Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Kul med ett KONCEPT, även om detta inte var det bästa
Not my favorite The Who album but still pretty good.
This made me grumpy. Did not like at all.
It's a very consistently decent record, but nothing more than decent. 5/10
Great for what it is considering the time it came from. At the same time, this album came out the same year as Sgt peppers so its sound should not be completely forgiven. It is, again, great for what it is but it doesnt really hold up as well especially comparing to other albums from the same year. I do really enjoy the humour and the songwriting itself is very good. The sound of it definitely didn't age that well, but still its a nice listen if you enjoy the music from this era and you like creative transitions for the songs (a lot of the time on this album it will pretend like you are listening to a radio and throws in an ad or some other type of Transition). All in all i would give it a strong 3 maybe even a light 4.
Komisch album, leuke stukjes ertussenin alsof het een vaag radiostation is. Oprecht een aantal goede nummers hier en zeker niet slecht voor de tijd. Erg creatief ook met nummers zoals 'tattoo' waar hij een tattoo zet om mannelijk te zijn en vervolgens trots is op zijn vrouw met tattoos. Het was eventjes wennen maar ik vond het uiteindelijk nog best goed
5/10
A little too out there for me
The cover artwork is as campy as this album 😆
Maybe it's because I was listening to this sober, but man was this mid.
3 out of 5. I Can See for Miles is the best song on this album, which was overall more poppier than I thought it'd be.
This was an interesting concept with a few good songs, the rest were ok. I Can See For Miles was the standout track. 3.5/5
I thought the whole pirate radio thing was clever and funny at times. I just don't like The Who vocals. I could never get into their music. This sounds really outdated even in the extremely high quality audio from QOBUZ. I guess I just don't get them. I never understood the appeal of "Tommy" either.
Give and take, give and take.
Sorry, but I don't like The Who at all. I made it to song 14, then I just listened briefly to the songs until the end.
Only average and dated songs plus stupid ads. Not for me.
Armenia City in The Sky is strange but not bad. Heinz Baked Beans is downright stupid. Mary Anne With the Shaky Hand is pretty good. The end of it sounds sampled from Chanson Des Jumelles from The Young Girls of Rochefort which came out the same year. Most songs start and end with random radio songs or broadcasts. I Can See For Miles is a notably good song, maybe the only notable one on the album. Lots of silly songs; this album sounds a lot like some dudes just messing around. Relax is okay. Sunrise is pretty good. Few good songs and they kept it intersting, although some was lame.
The Who Sell Out is certainly a pretty interesting album. This probably is The Who's quirkiest album of them all (or at least the ones i have heard) seeing as this one consists of a lot of commercial jingles like the ones for the products you see on the front and back covers. Of course, the typical The Who formula still applies to this album seeing as it does feel like a Beatles clone just like My Generation did but this one definitely has more quirk than that album did. The songs here are pretty solid albeit kinda forgettable which applies to this album more than it does a lot of their other albums but i still would not say this is The Who's worst album. Best Song: I Can See For Miles Worst Song: Rael Side note: Since i am checking The Who off of my list, i will give a list all The Who albums i have heard here ranked: 1. Live At Leeds 2. Who's Next 3. My Generation 4. The Who Sell Out 5. Tommy
2/5 didn't like the fake ads, don't really care for the who much either
The concept is cool but the execution was pretty bad.
Some good tracks, but outside some of their well known songs ("I Can See For Miles"), it doesn't reach the levels of their other more notable albums. Definitely important from a historical perspective, and solid listen.
More Who tosh, doesn't have the unpleasant undertones of Tommy but chock full of the bland filler. Sort of radio thing interspersed with adverts is fine but not done in a way that marches the music, so I imagine it would start to grate even if you'd like the who. I think the harpsichord mingy stingy track speaks for itself. So for the who, not terrible, but by normal music standards its very bad. 1.5.
A lot of it was a bit like an attempt at psychedelia, but with plenty of mentions of canned goods. Not sure if the concept of the album actually translates to a positive listening experience. Who's Next is much more my thing, big stadium rock, lots of memories of CSI. Best track on this is I Can See For Miles. I prefer The Who when they are sold out.
Only recognised "I can see for miles" from here, not their best track, nor album. Although, I was worried this was going to be worse than it was tbf. The who are a strange band, had some strange ideas. Which, I suppose meant they were up for trying these things. They do have some great tracks though, just not sure they are on this album. 2.5
I’m still not a fan, but this helped me have some more respect and I think maybe I’m just being obstinate because this is mostly pretty great.
Probably my fourth fav The Who album
I like the gimmick of the concept album, but ultimately is just sounds like generic forgettable who off cuts.
Ihan ok - tosin tuntuu, ettei konsepti (mainokset) pidä ihan loppuun asti, mikä on erikoista. Mutta ehkä en vain kuuntele sainoituksia tarpeeksi tarkasti? Ei myöskään ole minusta tarpeeksi iskevää sinkkumateriaalia.
Yksi historian kolmekauttavitosimmista bändeistä luo vaikeasti lähestyttävän fantasian lähestyttävästä pop- ja mainoskulttuurista. Mukana aika paljon hyvää musiikkia. Totaalinen hitti puuttuu. Harkitsisin ostamista.
I had just finished listening to The Who - Live at Leeds before this, and I kinda hated it (being a live album, which I almost always hate). But this was so good. I had heard a few of the tunes before (Maryanne with the Shaky Hand, Tattoo, I Can See For Miles), but for the most part this was a new album for me. I found the "parody of commercial music" bit a little tired after a minute, but the actual music alongside that kitsch won me over. This was a great album -- I listened to it twice. Five stars.
This was an interesting record. I liked how it was structured like radio, with the in-between skits and commercials. However I feel like that format made the actual tracks stand out less; I found it hard to grasp onto any specific track except for I Can See For Miles. But overall, good listen!
This album was not like the music I’ve heard from The Who. Clearly this was an earlier stuff and I heard similarities with other British music of the time. Overall I thought it was interesting and even weird at times. Definitely an age when you smoked some pot and veg’d out.
When I was a teenager in the 1990s I stumbled across my dad's old record collection. This album was in the mix. His only comment, "I got it for that miles and miles song." I guess my dad had pretty good taste back in the day.
I really enjoyed this and it must have felt like a fresh idea at the time, although it trails off a bit after Miles.
