Reviews (page 9 of 13)
Torn between 3 and 4
Naja ist ok, hatte mehr erwartet. Pinball wizard war noch das beste.
Not bad.
Don't care for concept albums but I appreciate it for what it is. And Pinball Wizard is a great song.
I had not ever listened to this album. In the first song, I recognized it as a rock opera. I knew some of the songs individually but not as part of a story. The overall story was depressing.
Goofball cheese
a cool concept album that follows a story. just not my jam. album art is cool af. pinball wizard is my favorite and that's because it was my chorus song when i was in 5th grade lol
Buena música, qué duda cabe
2.8
A seminal, important album for both rock and The Who, though I’d rather listen to virtually any other Moon-era Who album over this. The studio version of Tommy cannot compare to any of the late 60s/early 70s live versions that eventually got released.
Second to last song was terrifying
Feels like the soundtrack to a surrealist stage play
I like the who - especially „Live at leeds“. But „Tommy“ is not really mine.
I’m 8 tracks in and I’m ready for it to be over. I never could get into the Who much. Maybe it’ll get better, so I’ll stick it out… It does get slightly better. But not enough for me to give this any more than 3/5. I just don’t want to listen this whole thing again. It’s fine, it’s just long and the first half was pretty tedious. It feels like this one is part British Invasion, part concept. Content-wise, it’s not all lovey dovey, early Beatles type schlock, but the sound is still there. I much prefer all these boomer Brits after they’ve experimented with LSD. Maybe the Who had before they made Tommy, but it’s just not there for them. I’m looking forward to revisiting Quadrophenia. I remember liking that one more.
At the start I thought I was going to like this more than I did, but the good material is spread kind of thin. Overall I'm still kind of bored by this style of rock - I don't know much about it but maybe the production is just outdated? Has its moments
Not bad, got a bit boring tbh
Rock operas aren't really my jam.
Was Aight
Instruments are outstanding. Most of the lyrics are dumb.
Was not looking forward to this one. Better than i remember, but high notion concept albums are hard work. Also, shines a bit of a light on the 'those files were for research' defense of old Townsend many years later.
The music was decent, I would not have fully understood the story if I didn’t read the Wikipedia synopsis as I went along I had to stop and go finish a task but the last song I listened to before the pause was Fiddle About. A terrible song to have stuck in my head for a half hour
This was never my favorite Who album. Got far more acclaim than it deserved.
Mad respect for the audacity ("it's a fucking opera!") Well recorded. But it's too long and indulgent for my taste. Give me the Who's Next every time.
A classic, I know. But wasn't a fan then and still not feelin it now (with the exception of a couple tracks).
Meh
Me encanta Pinball Wizard, el resto está bien pero no me enamora.
it is okay. a vibe but okay. not super memorable 4/7
Rock operas don’t do it for me.
Some great songs on the album but not a fantastic around album
Back to back Who albums & this one was a studio recorded one. Just as I thought, I enjoyed this one more then the Live album.
It's good, but I'm not sure it's still good in 20 years. I like it less than I did 20 years ago. It's very long. I had to take a break half way. Best song by a mile: Pinball Wizard.
Cool story song and theme about Tommy but not a big fan of the lyrics “we’re going to rape you”
Didn’t really like the Who before listening to this… Unfortunately, this album didn’t move the needle. The whole theme just didn’t click with me.
It was fine. Grill liked it. Not so much my thing.
オペラロックとしてQUEENに繋がる点、他にもパンクの祖としても価値は高く感じた。が、やっぱブルース味が弱くてねぇ…。
It's pretty good, but goofy and self-indulgent in places. The Who has better albums.
pinball wizard nice
Definitely not shit but there’s something about bands from this era making lengthy albums that are 30% song and 70% instrumental.. not my fave but dragged on a bit for me.
Really enjoyed it!
First ever rock opera. Sets the stage for so much in music and art as a whole. Touched so many places. It tells the story really well but it’s just not my favorite version of this band. A 5 star for impact, 4 star for concept and execution, 3.5/5 for me.
I’ve never listened to a rock opera before so I’m not familiar with the genre. Kind of a cool idea. Just from the musical style, not really my cup of tea. But I’d listen again if I could see it performed. 3/5.
I know this and I've seen the movie so I'd say I enjoyed it. I'd say 3.5.
1/11/24
Didn’t finish tbh, will go back to it
Yeah cool to listen to when it’s on but nothing sticks
I was looking forward to listening to this, as I love Pinball Wizard. Yeah, less of a fan now having endured the whole album, Fiddle About is deeply disturbing, PW is great and the rest is pretty average. Pinball Wizard alone scores a 3
long
Premissen, en rockopera från The Who på en dryg timme, är ju lovande. Och storyn är bra. Tommy, som efter ett barndomstrauma blir blind och döv, hittar inre spirituell guidning och blir en jävel på flipperspel, och skapar därigenom någon slags sekt. Men, utöver det, lite av en besvikelse om man ska bedöma albumet låt för låt. Det är bombastiskt och maffigt, som en rockopera väl ska vara, men saknar de djupa melodierna som får mig att känna något, i och med att låtarna blir mer drivna av story och repliker. Melodin jag känner starkast för är 'Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker)' som är en gammal bluescover, vilket nog säger en del. Men, albumet som sig ska såklart upplevas som en helhet. Summan lyfter delarna. Föredrar verkligen Roger Daltreys sång över Pete Townshends, som lätt låter lite gnällig. Lite störigt att de envisas med att sjunga stämsång på vissa låtar. Förutom ovan nämnda låt är såklart 'Pinball Wizard' bra. 'Welcome' och 'Go to the Mirror' bra. Gillade också riffen i 'I'm Free'. Finns säkert andra guldkorn som kan sticka ut vid framtida lyssningar. Bästa låt: Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker)
Goes on a bit. Didn’t think it was that great.
Wasnt my cup of tea
Hele ruime 3 maar net geen 4.
