1966

Rolling Stone says:

The Who were caught in the middle of an experimental phase, and the results were fascinatingly quirky.  The cover of the theme from Batman shows the quartet having fun; Pete Townshend's mini-opera "A Quick One While He's Away" foreshadows his songwriting ambition.

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The Who's second album is a less impressive outing than their debut, primarily because, at the urging of their managers, all four members penned original material (though Pete Townshend wrote more than anyone else).

The pure adrenaline of My Generation also subsided somewhat as the band began to grapple with more complex melodic and lyrical themes, especially on the erratic mini-opera "A Quick One While He's Away."

Still, there's some great madness on Keith Moon's instrumental "Cobwebs and Strange," and Townshend delivered some solid mod pop with "Run Run Run" and "So Sad About Us." John Entwistle was also revealed to be a writer of considerable talent (and a morbid bent) on "Whiskey Man" and "Boris the Spider."

Tracks

Title Composer Time   1 Run Run Run Townshend 2:41   2 Boris the Spider Entwistle 2:26     3 I Need You Moon 2:20     4 Whiskey Man Entwistle 2:56     5 Heat Wave Dozier, Holland, Holland 1:54     6 Cobwebs and Strange Moon 2:29     7 Don't Look Away Townshend 2:51     8 See My Way Daltry 1:51   9 So Sad About Us Townshend 2:57   10 A Quick One While He's Away Townshend 9:05     11 Happy Jack Townshend 2:11