I absolutely love this record. Not necessarily because of its musical value (although there are some brilliant tracks on it) but because it makes me very happy when I listen to it. Pete Townsend is beginning to show his song writing talents here. The breath of different musical styles across the album make it stand out. From loud rocking numbers to whimsical comedic ditty’s and in between glimpses of mini rock operas for which he is best known. A smile comes to my lips and I get a warm fuzzy feeling when I hear Heinz Baked Beans and Tattoo. I reminisce marching around the lounge with my boys to Heinz Baked Beans and laughing with them childlike when they heard the lyric “A lady in the nude”. On top of this there is the more serious work like Rael (1&2) and identifying bits which were to develop into Tommy. A wonderful record and one which I own on vinyl and various CD reissues so also one I cannot get enough of. On this sunny Sunday morning in April there could be no better record to listen to. 5/5 6/4/25
The Who are far more bizarre than it seems. This album reflects that.
No thanks
Fine. I Can See For Miles is a great song, but the rest of the album did not grab me. The Who have one or more albums that deserve to be on this list, but this album is not one of them. Or am I missing something great about this album? The version of the album I listened to had so much extra stuff it was almost 6 HOURS LONG. What the what?
I go back and forth on this one. There’s a lot of songs I like, and some filler. I think the concept works but isn’t necessary. I swing from 3 to 4 and back. I’d do 3 and a half if I could but I’ll go 3. But a more positive 3.
All the way through I Can See for Miles ( song I love) this was four stars. After that, the quality steeply dropped off.
Meh
bem chatinho de escutar
ah, é diveritidinho eu curti umas e outras, além das propagandas. se forçar desce.
Great tunes, great insight and wit with the way original adverts have been put in. The Who are one of the best bands of their generation and there is a reason for that.
There are a lot of moaners on here. And I've read the word 'annoying' a lot in the reviews, but I think it's a great concept and well packaged. Ironically most of the people dissing this probably listen to US (or UK) commercial radio or are too tight to pay for Spotify and so what is the difference. I'd rather listen to spoof ads than real ones. I certainly prefer 70's The Who to 60's The Who. And it does seem here like they are just following the 1967 psychedelic trend, but Sell Out works as a concept, even down to the album art, and has some great songs (I Can See For Miles, Mary Anne With The Shakey Hands) But there is unfortunately some cack to wade through too (Silus Stingy, Rael) so it's a 3½ from me
Dorky in all the wrong ways. Musically it’s solid, but not all ideas are good ones.
This will probably be my lowest Who on this list, I kniw I have *Next* and *Tommy* at five stars, *Live At Leeds* at a high 4½.... It's been a while since I've heard *My Generation* and have always loved the energy of that album but not sure where I place it between 4 & 4½. After listening to *Sells Out* twice today, once on streaming to and from work, and once on my player. As a whole it leaves me comparatively underwhelmed, even though there are simply incredible moments on the album: "I Can See For Miles", "Sunrise", Armenia City" and "Tattoo". I dig the concept, but probably not fully executed well. (one of the tracks left off "Early Morning Cold Taxi" not was a better fit for the commercialism concept, it's actually better than some of the songs on the album) Honestly I wanted to initially give this a really high 3½, but deemed it better than most of the stuff I had in my low fours, so I bumped up rating a smidge
"I Can See for Miles" is one of the greatest Who songs, the rest is okay. 3.5 stars
Good album. "I Can See For Miles" is the obvious stand out, but "Armenia in the Sky" and "Mary Ann with the Shaky Hand" . After that, it thins out quite a bit for me. Light 3.5 stars.
One of The Who’s lowest selling albums so definitely an inaccurate title in one way. From the year of Sgt Pepper and Disraeli Gears this has got I Can See For Miles going for it in the classic stakes. And a kinda fun and goofy, well-observed pirate radio homage running throughout with lots of extra cheesy jingles. Armenia City In The Sky is very groovy and Mary Ann With The Shaky Hand super lilting and bubblegum but beyond those and I Can See For Miles I can’t see many other good tunes - the radio jingles are better than 50% of the album tracks. Sunrise towards the end is neat with super shivery guitar work and Rael is a standout mainly because the exact chord sequence from Sparks on Tommy is here an album early but the actual songs themselves aren’t the strongest. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
I don't get The Who. Most of the songs on this album sound like something off a kids album - happy bouncy silly simple songs about strange characters. There's a concept to this album where fake radio jingles are interspersed among the songs... They're typically very short jingles at the end of a track, but then there's Odorono and Medac, which are either really long fake jingles that's are really long buildups for a dumb punchline, or they're just silly The Who songs with really long buildups for a dumb punchline. No, I did not care for this album at all.
Masterpiece! I like it. Classic.
I like Concept Albums and it will definitely be one of the more creative ones from this era but nobody likes advertising hahaha but still an interesting idea. The music didn't spoke much to me either but i like other stuff way and much more! (2.5/5.0)
I don’t understand their popularity, this is mostly banal with too much drum. Originally a decent singles band, but once you’ve written “I hope I die before I grow old”, you should stop, but concept albums and rock operas?
I thought this was pretty good. The commercials didn’t really seem that distracting plus it has ties to the radio scene historically in London. 3 stars. Can start to hear their sound changing.
The 4th The Who album. Boooring! The ads are the best about this. And the sudden thought that I should listen to Tortoise' debut again. Hey, I guess it's time for: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Every time one of these 1001 supposedly world's greatest albums turns out to be just another minute variation on [or channeling] USUK '65-'80s rock the generator has served me many dozens of times before, I will give you a different album you could be listening to today. For instance:" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ☞ The Notwist - Neon Golden (2002) ☜ When I'm doing this bit, I'm not picking albums I think are necessarily important enough to be included here; "Neon Golden" however, is a glaring omission. You remember that time when electronic music or IDM started to mingle with - maybe folk adjacent - alt rock? Or vice versa? "Indietronica" as it was called? This album is a beautiful pinnacle of that. And not an obscure one - "Neon Golden" found its way into Rolling Stone and Pitchfork (9.2/10), an international success - it should be in here. It's legendary and rightly so. One of the Top10 great albums of the 00s. Go listen.
