My Generation (Deluxe Edition)

Editors’ Notes

In 2002, The Who's debut album received the deluxe treatment and controversy ensued. The album was mixed for stereo for the first time, but along with those mixes came variations that could unnerve a purist. Double-tracked vocals are often single-tracked, and the lead guitar parts in "My Generation" and "A Legal Matter" have gone missing. (It should be noted that the original mono versions with the guitars can be found at the tail end of the album.) These discrepancies aside, the sound of this remix is chilling. Townshend's guitars ring out as if all cobwebs have been removed, and Daltrey's single-tracked vocals sound more aggressive and powerful. The numerous bonus tracks are keepers, including alternate takes of "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" (and an inspiring a cappella version), plus "Leaving Here" and "Daddy Rolling Stone" (different than the versions on Thirty Years of Maximum R&B). It's a generous set and an expansive new look at one of rock 'n' roll's most seminal recordings.