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Pete Townshend revisited the rock opera concept with another double-album opus, this time built around the story of a young mod's struggle to come of age in the mid-'60s. If anything, this was a more ambitious project than Tommy, given added weight by the fact that the Who weren't devising some fantasy but were re-examining the roots of their own birth in mod culture. In the end, there may have been too much weight, as Townshend tried to combine the story of a mixed-up mod named Jimmy with the examination of a four-way split personality (hence the title Quadrophenia), in turn meant to reflect the four conflicting personas at work within the Who itself. The concept might have ultimately been too obscure and confusing for a mass audience. But there's plenty of great music anyway, especially on "The Real Me," "The Punk Meets the Godfather," "I'm One," "Bell Boy," and "Love, Reign O'er Me." Some of Townshend's most direct, heartfelt writing is contained here, and production-wise, it's a tour de force, with some of the most imaginative use of synthesizers on a rock record. Various members of the band griped endlessly about flaws in the mix, but really these will bug very few listeners, who in general will find this to be one of the Who's most powerful statements. [The Director's Cut reissue featured a complete remastering of the original double album.]
Condition:NEW. Brand New Factory Sealed
TRACK LISTINGS
Disc 1
1 I Am the Sea
2 The Real Me
3 Quadrophenia
4 Cut My Hair
5 The Punk and the Godfather
6 I'm One
7 The Dirty Jobs
8 Helpless Dancer
9 Is It in My Head?
10 I've Had Enough
11 5:15
12 Sea and Sand
13 Drowned
Disc 2
1 Bell Boy
2 Doctor Jimmy
3 The Rock
4 Love Reign O'er Me
5 The Real Me Demo / Demo Version
6 Cut My Hair Demo / Demo Version
7 Punk Demo / Demo Version
8 Dirty Jobs Demo / Demo Version
9 Is It in My Head? Demo / Demo Version
10 Anymore Demo / Demo Version
11 I've Had Enough Demo / Demo Version
12 Drowned Demo / Demo Version
13 Is It Me? Demo / Demo Version
14 Doctor Jimmy Demo / Demo Version
15 Love Reign O'er Me Demo / Demo Version
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