I'm a fan of the film but I was surprised how lacklustre the production on the original album was. It lacks the passion of other Who albums. I'll give it another chance but I wasn't really impressed.
Far more interlude material than I thought there would be! It does drag, but not without good reason. It really does try to pace itself to tell a STORY. So I can appreciate just the scale of what it's going for, but not something I'll readily go back to. And Pinball Wizard is very very good. I forgot just how good especially the bass playing. Fiddle About, still horribly uncomfortable. Definetely an album of odd mixes.
Really like the sound. Interesting album. Not many real hits but I do like it.
070626 19:38 3
Good songs, some good recurring themes, a weird mix of lengths (ranging from silly ditties to epic suites). While I liked some individual songs a lot, the album as a whole didn't grab me. Might need another listen, but I've got hundreds of others to go.
One Hit but the rest is not quite convincing.
Ok
It’s good honestly hasn’t aged too well compared to other who albums though. Missing the *angst* of Leeds and missing the songwriting on Who’s next. Also the concept is kinda silly
Whohhoh
Pretty good album but not the best rock opera I’ve ever heard.
Has Pinball Wizard on it, and a cool concept, but lacks in other songs I’d seek out to listen to again.
Ok. Pinball Wizard rocks. I think I would enjoy this more if I were watching the musical/movie.
One great track (Pinball Wizard) The rest is just kinda meh and didn't age well... I did also enjoy the overture and underture tracks. I HAVE to mark this down for "Tommy's Holiday Camp" it's terrible. 54 seconds of pure garbage...
While this album has some great and memorable songs, it also has some dull stretches. The section Sensation and Tommy’s Holiday Camp is pretty bleh. Favorite tracks are Sparks, Underture, and Go to the Mirror!
Great album, with some high points and low points. Appreciate the themes and rock opera nature of it.
Tommy landed between The Who Sell Out (1967) & Who’s Next (1971) & I have to say I’d rather listen to either of those albums than Tommy. I think I recently discussed the difficulty of double albums & so-called rock oera double albums. I gave this a listen yesterday & it’s weathered the 54 years since it’s birth a little better than I’d anticipated, but I’m unlikely to ever play it again. For me, Tommy represents Daltrey in his fringed jacket, twirling the microphone as he sings See Me, Feel Me at Woodstock (where the band performed the bulk of the album); Tina Turner delivering Acid Queen in the bloated Ken Russell version of Townshend’s work; and Pinball Wizard, a worthy single.
This was funny as I couldn't remember if I'd seen Tommy or not but then as the album went on I started to remember parts of the film from watching it with the fam as a young teen. What a strange and wild story and song writing it all is! Also very troubling... Not sure how I felt about the peado song being on there. Well I do, unnecessary and seemingly trying to be a bit comical about abuse. My thoughts went to the Pete Townsend controversy... But what do I know! Anyway, I remember watching it with my family and I think it was good to see more surrealist film when largely I'd seen more conventional stuff I think was good. Opened my eyes even if I didn't know what to make of it. I put this in the same uncomfortable teen-family viewing as the Rocky Horror Picture Show
It's good yeah but not the best for a Who album. It seems strange to me because even though there are good whole songs on it, it really does sound like a film soundtrack which is strange for this list.
Never listened to this before, but I heard a few songs from it. I liked some of it, but it drags on too long in my opinion. The story of it is kinda weird as well? Whatever, The Pretty Things did it better in my opinion.
Basically what happens when you try to be the Beatles but have less talent. Interesting ideas but no direction and limited command of their instruments. Nevertheless an important bioindicator in the music ecosystem to tell apart those who have a musical bone and those who don't; their fans.
Thisi is truly one of the albums ever. (I don't like numeric ratings, I just give 3 to anyone)
Mieux que l'album live!
B- Overture 3 It's a Boy* 3 1921 3 Amazing Journey 3 Sparks 3 The Hawker 3 Christmas 4 Cousin Kevin 4 The Acid Queen 4 Underture 3 Do You Think It's Alright?* 3 Fiddle About 3 Pinball Wizard 3 There's a Doctor* 3 Go to the Mirror! 3 Tommy Can You Hear Me? 2 Smash the Mirror 3 Sensation 3 Miracle Cure* 3 Sally Simpson 3 I'm Free 3 Welcome 3 Tommy's Holiday Camp* 3 We're Not Gonna Take It 3 Well, this was better than I remembered.
A straight person's idea of a musical. At least it's a fully conceptual "album" better than some of the albums on this list...
Fav song: 1921?
It took me several attempts to make it through "Tommy." Outside of Moon's energetic percussion, I was often bored, though I found the story interesting at times. 3.01
Not too bad of an album. Have never listened to a lot of Th Who, but enjoyed this one. Blues and rock elements. Enjoyed it
I expected more. It's not bad, but just alright.
better than the other rock albums cuz more expirmentsl but i zoned out towards end
Known before: Band/Some songs Standouts: 1. Overture 9. Acid Queen 15. Go To The Mirror 6.5/10 Additional note: Remove Tommy's Holiday Camp, cancel it. The Who can do better. Be better.
Known before: Band Standouts: 13. Pinball Wizard Rating: 5.5
What a delightful journey through this conceptual rock opera. But a bit overrated, I’d say.
Lots of goofy stuff in here but the music is good throughout and it has Pinball Wizard.
I know this is the first rock opera but Who's Next is a more rockin' album.
Still just can’t get into the who
Man this is so much sadder than I remember!
Spoko, ciekawa muzyka raczej nie ma tu nic do czego mógłbym wrócić ale jednorazowo ok, trochę się kojarzy z muzą taty
Three stars out of respect for the idea and effort, but this is one you fall asleep to and wake up wondering why you had such weird dreams.
It's good, but christ alive is it long!
He’s a pinball wizard, donca know.
Another banger, already knew most the good tunes. I think there are better The Who albums or songs
Sounds ok, but never been digging this band
The music itself was fine but nothing special, the story kind of meh, and it’s not something I’d bother listening to again
Interesting to find out that this album was made into a musical as well
Meh
Pinball wizard pretty good One other track was decent as well The rest was a bit boring and I feel like this is a bit overhyped as some visionary album. Maybe it was visionary at the time?
Song with a story innit. Fav: 1921
I haven't heard much of this album before but it's good. I know people love The Who and I like some of their songs but overall-real good sound. Pinball Wizard is obviously great. This album is WICKED LONG. Like so long. It's good but it's losing my attention since I'm also doing other things while listening. A more focused 45min listen is possible but 2-3hrs isn't. We're Not Gonna Take It started out good and then got boring. I'm on the live portions now and I quit. Overall seems like I generally like The Who's sound but this just got too long
going into this album, I have already decided that I'm only going to listen to the first third. The trumpet thing in overture isn't really doing anything for me. 1921 has a pretty good tune! I don't know if I love the vocals on this album, it sounds about 20% ghost, something about the harmonization and breathiness. sparks has some good guitar skills. not a whole lot of variation between these songs. underture isn't interesting enough to warrant this length. what are they even singing about in any of these songs? they are either about some random person they know or it's comple nonsense. they keep on mentioning stuff like Tommy and the mirror and the wizard and I truly believe that it's because they can't think of anything else. Tommy's holiday camp? The Who has a few good songs but none of them are on this album, and what is on this album isn't songs I enjoyed for the most part.
49 Based on this scale: 1 - 0 to 19 2 - 20 to 39 3 - 40 to 59 4 - 60 to 79 5 - 80 to 100 Pretentious rock opera concept album with good drum fills, thanks to Keith Moon. Pinball Wizard's good, as are other bits, but overall, I can't rate it higher than this.
Damn this is weird and long, and a bit unsettling in a not good way. Pinball Wizard makes it a 3.
An album torn between generations.
did not understand it in the beginning bc i was listening at the gym but soon noticed the musical themes coming back over and over, the overture, i should’ve paid attention it is such an Experience.
The album felt long winded for the story it wanted to tell and could have used a few cuts or at least changes to make it flow better.
Too 80s couldn’t finish it
Eh, it was long winded and faded into the background of what I was doing.
Aika vekkuli levy. Kyllä ihan menevää rockia. Ei ehkä se Whon paras levy, mutta kova silti. Pinball Wizard tällä levyllä ja Tommys Holiday Camp oli hauska :D
Zeneileg egysíkú, unalmas, továbbra sem értem miért szeretik emberek ezt a zenekart. Utánaolvasva érdekes a sztori amit elmesél, egyszer még érdemes lehet figyelmesebben ráhallgatni.
3+ Viele tolle Songs dabei, Anfang und Ende richtig super. Dazwischen war es manchmal auch langatmig.
Hat mich nicht richtig abgeholt. Muss eventuell viel aktiver und in einer Sitzung durchgehört werden. Trotzdem ein interessantes Konzept und so manche besondere Stelle. 5.1/10
Pretty solid overall. This was a first time start to finish for me. Better than I was expecting, albeit a little long-winded at times. I understand it's a concept album, and those tend to be longer, but I was ready for this record to be done about an hour into the 75 minute running time.
Solid concept album. I enjoyed it more than I anticipated.
Familiar but with some different tunes I hadn’t heard before. Another background music album. I enjoyed it although I tuned out during different songs. No standouts except the camp song. No idea that existed.
I like the concept album structure a lot, so it was interesting to hear one of the very first ones (alongside Sgt Pepper I guess)? Personally, I wasn't that interested in the story of this album, and it felt like this album needed an editor to chop out a bunch of the filler. But all in all I'd call this a successful experiment! Also might as well throw in: I've never liked Pinball Wizard.
This album was good. Didn't know what to expect going into it. Some familiar songs, lots I hadn't heard before.
Concepty, should probably give more listens.
Je croyais ne jamais en voir le bout
Nice, but it didn't age well
The instrumental bits I really enjoyed, but I'm really not a fan of the vocals.
another classic by the who. does not age well.
I wish its ambition was matched with equal musical innovation and exploration. A number of stand out songs are surrounded by filler songs that string along a loose uninteresting narrative.
Three hours?! Three! That's insane Jeremy! It's actually quite good, once you get over the fact that there's still several days of The Who being pleased with themselves ahead of you. The progression in songwriting from four years earlier is stark, and it hangs together as a concept album. People rave about it though, and I find that confusing. It's just OK. Obviously Pinball Wizard is one of the all time great bangers, and songs like Christmas are good fun, but there's a lot of filler.
3.5
I aint listening to the super deluxe, normal version was pretty decent though
Tyylillisesti ja tulkinnallisesti hivenen ärsyttävää totta kai, mutta melodisesti keskiarvoltaan kiitettävää, ja siis erittäin kuunneltavaa - siitäkin huolimatta, että samassa ajassa ehtisi London Callingin tai Exile on Main Streetin läpi.
Mikið bland í poka. Nr. 1, Daltrey er einfaldlega ekki neitt spes, frekar bleh raunar. Nr. 2, sum lögin eru eðli málsins samkvæmt filler til að segja söguna. Nr. 3, hvað er með þessa sögu? Nr. 4, svo er sumt þrátt fyrir allt eftirminnilegt og frábært.
Not typically my style of rock music. But the fact that they were able to illustrate these songs into a playwright is pretty cool. The who is an amazing band but this album isn’t one that I’m gonna write home about. But again, I do appreciate the artistry.
Not as bad as The wall, but way too theatrical, and filled with too many ideas, Side C flows pretty great tho, and Overture and Underture are great
it was okay
Iconic and original, not much to say that hasn't already been said.
I get it, The Who are a legendary band and all. But I did not liked it but a song or two ...