"The Who Sell Out" is just plain fun. It's this weird, cool concept album, like a fake radio show, with actual killer songs mixed with goofy jingles. Think "I Can See for Miles" blasting right into a baked bean ad. Super creative, super 60s, and just a really interesting listen. The Who were clearly having a blast, and it shows. It's a bit of a quirky gem in their catalog.
It's all sounds a bit dated now, and sounds like something that would have been done by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. The spoof adverts and the jingles get in the way of the actual music, with the only decent track being "I Can See for Miles".
Nope, another one of their albums I detest. I’m not even much of a fan of The Who, besides some of their more famous tracks. This is just unlistenable for me.
Fan, jag gillar det här. Inte hört den här plattan tidigare. Får jag lyssna fler gånger så kan det bli högsta betyg.
Classic The Who
This one is kind of weird and artsy. I like The Who, but I can't jam to this. 2/5.
The only Who record that is aggressively bad
Of the two 'The Who' rock operas I've heard so far, I think I enjoyed this one a bit more. But for as much as I disliked the music on 'Tommy', I do think it wins on the conceptual front. This one's a bit less linear with its messaging, for better or worse. I avoided this album like the plague for the longest time (in part due to this horrendous album art), but it does have some great 'The Who' songs, with them channeling their inner psychedelic pop Beatles. The themes tackled here relate to money, self-image, unconditional love, and of course commercialism. It's a bit inconsistent, constantly tossing in these samples that only serve to break up the pace of the whole thing, but some solid songs here nevertheless with my favorites being 'I Can See For Miles', 'Sunrise', 'Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand', 'Tattoo', and my personal favorite 'I Can't Reach You'.
Good
I Can See for Miles is great, then there are a few pretty decent songs. Nothing great here. 3.75
Not the best The Who have ever done, close to the worst to be honest, but "I Can See For Miles" remains a tune...
I'm upset my adblocker didn't work on half of this album. I get what they were doing, and maybe it worked back then, but in this day and age it's just annoying. It makes it an album that's a fun listen as a curiosity, but not something that you would want to listen to normally.
This was interesting I suppose, definitely proves that The Who were always messing about with their sound. Feels like a 3.5.
Not bad, but I don’t think I’ll be revisiting it very often
Not as good as their classics but still a banger!
Concept album from The Who. Here's a concept... Don't waste your time on this. If you're looking for something that stretches The Who's chops, Tommy is a way, way better option.
idk i love the who but this was just kinda on. Like unmemorable
Did not expect to like this really - a long Who album based around commercials? but found the songs surprisingly good and the ad format a compelling tribute to commercial radio. Wouldn't be listening to it all the time but a strong contender. Did not like Silas Stingy - absolutely ruined the momentum of the album for me.
OK. Nothing super-grabbed me, and I suspect this was fairly experimental at the time
>The Beatles
Its a good album- i genuinely like The Who. But putting an album like this on the list really leans into that Anglo-centric, 65-75 era. What Fela Kuti album was left off in exchange for this? Armenia City in the Sky Heinz Baked Beans- fake ad like the rap albums from the 90s Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand- strange acoustic-ish Odorono- fine Tattoo- classic Daltrey falsetto, with that Townshend build Our Love Was- Keith Moon is the greatest drummer ever I Can See For Miles- one of the greatest Who songs, and thus rock songs, ever I Can't Reach You- good, traditional Who rock. Daltrey saves the screaming, Moon gets to show off Medac Relax Silas Stingy Sunrise Rael 1&2 End of the Original Album (YouTube plays a much longer extended version) Pictures of Lily Doctor, Doctor The Last Time Under My Thumb
The bad songs were really bad. But then they'd sprinkle a few good parts in here and there Overall did not enjoy 2 ⭐️
better than I had expected, given the tenor of their more popular work.
Quiero mis 40 min de vuelta.
2
The middle portion of this album is so great (Tattoo through I Can't Reach You), but so much of it is goofy. I wonder if I would react differently if the album cover wasn't what it was. Still an enthusiastic thumbs up, but not of my favorites from The Who.
One of the weaker The Who Albums but has some classics like "I Can See for Miles"
I thought I'd like the who... that's a surprise. It didn't appeal at all.
I listened to this back when the first Who album came on this list, I was really intrigued by its 'Jingles' and 'Satire' tags on rym lol. It didn't really land for me as much as I would have liked - to the point that when I saw this appear on the list, I was tempted to just skip it. But I didn't, and honestly, while this doesn't entirely work for me (I think The Who's sound is just not totally aligned with mine) I really appreciate the swing! I think the way it weaves in and out of fake commercials, some of which use the same instrumentation as the 'real' songs, implicates the band, and pop music at large, in the commercialization of music in a way that's very cheeky. It's also just very listenable, which a couple of standout tracks tbh! I will give credit for the concept bc I like it a lot, and while it is more subtly transmuted into the music than I expected/hoped, it works for me. But also shouldn't they be called The Whom? Food for thought
Ok, fine. This is mildly interesting.
gotta be one of the most british albums of all time. monty python ass mfs
I'm finding that I'm just not a big fan of The Who.... Plus, 60s The Who sounds very different than the 70s The Who.
I like The Who but I do not like this album
Apparently I'm not really a fan of The Who. Their singles are great and I love Moon as a fellow drummer, but I struggle to get through a full album. I think the play count for all the songs on this album speak for it's place in the world of rock music. 16 tracks with one being played just shy of 31 million times while the bulk of the album barely makes 200k. It's a fine middle of the road album for it's time, the concept is a little annoying with "commercials" sprinkled throughout the album and most the songs are forgettable.
This is so weird and so awesome (4)
I normally reserve my 1s for music that is uninspired The Who were inspired by a concept here, it was just a reslly shit execution. Utterly annoying with cheeky chappy vocals. I Can See For Miles almost bumped it to a 2. Almost.
прикольно.
Get that album cover away from me! Luckily, the music on it is better. The first track's a great start, with an amazing chorus. After that banger, some songs are all right. There were some that I didn't vibe with. 3 stars for "The Who Sell Out".
Idea > Execution
I just don't like em.
I may not be the biggest fan of The Who but at the very least this was interesting. At times it sounds like a Monty Python record. Irreverent and funny. Some of the songs are good. I feel like they also wanted to make a movie out of this. 3/5
Perhaps my favorite Who album I've listened to, but I think it's still pretty telling that I enjoyed the sound of the "Radio London" parts more than most of the songs themselves.
