Sell Out -New Versionremaster

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Pete Townshend originally planned The Who Sell Out as a concept album of sorts that would simultaneously mock and pay tribute to pirate radio stations, complete with fake jingles and commercials linking the tracks. For reasons that remain somewhat ill defined, the concept wasn't quite driven to completion, breaking down around the middle of side two (on the original vinyl configuration). Nonetheless, on strictly musical merits, it's a terrific set of songs that ultimately stands as one of the group's greatest achievements. I Can See for Miles (a Top Ten hit) is the Who at their most thunderous; tinges of psychedelia add a rush to Armenia City in the Sky and Relax; I Can't Reach You finds Townshend beginning to stretch himself into quasi-spiritual territory; and Tattoo and the acoustic Sunrise show introspective, vulnerable sides to the singer/songwriter that had previously been hidden. Rael was another mini-opera, with musical motifs that reappeared in Tommy. The album is as perfect a balance between melodic mod pop and powerful instrumentation as the Who (or any other group) would achieve; psychedelic pop was never as jubilant, not to say funny (the fake commercials and jingles interspersed between the songs are a hoot). The 1995 CD reissue has over half a dozen interesting outtakes from the time of the sessions, as well as unused commercials, the B-side Someone's Coming, and an alternate version of Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide