THE WHO — The Who Sell Out (review)

Album · 1967 · Proto-Metal

4/5 · 2024-09-01
siLLy puPPy

The premise of the THE WHO’s third album THE WHO SELL OUT was to create an entire concept based around the idea of mocking pirate radio stations by crafting songs completely about commercial products along with jingles however the reality of the situation became more of a continuation of the psychedelic mod rock leanings that had launched THE WHO into the top ranks of the British Invasion. Intended to produce a touch of irony given that THE WHO really was making real commercials at the time, the album showcased an early concept album that along with The Beatles’ “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” amongst other releases of the era would propel the rock music paradigm into the ever greater sophistication culminating in the progressive rock era of the early 1970s.

As a concept album, THE WHO SELL OUT features faux commercials and jingles which found THE WHO pummeled with lawsuits for using snippets of Radio London jingles without permission as well as using trademarked branding such as Odorono without the company’s expressed legal consent. Legal matters aside THE WHO SELL OUT continued the band’s smashing success that it had been building since it’s mod rock debut only steering its style into the more contemporary sounds of psychedelia. The result was the acid trip opener “Armenia City In The Sky” and the top 10 hit (both US and UK) “I Can See For Miles” which would become the band’s highest chart hit in the USA. Musically speaking THE WHO SELL OUT is a 60s psychedelic pop rock album through and through with catchy hooks and jangly guitar riffs laced with psychedelic icing on the cake.

Primarily an album written by Pete Townshend who was becoming bolder and more experimental in his songwriting approach, THE WHO SELL OUT served as that transition album between the band’s early mod rock years and the more sophisticated art rock that would soon follow with the rock opera “Tommy.” While the album retains the immediacy of its predecessors with short snappy songs, the lyrics presented a humorous side to the band as heard on the tracks “Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand” which infers to the double entendre of female masturbation to the more overt tribute to skin art as Daltrey tenderly sings to his “Tattoo.” The tracks end in radio jingles with the track “Heinz Baked Beans” entirely dedicated to the album’s theme. “Odorono” poses are a real psychedelic rock track but reveals itself to be a hidden parody of the deodorant which was apparently popular during the day.

The album’s diversity is its strength with “Armenia City In The Sky” opening and serving as the only track not written by the band but by Speedy Keen who also guests as the second vocalist. Likewise Townshend, Entwhistle and Moon all find moments of lead singer glory as Daltrey takes a backseat presumably adding some of the extra percussion he is credited for. The album flows together remarkably well although some tracks like “Silas Stingy” seem a little too silly for their own good, a trait that Entwhistle delivered to the band’s persona and while some tracks like “Boris The Spider” were welcome comedic relief, “Stingy” seems more like an unnecessary kids’ song added for prosperity. The album closes with the nice double tracked “Rael” which features the most arty rock mix of the album and paves the way for what the band would dish out in the future. The overall effect is an interesting glimpse into the commercial world of 1960s Britain and a taste of what the public was exposed to in the mass media on a daily basis which is something most band’s tried to escape.

Overall this album was a grower for me. While a few songs stuck out initially it took me a while to “tune in” to the time and place to get the proper context of the music at hand. After letting it all soak in and not unfairly comparing it to modern bands and recording techniques, the album is surprisingly endearing and ranks as one of THE WHO’s earliest success stories as well as the first album to feature some sort of consistency from beginning to end. Even the lesser tracks hold up fairly well despite the silly lyrics. The album achieved a stream of consciousness approach that was developing in 1967 and would become the standard for many rock albums of the future. While not the peak of the band’s career, it’s certainly one of the more entertaining earlier editions, at least one that has grown on me substantially over the years.