Meh
3,5
It's fine, doesn't really do it for me
3.5
I never got the hype
4/19, 21%
One of the OG rock operas. There are better concept albums, better "rock operas", and better Who albums that cover all those conditions (Quadrophenia is the correct answer, for anyone reading this who's wondering.) However, there is greatness here, though it is a flawed work. Underture happens to be one of my favorite tracks on the album. Pinball Wizard is overrated. The final track, We're Not Gonna Take It, descends into moving theme. Fiddle About is painfully uncomfortable. I mean, having Tommy's Holiday Camp as the second to last track, one could make an argument that this album's theme is the cyclic nature of abuse. Definitely doesn't age well. Good, not great. Meaningfully impactful on the state of music at the time. I despise the child abuse themes.
I like the Who and know a lot of their other work. Can't say I've listened to this before but feel it would be better having watched the film. Pinball Wizard and Sally Simpson are more what I was expecting of this album
There's some seriously dark themes for a record in which the best song is about pinball. Seriously, pick a lane-- the songs about SA are, like, RIGHT next to Pinball Wizard. It's interesting as an earlier concept album, but it's definitely not the best, most well-thought out, or most interesting concept. Most of it whizzed right past me. 3/5 letters lit up. Multiball activated!
Didn't realise it was a concept story telling album until near the end, so I didn't give the correct attention. But I did enjoy quite a few bits. WIll listen again.
Probably only gets a 3 because of my very specific Almost Famous nostalgia
Music for another type of dad. Not really into it - way too up their own ass.
A few classics, nothing crazy
ganz cool, aber vieeeel zu lang
I love me some unhinged Keith Moon, but this album is a bit of a chore overall. Some of the songs simply overstay their welcome, feeling like it's nothing more than Pete Townshend indulging himself. I understand this album's inclusion on this list, but I feel like there's been better albums of it's sort since.
Esperaba mucho más de The Who. No se por qué, pero antes de haber escuchado la banda, yo pensaba en The Who como algo equivalente a Pink Floyd o hasta The Beatles, pero me doy cuenta de que mis expectativas estaban más que exageradas. Es el segundo álbum que escucho de ellos y es el segundo que es alguna clase de concept álbum, esta vez siendo una opera sobre la historia de un chico o algo así. Para mi mala suerte, no me gusta fijarme más en la letra de lo que me fijo en la música, así que no puedo calificar la primera. Dejando fuera la historia, las canciones difícilmente tienen la suficiente personalidad como para diferenciarlas entre sí, cosa que es horrible tomando en cuenta lo tremendamente largo que es. No es que sea malo, pero tampoco tiene mucho que ofrecer.
Some weird tracks that are 1-2mins long on this track. Pinball wizard is the standout, 5/10
Good film, soundtrack doesn't quite hold up.both now dated. Influential rather than a must listen
kolmatta albumia viedään tältä bändiltä jo, ja tiedän että ainakin kaksi vielä tulossa vielä (en, en katsonut spoilereita, yleinen musiikkitieto heh, sen verran tiedän sentään heh). olikos tämä sittemmin tarpeellinen lisäys, noh ihan hyvä tämä on, maailman ensimmäinen tommyesque tyyppinen albumi, saa seleväksi tommy nimisen henkilön kokemuksia heh...... VITTUAKO KIINNOSTAA...liian pitkä eyesight to the blind (the hawker)
Kolmonen tällekin wholle. Hyvää, mutta mitään kummempaa en koe.
6/10
Good listen, not great not bad. Some decent songs in there
Jo men det var ändå ett bra album. Men frågan är vem fan är tommy?
Vem fan är Tommy, jag får nog fråga runt lite. Jag tyckte inte det var det bästa av the Who men det va la bra
Some good lil ditties. Some unnecessary ditties. Glad we’ve gotten over singing about girl’s Daddy’s. Anyways smash the patriarchy.
Very good concept album I enjoyed this album but at some parts ot was a bit boring but overall it was a good album
Just ok
Another epic and long concept album made by a rock band, after "The Wall" by Pink Floyd (although timewise it was the other way around). We have an interesting story on this album, but music was all over the place. I liked few of the opening tracks, very lively and essentially "The Who". But this recipe got very tiring and I had to sit through another hour of those songs. It's a cool concept, but I have to use an emergency exit.
Never really understood the acclaim. Didn’t “get” the film either. A few excellent songs should not necessarily make a phenomenon. Low three for good intentions. Underwhelmed. Bring on Who’s Next, please.
Some great moments but it goes on a bit.
its a pretty good album and the standout hits are recognizable, but I get why we don't see more of the tracks from this on greatest hits albums.....
Absolutely mental, too long though.
I should like this more than I do - I'm a sucker for concept albums with a bit of narrative behind them - but this didn't quite work for me. It all merges together a bit, and not in the good way that you'd expect a concept album to. The intro to Pinball Wizard is incredible, shame really they put a song about pinball after it. Needs to be a bit tighter (really should have ended it after Smash The Mirror rather than the nonsense about a cult), and the lyrics aren't quite there in most of the songs to rival something like The Wall (which has a similar journey but builds a world much better). 3/5.
Paar Nice nummers! Maar blijf niet per se een fan. Wat een belachelijk lange versie ook dit trouwens hahaha. Favoriete nr.: 1921 baddest nummer: tommy’s holiday camp!
Decent
I liked this! It did run a little long, though.
The people who reassessed this albums high regard and realized it was actually not very good are right. Pinball wizard is still a banger though
I recognize what they did here, though The Who don't really connect with me in general. I do give them credit for having both an Overture and an Underture. That's quality punning.
They should make a movie out of this album.
Good stuff back half of album Carrie’s
I was excited when this generated in for me, but boy oh boy was I let down. I was maybe too hyped for a rock and roll tour de force which, I felt, I just didn’t get. There’s nothing too much wrong with the album, except none of it is memorable at all. Pinball Wizard is only a fragment as it’s one that EVERYONE knows but the rest of the album is almightilly forgettable. Maybe one I’ll have to go back to in the future.
