The Who
A Quick One

THE REVIEW

I have always considered A Quick One the transitional album that marks the passage from the more "mod" Who of the first album to the definitive Who.

Released in December 1966 in the UK on Reaction and recorded in the previous 2/3 months, A Quick One features compositions by all four members, thus creating one of the most varied albums in The Who’s discography. The first two Entwistle compositions appear here (Boris the Spider and Whiskey Man), characterized by his dark and sardonic humor. Noteworthy is the vocal and guttural sound of Entwistle in the unusual sequence of semitones of Boris, a track that breaks all molds, especially for that era. Daltrey also finds his space with See my Way, just as Moon floods the track I Need You with cymbals and drums and his own brand of dadaism with Cobwebs and Strange, which closes the first side.

Townshend brings to life some memorable tracks such as the opener Run Run Run, dynamite unraveling with hints of psychedelia and noise, Don’t Look Away, another deeply engaging track, the much-covered So Sad About Us, and the album’s manifesto: A Quick One While He’s Away, the first mini-opera that removes any boundaries in the typical pop/rock song structure of the time. With a total length of 9 minutes and 10 seconds, the suite consists of 6 movements telling the story of Ivor, the tram driver, between infidelity and final reconciliation. The song was born from the draft of a rock opera called Quads, on which Pete was working in 1966, and which was supposed to include tracks such as I’m a Boy and Disguises.

The album was released in April 1967 in the US on Decca, changing its title to "Happy Jack" and including the eponymous track, which had been released as a single a few months earlier, added to the tracklist in place of Heatwave (which I consider the only weak point of the album).

I remain very attached to this album, which after almost 40 years since my first purchase has never tired me.