This would have to be The Who's best album. John Entwistle brings some of his best bass playing on The Real Me. Keith Moon's drumming is awesome. Love Reign O'er Me is a truely awesome song.

The music on Quadrophenia (1973) is sophisticated and represents the second large scale concept album by the group (the other being Tommy). The concept on Quadrophenia, which revolves around English youth, is handled carefully and with great intelligence, resulting in a concept work that is deep, multidimensional, and ever engrossing.

On Quadrophenia, Townshend once again amply demonstrates his ability to embellish just a few central musical themes with instrumental preludes, interludes and postludes, all of which create the impression of something much larger and complex. In addition, highly melodic vocal, guitar and synthesizer parts weave and soar above a positively thunderous rhythm section to create some very interesting music. Speaking of which, John Entwistle is a ripping bass player and drummer Keith Moon is simply phenomenal.

This remastered package is pretty nice and features a nicely detailed booklet and good sound quality.

Quadrophenia is an excellent album and is highly recommended along with Tommy and Who's Next.

It's better than Tommy. Waaaaaaay better. After a couple of listens to Quadrophenia, you'll never need to hear about Captain Walker or his unfortunate spawn ever again. See, where Tommy was an exploratory stab at an album-length rock opera, Quadrophenia is a confident, competent, expertly executed conceptual masterpiece. Where Tommy often feels slipshod and thrown together, Quadrophenia is airtight and well thought out. Quadrophenia replaces Tommy's contradictions with complexities, its banalities with genuine emotion. The deep parts are deeper, the comic relief is funnier, and the story is less, er, stupid.

It also has better songs. It has "The Real Me," which is a gorgeously chaotic slab of hyperamplified teenage angst. It has the sweet delirium of "5:15," and the vicious identity crisis of "Doctor Jimmy." It has such harrowing classics as "The Punk And The Godfather" and "Helpless Dancer," and it has the anthemic, bitter "I've Had Enough." And the desperate romance of "Sea And Sand." And the apocalyptic "Love, Reign O'er Me." And the hilarious "Bell Boy." And some really well-placed synthesizers. And a really cool story, which I'll let you discover on your own. Bon appétit!

For me this album is The Who's high water mark. For some reason history has not lauded it as much as "Tommy" and sales wise it was a step down from the band's previous album "Who's Next", but for pure musical creativity this album is one of the great conceptual works, and dare I say progressive rock albums, of all time. The two disc set tells the story of Jimmy, a mod in early 60's Briton. Jimmy's whole life revolves partying, drugs and clashes with the rival Rockers at Brighton pier. It is the classic tale of that period in life between being a kid and becoming an adult. Jimmy's story is told with some of Pete Townshend's most well written lyrics and music that find that band at the very top of their game. The album plays like a movie soundtrack and indeed it was eventually made into a movie starring a young Sting from The Police. All of the band members are in top form here with John Entwistle absolutely stunning on bass, and probably the last really great performance from Keith Moon. If you like The Who at all and especially if you are into progressive rock or concept albums in general you owe it to yourself to pick this one up. Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones seem to be held on a higher pedestal over the who when it comes to classic rock, but neither band ever came close to a full album as good as this in my opinion.

I remember buying this in 1973, and being slightly disappointed, that Daltry's vocals at times, seemed buried in the mix. However, this was Pete Townshend's writing, at it's best. I saw them perform this in Los Angeles,as those that were around for the strange 1973 North American Tour, knows. We didn't know at the time, that this would be the last time that Keith Moon would perform with fearless abandon. The Who died, when Keith Moon did, in 1978. Everything else since, pales in comparison.

Pete Townshend's other opera rock, Quadrophenia is, with Who's Next, one of Who's best record in the 70's and one of the best records of that decade. Great songs as Love Reign O'er Me and Cut My Hair.

This Japanese Polydor import remixed version of Quadrophenia sounds head and
shoulders above the American remixed version released by MCA. Highly
reccomended!

Big E

After more than thirty years, I'm still angry about what punks like Lester Bangs wrote about this album. "Pretentious", "ponderous", "overproduced", "not in the spirit of their 60's singles" - the kind of snottily contrary bull---- that gave rock music writing a bad name and made needless enemies of what turned out to be some of the greatest musicians of the 20th Century.

Every song here has something to offer, but there are four that include every last quality that made The Who such an object of admiration and devotion, meaning that these rank among the greatest performances in the history of rock and roll:

1. "The Real Me"
2. "The Punk Meets the Godfather"
3. "Bell Boy"
4. "Love Reign O'er Me"

In all of these you hear Townshend's guitar fusing the power of Page with the emotion of Clapton, the unmatched passion and drama of Daltrey's vocals making the term 'opera' completely apropos in describing The Who's most famous works, the singular imagination and talent of Entwistle which enables his bass to come to the very front of a song ("The Real Me" breathtaking in that regard). And then, my God, Keith Moon - what he did here can not only not be recreated by the greatest drummers, but can't even be recreated by the greatest programmers of computerized drums.