I don’t like the who
Okay
Enjoyable
There is a reason why I’ve never heard of this album before. Because it isn’t any good
We don't need all of The Who albums on here. This one's a fun idea, but it's basically skits with some so-so psychadelia stuffed between.
peculiar album, with commercials in between every song. It's hard to get into it. Would probably be better to listen to all the songs and skip the interlude onces. The song themselves are fine.
I don't think this is The Who's best work... Far from it. None of the tracks on this album did anything for me really. I'll give it three stars for effort though.
WHO thought this was a good idea? I appreciate the advertisement theme, but that's it. Favorite Song: "Silas Sander".
Kind of unhinged. Love it.
Not a sell out and actually pretty good!
The Who really love the concept album. Unfortunately, their songwriting does not always reach the heights of their imagination. There are some gems here, and the sound effects prefigure autotune and digital voiceovers. I’m down with the anti commercialization, but I’m not buying this album. It’s a 2.
Awful album. I get it, but that doesn't stop it from being awful
Э. Лучшая песня - Our Love Was.
second hearing today made me give it 2/5, last night i was sure this LP deserves 1/5.
Nowhere near as good as I was hoping for with a “the who” album. Also, I think I’ll institute a “concept albums loose a star”-policy …
It's fine but it doesn't excite me.
“Armenia City in the Sky” and “I Can See for Miles” are the two major standouts here, though “Our Love Was”, “I Can’t Reach You”, and “Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand” are excellent as well. It’s not peak Who for me - their next two records are among my favorites of all-time - but still pretty great overall. 4/5
One good song hidden in a bunch of weird garbage
I think I like it, but I'll have to listen to it more
Alright.
Feels more Sgt. Pepper Beatles than the Who. Interesting peek at their early success times. On the Super Deluxe version, Pictures Of Lily feels like a Weezer song.
Honestly, this record never really caught my attention. It always seemed like a bunch of outtakes.
Interesting but not my cup of tea.
Ganz ok
Hmm. I don't think The Who could ever be totally shit, and this isn't, but apart from I Can See For Miles, I didn't like it. I felt like I wasn't in on the joke and/or aim. It's no wonder you never hear any of this nowadays (at least, not in my experience) when people are reminiscing over their glory days.
One of the strangest albums by The Who
It isn't that old but sounds like it is from the 1920s, i think it was due to Spotify's lack of quality, overall i can definitely see its influence but aside from 2-3 songs i can't see myself giving it a listen
Interesting album, the ads interspersed seem revolutionary for the time. Enjoyable, with a little psychedelic turn from earlier albums.
I usually like old school rock but the mojority of this album was just to strange for me. The distorted guitar sounds are really cool though.
Pretty good album
♥ The Who ♥
ASDF IASDF aSDFE its so bad negative score aaaaaah
As someone who's basically an american zoomer who's never left the continent of america, a lot of older british albums just don't always make sense because of cultural reasons, things like the Beat and Mods and whatever aren't something I'm familiar with beyond the fact that it was pop rock in england. So I went into this album expecting nothing but a boring album to ignore yet once again, I've been surprised by an album that I expected nothing from. This album is *weird* in a way that is understated, maybe with its concept if The Who literally selling out through doing ads and selling foods while also playing all these songs that vary from simple but fun pop songs to weird pop songs that include all these psychedelic sounds which made the album all the more interesting and engaging. Songs like Odorono or I Can See for Miles are immedeate highlights in how distinctly weird and cool they are, but then songs like Tattoo or Medac have all these weird catchy melodies that don't feel like pure pop rock bore. As a whole, a pretty fun record
Very Whoish. Mostly short, fun pop songs, good guitar riffs. The commercial jingles are clever bits but dated.
I feel like people can’t actually take this stuff seriously, I don’t know.
‘Armenia’ and ‘I Can See For Miles’ and 'I Can't Reach You' are good songs. I don't get the whole commercial thing but overall the album's tighter than ‘Tommy’. I want to mark it down points for the fugly artwork, and because each silly little skit reminds me of the fugly artwork. But man, 'I Can See For Miles' is an absolute classic.
Favorite tracks: Armenia City In The Sky, Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand, I Can See For Miles, I Can't Reach You, Glittering Girl, Early Morning Cold Taxi. Everyone on this site seems to hate this, but I loved it. To reference my Zappa review, I like this kind of nonsense. (See also: The Monkees are one of my favorite bands.) I thought the jingles were fun and the "real" songs were lovely. So, haha, idk, 4 (maybe 4.5!) stars from me.
Really enjoyed it
Great album
Very silly. "Silas Stingy" is weirdly compelling.
An odd little album, and not especially in a good way? Apparently it was supposed to be a concept album, but I think with the cultural differences between the US and the UK and the passing of time much has been lost. 2.4/5 -> 2/5
One of their best!
pleasant
I have the sudden urge to buy things.
really didn’t age well - feels too 60s
I love The Who. You need only look back at my reviews of "Tommy" and "Who's Next" to get the whole story. So if you really care, you can go back and read those reviews. Suffice it to say, I have loved them for the last 15 years, dating back to high school, and continue to love them. So, knowing their discography like I do, I was incredibly surprised to see this album on the list. Why, when they have excellent albums such as "Quadrophenia" and "Who Are You" and even "The Who By Numbers" in their discography did this one make the cut? I'm not hating on it, but I really don't think it represents the best of their work. The idea behind the album is undeniably clever, and it shows that the group was thinking about the idea of a concept album before "Tommy." Hell, there's even a riff from "Tommy" at the very, very end of this album. I digress. The idea of this album, as though it were a pirate radio broadcast, is genius. The inclusion of advertisement jingles from various real-word products really sells it (no pun intended). But as much as I love the band, and as much as I love the concept, the music itself is mostly lackluster. The Who are about raw, loud power and energy. They're about kicking your ear's ass and not apologizing for it. They're a force to be reckoned with. This album lacks a lot of what makes The Who, The Who. Beyond that, the songwriting is mostly mediocre at best. The lyrics are vague and don't tell a complete or interesting story. My best example of this is "Our Love Was." Pete sings about how his relationship has hit the rocks and is on life support. Then, as though announcing "somehow, Palpatine returned," he just shifts and says "then suddenly, our love was flying." Why? What happened? I don't get it. It's thin songwriting at best and it's a shame because they had written better stuff before this and would write much better stuff after this. There are what feel like filler songs as well. "Silas Stingy" is a waste of a song. Sorry. It just feels really out of place and like it was included to pad the run time. "Sunrise" is a sweet song but never goes anywhere and isn't that creative, lyrically. Honestly, I think the best things about this album are the advertisement jingles and "I Can See for Miles" which, though is suffers from vague lyrics like a lot of the other songs here, goes so fucking hard that I don't care. Overall this is a disappointing showing from a band that is known for an excellent catalogue of work. I really hope a new edition of the book either removes this one and replaces it with "Quadrophenia," "Who Are You," or "The Who By Numbers." Or at least adds one of those. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Odorono, Tattoo, I Can See for Miles, Relax, Rael 1
Confusing but I liked it
solid. 3/5
maan i thought the who was supposed to be like early punk stuff. Yea this one isn’t it
I'm astonished to realize I've never listened to this one. Interesting swipes at some psychedelic sounds. Interesting off-cuts from Tommy. Not bad.
