Album : The Who – ODDS & SODS

CB was a Who guy by the time this album came out.  He’d started with his ‘Live at Leeds’ intro and went on a Who binge from there.  Going back in their library and then up to date with ‘Quadrophenia’.  This was a brand new release for CB.  A new Who recording.  After buying the album he found out that it was made up of out takes and rare recordings from past years.  No big deal, I was in.  Plus it had a cool cover.  It came with a poster and a bunch of liner notes with Pete Townshend giving reasons why the songs weren’t released.

What we get is Who music from different stages of their career up until the release of this album.  It wasn’t hard to hear at what stage each song was recorded.

The album starts with a John  Entwistle song.  CB always liked John’s contribution to the band and he liked this one right away.  A ‘Postcard’ from the road with Entwistle’s sense of humor.  The Who always mixed it up and this was an obvious case with the songs on this record. ‘Put the Money Down’ has the classic Who sound.  With lots of Pete’s guitar and Moon’s drumming.  Daltrey has the twang in his voice.  I really liked this one.  ‘Too Much of Anything’ is just a real good Who song.  You can hear this fitting into ‘Quad’.  The first side ends with ‘Glow Girl’ with some classic Who riffs and a little twist on ‘Tommy’

Babyhead wasn’t starving for new music by the band but he certainly was interested in anything new or that he hadn’t heard.  This album wasn’t doing anything to lessen his grip on the band.

‘Pure and Easy’, I’d had heard from Townshend’ first solo album ‘Who Came First’.  This version gets the band treatment and really comes alive.  The boys really give it the Who umph at the end.  ‘I’m the Face’  goes back to the beginning and it was like finding a lost treasure.  ‘Naked Eye’ is just a really good hard rock tune.  Pete lets loose with some great guitar.  I always liked the different members taking the vocals.  Roger and Pete share the job here.  Moon, Entwistle and Townshend make that great Who sound for the last part of the song.  “Long Live Rock’  ends the record and takes it out with a celebration of rock n roll, Who style.  Just a great tune.

CB got that this was an easy way to put a record together but at the same time he knew that the band must have lots of great songs that have never seen the light of day.   This album was proof of that.  Lots of gems on ‘Odds & Sods’.  Rock wasn’t dead and neither were the Who.

“CB took his pants off and the rafters knock….long live rock”