if the endings of songs repeat) and the drums are Animal-style bonkers for the time period. It's maybe a straight line from this to bands that furthered both punk and heavy metal which makes it important. Probably a 3.5 for me, but bumping.
Drumming is obviously fantastic. Vibrant, sporadic, eclectic. Vocals are great. Including the backing singing. Beautiful crunchy guitars. Bass sounds perfect. Each of the separate parts sound great and they blend together beautifully. Song writing wise, I am slightly underwhelmed. One or two great tracks but none really blowing me away. Although when considering this is a debut album the likes of which had never been heard you do appreciate it slightly more. But hard not to compare to the other Who tracks I know and love. I can imagine being blown away as a teenager in the 60s though. Favourite track - My Generation (there is a reason its the hit) Also quite enjoyed The Goods Gone & the James Brown covers. 7/10
It’s not perfect at all, ups and downs looking for a voice, but when it hits it hits hard and raw 3 1/2 stars but 4 is the only choice
Classic album for a reason. It's a great compilation of some good old 60s rock. Obviously My Generation and The Kids Are Alright both are excellent. But the other tracks are almost just as good: It's Not True, Please Please Please, Out in the Street, Good's Gone, and A Legal Matter. It's not their best album, but it's still good.
Good album but as I wonder often in this project wouldn’t a “best of” of many of these bigger named bands get us to the core idea faster? Or is that antithetical to the project?
What a band, what a career. 19-21 year old kids creating this always amazes me. The stand out tracks are great, my generation is one of the greatest songs ever. The attitude and talent is just fun to listen to. Keith moon is a beast and Pete is a legend.
I very much enjoyed this listen. Very interesting debut, and I forget they started as early as they did. Several styles crossing over, while still developing their own distinct sound. The title track is timeless and synonymous with this band. What really surprised me was the last track, “The OX”, which I have never heard before. That’s quite a jam, especially the drums. I also liked the 2nd to last “A legal matter”.
This was a really cool listen and a very strong debut. It had been a long time since I first heard this, and revisiting didn’t disappoint. The rough raw stripped down feel made it even more special. Very punk rock for the time. Right alongside fellow Brits like the Animals and the Stones. Such a stark difference from what they would soon be churning out just 5-6 years later with Tommy and Who’s Next, only adding to their reputation as one of the most influential rock n roll bands.
Really strong debut from such a great band. Can’t go full points here because these guys hit their stride later, but loved revisiting this one.
Great album and great band. Amazing how they were able to straddle what felt more like the 60s be bop (The Kids Are Alright) with more of that rebellious, smash your instruments (I hope I die before I get old). And then throw in some blues with please please please. 60 years later and this still holds up. 4.25
This is an interesting one... never hear it mentioned as one of their best albums, but I enjoy it more than Tommy (only album we've had from thus far). It is def more stripped down/less produced which I enjoyed. And some of the covers are pretty solid. Rating a quarter start higher than Tommy and rounding up. 3.5/5
Daaa Who! 4
No denying the group defining songs on this album! Great listen
Громкие, грязные, грубые, с флёром 50-х.
7/10 - A classic Mod Rock album, not much more to be said. A very good all rounder, but I do prefer quadrophenia & Who’s Next
Solid album that gets better as it goes on - My Generation, Please Please Please are fantastic
Really enjoyed it, will probably make my regular rotation!
Yeah, it's the Who. Not at the heights of their powers yet, but definitely firing on all cylinders. You can see why they wanted to be known as an R&B rather than Rock and Roll band. Daltrey is doing his best american soul voice. There's some really arresting tracks, the opening of "The Good's Gone" will take a new listener by surprise. I was going to give it a three, just because I am starting to feel like this list could more accurately be called "1001 basic albums for white dudes born in the 20th century" , but I can't. It's that good.
