#35 The Who - Tommy (May 23, 1969)

Oh the things that have happened to me since I last updated this blog. I won't go into them since this isn't that kind of online journal but it's sufficient to say the past couple of months have been eventful. But now it's time to pick up where I left off.

If you knew me senior year of high school, you would've known that I couldn't go ten minutes without listening to this album. I loved it so much I went as far as to suggest to my school's theater department that they put on the musical (and yes, I'm aware of how gay that sounds). I don't love it as much anymore but it's safe to say it'll forever be my favorite Who album.

With a story that includes handicapped senses, murder, abuse, child molestation, religion, and pinball this is one of the most bizarre and groundbreaking concept albums ever. The album's tendency towards eccentricity is matched only by the band's unbelievable talent and Pete Townshend at the peak of his songwriting career. Roger Daltrey's vocals fully embody the character of Tommy and manifest the wide range of emotions felt by the protagonist throughout the seventy-four minute rock opera.

Keith Moon never found a better forum in which to explore his utterly insane drumwork. The subject matter seemed to be born from the psychotic movements of his hands. And once again, John Entwistle's bass provided solidarity and mastery to a seemingly chaotic and scatterbrain piece of rock and roll.

The countless incarnations Tommy has had in everything from movies to the stage could never compare to the original music. If rock folklore is correct, the theme of pinball was thrown in merely to appease a stubborn critic but it made "Pinball Wizard" one of The Who's biggest hits. And that makes sense when you consider that both the narrative of this album and the tumultuous history of the band proves that unpredictability is the only true sense of order.

favorite song: "Go to the Mirror!"