Yeah, this guy doesn't like the way the LP sounds, and that guy doesn't like the way the CD sounds, and this other guy doesn't like the way the MP3 files sound - WHO CARES?! If you don't have this you have to get it - even the least sonically "pure" version blows away anything done in rock for the last fifteen years.

Off of the success of 1971's Who's Next, The Who were able to pursue what might be their most ambitious project. Similar in scope to Tommy, Quadrophenia is yet another concept album/rock opera but, in my opinion, it's a much more successful effort, despite lesser fame. Whereas Tommy included a great number of very short tracks, Quadrophenia consists of only full length songs. Some are short, clocking in at under three minutes in length, but they are still more clearly songs, rather than simply plot continuations. To this end, the album is more consistently musical, moving from one track to the next in a well thought out series of musical expressions, and one of The Who's best efforts.

My favorite rock album of all time. The Who's masterpiece, and a work of art in so many respects. At times powerful, angry, somber, bitter, passionate....what else can you ask for from great rock music?

"Quadrophenia" was probably the most ambitious work from the Who. Released in 1973 after the incredible success of their previous album "Who's Next" expectations were obviously enormous. But whereas "Who's Next" was a regular rock album, "Quadrophenia" was a concept album - a soundtrack - something much more complex. No big surprise that the album could not repeat the success of its predecessor, and that many fans were disappointed with the album - at least in the beginning. Because this is really a great album, with so much great adventurous music that will grow on the listener. But at the same time it's an album where many tracks do not work very well outside the concept of the album. Relatively few songs are regulars on the various Who compilations that have been released over the years. In that was the album could be compared with the Kinks' "Preservation Act 2" which is also a great album, but with few titles that people will normally remember.

The catchy "5.15" as the only single is one of the exceptions off this album - one of the out-standing tracks.

Among the longer and more complex tracks "Drowned", "The Punk and the Godfather" and of course the theme-song "Love Reign Over Me" stand out.

Also the the half-acoustic and moving "I'm One" and the amusing "Bell Boy" stand out.

Conclusion; a great rock album from one of the very best bands of the 1960-70's that you can listen to again and again.

I won't go on and on about the quality of this album. It has spoken for itself over the decades. One of my first two albums I ever had in my life when I came of age to want a specific type of music for true enjoyment as opposed to just a passing popular fad or just to have some noise in the background. The first one I had was on an 8 track!!! I then proceeded to get it on vinyl and then on cassette....and now on CD. I will NEVER get tired of listening to this fantastic album.

Quadrophenia
Thirty years ago, when I first heard this alblum I heard it coming from an Eight Track player in a 1972 Ford Maverick. (Back then we sometimes had to put little pieces of wood or matchbooks around the 8-track tape to get it to play correctly.) The alblum had so many deep or heavy emotions in the music that I truly didn't understand why anyone would listen to it. Disco was becoming popular and there were a lot of happy songs out there, why would anyone listen to something this depressing. Then--I changed. I got mugged by these hoodlums that lived in the down town section of Lancaster. So I got my hands on a switchblade and went hunting for these guys. I never found them, thankfully. That might have changed quite a bit about me. I also worked and then got fired after seven or eight months. My parents got divorced and my mom moved to Florida. My Girl friend went psycho, or I did, either way, we had a relationship that caused us more pain than good. When I listened to Quadrophenia after all that stuff happened to me, I then understood the emotional content.
I strongly recommend this alblum if you are in pain and don't know why.
Rob

As good as Who's Next and Tommy. This album captures them while they were still at the top of their game in the studio. After this album, they started to slip a little, but were still better than most other groups at the time. I always thought the original album mix was not quite as crisp as it could have been.

Todays Rock scene is sputtering and wheezing and gasping for some air, and when you look back even 10yrs ago, it seemed like Rock was here to stay, but not since the era of disco, have we seen rock music fade into the dust. So this brings me great pleasure that bands of old, such as The Who, "Quadrophenia" is still a breath of fresh air. This is my favorite Who album, and doesnt it seem like every rock band that released double albums (of course called double disc today) were the bands best effort? The Beatles "White Album", Zepplins "Physical Graffeti", The Stones "Exile on Main St." and even The Smashing Pumpkins "Infinate Sadness..." all are these bands best or close to best efforts. Maybe that is what is missing in todays pop rock scene. Funny, only the Foo Fighers have done a double disc and they are one of the best rock acts around in todays pop rock scene. Cheers to the double album, The day more rock acts start releasing double albums, and stop writing cookie cutter material might be the day the rock and roll is saved. ENJOY