Album narratif homogène
Pinball Wizard is the only song that stands alone. I'll never pull up 'Fiddle about' and listen to it again.
Está bien pero me emboló
buenisimo pero tambien un poco zzzzz
It's alright.
Boring but liked the drumming
Overall, gostei - combinação do vocalista com os instrumentos é bem boa, faz com que seja uma banda/álbum fácil e gostoso de ouvir. Dito isso, achei que o álbum em questão tem muitos solos instrumentais, que contribuem para deixar o álbum um pouco maçante. Outro ponto é a duração, com mais de uma hora e 24 músicas, achei que ficou repetitivo e cansativo, acredito que seria possível passar o pente e selecionar apenas 10~13 músicas e não acho que o álbum perderia qualidade ou deixaria de mostrar suas características.
Overall not GREAT imho, but glad to have listened to it. Handful of really good songs, and I can appreciate how important this type of sprawling concept album was at the time. Don't think I'll be listening to it front to back any time soon, but I'll probably be back to some of the singles. 3.5 rounded down
I enjoyed it but I doubt it will ever be an album I ever reach for
Grungier Beatles. Quite an enjoyable listen with a few hits.
Pinball wizard was by far the best
Tommy figured his shit out. Go Tommy!!! 3.54
I know this album is supposed to be an epic, but I found it hokey & a little dull. I know this band is crazy talent, but I never really enjoyed them - they're my least favorite of the big rock English bands of that time.
couldn't finish it off sadly, didn't like the film that much icl
virkelig god intro. Trompeterne går HÅRDT. Det her album er optur. Som koncept og sådan er det rimelig nice.
Listened Before? N An amazing album..... that's not really for me. I can appreciate it from beginning to end, and while I was surprised at the serious tone it took (was expecting more of a tongue-in-cheek story, this just seems like a tragedy), I still didn't really jive with it. Again, much appreciated, just not for me. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Pinball Wizard
3/5
It's been at least 20 years since I checked this album out. It didn't leave a lasting impression on me on the past. I listen to Quadrophenia once in a while. Tommy just doesn't reach me overall. It's good, but just that. Each of the four sides have their worthy moment, and the low points aren't that low. There's a fair share of great songs, nothing spectacular. The rest is ok, nothing really bad. I guess it's just bloated. I understand that they are trying to tell a story, but balance is necessary. I could cut this down to 45 and make a really good album (except you might be totally confused about who Tommy is). That's it... it is just overstayed. Indulgence has hobbled this beauty. PS- I was surprised to learn this album was from 1969. From my experience with it, I imagined 1973 or 74. After hearing it again now, I can hear the timeframe. Liked songs: Overture, Christmas, Pinball Wizard, Go To The Mirror!, I'm Free, We're Not Gonna Take It
The Who is cool and this is a solid example of those work. But - it’s a score/soundtrack and you know how I feel about that.
I feel like there could be a 4 star album hidden in here if it were edited to be 30 minutes shorter.
hm
Very strong outing by The Who. Not sure about some of the longer songs, but the majority of it was good enough.
I say this every time one comes up, but not a fan of a concept album generally..... However, this was the most interesting one I've heard. The story is quite dark in parts really, but I kinda found some of the lyrics a bit funny/daft too which made it hard to take seriously... "You won't shout when I fiddle about" and "do you know how to play hide and seek, to find me would take you a week" spring to mind. So Tommy is born blind, deaf and mute.... Gets bullied by a cousin, molested by an uncle, but is really good at pinball.... He is then miraculously cured and becomes a famous preacher who starts some sort of cult where you learn to play pinball without looking, hearing or speaking? Does that sum it up? Pinball Wizard is the best track by far...I never realised the lyrics were "that deaf, dumb and blind kid sure pays a mean pinball"! Makes sense now! Still not convinced by the concept or concept albums but it was interesting at least
Really interesting rock album by the legendary band "The Who". While I don't really like this album too much, I did enjoy how it tells the tale of Tommy and his life. 3/5. Favorite Track: Underture
I love The Who, but I have to say I think this album is vastly overrated. I know, I know, it's the first rock opera and they broke new ground for concept albums and it's ambitious and all, but musically it's just not that interesting. It seems like Townshend was more interested in telling the story and the music is just there to support that goal. Some of it sounds more like a broadway musical than a rock n' roll album. 3 stars.
A solid take on a rock opera, wins big nostalgia points for 'Pinball Wizard' alone which I listened to a good deal when I was younger. Do wish the band had been a bit more experimental and out-there with the instrumentation on this one, but without the context of the full show I'm missing a huge deal of dialogue/staging that would make more sense alongside the somewhat passive arrangements here.
I know this quite well. Like it. Don’t love it.
Rock opera, very musical-influenced. Interesting listen. Need to be heard as a whole, but had some catchy tunes in there.
I just don't find The Who very interesting outside of the big hits.
What could serve as a better harbinger of the coming of the 1970s than an overwrought concept album? Like nearly all double albums that I've encountered on this list, I think this would be better as a single album. However, I do have to admit that this does seem to be a genuine attempt at a rock opera, with overtures in the beginning that presage what will come later in the album. Overall the album is pretty good, though I found the first half of it a bit of a slog. Also the story for this concept album is pretty dumb. But hey, it's not the worst Who album that I've reviewed here (not the best either, though) 3/5
I've always wanted to like this more, but could stand for more rock and less opera.
не успела ничего понять (ну и оперу не каждую с десятого раза понимаю)
I really liked the beginning to Tommy, maybe first 3 or 4 songs, plus Pinball Wizard is great. However it definitely fell off for me.
the who more like who cares about rock operas am i right? this was like the most Fine album i’ve ever heard i really just can’t care though
I love concept albums. This one in particular sounds like it could be a play or even a musical. However, I feel like I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I do like that the songs blend in together, though. Also, I don't know why but this album gave me Wizard of Oz vibes, no particular reason. No track really stood out. Fave track(s): Go To the Mirror!