Was always on my list to dive into this one more and I’m glad I did. A truly innovative gem that rewards with every listen. The interplay between the fake commercials and the real songs somehow works, like you’re listening to a pirate radio station. It encapsulates the era perfectly, but also sounds very fresh. The run from Mary Anne to I Can See For Miles is pure joy. A new favorite.
Enjoyed it overall. Faster listen than Who’s Next, even if maybe not as many great songs
Lots of Beatles & Pschedelic influence. The problem is the Who just…don’t do it as well. This album is a bit disjointed and far less epic than Who’s Next. Standout track is “Odorono”.
Almost gave it a 3 star since the interludes just don't work for me but love the Who to just give it a 3.
You know, I'm kind of surprised it took this long for me to get my second album from The Who. I feel like I should've gotten my second or even third album of theirs by now, but I guess the list really didn't want me to listen to a single album from The Who in 2024. Okay I guess. Anyways, The Who Sell Out is okay. It's nowhere near as good as Who's Next, but it's still solid. It kind of reminds me of how I feel about Face to Face by the Kinks, an album I gave a 3 in comparison to the much stronger Village Green Preservation Society, which I gave a 5. Would I give The Who Sell Out a 3 in comparison to Who's Next's 5? Yeah, I probably would. The songs are good. "I Can See For Miles" is a highlight for me. There's a bit of a concept here about advertising or something like that. That's neat. There weren't very many concept albums from 1967 and earlier, so it's cool to see an early example of one. The style is quite different from their later work. It's a lot more psychedelic in nature, which kind of makes this album not as interesting since there's a lot of psychedelic rock on this list. The singing and writing are both good. I don't have a ton to say. This is a solid early work from a classic rock band. It's good. As stated earlier, I will give this album a 3/5.
#454. Not the best outing from The Who. The radio commercial skits are not really as funny as they thought it was going to be, and there's really only a couple of good songs on there anyway. 3/5: not terrible though. Song added to playlist: I Can See For Miles I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
Gear: DCA ÆON 2 Noire Artwork: 🦨🫘🤢 Production : 🔊🥴🔊 Music: 🤑🤪🥱 Rating: 🫘(🫘)/5
so keith -- my imaginary friend who's a big who fan-- decided to write this review for me after this imaginary struggle with him over who should write this: "OK! Now we're getting somewhere. I read the global reviews and hey, why are everybody complaining about the jingles? they ARE cliché, but that's what they are meant for! they are doing a parody of a radio station, and who doesn't know about the lengthy commercials and cheesy jingles happening in between songs during a radio broadcast? You really lack a sense of humor! It's a very good album, and it deserves some love, OK?" "But it amuses me when people, hating the jingles or not, praised "i can see for miles". It deserves it." Keith gives it a 5, and i give it a 4. on average, it's a rounded up 5. 5/5
Waren "The Who" nicht Punk? Hat sich für mich irgendwie null danach angehört, aber gut, bin eh nicht so der Fan von der Musikrichtung. Dieses Album klang für mich wie der typische 60er/70er Pop, kein Song ist wirklich Hängengeblieben. 2 Sterne
Witziges Album, nehmen sich selbst nicht ganz ernst.
Ich fands okay. Ich hab den Meta-Gag mit dem Sell out und den Markennamen nicht gecheckt :D
Considered rating it higher cause it's the who but the more I listened I couldn't do it. Boring album. Sounds like 60s brit pop.
This is #day135 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... guess who's here? This is my first-ever album experience with the band. I've only known a few of their classic tracks, like "My Generation" and "Baba O'Riley", so this list would be my reason for checking them out for the first time. It's funny to admit that my first real exposure to The Who came through Limp Bizkit's cover of "Behind Blue Eyes" in the early '00s. And honestly, I still like their version more. As for The Who Sell Out, I like the idea behind it. A concept album, but not in the traditional sense: more like a collection of unrelated songs interspersed with these fake commercials and jingles, which is fun. This is a strong 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day136.
2 - Really did not gel with this...so much of the who it's getting a bit boring
This was actually quite fantastic. The Who are so hot and cold for me. I can't stand Tommy. Who's Next is epic. The live album is a total waste of time. This is quirky in a very self aware and charming way. Fave Tracks: Armenia City in the Sky, Odorono, Our Love Was, I Can See For Miles, Silas Stingy, Sunrise 4.3/5
Pretty weird album. Some really good tracks, a few miss tracks.
Some decent songs on here, but the album was pretty eclectic and lacked flow.
I feel like I’m missing something, but The Who have always felt super mid to me. This album is no exception.
Sequencia consistente da qualidade da banda. Embora só conhecesse o single "I Can See for Miles", confirmou que é sempre formidável escutar The Who.
The songs were great but the interruptions of the make believe ads were really annoying
I really liked this album, and the little fake commercials were really fun.
The British are weird. Songs were ok. Only one I truly liked was Someone’s Coming
this had such a weird charm to it could i write poetry to this? n
The Who are another band that could clog up this list with most of their albums. This is a very good album, regardless the annoying interstitial "adverts". It just seems redundant to have this album on the list when several of its parts were re-used for "Tommy." I think we would have been fine with "Tommy" and "Who's Next" and then left it at that.