While I have in the past referred to Yes as my favorite progressive rock band, I was in fact missing a blatantly obvious pick: The Who. Yeah, were an art band, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise - how else to classify a group that drew as much from Terry Riley, Charlie Parker as from James Brown and Chuck Berry? And just because this isn't an album about King Arthur going back in time and having an arm-wrestling match with Buddha over who had ulitmate understanding (with Zeus, Genghis Kahn, and Nitzsche all watching from the sidelines, of course - and you can bet they're on Mars) doesn't mean it's not a progressive album. Each member has their own musical theme, and each theme corresponds to an element of protagonist Jimmy's psyche! Townshend himself called 'em "Leitmotifs" in the liner notes! And you're trying to tell me the Who aren't an art band? Ha!
So what's the music like? Well, as I said before, it's quite progressive, but it achieves that delicate balance between art and rock. "The Real Me" is my favorite example. That bass line Entwistle plays is reminiscent of jazz, but the song itself... it's a rock song! Entwistle himself admits he improvized most of the bass line, as a joke, but the band kept it in. Entwistle's my favorite bassist ever, too - and that bass line is my favorite bass line ever. And thanks to the chemistry between the entire band, it's not just the bass that makes it the classic it is - the lyrics, the vocals, the guitar, and the drums, too. Nonetheless, my favorite part of the song is when Townshend drops out and Daltry and Moon step back a bit to let Entwistle play.
And that's not even my favorite. It's close, all right, but I'll have to go with the big finish as the top song. "Love, Reign O'er Me" is arguably the Who's masterpiece, bringing our story to a close. At this point, is disillusioned, addicted to pills, and frustrated because he can't get laid. While what happens to him next has always been left up to the imagination, this is beside the point - the song itself is a stunner, starting with the famous "raining" piano solo intro, building to huge bombastic screaming choruses (Roger doing some of his best singing ever!), accompanied by a hellish descending guitar line. And then there's that famous ending - the crashing on the drums, the sound of the guitar shorting out (actually, I think it's Pete moving his fingers down the fretboard, but I like the guitar shorting out better), and that loud, DARK french horn chord. What a way to close an album!
And of course, there's a lot of other good stuff between the first (well, second on the tracklist, but "I Am the Sea" isn't a song per se now is it?) and last tunes. EVERY song on this album has something going for it - even on the lesser ones. "The Dirty Jobs" has that really cool synthezied violin line; "Drowned", a solid chorus and great piano playing; "Is It In My Head", some solid lyrics. And then the ceiling for this thing is really high! I prefer the second disc to the first, and not just because of "Love, Reign O'er Me". Ever hear "5:15"? I thought so. I love that horn line, and Keith's insane drumming! It's one of the Who's best flat-out rockers. And then that chorus... "Inside, outside... LEAVE ME ALONE! Inside, outside... NOWHERE IS HO-OME! Inside, outside... WHERE HAVE I BEEN? OUT OF MY BRAIN ON THE 5:15! OUT OF MY BRAIN... ON A TRAIN..." Then there's also "Dr. Jimmy". This is Jimmy's self-destructive side taking over, concerned only with sex, booze, and/or pills. It's got something like eight or nine different melodies going on during it, including John's "Is it me?" theme (which if you ask me should've been a song of its own). Its nine-minute length makes it the record's eight-ton gorilla, and while it's big and monstrous and bloated, I love all of it. You don't hear much about the two instrumentals (title track; "The Rock"), but they rule too, two complex piece of music that string together all four themes. Pete's guitar on both is some of his most astounding playing in his career, and there are enough tempo shifts to keep the songs from falling apart. On the subject of themes, Keith's comes from a hysterical rocker ("Bell Boy") - naturally, his drumming is featured, and you hear him sing! It's hilarious! He's so bad at it... Anyway, Roger's ("Helpless Dancer") is a nice duet between himself and Townshend, but the best part is when it samples "The Kids Are All Right" in the end. There's also a just fan favorite, the powerful "Punk and the Godfather" - contrasting a loud, roaring verse (and great riff!) and chorus against a quiet, reflective bridge, where Entwistle gets what is sadly his only vocal on the album. I actually taught myself how to play the opening riff on guitar (I'm not much of a guitarist - I can handle bass, piano, and sax, but not lead guitar), if that means anything to anyone. And why is "Sea and Sand" often forgotten? It's got another batch of amazing lyrics, and the verses and chorus could've been two different songs entirely! I also like how it breaks with the Rule of Pete/Roger Duets - rather than have Roger sing the "rock" part and Pete sing the "ballad" part (this happened on "Baba O'Riley", "Bargain", "The Song Is Over", and "The Punk and the Godfather" at least), it's Pete who sings the hard-rock chorus and Roger who takes on the mainly acoustic verses. The two ballads are REALLY amongst the Who's most overlooked work - the unpretentious country-rocker "I'm One" and the equally unpretentious country-folk song "Cut My Hair" do get lost among the gargantuan nature of this album, but they don't deserve to be. I find that "Cut My Hair" is a beautiful meditation on conformity and struggles growing up; and that "I'm One" has one of the group's best melodies. Amazing what gets lost...
This is arguably my favorite Who album - I'll always love Who's Next about as much. Get both!