It was alright. Favorite song: “1921”.
I listened to this album start to finish while driving. I had higher expectations than I should have due to knowing some songs by The Who previously. I will say that the album flow was well arranged and the songs often seamlessly transitioned from song. I always like that. The lyrics were all straightforward to my ears and seemed as though they just looked around the room for objects of inspiration. The standout song on this album is Pinball Wizard.
what's happening in his head? ohh i wish i knew i wish i knew
A landmark of musical history. This is a great example of where the music and lyrics are so well done but unless you are aware of the story it probably seems very disjointed and meaningless. Maybe just downright creepy. I do love the music and some of the tracks absolutely stand up today but it’s not something I want to listen to on its own. I’d rather watch the film, so it’s all in context.
I want to live The Who but I just can’t get into it
No me dejo ratear el anterior todo mal :(
There are some really good songs on this album. I've seen it performed, too, as the rock opera for which it was written. Kind of works in a weird way, but the songs are engaging and entertaining. Pete Townsend is musically very interesting and an incredible guitarist and vocalist.
J'ai passé un moment sympathique avec ces Who malgré un genre musical attitré totalement fantaisiste (hard rock) sans aucun lien avec le genre réel de l'album. Cette écoute a toutefois failli être gâchée par ma N+1. Je vous joins l'échange confidentiel en question que nous avons eu sur Teams : « - Robprocédurière ? - Quoi ? - Pourquoi ce processus est en cours de traitement depuis deux jours ? - Parce que c'est mon premier processus du genre alors j'y vais lentement, je prends le time... - Tu veux qu'on le fasse ensemble ? - Ouais carrément. - 12h15 ? - Non 12h22 parce qu'il restera Tommy's Holiday Camp et We're Not Gonna Take It à 12h15. - Pardon ? - J'y peux rien si la trackliste est longue comme le cul. » Je leur accorde donc un trois sur cinq.
This is the soundtrack to the Who's less good film. There's good songs to be found in here though. They are a rare band where the drummer's songs are the best and most disturbing! Fiddle about, eww. There's still some excess fat on here - two ten minute overtures and a closing track which runs a long time on very little. But by and large it's good.
Too folky for my current mood
I love this album for various reasons and find it musically interesting but it's not my favorite combination of rock and "opera". Theoretically meets the criteria for a good show but overall feels flat to me. I love "Pinball Wizard" and "Go To The Mirror" as stand alone rock tunes. This is a great album but can't rank it above a 3 since I wouldn't typically listen to it front to back... and I not sure I'd want to see it performed live.
Having listened to a couple of early albums by The Who, the significance of "Tommy" really comes through. The scope of the album, the vision of Pete Townshend, and the ambitions of the band are big and eccentric and you can understand why this is a landmark album for the band and for rock and roll music. When the band is brilliant on this, they shine. The interplay of the vocals is masterful, the harmonies on songs like "Tommy Can You Hear Me?" are fantastic, and Keith Moon proves he's got chops for days. Not to mention, what an out there premise this entire album rests on. 10 stars for creativity and commitment to an artistic ideal. But there's a lot of dead weight, and for all his stellar abilities and singular voice on his instrument, I was so tired of Moon's drumming by the 3/4 mark that it detracted from the album. It encapsulates my admiration/repulsion to this band. There's no question that there's genius at work in so many elements of this band, but somehow, some of that genius is what undermines my enjoyment. I know this is better than a 3-star album, but I can't imagine a time when I'll be looking for something to listen to and decide to listen to this from start to finish. That's why it's a 3-star in my book. A brilliant 3.
Not my favorite thing, but I appreciate the ambition.
It's funny how many reviews are either 4-5 stars calling it a masterpiece or 1-2 stars saying it's garbage. Usually this tells me this is mostly due to differences in genre preference, but with Tommy I think it's mostly due to how one perceives the execution of the concept. I seem to be the rare reviewer who falls somewhere in between. I see Tommy as both a work of creative genius and a confusing mess. The Good: Well, it's completely unique being the first true rock opera and essentially creating a new genre of music. There are songs that work as standalone tracks independent of the story (i.e. the singles, most notably "Pinball Wizard" which is undoubtedly the best song on the album). And then there are songs that you wouldn't necessarily put on just for fun (or catch on the radio) that are beautifully composed and interesting. The bad: Despite the aforementioned comment about the good, some of the songs just aren't good (e.g. "Holiday Camp"). Others come across as mere filler. Now, I remember seeing my local high school perform this decades ago and I really enjoyed it. Middle school me liked it so much I watched the VHS of the official concert for it (Phil Collins was in this, right?) many, many times. But, something about the album by itself just doesn't connect, and it's easy to get bored. The ugly: the story itself doesn't make any sense. I read the synopsis before listening so I get what is SUPPOSED to be happening (not that it seems like it's a great story by itself anyway) but at very few points during the album is the plot actually comprehensible. Overall, I agree this is a must listen album, but perhaps we would be better served watching the concert for it and seeing some of the action take place on stage so it makes more sense and not just hoping it ends soon.
After the success of The Who Sell Out, our favorite mod rock band go on to do a double-album rock opera. This is the album that set the bar for all future concept albums. Including both an overture and an underture! Not many rock albums will have an underture, I can tell you that right now. It unfortunately takes a while for the album to really kick in. Side B is when the songs start getting good enough to make note of, as the album flows from one song to the next without much distinction. In my youth I was more easily impressed by concept albums that pulled this stunt, but now I expect a bit more for the songs to be distinct and memorable. I can't help but feel this highlights a distinct blindspot in The Who's output: spotty songwriting. For every great song they'll have, there will be several songs that are not noteworthy at all. Not bad, but also not noteworthy. For reference, side C boasts the excellent song Pinball Wizard, but requires slogging through "Do You Think It's Alright?" and "Fiddle About" to get there first. It is a uniquely mediocre experience that best showcases my problem with The Who and double albums at the same time. Tommy isn't a bad album. It is competently written and performed. It is not something I would recommend on the basis that it is overlong and not all that great to warrant the runtime. I understand Quadrophenia is better?