The ads are fun, but the songs are just OK outside of Miles and Miles.
one of best albums ever made by probably the only band “who” couldve stuck it to the equally immaculate beatles, at the peak of their psychedelic powers
As far as concept albums go, I found this to be tighter, more cohesive, and more satisfying overall than The Who’s Tommy. There are a couple of great songs on here and in general, this is just a fun album.
Hmmmm. How many Who albums have I had now? I think I've mentioned on past albums, how I just can't seem to really get into them. I know they were a big deal in their day but I don't see the allure. So it looks like this is my 3rd album from them. Yeah sorry. 2 stars
I think I just like Who's Next as a full album.
Wow... I REALLY don't like this. The "concept" is annoying. The songs are mostly forgettable. A lot of it sounds like it's rehashed from older songs or rehearsal for future ones. Nope.
Love it!. Love the Who. Not their best album, but still love it
Cool concept album with great harmonies, and sound effects that still sound interesting, the album doesn't sound dated at all. I can see why this album is a cult classic. I like Who's Next the best from their catalogue, but this album is also a high 4 one, pretty close to a 5.
Not the best Who recording, but lots of good stuff
sound was chill but all the annoying ads ruin this
considering Tommy was my last album my hopes were low. But this was a welcome change! just good old fashioned rock. Thats it thats all, nothing really stood out to me but overall I enjoyed it.
Better than Tommy! Very creative and fun. Just a good batch of songs. Plus in the context of the album I was expecting a reveal for “I can see for miles” that it was an ad for glasses or something like that.
Congrats to The Who for becoming the first act to get two albums that I've had to listen to. (Unless you count Paul Simon, who I've had a solo and Simon & Garfunkel album). Anyways, this was a lot better than Tommy, since it wasn't a cheesy rock album. I loved the tongue-in-cheek consumerism but it was an unmemorable album overall. 6/10
Fake adds as unrelated songs.
De Wikipedia entry is alleraardigst. Leo Blokhuis zou hier iets moois van in elkaar kunnen draaien, waardoor we de ironie van de titel nog meer zouden kunnen waarderen dan we al doen. Mooi was die tijd. Wat zijn de tijden toch veranderd. Mompelmompel commercie, mompelmompel kapitalisme. Maargoed, daar hebben we nu even niks aan. Een schel klotebegin, met schijtlollige radiojingles. Daarna een bende vergeetbare niemendalletjes met nog wat radiojingles er doorheen. Dat het allemaal een stuk erger kan heb ik eerder vandaag nog gehoord bij Os Mutantes, maar ook dit album mag na ruim 50 jaar onderhand wel in de vergetelheid raken. Zeker met deze opnamekwaliteit/mix.
I don't know, seemed ok but lost my attention. Will I listen to again: 10%
Rating: 1/10 A truly heinous album. Sounds like a Beatles rip-off if they had no musical talent whatsoever. I did not find a single moment of this to be enjoyable, in fact it's unbearably annoying.
слишком концептуально, этот альбом получает от меня оценку после такого не особо хочется проверять другие их альбомы
This was odd. Not at all what I expected from this band. Funny in parts but that doesn't last
You know, I love The Who, but I'd never listened to this album, and I didn't love it after first listen. It grew on me a bit more with a second listen, but there are still a couple of songs that I'd have to skip, like Silas Stingy. Overall I can't say I even enjoyed it enough to give it 4 stars, which really surprises me. I Can See For Miles is the only song I knew and I still think it's one of their greats.
Very middle of the road, these early The Who albums did not need including.
This album is wild. They were doing effects I didn’t know existed at that time. The production sounds so modern, it’s hard to believe it was in the 60’s.
As the fourth Who album I've listened to, The Who Sell Out feels more influential than their debut album, My Generation. This album is also more consistent in quality, too. But I think more importantly than that, the Who start to lean into their quirkiness. Frequently a theme of cartoon-y, slap stick-y, game show pops up. I can see a clear line between The Who Sell Out and the subsequent album, Tommy. And to my delight, "Rael Part 1 & 2" included a few notes from the Who's upcoming Tommy album.
This was an eclectic album from The Who...one that was just okay, though. There are some good harmonies and some cool instrumentation, but overall, this is a pretty forgettable album, save for "I Can See For Miles". I'm always a sucker for a concept album, though, and they have another pretty amusing concept on their hands with "The Who Sell Out".
this album is really goofy but i really love the concept. and really it was one of the first concept albums in rock music. if you can ignore (or enjoy!) the goofy mid-60s style ads interspersed between all the tracks here, there are some gems. this is a real turning point for the who and you can definitely feel them rounding that corner towards 'tommy' on this one (sometimes even literally). pretty much every song on here is catchy as all hell and has a goofy sense of humor (songs about stinky girls and getting abused by your parents for a tattoo) but you could tell that from the cover, now couldn't you?
I like the Who, but this was difficult to listen to. I get the concept, but they should've kept this hidden.
I Can See For Miles sticks out like a sore thumb. I wish the album sounded more like this, and less like the rest I get what they are trying to do with this album, but for me, it's just not that interesting. Especially compared to something like Tommy 3
It's interesting to learn about pirate radio and the broader media/commercial environment in which this cohort of classic UK artists came of age and rose to fame. The album is an interesting artifact in that sense, but its appeal outside that is pretty limited. Worth including in a museum of rock, less so in a best albums list. Others did the flower power psych pop stuff way better, and The Who were way better as harder hitting proto-punks and massive guitar noise rockers. There are few moments where they do their thing, but it's always interrupted by something annoying. I think this band's ambition is their downfall - they got tired of doing what they were best at, started reaching for big ideas that got stretched incredibly over the course of a full concept album.
Vibes, gotta listen more!
Loooong album without much.
Some good songs, but too much filler. Not their best work.
Was this music or just some lads having fun with beans in the studio?
Noch etwas frühe Kunst. Eindrucksvoll und auch anstrengend
3.5
I love The Who usually but this album is just not it.
Good band with some iconic songs
Some good songs, and an innovative idea
Definitely an experimental Who album, and I appreciate that they try different stuff, but I still only thought this album was okay. A few good songs scattered throughout.
I like some of The Who's stuff but this is not it. That must mean that there is some more The Who ahead in this path. I found the ad skits funny, which is in itself funny because I hate ads while listening to music.