I know I'm 11 but oh my God! This is one of the best rock n roll albums ever!!! I like the way all of the songs on the album are related, just like the Who's Tommy! By far this is the #1 best albums by the Who!!!!! Its about a kid named Jimmy whos a skitzo! He has 4 pesonalities (each one represent each member of the Who.) The whole album his life just gets worse and worse. Funny movie too! Some of my favorite tracks include
1.Love Reingn O'er Me
2.5:15
3.Bell Boy
4.Docter Jimmy
5.The Real Me
6.Quadrophenia (cover song)
7.Drowned
8.Helpless Dancer
9.The Rock
10.Cut My Hair

--Scott Schaeffer age 11

Every artist must have his masterpeice and for The Who Quadrophenia is it. Released in 1973 the album was an instant classic. It told the story of Jimmy a "mod" in 1960's england. Quadrophenia is the story of jimmys inner self the 4 personalities, the fighter, the lover, the party animal and the philospher. Originally this album was supposed to be the auto-biography of the who but rather than that townshend uses the 4 band members as a personality of jimmy.

Like every teen Jimmy has a hard time fiting in with the "in crowd". Townshend uses the 60's battles of mods and rockers as a perfect backdrop but in reality this story and the feelings it provokes are universal. No album in my opinion is better written and performed. The Who were at the absolute pinnical of there fields on this album and the music speaks for itself. Moons drumming sounds like a locomotive driving at full force, Entwistles bass sounds like god himself is striking thunder down, Townshends riffs are cutting a whole in the atmosphere there so tight and Daltreys vocals are the greatest in the history of rock. The final tracks are the greatest mix of power and raw emotion ever made. Dr. Jimmy is pure power from start to finish and Keiths drumming drives the song along with Entwistles to a hight never before heard on vinyl. Love Reign Ore me is a beutifull conclusion and raises the fundemental fact Love is what everyone needs for salvation.

Quadrophenia should not be understood as an 'album' amongst other Who 'albums' and nor should it be seen as a 'prog rock' experiment. Nor is it a drama. There is absolutely no drama in Quadrophenia. It is, first and last, a symphony that is sung - in exactly the same way that Mahler's 8th is a symphony that is sung. Like Mahler's 8th Quadrophenia is about getting to a point - to redemption - in this case the redemption that comes with growing up. Musically Townsend employs symphonic techniques to build mood or, show regret or despair. The extraordinary thing is that it works. It is not like any other piece of popular music I know. It is musically very, very sophisticated. Comparison with other Who records is pointless. 'Tommy' is not nearly as successful as this. As a creative work Quadrophenia is, without doubt, Townsend's crowning achievement. Another interesting aspect of his music - and this is for most of his music - is that it is polyphony. No instrument really provides 'backing' for any other - very unusual. However I suspect that the CD re-masterings haven't respected or understood this. It's just a suspicion. Townsend is a genious pure and simple. There is no point in seeing this as a 'rock' album with 'tracks' we 'like' or 'don't like'. It is a symphony that uses a 'rock' idiom. One reviewer said you may not be able to listen to it in one go but this is really the only way to hear it. Take the time, take the phone off the hook, make sure no one is due to visit. Put it on loud and concentrate on it as you would a piece of classical music you wished to get to know. It is an astonishing achievement.

To any who inquire (no pun intended), this is quintessential Who! Who's Next is timeless, Who By Numbers is timeless, Live at Leed's may be THE best Live album EVER, but Quadrophenia is THE absolutely required Who audio experience. All of the aggressiveness, raw energy, spirited composing, and flawless execution is evident in the genius of Pete Townshend on this effort (notice how i twice resisted the use of ALBUM as not to show my age?).

I know that this is completely a puff for the Who, but i've owned this album as a double album, a cassette and the remastered version on CD, and the sound is absolutely incredible, the songs written in 1972-3 still stand (as does everything from Live at Leeds on) and sound timeless, like they could have been recorded yesterday (or today).

Buy it, you won't be sorry, and if you are, listen to it again...

This music is the best of the best. The Who performs with passion and talent that is hard to surpass.

This is my favorite Who album, and their last great album. There were moments of brilliance on later albums (most notably Face Dances, the best of the Who's post-Quadrophenia output), but this is the last album where they really were The Who. This is a grand epic that is much more coherent and far more down to Earth than the rather pretentious Tommy. This is Pete Townshend's masterpiece. He wrote all the material (the only Who album in which he did), and I love the credits on the album where it says Townshend plays "remainder". The CD booklet is now restored, with a series of great photos, and the short story that accompanies it. Townshend is a pretty good prose writer, and I would like to see a book or two by him, if he's ever inclined. The synthesizers here work very well, Daltrey's vocals are some of the best of his career, and this is the last Who album where Keith Moon was Keith Moon. He is on fire throughout the entire album. His playing on The Real Me makes puts all modern drummers to shame. The Who would slowly deteriorate after this (drugs, more drugs, the road). This album rarely gets mentioned in the arena of great rock albums, which is horrible, as it is one of the best albums ever made. It's very underrated, and it's my favorite Who album.

I think that this is my favorite Who alblum/CD. It follows up the Rock opera theme from Tommy with a Mods vs. Rockers thing. My favorite tracks 1. 5:15 2. Dr. Jimmy 3. Love Reign over me. I have to admit that I was pulled in by the use of this music in the Adam Sandler/Don Cheadle movie 'Reign over Me'. But hey, I don't smoke cigarettes (any more) because they smoke -em in the movies. It's ok to buy 40 year old music they include in soundtracks.