The Who in the process of stepping out of the enormous shadow of the Beatles… still awesome. A bit bloated but still love it. 4.5
I haven't listened to this one. Great early stuff from the Who and a James Brown cover? Interesting how their sound changed over the years but stayed the same in many ways
Several iconic songs. And some extended jam sessions. 😂
This has given me hope for more excellent British rock! This album must have been revolutionary for 1965. Lots of great songs in it! Old white woman everywhere must have thought they were possessed by the devil!
Classic.
Classic rock radio stations in the 80s like KGB101 in San Diego largely ruined The Who for me growing up - Who Are You? Was constantly played at any sporting event, tailgate party, or from boom boxes at the beach. I was pleasantly surprised by this album and even more to learn this was their debut. I Don’t Mind gives La Bamba vibes. Goods Gone drumming feels very normal for the era - frankly boring, but I do like the semi-Michael Stipe style vocals. Lalalalies is catchy. Ive always known I am a Man as George Thoroughgoods Bad to the Bone - a fun surprise. The Kids are Alright was very nostalgic I can’t place it anywhere specific but reminded me of young childhood so maybe my parents played it. The Ox is simply amazing - immediate favorite. Overall entirely surprised and impressed; finding an album like this is the reason I’m doing this project. 4/5
The Who are a legendary band who helped accelerate hard rock as we know it. This album is a great example of that but admittedly there are a lot of songs that sound like the Beatles. It was obvious they also had strong influence of the American blues artists with covers of James Brown’s I Don’t Mind and Please Please Please, and Bo Diddley’s I’m a Man, which I appreciate they gave a little more English rock edge to rather than playing it straight. Legal Matter and the Kids Are Alright are more pop rock, but great in their own manner. I wish I Can’t Explain would have been on the original release rather than a B-Side as that was one of the first exposures to the Who I remember (it was actually covered by the Scorpions at the Moscow Peace Festival and I followed up). A key (new) track for me was the Ox, which showcased a little bit of Entwistles unique bass stylings (he was known also as Thunder Fingers), and Keith Moon’s drummer which would later become the inspiration for the Muppet Animal. But the all time favorites were My Generation, which became an anthem of not only the band but their entire generation and those to come. This is not their best album (aka, Who’s Next) but it is an awfully good one.
Random thoughts: * do The Who fit nicely in between the Beatles and the Stones? Maybe leaning a little more to the Stones. * I thought most of this album wasn’t worth stopping by for but “My Generation” is a seminal rock-n-roll track. You really do need to hear the original before you die. * I also like the Kids are alright. * the Ox really showcased Keith Moon’s drum chops. * “I’m a Man” and the Muddy Waters rip off made me laugh. I’m not sure that was what they were going for. * Legal Matter also entertained me, but mostly because my wife is an attorney. * Also, was not expecting a James Brown cover by the Who! That was surprising! * Outside of “My Generation” I could let this one go. But do respect the influences and early music chops on display.
Comparing this to The Beatles feels lazy but also they are undeniably great monoliths who cast a shadow across the 60s, so not mentioning them feels odd too. It is interesting that this album was parallel to Rubber Soul because they are clearly (and successfully) going for something else, and fair play, you would. The contrast between how the same idea is presented in ‘the kids are alright’ v ‘run for your life’ is particularly striking LOL. Much too much is great, it’s not true and I’m a man are laugh out loud funny and of course My Generation is deservedly iconic. A HOOT.
Solid and more old school than The Who's later work. It was good to hear more of their origins.
A line in the sand, which set the scene for every manner of hard and clever music which would follow. There are no matching outfits, neat haircuts or saccharine "ooh baby you're so fine ooh baby I'm so happy you're mine" here - although they are perfectly capable of settling into a gorgeous three-part harmony when needed! Monumental drums, stabbing guitar, frenetic vocals delivering insecure lyrics and THAT FUCKING BASS. Nobody else made the same noise as The Who did in 1965 - this is far from their best album, but already shows all the elements which elevated them above their contemporaries. Hail Entwistle. Favourite tracks: I Don't Mind, The Kids Are Alright, My Generation (of course), The Ox (Paul and Ringo are grand, but which other rhythm section made that noise in 1965? Or since?)