Usually love the Who but this was just too weird. Great vocal harmonies for songs that are pretty stupid. My opinion and probably rating continues to drop after each track. Not sure this album is one that you must listen to before you die… 2.5/5 rounding down as I would be ok not listening again. Great band, but not a great album this time around
Well, I guess it's an amusing concept for an album but the jingles get in the way of the songs. And not so many of them seem particularly strong to me. Love the sleeve artwork though.
When I saw it was an album from The Who I was kind of excited, but unfortunately this album is super juvenal with simple beats and riffs that are not catchy or fun to listen to. Seems like a lazy album made by some guys who were to high to care what they were doing. Hopefully I never hear this again.
I thought I liked this record, but it's been a decade since I sat down and actually tried to listen to it beginning to end. It's just too fucking long. 23 songs? And there's five Who records on this list? Go fuck yourself.
Not my favourite Who album but some good songs
I'd listen to maybe 2 songs on this album again, and pass on the rest.
Some enjoyable old school rock. Not a lot stood out to me. I liked Silas Stingy and I Can See For Miles. Tattoo was pretty fun as well. But for the most part it kind of faded into the background form me.
Interesting concept album I had never heard of except for the one single.
It’s hard for me to rate early Who records, because when I listen to an album like this, or My Generation, or even Tommy, it just pales in comparison to Who’s Next to my ears. That said, I think this is the best Who album before what I think is clearly their magnum opus. It’s the Who at their most psychedelic, and it often reminds me of Oddesey and Oracle from the Zombies. I Can See For Miles is the obvious highlight, but it’s interesting from start to finish. I still think they just weren’t quite The Who until Who’s Next, but I’m sure many would disagree.
Cute gimmick!!
So good! A purely entertaining album! Funny and clever but also quite beautiful. Some of the Who's very best work. My Top 3: Tattoo Our Love Was Rael 1
Etwas angestaubter Rock. Kann man mal hören, für mich kein Highlight. 2/5
Niet echt bijzonder, maar
ist schon das eine oder andere dabei
Out of the 5 who albums on the list, I think we can do without this one. The adverts just come across a bit lame now. I can see for miles is a great song but the rest of the album doesn’t match up to it.
I Can See for Miles
Pretty good.
Not bad, but not their best.
One of the first concept albums and it's so much fun, it's creative and it simply rocks.
Bijzonder erg van genoten! Kende the who helemaal niet zo, het is grappig, ironisch maar ook goede muziek ertussen. Origineel
Another concept album from the Who. It’s not bad and the bones are there for what would become Tommy. Rael 1 has motifs that were reused for Tommy. However, it’s just ok. I feel like I’ve outgrown the Who, despite my love for Keith Moon.
Bit meh. I don't really know what else to say
I love the Who, I think they’ve put out 2 of the greatest albums of all time. This isn’t one of them. There’s a lot of stuff here that’s recognisable for the fact it will turn into Tommy in the future, especially in Rael. There’s just not much actually fun music here. Maybe it’s the cultural significance of the album that’s the reason it’s on here, but I don’t listen to music for that reason. However, it’s always good to hear Entwistle and Moon, probably the greatest rock bassist and drummer ever and that staves off a 2 The Who will start to take off when they release Tommy but they’re not there yet. 3/5
Listened to this disjointed over last few days which probably wasn’t ideal. But enjoyable album, really enjoyed the ditty’s in between
I've given it two stars on the the strength of I Can See for Miles. The rest was garbage.
Best concept album of 1967, not Sgt Peppers!!!! Really like the songs and the fun jingles give a bit of a look into the slop that was on the airwaves at the time.
# 342 : Kind of rubbish. Should have given up and went straight to Tommy. But I do like "I Can See For Miles"
probably a hot take, but this is more captivating and convincing than anything else from them so far. Love the radio concept
Well that doesn’t really sound like the Who. This is a solid psychedelic pop album, though I also find it pretty scattershot and unfocused. (But isn’t a lot of psychedelic music like that, for obvious reasons?) There are some very melodic and pleasant songs here, just not quite what I would be looking for. Best song: I Can See for Miles
good
i have no idea what to make of this album
I can only assume this is on the list because it is a concept album and it is by The Who. Personally, I don't think those criteria alone are sufficient qualifications for it making the list. This is unusual to the point of making it inaccessible for me. Sure, there are glimpses of The Who's talent here and there but, overall, this is well below average.
I wish this service was context aware. As in, I've already gotten two Who albums and gave them two stars. I don't want to listen to the Who. Two albums is enough.
Idk I don't like it
I wasn't familiar with this offering, seems to be a catch all of the sounds of the era but done well.
Better than expected
This sounds nothing like the only Who song I’ve listened to (Baba O’Riley). But I guess every band in the 60s was doing the stereo sound. Not bad though. Low 4.
Really likes this. So fun
6/10 - It was fine. The who makes interesting music, some if it is good and some of it is bad but its interesting. I liked how some of the songs ended with like a radio broadcast thing which was pretty cool imo.
This was fine I guess. I do not love the who
Same as other albums. It was challenging to get into and I won’t listen to any of the songs individually. But I’m seeing more and more that an album is an experience. It’s cool to see similarities with the Beatles in the Who. My feet were tapping by the middle and I was bouncing around my standing desk at the wnd.
It's ok. I Can See for Miles is very good. 3.2
The Who can fuck off, this is a terrible album
Is this actually a joke? It is absolutely absurd and not nearly as fun as you'd imagine the band think it is. A weird mix of old musical hall pastiches, gimmicky nothings and one very good song.
Couldn't get into it. 1/5
Solid Who album I guess, but I just can’t get into them as much as I used too. Still a good listen though. Somewhere between a 3 and a 4, so I guess I’ll round up.
I don't know, not really my thing
Rock legacy thats a bit mad at times and so layered
A lot of annoyance to reach a couple good songs
Probably fun in the 60s... nowadays it's a lot of meh.
Innovative- a product of its time that stands the test of time!
Fun. Sounds kind of like music from a musical.
This is a funny one to rate. Love The Who, but this doesn't feel as solid as some of their other albums (which I suspect are coming). Still, it's a silly concept and perhaps way ahead of its time, considering how there were ads playing between almost every song while watching/listening on youtube. I Can See For Miles and Odorono are great.