While Tommy is instantly enjoyable, Quadrophenia is the one you will keep coming back to. The music very much reflects the darkness of the story and gives it a timeless feeling. This is one of those discs that your favorite song constantly changes because there are so many good ones. Townshend at his most introspective and for me his best work.

Writing this review in June 2007, I realize that I became the fan of The Who that I am now just over one year ago. I am not sure how I managed to keep them on the periphery for so long. I think that I always found several of their best-known songs - such as "Magic Bus", "Squeeze Box", and "Who Are You?" - to be skimpy and uninspired, while albums like Tommy and Quadrophenia seemed self-indulgent and overblown. Who's Next seemed perfect to the point of being the exception that proved the rule, so it was pretty much the only Who CD that I kept around (along with a cassette of greatest hits). Although I will probably always feel the same about the previously mentioned singles, I have recently decided that The Who's two rock operas are more ambitious than self-indulgent, and more fully-realized than overblown.

In 1973, The Who was huge, and not just in terms of popularity. Sure, Quadrophenia was their fourth consecutive top five album in the US. More importantly, however, their musical scope had grown immensely since their debut in 1965. Having finally recorded an entirely consistent record in 1967 with The Who Sell Out, Townshend began to think in terms of expanding the limits of rock 'n roll, rather than working within them. Having done so with Tommy - which made the rock opera respectable - and Who's Next - which did the same for synthesizers - he had plenty of momentum. Still, attempting a second rock opera meant taking quite a chance. (Jethro Tull, another one of the most popular English bands of the early 70s, had recently suffered a severe backlash for releasing two LPs in a row consisting of a single album-length piece.) But as with Tommy, if any band could pull it off, then The Who could.

Quadrophenia, like Tommy, told the tale of a young man struggling with psychological problems. In this case, it is Jimmy, who suffers from a four-way split personality. As a young mod, he very well may have run with the type of guys who would become The Who, and subsequently became a fan of them. Thus, the songs on this album serve not only to tell the story of Jimmy, but of the band itself, as the songs "The Punk and the Godfather" and "Helpless Dancer" reference Who songs which were mod anthems. Jimmy tries desperately to keep up with fashion while living in his parents' house ("Cut My Hair) in order to avoid living one of the workaday lives of those he sees around him ("The Dirty Jobs", "Helpless Dancer"). Eventually, he tires of being disappointed by all the things that he hopes will make him happy ("I've Had Enough"), so he takes trip, literally and figuratively, to the beachside town of Brighton ("5:15").

Alas, he discovers that "here by the sea and sand/nothing ever goes as planned". He hits bottom when he encounters a former mod whom he admired so greatly years before who is now working as a bell boy. Thus, he has to spend each day licking the boots and running at the heels of the authority figures he once rebelled against. Despondent over the idea that what happened to the now bell boy could also happen to him, he sinks into the quicksand of drugs and alcohol ("Dr. Jimmy"), and starts to behave without regard to rules and consequences: "What is it? I'll take it/Who is she? I'll rape it". Quadrophenia ends with Jimmy's fate uncertain, as he stands on the beach in the rain, arms stretched upward to the sky, one imagines ("Love Reign O'er Me").

Musically, Quadrophenia and Tommy have similarities and differences. Both include three instrumentals, but none on Quadrophenia is as long as Tommy's 10-minute "Underture". Tommy features the leitmotifs of "See me, feel me..." and the "Pinball Wizard" chords, and Quadrophenia's songs are tied together by the "love reign o'er me" lyric and the beautiful synthesizer that underscores it. One important difference is that Quadrophenia consists entirely of full-length songs, whereas Tommy included several songs that were less than a minute long. This was also the first album in which Pete Townshend wrote every single song. Although John Entwistle's occasional contributions had always been a nice touch, they certainly aren't missed here. Rather, he concentrates on his bass, which bubbles near the surface of each song and sometimes even boils over. Keith Moon clobbers his drums as usual. Roger Daltrey sounds magnificent on the album's more bombastic numbers, while Townshend sings lead on the album's more tender moments, "Cut My Hair" and "I'm One". Who albums were always group efforts, and Who's Next had found the band performing as rock 'n roll musicians rather than simply players. Quadrophenia continued this trend.

Quadrophenia's story isn't developed quite as well as Tommy, and also not quite as entertaininng or interesting. The songs and the music, however, put it just a notch above their first rock opera. It is a downright majestic piece of work, and although it may be tough to take in a single listen, it is well worth doing so. But even if and when one doesn't, s/he will still find several great Who songs to return to regularly. Although Quadrophenia is not their best album, it does show that The Who were still in brilliant form two years after the release of their masterpiece.

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST ROCK ALBUMS OF ALL TIME.IN MY BOOK IT IS#1
ALL TIME EVER.THE TITLE SONG PROBABLY ONE OF THE GREATEST SONGS EVER.
IF YOU LOVE TO ROCK OUT AND GET ALITTLE LOSE THIS IS A PERFECT CHOICE.

