10 Underrated Classic Rock Albums Of The '70s
4. The Who By Numbers - The Who
After years of taking the rock genre in different directions, it was clear that the Who needed a break. Coming off of the epic scope of their second opera Quadrophenia, the band got back together in 1975 to create a solid album rather than an overarching concept.
Though the tunes may not be in the same league as something like "Pinball Wizard" or "Won't Get Fooled Again," they are still up to The Who's high standard. Kicking down the door, "Slip Kid" is a great way of blending the familiar with more barebones instrumentation, while the single "Squeeze Box" has become a cult classic, being covered by groups like Poison and even featuring in a classic episode of Freaks and Geeks.
The album has some fairly strong performances, but the band themselves have even expressed mixed feelings about the results. While Roger Daltrey considers it his personal favorite, Pete Townshend has said some of the songs are his least favorite in the entire Who canon. Even if this album didn't set the world on fire like Tommy did back in 1969, its influence can still be heard, with Eddie Vedder admitting the Pearl Jam song "Soon Forget" is a direct rip of "Blue Red and Grey." The Who have better classics than this, but the tunes are well worth the time for any rock enthusiast.