Rock opera go brrr. Music itself is interesting and surprisingly layered and diverse. Some bluesy stuff, some orchestral stuff, lots of weird interludes. Very clean production. Lyrics are.. interesting. Will needa give this another listen
Rock opera, doesn’t hit me like other great who albums, could not get into the filler tracks
Definitely interesting as a concept album and very cool that it was the first "rock opera" but I didn't feel like the music grabbed me as much as I would want it to.
Pinball Wizard is obviously the high point of this album but I liked the whole flow of the album. I'd enjoy listening to this all the way through again. It was good but not quite 4 stars good.
I think this is meant to be viewed/listened to live, straight through. Just sitting on my couch it’s not exciting me, nor is it unpleasant. It’s just there. Pinball Wizard 10/5 stars though.
This is a pretty decent album. I found a lot of it to just be very basic and plain. Cool idea for a lot of it, but just bland.
Not as good as the reputation it has - only a couple of good songs and a lot of filler, especially on the special edition with live versions.
Its a solid album. The music is amazing and really well composed even tho the lyrics and singing is inconistant
Somehow it's background music, even if you try to focus on it. Not special, but keeps the silence away effectively.
Es bueno, muy instrumental
I didn't really get too much into the story, but I still enjoyed the album. Favorite: Pinball Wizard
Best Song: Pinball Wizard. That guitar melody which pops up throughout the album makes its presence most known here. It also feels the most "rock" of all that's on offer. Worst Song: Cousin Kevin. Is it just me, or does it sound like some of the vocals are really off-key? Overall: I always applaud weird and avant garde choices in art, and a rock opera about a deaf, dumb, and blind kid who becomes a pinball savant is certainly weird. Sadly, in the effort to present a continuous narrative, the actual music becomes less interesting. Would probably be interesting to watch a stage production, but it struggles to hold my interest over such a lengthy album.
Suffers from the same "rock opera" problem as The Wall, and with way more of an added cringe factor since I was a kid. Still an overall fine album, but let's be honest - what are you reaching for on this record besides "Pinball Wizard"?
Not my favorite Who album by far.
How can you not love an opening track with flugelhorn? Overall just OK.
Overlong and a bit preachy in hindsight, this album nonetheless contains some absolute bangers like Pinball Wizard and Acid Queen.
some first-rate tracks but much is forgettable and the central idea is silly
While I didn't really dislike it, I think The Who took themselves too serious and created an album that works fine as a rock album but that doesn't have the musical quality necessary for it to work as a rock opera. The story comes with an intended pathos and gravitas that simply aren't backed up by enough technical skill to have much impact at all.
Interesting concept album with a controversial topic, so this must have stirred up some emotions back then. It was a very bold move to make a rock opera, but it somehow is a bit tedious to listen to. At many times more of the same, building up tension but it hardly ever comes to a real explosion.
Standard '70s concept album affair. Do I recognize this is perhaps one of the most quintessential. Still though, for my first time listening to it, I prefer their older simpler work. This had a lot of ideas, and the narrative thread was incredibly strong.
Decent classic rock, but nothing standout
Quite enjoyable.
Un autre album de The Who... Par contre ici on a un concept plus fort et une oeuvre majeure dans la carrière du groupe. Il faut effectivement avoir écouté cet album. Écouter un opéra rock n'est pas une tâche facile. Faut être dans le mood. L'écoute en vinyle est probablement plus agréable et appropriée puisque les pauses pour les changements de côtés allègent un peu le tout. Pinball Wizard est dans mes pièces préférées du groupe et une pièce qui représente bien le groupe, son unicité. La groove dans I'm Free est intéressante. On n'est pas au niveau de The Wall, mais on a un album qui coule bien.
Not a big fan of the album or the band. This is bloated, over reaching and as of these days a bit tasteless. Gotta admire the ambition but it misses.
I might be spoiled, as my first exposure to Tommy was the full-cast anniversary edition. The songs are here, but the songs feel lightweight in comparison, with the album as a whole feeling bloated.
Good. Need more listens
Despite being iconic I thought it was fairly middling...
Rock Opera par excellence. (6/10) FT: Pinball Wizard, Sally Simpson
Heard it a handful of times before. Good album. Overrated.
Ambitious, and one can assume groundbreaking at its release. But in the end, only worth listening front to back in order to string the story together as almost no song stands on its own except of course Pinball Wizard… And maybe take the pedo stuff down a notch, too, eh?
The Who will always be the bargain basement version of better bands. The only song that stuck out for me was Pinball Wizard. I guess if you get tired of the Beatles, the Stones, and Zeppelin there's always the Who.
Some classic songs, and love the overall vibe, but many of the songs aren't ones I would re-listen to standalone.
not their best album. 2.5/5
Pretty wild. Didn't know Tommy had a whole backstory going on. Not something i would put on just to listen to since some of them are odd but overall a good piece of work and quite experimental.
Nothing wrong with it. But I don’t feel like I will be going back to it. Cover art 3/5
Enjoyed this much more than I thought I would a storytelling concept album.
The story didn’t make a lot of sense to me but I really enjoyed quite a few songs and loved the progression throughout the album. Would listen again but probably not going to put it on myself.
Fun and cinematic, most definitely the soundtrack to a musical
Started out enjoying this, but it lost me in the middle somewhere.
It's taken me years to work out what's wrong with The Who. They've performed some of the greatest songs of all time, but I find the quality drops if you listen to a whole album. Who's Next is an exception, but usually a Who album has too much filler. So part of their problem is lack of good songs, but Tommy has good songs. I have two problems with this album. Firstly, any song that doesn't have Townsend power chords tends to be weedy. Secondly, their vocals aren't up to snuff. Roger needs to be singing balls-out rock or he should shut up. Pete should never sing. They needed to hand these songs over to other musicians. Except Pinball Wizard. That is magnificent.