I'm floored that I'm only just recently hearing this album. Frankly, it easily trumps Tommy. The lyrics and instrumentation is outstanding. Actually, alot of times this album reminds me more of Pink Floyd.

The Who-Quadrophenia *****


More or less defines OTT don't ya think? Over The Top. Quadrophenia is an epicly bombastic piece of music that will forever live in music. Not as operetic as Tommy was before it and not a hard edged as Who's Next, no Quadrophenia takes the best of both worlds and makes one of the greatest rock n' roll albums, and really one of the greatest albums period. Out of this world vocals from the great Roger Daultry, rumbling bass from John Enthnwistle, insane drumming from the one Keith Moon, and lyrics, and music, and guitar, and vocals, and everything else under the son from the phenomonal Pete Townshend. This double album was destunned to be a classic when it was released in 1973.

Disc One
'I Am The Sea' starts out the album and it is what I like to refer to as the calm before the storm. I do this because it is a calm intro with sounds from the sea and then all of the sudden in comes the power house 'The Real Me' out of your speakers. A classic in rock history which still gets regular radio play today. 'Quadrophenia' is a six minute instrumental done much the way 'Sparks' was done on Tommy. Very well done and never boring. 'Cut My Hair' is a rebellious song about a teen needing to keep up with the times and fit in with the changing fashions or be left behind. At the same time the child realizes even though his dad does not want him to cut his hair he means well. One of the stronger songs on the album. 'The Punk And The Godfather' is sort of a unsung classic in The Who cannon. Not to sure about the subject matter but the chorus is very catchy and the song really stands out on the album. 'I'm One' is a shorter song coming in at about only two and a half minutes. It's about being independent or trying to be anyways. Townshend takes the vocals on this track and does very well, as we all know when the guitarist takes over on vocals the guitar always shines as well and this is no exception. 'The Dirty Job' is a calmer song through the verses until the chorus comes in and then you hear one of Daultrys all time best vocal performances. 'Helpless Dancer' features those classic horns we were introduced to on Tommy, and they really add something nice to the song and really the over all feel of the album. A real stand out track and the lyrics are pretty contraversial as well. 'Is It In My Head' features and intro with a sidtorted clip from the classic Who song 'The Kids Are Alright.' This is a very catchy song with a great melody. This is very Pete Townshend. A boy struggling to know if what he thinks he is feeling is real or not. 'Ive Had Enough' is all over the place as far as the song goes. It's up, its down its fast tehn its slow. The song is crazy. The guitar plying is incredible on the song. Some of the best on the album really. A really cool way to end the first side of the album.

Disc Two
Disc Two opens with one of the all time great Who songs. '5:15' is killer. What a song. The horns turn this from a good song into a masterpiece. Townshends lyrics make this contraversial in true Who fashion. Daultrys vocals are not for the timmid, the only comparison I could think of his a lion. Cliche I know but true. What a killer way to start off the second half of the album. 'Sea And Sand' is a much slower and calmer song thats heavy on the acoustic guitar and a few moments of electric thrown in for good measure. This is Keith and Johns song the rhythm section of this song is out of controle. Moon takes what should be a simple song and gives it the most complex drum beath he can think of and some how it works and it works well. 'Drowned' is a great song but has nothing about it to really stand out and set it apart from the rest of the album. It is a great song but nothing special. 'Bell Boy' is the point in our story where are main character has earned himself a job. This song has synth and is down well. Not too much, and it fits right in with the song. 'Doctor Jimmy' is one of the best songs on the entire album. This is about being bold, and tough and not letting anything stand in your way, it is truly a great song. In the liner notes of the album it talks about how this is Enthewistles theme and if you think about it, it fits, he would only be tough when he drinks. 'The Rock' is another great instrumental song that is never boring and only gets better everytime you hear it. Now we have reached the penicle of the album, the climax, the overthrowing of power, the moment are hero is defined, 'Love, Reign O'er Me' is in all possiability the greatest song The Who ever recorded. Talk about epic, talk about chills up your spine they made it all work on this song. The sound of rain and thunder, the synth, the rumbling bass, the killer drums, Petes guitar, and his lyrics are maybe his all time best, and then Roger Daultry has the nerve to put on top of what is already a song to good for its own good his all time greatest vocal performance. This is what you are working toward the entire album and boy is it worth it. It is like a long night of sex with that most amazing climax at the end of the job (so to speak). The song alone is worth the price of album. This is the good version of the song with the extended guitar playing and killer building intro, not the bad edited one that appears on all of the bands compalations. A true masterpice to end the killer album with.