Coming in behind Queen in the MOST Overrated categories, the Who. These guys were no more than the Kinks on acid. Who's Next is rockin and Quadrophenia has all the ups and downs of a great rock opera but this record can't even stand alongside those works
Previously rated: Who's Next (5/5) Live at Leeds (5/5) My Generation (4/5) ************************ I had never heard anything from this album apart from "I Can See For Miles." Surely this was their answer to the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper. Is it as good? Well, no, but it's a good listen.
2.5
Wow these guys really sold out, I hate them now
A really good album with a lot of good songs, my favorite one was Rael 1.
Not a fan
Good album by The Who, but I'm not sure I would consider it essential
I love The Who, but this isn't one of their essentials imo.
It's a great album, but as part of the challenge I chose to give it a 3, because with The Who there are albums much more important and influential, culturally, than this one.
It is a great concept album, very ahead of its time, and reminds me of Queens of the Stone Ages, album Songs for the Deaf. Where there there are little bits in it to, make you think you are listening to the radio. Keith Moon and John Entwistle are there as always the back bone to The Who. Explosive rhythm section that never makes The Who boring. Pete Townshends guitar playing and lyrics are much approved from previous albums. Rodger Daltrey, is becoming more in his vocals, I can see for Miles, been the high point of the album. All comes together for this rock classic. Moon keeps the beat going aggressively, along with Entwistle's smooth bass playing. Townshend's guitar work is great as it does not take over the song, it does enough to let the song stand out, while also having its own moments. Daltrey's voice is perfect for the song. In all a very solid album and can see it is the first step in Townshend becoming more confident in his ideas, which will lead to Tommy.
The Who delivers a poignant concept about living in a “modern” world that advertises you into submission, with a surprisingly timeless display of irony. While the mediums have changed (tv -> social media), the inward cacophony that’s induced by yet another car sales jingle has remained all the while - this album will tug at that cacophony for years to come. Their rendition of In The Hall Of The Mountain King leans into the cool unease so well. Strong 4.
Bri’ish “people” be like “yeah this is really good”
I liked the funny ads more than the real songs
This is undeniably well made with a lot of interesting pieces, but all the best elements are pushed to the background. Instead, we get overbearing light pop about the most boring things: getting in a cold taxi, a girl who's dad doesn't let her stay out, or Maryanne with the shaky hands. (Stingy Mingy was funny). Reading the album title, you would expect more anti-commercial themes. The few parts of the album that do use satirical commercial sounds play the best. Overall, this album is afraid of the experimentation that makes it any good.
2.5
Lads, you aren’t funny. Ditch the skits and write some actual songs.
The link here didn’t work for Apple Music, but I did find the album there. Actually, I found the super-deluxe five hour version, but I only listened to the songs that were on the original album. I hope that’s okay. Anyway, turns out, I think I really like The Who! This is my second album from them this week and I am psyched.
Dramatisch album dit zeg... FAVO kan ik niet eens echt een favo noemen. Het is fijn dat The Who geprobeerd heeft om te experimenteren, maar dit is 9/10 gewoon echt dramatisch en klinkt gewoon slecht. Diepte punt is Silas Stingy, wat een herrie... Ik reserveer een 1 voor albums die gewoon echt kut klinken, en ik kan The Who dan ook feliciteren! Want dit was echt dra-ma! Is dit hun edgy "kijk we zijn geen sell-outs! We maken experimentele muziek hoor!" -album? In dat geval heb ik liever dat ze zichzelf verkopen, want dit is niet om aan te horen. Minst slecht: I can't reach you
Det här var inte den lyssningen jag hade väntat mig. Det är inte så bra som jag väntat mig. Ganska simpel 60-tals pop. I I can See For Miles blir det lite bättre men inte tillräckligt.
Jaha. Först blev man glad. The who igen. Men denna skivan gjorde ingen glad. Får en att återigen ifrågasätta valen till denna lista. Säkert superlustig när den kom. Men tjena, en spoof på piratradio anno 2024. Fuck that shit. Några ok dängor, men helheten är en besvikelse.
Otroligt att det här är samma band som släppte Who’s next bara fyra år senare. Även om man bortser från tramset, vilket man inte kan vid betygsättningen, var det ganska ordinärt, med endast någon enstaka låt som stack ut åt det positiva hållet.
Good concept. But bad execution. This is not a good album.
Pretty cool album. I enjoyed listening to it from a sort of historical perspective. I didn't really vibe with many of the songs. But it was fun to hear a really subversive side of The Who with all the satire of consumerism.
Fun album that's playful and doesn't take itself too seriously. It didn't feel super substantive to me so I'm not sure how often I'll reach to put this album on in the future.
A decent Who album. Not my favorite. I don’t hate the radio conceit. I’ve always hated Armenia.
Too long (again), but The Who is not 1 star material. Very dull though.
Oké, interessant. Een the Who album waar ik maar één lied van ken. In het begin vond ik de reclame jingles aan het begin van elk nummer grappig. Na 4 nummers begint het wel tegen te steken, net zoals de nummers. The Who heeft goeie dingen gemaakt, dit is er geen van, buiten I Can See For Miles gerekend. 2.4*
Can’t tell if the title is an ironic deflection or just an unintendedly ironic. Either way, it fits, though from what I’ve heard of them (My Generation, which I enjoyed well enough) The Who were never exactly the most boundry-pushing band to begin with. This gets a little better in the second half, but for the most it sounds like tepid background music—decent enough as that but not particulary captivating.
60’s
Some ok songs, nothing that stands out. But as an album, this is less than the sum of its parts. Incoherent, overlong, and doesn't flow well or have a cohesive mood
Not bad, but there are much better Who albums.
My review was going to be that this album sounded like a collection of outtakes from bad commercials, then I read the wiki page and it’s sort of supposed to be exactly that. Still doesn’t make it very good.
Tätä en aikaisemmin ollutkaan kuullut! Vähemmän hittipainotteinen mutta kivasti toimi. 4/5
Ihan hauska konsepti ja The Whon parempia biisejä levyllä. 4/5
Bit weird, bit boring, bit crap 45/100
I'm a fan of The Who but this album did little for me, I think this isn't something I'll return to. I've heard only 1 or 2 of these tracks before