This album is right in the middle. Not as bluesey as early Rolling Stones or as sweet and poppy as early Beatles. The Who took a more straightforward approach to rock and roll. It does include a couple of all-time classics like My Generation and Can't Explain. Not quite a 5 but close.
This album shows us that the Who’s roots were as an R&B band, which I’m not sure I had realized before this. The cover of “please please please” is ballsy but I do think Roger Daltrey pulls it off well. Of course “My Generation” and “the kids are alright” are great too.
Not my favorite of the Who albums we’ve been thrown so far, but still a solid listen.
I do hear the source of many of the later albums in this one. I would rank this lower than other albums in their catalog so it end up at a 4 for me.
bluesy, souly, beautifully overdrummed, songwriting hits some really good highs, but some are a little "teenaged love", but thats pretty typical for the time. Things shine on the ox, I'm a man, my generation. Can feel some early counterculture coming through
For me this album exists on a spectrum. At one end you have catchy 60s esq rock and roll, down the other end you have Bluesman impersonations that sound like any average white dude trying to sing along to 'What a Wonderful World' by Louis Armstrong. I think this spectrum raises a lot of questions for me. - What does it mean to take inspiration from other peoples cultures? Particularly people of colour. - What does it mean to take inspirations from other peoples cultures in the 60s? - How should we respond to this sort of art from the past? and how should that inform our response to it in the future? - Where and how do we define the lines of who can take influence from who? If we draw these lines how much art will be lost or never created? and what are the implications of that? - How do we define what's taken out of love and appreciation for a sound/culture? and what's taken with spite? Whilst i don't have all the answers, i do personally believe we need to be aware of the origins of music like this and ensure if we listen to it, make it, or whatever, we need to have/show appreciation for its roots. I also think condemning taking influence from other cultures is no way forward. In the 60s when bands like The Who clearly rip from the blues, condemnation is valid, but at what point does that response start coming from a place of trauma? When do we grow beyond it and embrace the cross pollination of art and culture? Where do we draw the lines? Maybe it's not for me to say. Ultimately, i think the vast majority of songs on this album sound fantastic, the riffs are catchy, the singing is great (mostly) and the pace/energy is captivating, Whilst all that is true, i believe we'd be doing ourselves a disservice to not take into account the broader implications of how music like this came to be and what that means for art/music in the future.
Great album. Lots of classics and great covers
Great Classic
I only listened to disc one of the Super Deluxe edition for this review, which is the original track listing. After getting three later Who albums of varying degrees of quality, I got their debut album. I consider My Generation to be a solid record. Some genuinely strong original compositions showcase Pete Townsend's penchant for ferocious songs with strong guitar hooks, as the rest of the band followed suit on their respective instruments. Included in that notion are the likes of the raucous intro "Out in the Street", the band-defining title track, the equally classic "The Kids Are Alright", the jaunty "A Legal Matter", and the bombastic instrumental outro "The Ox". Sure, not every song hits as hard as some of their later material, and a couple of inclusions are covers that come off as if they are imitating the original artist, such as with James Brown's "I Don't Mind" and Bo Diddley's "I'm a Man". But overall, this is a respectable debut from what would become one of the biggest acts to come out of England.
I like The Who. I hadn't really heard any of these songs, aside from the singles, but I dug this album. I prefer some of their later stuff, but I'd listen to this again.
They got better, but this is still great. The big songs are amazing, and I liked the r&b side.
I've never really listened to much of The Who outside of their hits and was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this album. The songs are all super catchy, and I dig the way the sound kind of bounces back and forth between rock and R&B. I was also interested to learn the album came out in '65 only because the title track sounds so ahead of its time, like I've heard it a thousand times and sort of assumed it came out sometime in the 70s when punk was starting to really become a thing, between the lyrics and the fast, punchy instrumentation, it sounds like a full on punk song.
Solid classic rock