Is this better then Tommy, Is this better then Who's Next, the choice is yours these are three classic albums and you need to own all three and I recommend in the following order Who's Next, Tommy, then Quadrophenia. All three are must owns. But this album tell the continuing story of Tommy but it is much harder to follow then Tommy. But dont buy the album just for the story buy it for the amazing songs and amazing music that accompanys the brilliant story line. This is an album that I would highly recommend to anyone who is remotley interested in it.

i have had this album in my possession since about 1982. i love the who. i've listened to "who's next" a hundred times, i bet. ditto "live at leeds." listened to most all of their albums a lot. but for some reason, not this one. maybe because it is so long, i would hesitate to put it on. or maybe it's just the idea of a rock opera. i don't like the concept. it seems a bit pretentious, and a threat to my attention span. over all these years i have probably only listened to this album 2 or 3 times. well, today i listened to it at work with headphones (which i have never done before), and i found out something bad about myself: i have been neglecting a rock and roll masterpiece. i'm ashamed. there is so much great music on this album. keith moon (drums) and john entwistle (bass) play some of the most amazing rhythm section work i can remember hearing on a rock recording, and pete townshend's musical ideas are grand and grandly executed here. "the real me," "i'm one," "5:15," and "dr jimmy," are standouts, as are the 2 great instrumentals "quadrophenia," and "the rock." the latter of which bleeds into the album closer, the majestic "love, reign o'er me," containing some of townshend's most lyrical guitar work, adding beautiful touches to that great anthem of a song. i have promised myself that i will make up for lost time and play this cd many many times this year, and while i've broken promises in the past, this is one i think that i can keep.

Quadrophenia is where The Who reached their creative zenith. Who's Next had more brilliant moments, but as an overall album, this is as good as it gets. The scoring is complex, with plenty of John Entwhistle's horns, Rabbit Bundrick's keyboards, and some of the finest musicianship Pete Townshend and Keith Moon ever turned out. Roger Daltry is also at the height of his game -- old enough to put some real power behind it, young enough to hit notes that sadly he might not be able to any more.

There is a story in here somewhere, but don't spend too much time trying to look for it. I've watched the movie a number of times, and seen the live DVD as well, and I'm still confused. That's the whole point -- it's about Jimmy, a confused teenage mod with a personality disorder. That's all you really need of the story to enjoy this album.

If you only get one album by The Who, this should be it. If you get two, Who's Next is the other one. But these guys are so good, why would you want to stop there?

In my opinion this is superior to "Tommy". A truly breathtaking adventure in the lifes of mods and rockers(which did exist in england). Townshend has put together a powerful album. The Mobile Fidelity GOLD CD is the topper.
J.Guida
P.S. Must be listened to at maximum volume!

This is my "desert island" album - you know, the one you'd pick if you were exiled to a desert island and could only have one album.
I bought it on vinyl when it first came out. It was the first CD(s) I bought when I bought my first CD player.
I never, ever get tired of it.
Pete Townshend captured teenage angst with a power and clarity that's simply astounding.

"Quadrophenia" sounds as fresh, original and musically compelling as it did when it was released 33 years ago. If only the rock'n'roll of today had one-tenth the verve and virtuosity of this record, we'd all be better off. One of the best 15 bucks I've spent in some time.

Look at the title for my review. That's quite a statement for anyone, anyone ever interested in good ol' rock 'n roll. But oh my, how The Who's "Quadrophenia" goes so much beyond "best."

There are so many different forms of music, some incorporating rock and roll with progressive rock, with hard rock, with heavy metal, with ballad rock, with almost any and every form of good ol' rock 'n roll there be. Any real "rock" music fan has about 5 or more "all time greatest" albums. I don't quibble with that. But "Quadrophenia" as a musical triumph, had and still has to this review's writing, no real equal. This is simply the greatest progressive rock and roll album of all time.

The Who were never really considered a "progressive" rock band, but this matches up and exceeds and flies above any other such effort, and any other band. This is, in simple terms, the greatest "rock" album of all times. And pity those who have never even heard of it, let alone known after many listens, that this was and remains, not only the Who's best album, but the best overall rock/roll album of all time.

I can't really describe this album/CD. Any mere words I might utter only do it injustice. Because this is truly a masterpiece. Unlike the Who's more well-known "Tommy" ROCK OPERA, and its many forms, "Quadrophenia" does everything Tommy did, and oh so much more so.

While the Who's "Tommy" is/was/everwillbe great, "Quadrophenia" goes so much further, not only in message, but delivery.

While strangely enough, the film version of the Who's "Tommy" exceeds the original album's initial offerings musically, there is a strange difference here. For while the film version of this rock musical suffers in terms of story-telling and visualization, the music cannot be diminished. The original "Tommy" lacks a lot of what "Quadrophenia" delivers. "Tommy" is oftentimes named as the Who's greatest achievement, but "Quadrophenia" is so much better and more satisfying, especially upon repeated listenings.

The main advantage of this recording is that in a short time, due to musical technology, the Who's original "Tommy" has been truly transfered here into so much more satisfying a musical experience. With so much better production and effects, this album puts "Tommy" to shame, though both are great.

This album deals with teenage "angst," but oh, it deals with so much more. For it deals with beyond that angst, and any discerning listener I think can easily find so much to relate to here, both in the actual music, and the music's messages.

There are no bad or weak tracks on this work. Traveling through various different music styles, but always resorting to ROCK AND ROLL, this takes that experience to the highest and most emotive realization ever. This is not just about a confused, frustrated, drug/alcohol infused musical rendering of that "sense of doubt" and "rebellious" attidude toward the "status quo," within any young adult's wonderings, it is the final word within the same.

