The Who
The Who Sell Out

Many are used to identifying the magnificent Who with "The Who Sings My Generation", "Tommy", or "Quadrophenia", and this seems quite unfair to me. Not to criticize the value of these albums, which are also beautiful, but they are not the only ones.
As is well known, 1967 is a crucial year in the history of music. A year of transformation, of metamorphosis, but also of maximum psychedelic taste. It is undeniable to say that this did not influence many artists. Just to give an example, in the same year "Ptoff!" by the Deviants and the much more famous "The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" by Pink Floyd were released. But among this series of albums, the third chapter by The Who, titled "The Who Sell Out", does not pale in comparison.

"The Who Sell Out" is a fun and cultured album at the same time, permeated with a massive dose of humor and irony. The opening of "Armenia City In The Sky" is beautiful. The track, introduced by a fake advertising jingle, launches into a great burst of guitars and trumpets that provide a typically psychedelic flavor. It is also another proof of how The Who can boast an absolutely enviable technique: Moon's incessant rolling, Entwistle's steady pace, and Townshend's psychedelic shots are more than something...
All the songs on the album are noteworthy: there is not one that diminishes in regard.
Paradoxically, "The Who Sell Out" is the only album where Daltrey does not sing the majority of the songs, and this leaves one a bit stunned, considering that Roger plays exclusively that role...

As usual, the reissue brought a good number of bonus tracks, some superfluous, others interesting, among which stands out the beautiful reinterpretation of "Hall Of The Mountain King" re-read in a psychedelic key and full of unsettling vocalizations. It is surely one of the forgotten gems of The Who.
The cover is also noteworthy: it almost manages to encapsulate the album. Daltrey appears in a tub full of beans, which will cost him an annoying bronchitis that fortunately will not undermine his excellent vocal skills. A classic curiosity surrounding a beautiful and significant album.

From here everything will be different, and two years later, "Tommy" is the confirmation of that.