Album of the Week #3: The Who - Who's Next (1971)

[Prowler_108]

Re: Album of the Week #2: Black Sabbath - Paranoid (1970)

Paranoid gets a 4.  Has a lot of great songs on it but I've never been a fan of Rat Salad and Fairies Wear Boots, and Iron Man might be the most overrated metal song of all time, boring and repetitive.  Still a great album, I just prefer Master of Reality and Mob Rules.

 

[Invader]

Re: Album of the Week #2: Black Sabbath - Paranoid (1970)

I understand this as either every suggestion gets accepted or the decision is solely mine. In any case, I'm open to suggestions.

How about just posting whenever you let someone else decide, and the first one to suggest a new album gets accepted?  And then keep the right to veto the album if it's too ridiculous (it's your game after all).

 

[valacirca]

Re: Album of the Week #2: Black Sabbath - Paranoid (1970)

I guess we'll cross the bridge when an album suggestion comes around

 

[Perun]

Re: Album of the Week #2: Black Sabbath - Paranoid (1970)

As for now, I think there is a bunch of obvious classic rock and metal albums for us to discuss, so we should push out a possible nomination thing to the future. I trust valacirca will have a lot of things to put up here before we consider fair/unfair treatment. This is not a matter of life and death, is it? But that's just my opinion.

Paranoid was one of the first metal albums I ever heard, long before I even knew Maiden. I pop it in every once in a while and get reminded of how strong it is, but even with early Ozzy-era Sabbath, I think there are better albums. Granted this one is a milestone, and it helped me get into the genre, which is no mean feat anyway. But with regards to more magical moments in the band's catalogue and metal history in general, I can't get this one over four stars.

 

[valacirca]

^ Personally, I remember enjoying the debut more than Paranoid. It seems more atmospheric, which is what I like. I might have to listen to their debut again though.

And speaking of listening to albums again, I'll have to listen to this next one as well before I could rate it.

The next album is up! Veering away from metal a bit now and going into classic rock territory with The Who.

 

[mckindog]

One of my favourite non-metal albums of all time.
Great songs. Great performances. Great passion.
Of the three landmark albums you've posted, this is the first that I love as much as I respect.

 

[Perun]

Oooh, Who's Next is another one of my early favourites. I've always felt that this was the grainiest, most down-to-earth rock music you could find, although if you read about Townshend's plans for his Lifehouse project that ultimately failed, that sounds like an odd assessment. Especially because the compositions were fairly ambitious for their time. But well, many things change.
What remains is one of the greatest rock albums ever, filled with passion and excitement, and not showing a hint of age even forty years after. What is stuck in my mind, for whatever reason, is John Entwistle's brilliant bass playing on this one. Not to mention how we get proof again and again how Roger Daltrey is one of the greatest rock singers ever. I also have to point out how the lyrics to this one are actually quite intelligent. Everything considered, 4.5 stars.