I will let others to break this work of art to others. In so many ways. Let it be known however that, upon repeated listenings, the music and lyrics here, represent to me, not only a great musical rendering of youthful (and older) frustration with what reality is, but an eventual and hopeful view that there is somehow a better way.

"I see a man without a problem
I see a country always starved
I hear the music of a heartbeat
I walk and the people turn and laugh..."

Is it in my head?
Is it in my head?
here at the start?
Is it in my head, is it in my head, or in my heart?

I pick up phones and hear my history,
I dream of all the calls I missed,
I try to number those who loved me,
And find exacting what the trouble is...

Is it in my head?
Is it in my head?
here at the start?
Is it in my head, is it in my head, or in my heart?

I feel I'm being followed, turn from being help to being questions...

I see a man without a problem...

Upon several listenings, I can hardly see anyone NOT seeing this as not only the Who's best album, but one of the greatest rock and roll albums of all time. While the film version seemed weak in comparison (mainly because it didn't feature the great music here), the Who's "Quadrophenia" remains their best work, is a true artistic and technical triumph, and is a must buy. I have listened to this album from vinyl days to present, and it still remains the most satisfying and powerful rock and roll effort of all time.

I will never get tired of listening to this work of art. While some of the ideas and themes here may fall short of expectations musically from those casually familiar with the Who, overall, this is the Who's greatest work, far surpassing "Tommy" and upon replayed listening, never fails to bring to life a truly melodious, powerful, angst filled lyrical revolution against almost anything rock and roll related before and during its time, to present day.

"Quadrophenia" is the Who's best album of all time, but it is the greatest pure rock 'n roll album of all time as well. Buy and enjoy this. It is a work of musical art, no less relevant today as it was upon original release. I never get tired of listening to this.

If you question the status quo at all, if you've ever had any deeply felt objection to that, this will undoubtedly touch you in some special way(s). And I'm sure if so, this will soon become all that it is and has been to me, for you, the greatest rock and roll album of all time.

Nothing else comes even close. Production wise, and message wise, this is compelling and overwhelmingly satisfying and deep, from beginning to end. If I had only one musical album/work to choose for first choice on a desert island, this would be it. So many ideas, so many effects, so many perfectly produced and realized musical elements. "Quadrophenia" is as perfect an effort as any other musical effort as I can ever imagine.

A must buy!

I didn't care much for this album when it first came out and thought it was the end of the Who. I borrowed the "Quad" double LP from a friend and was so unimpressed I never bought it until just a few days ago when I and bought the 1996 remastered CD version. I have to say that I really like the 1996 remaster. Unlike some who have recommended that one should listen to all 82 minutes to really appreciate it, I disagree. I tried to listen to the whole thing on a recent drive and found it to be exhausting. The music is powerful but just too complex to digest all at once.

To me this CD set has some very quality songs on it, but the group really should have limited the original release to about an hour. However, given the format of 42 minutes max per vinyl LP (21 minutes per side), I really think there is more than 42 minutes of quality stuff here. So the Who may have felt compelled to go with a double album to fit all the good stuff on but didn't have enough quality material to stretch to 80 minutes. However, keep in mind we are still talking that every second on this album is better than 90% of what was released in the earlty 70's.

To me, the MUST songs in order as they occur are "The Real Me", "Quadrophenia", "The Punk and the Godfather", "I'm One", "Helpless Dancer", "I've Had Enough", "5:15", "Sea and Sand", "Bell Boy" and "Love Reign Over Me". "Bell Boy" has a goofy vocal part in it but the music is so powerful and driving that you have to overlook the goofy part - it's some of the best guitar work on the whole CD. Together these 10 songs come in at about 48 minutes so one can see the problem the band had in not being able to fit all this on one LP, although if they would have deleted the 6 minute "Quadrophenia" instrumental these remaining 9 songs would have made a kick-a** single LP back in 73!

It's true that none of the songs, with the possible exception of "The Real Me", are as good as "Pinball Wizard", "I'm Free", "Overture", "Amazing Journey/Sparks", or "Go To the Mirror" on "Tommy" or "Bargain", "Behind Blue Eyes", or "Baba O'Riley" on "Who's Next", but it's a different, more complex type of sound. I actually have little interest in the lyrics on this album and have never tried to figure out the story - it's the music that is the focus.

I recommend getting this 2 CD set and then burning on to a single CD the 10 songs from it that I listed above and I guarantee it will transform your appreciation of this music if you are a doubter or undecided.

Compared to the 5 star classic albums of the day like "Dark Side of the Moon", "Wish You Were Here", "Led Zep I, II, III and IV", "Who's Next", "Aladdin Sane", "Cosmo's Factory", "Aqualung", "Blue", "Every Picture Tells a Story" and 10 or 20 others, "Quad" just doesn't match up. But it's very powerful, dense, meaty music that is mixed extremely well on the 1996 remaster and I liked it alot more than I remembered it back in 73. Townshend is unbelievable.