Who Are You (Reissue)

By the end of the '70s, the original version of the Who was reaching the end of its tether (Keith Moon was nearing the end of his life). WHO ARE YOU can be seen as something of a swan song for the spirit that ignited the rock & roll juggernaut that was the Who in its prime. The increased prominence of synthesizers here (the electronic flavouring of the title track recalls "Baba O'Riley") points towards the direction the post-Moon '80s version of the band would take. Instead of casting aspersions on socio-political ills, Townshend was casting glances askance at current musical trends ("Sister Disco") and his own occupation ("Guitar and Pen"). Entwistle's bass still rumbles melodically through the tunes in the grand style, and Daltrey's wounded-beast roar is at its most impassioned on such songs as "Had Enough". The end of an era was just around the corner, but the band blazed away regardless, making WHO ARE YOU the last must-have Who album.

Entertainment Weekly (4/4/97, pp.81-82)
- "...The corrected CD add[s a] booklet with extensive essays and photos--disc-respect at last..."

- Rating: B-