Very cool concept/ rock opera
To be honest, I've only ever been familiar with Pinball Wizard & I'm Free. I actually don't even know what Tommy is. Was it a musical? A movie? Both? I still don't know. I'm still only familiar with those 2 songs. This is just super meh to me. It was fine. Rating this a 3.
Opera album with minimal hits
I have heard of this album, and I do not think I ever saw the movie. But it is a rocking album!
I didn’t really care for much of this album other than Pinball Wizard and Tommy Can You Hear Me
Finde ich bei weitem nicht so scheisse wie das Erstlingswerk, das mir The Who zunächst komplett vergällt hat. Diesem Album hingegen muss ich (schlechte) drei Sterne geben.
Some awful bits redeemed by some alright bits. On the whole pretty self indulgent and ridiculous.
It's cool that it's one of the first concept albums, and I can see it's major influence but it wasn't really my cup of tea. It was alright.
I did not care for this
The movie is one if my favorites, but it doesn't change the fact that this is one of The Who's weakest albums. Some pretty nice songs and the concept is quite excellent, but there are sadly too many fillers.
Some great moment, but then the second after you feel tired.. Just too long.
Despite the fact that there are 5-6 really excellent songs, Tommy is perhaps the most boring Who album, because it is too long and has a lot of fillers. I'm a Who fan, so it kind of breaks my heart to say it like that... However, I have to admit, it made me want to listen to the film again. I hope the next Who's album will be the killer "My Generation"!
Sasvim dobar album, ali ga nisam previše pratio koliko sam trebao, svakako mislim da bih se trebao vratiti na ovaj album da ga još bolje jednog dana poslušam.
Epic rock opera with an epic song. Fave: Pinball Wizard
Ok but a bit more 'operaish' than i had expected. i am sure it would be better having seen the film but none of the songs seems to be given the space to get going.
Much of the music is pretty decent and I had partly hoped this might be instrumental so I didn’t have to listen to this nonsense story full of Townsend’s weird obsessions. I get that he’s probably working things through but this Tommy metaphor is in such poor taste.
🎵 He's a pinball wizard 🎵
I know for many Tommy is the Who's magnum opus. But for me I want the power. Pete attacking the guitar, Keith treating everything as if he's the frontman, Roger preening and John holding it all together
I have probably listened to this album at least 10 times before reviewing this album. The first few times was out of curiosity about the rest of the album that includes "Pinball Wizard". The next few times was to try and understand the whole rock opera. The last couple of times was to decide how much some of the characters and songs creep me out. This album still makes me feel icky. I haven't watched the movie yet (maybe never will?). I did not know that a couple of the creepiest songs were credited to Entwistle. I thought the creepiness was all on Townshend's shoulders. There are tracks that I still enjoy ("Pinball Wizard", "I'm Free") and some of the instrumentals are worth listening to, to see what the band was trying to explore musically (my fav was "Sparks"). Overall, the album comes out as an "okay", with a wish to skip some of the story portrayed across the album.
This did have it's ups and downs but I really enjoyed this! I am confused tho- is Tommy ok?
I do not get the story but I do get the music.
It's certainly ambitious and there is some great stuff here. The drumming in particular is obviously fantastic but all the performances are great, there are some lovely harmonies, and it introduces and develops certain motifs in a really satisfying way It's a bit all over the place though - the concept is so scattered, and musically it doesn't exactly gel together (Good Morning Campers or whatever it's called is fun but incredibly out of place) and it really feels like the entire thing hangs around Pinball Wizard. Which is an incredible song but... the 70+ minutes bookending seems excessive
Never have I looked up the supposed story of Tommy. It is bonkers. I've listened before without really paying attention and the album is much better knowing the rough storyline.
A cool concept with some great songs mixed in... but man did it really start to get tedious. I was ready for this one to be over by the time Tommy got his senses back.
Ah, the original rock opera. I think it's pretty cool how the concept was birthed out of a desire to find a way to escape the "short song format" of music that had existed up until this point. I had not heard this in full before, and was not familiar with the plot. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to completely discern the plot from the music alone; I had to rely on a little help from Wikipedia. Needless to say, the plot is very much a product of the 1960s. The album did feel a little long and bloated, but it was bizarre, which I appreciate, so it evens out. There were some great songs on this album. That said, musically, this particular album is classic Who. They aren't reinventing any wheel there; this particular album is all about the introduction of the rock opera format, which it turned out their musical style was perfect for. This album dared to try something new, and while not perfect, brought about a significant form of musical storytelling. That in and of itself makes this album a worthy addition to the project. Thanks, Who, for gifting us the rock opera!
C'est OK. Pas mauvais, très bon concept, mais j'ai l'impression d'écouter une comédie musicale sans l'image
My first time giving this a spin, and I mostly enjoyed it. The first few tracks are nice and theatrical and set the scene well - much like the start of a musical, which I guess this pretty much is (didn't realise See Me, Feel Me was originally more of a recurring theme than it's own track - another musical theatre trope?) I like the really short tracks (they help a lot with plot exposition) and always have respect for ambitious concept albums, especially groundbreaking ones like this. I'm not sure the individual parts are strong enough to keep me coming back to listen to the whole, though, especially when it's so long. 3.5
A real mixture in terms of quality, but I suppose that's easily done with a concept album. Each song fulfils a purpose after all. I like the Tommy movie with the other performers. Less fussed by the Who's actual album. But Sally Simpson, Pinball Wizard, 1921, and It's A Boy are still great in this. I'm Free is quality too
Es como una ópera rock. Se me ha hecho bastante bola. Ni fu ni fa.
3.5
not for me
It was ok.
You know... fine, okay. I guess.
There were some good songs on it but it was way too long. 2.5
Hele zit, maar wel ontzettend goed gedaan. En gewoon een goede band.
Tsja. Hier en daar een beetje theatraal, maar zeker acceptabel.
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