After listening to Quadrophenia, "The One" really stood out to me because it immediately sounded different from any other Who song. The quiet acoustic guitar and maybe synth? are very reminiscent of Led Zeppelin, especially "Going to California." I also heard resemblances to more modern songs because of "The One." Phoebe Bridgers really stood out to me with resemblance, especially her latest album Punisher. The synth and acoustic are evident throughout her album, with powerful vocals at the end of the songs a classic troupe for her. Her song "Chinese Satellite" has a similar beginning but her single "Waiting Room" has a similar vibe as the song continuously progresses to the rockstar end. Nathaniel Rateliff also mirrors some of the layers from "The One" from The Who in his latest album, with his acoustic-driven songs, especially "And It's Still Alright." He is not nearly as loud or provocative with his lyrics though as Phoebe and The Who.
I know Quadrophenia is supposed to be a rock opera, but I did not pick up on the story as quickly as I did with Tommy. That could, however, be because I have listened to Tommy several more times than I have listened to Quadrophenia. One thing that particularly stood out me about Quadrophenia was the use of natural sounds like the waves crashing in “”I Am The Sea” and the beach ambiance in “Sea And Sand.” I believe that the story of Quadrophenia takes place in Brighton, which is a beach town in the UK, so these sounds helped set the scene for the album. There was also a lot of synth throughout this whole album which I am assuming comes from Pete Townshend. I could hear a lot of inspiration form the Minimalist movement in the whole album but especially in the song, “Quadrophenia.” One thing that I didn’t originally pick up on, and actually read about later, was that Townshend wrote four different instrumental themes for each personality of the main character (and each member of The Who). This reminds me of the concept of leitmotifs and helps contribute to the storytelling nature of this album.
The Real Me really popped out to me out of the songs in the album. It really has a catchy riff and chorus that keep pushing it forward. The brass instruments and drum part really push the song forward along with the really nice bass playing. The bass really just goes on to do its own thing during each chorus not necessarily playing something repetitive but really being a solo onto itself. It has a call and response with the vocals during the verses. The lyrics are really something you want to sing along loudly to. It has this energy that can't be contained.
I really enjoyed listening to Quadrophenia because it had so many elements that came together in ways that were always interesting and kept evolving in increasingly unique ways.The entire production felt really grand, especially with the incorporation of nature sounds, like that of the waves, as well as the use of more orchestral elements like the french horn and cello, and minimalistic influences like the heavy use of synthesizers. In “I Am The Sea,” for example, the way that they so heavily layered the ocean sounds that almost drowned out the minimal vocals was really interesting auditorily, and was also a clever form of foreshadowing a huge part of the story that they were telling with their rock opera. Even though it was only the first song on the album, it also introduced motifs that related back to four key songs (“Is It Me,” “Bell Boy,” “Love Reign O’er Me,” and “The Real Me”) that play important roles in the album and story. Then, in subsequent selections, a lot of these aspects that are introduced earlier are expanded and developed even further, each adding onto the grandness of the entire album.
Quadrophenia was certainly not what I expected it to be, but I definitely enjoyed it nonetheless. Coming into it knowing it was going to be a rock opera, I had some expectations already set based on Tommy, but this was entirely different. I should have known that it would match more of their later minimalist style with the heavy use of synthesizers and other scaled down elements. One thing that I found really cool about this album was their new use of natural sounds. That entire first track was so soothing with the sounds of the ocean, and it provided a really interesting juxtaposition to some of the other more energetic and powerful songs like "The Real Me". In terms of the actual plot of the rock opera, I found the story somewhat harder to follow than Tommy, but once I got it, it seemed a lot less mystical and fantastical than the story of Tommy. Overall, I really enjoyed the album, and I thought it was a really nice note to end the class on.
I think the incorporation of synthesizers definitely made this album stand out from Tommy, the other rock opera. as other people have mentioned, the synthesizers' kind of whooshy sounds evoked the sounds of the ocean, and really helped set the scene of Brighton by the ocean. I do think overall the sounds of the songs on this album were a lot more cohesive than Tommy, with the synthesizers and brass instruments that connected a lot of the songs, but story-wise it was a little more subtle than Tommy.
The Real Me reminds me of some ZZ Top music I listen to (it's very subtle, and I can't think of a particular song, especially since their music styles are quite different). Typically, when I listen to the Who, their music is so different from most of what I listen to that it's hard compare it to anything. But for some reason, The Real Me felt familiar in some way? I can't quite put my finger on it but I feel like I've heard a similar sound before.
Quadrophenia is more minimal than Tommy and it shows. The use of synths and natural sounds is calming at some points, yet it is still a rock opera. The ocean, rain, and nature sounds help audiences lose themselves in the song. (I was really excited to hear them because I record similar sounds for short films.) While jresearching the album, I learned that this album was loosely based on The Who, their fan base, and the progression of their careers. I also learned about the name of the album and it’s possible meanings (including the fact that phenia has to do with emotions but could also be a play on the word schizophrenia). The story was harder to follow and less obvious than Tommy, but the flow from song to song seemed better somehow. “Bell Boy” really stuck out to me because of the particular voice that Townsend in the beginning which was a really interesting way to mix it up. I also liked the how the more typical rock songs were balanced with more soothing sections (like in “I am the Sea” and “I’m One”). -Julia Alanis
Quadrophenia was definitely a fun album to listen to. I really liked all of the songs and their unique instrumentation, tempo, and vocals. I think that my favorites were "I am the Sea" and "I'm One." Although the songs were each different from each other, they are connected through the storyline of Jimmy’s life, creating an overture of sorts. In this way, the album is similar to Tommy. Listening to the whole album, I got a good sense of Jimmy and his journey. He definitely had a lot of struggles in his life, and the album ends on kind of a cliff hanger, with us not knowing what will happen next. Overall, I really enjoyed listening to and analyzing the songs in this album.
As for the influence of The Who on the music industry, I think that they played a huge role in influencing rock music overall, specifically bands like Guns N Roses and Panic! at the Disco. Regarding themes, something that is prominent in all their music is an emphasis on drugs and the difficulties of being young and growing up. Before them, artists were not as confident about singing these themes, but now it is much more common. For these reasons, I think that The Who’s music can be seen as revolutionary.
Listening to Quadrophenia was one of those moments for me of pure discovery. I feel like I've listened to music to the point where I feel like every album that people recommend, I usually have heard it previously. In this case, this album was a totally new experience. Personally, I think the more mature, later sound of the Who is much more appealing than their earlier works. I think that Quadrophenia brings out a lot of what made the Who great in their earlier albums while also showing off what they 'learned' in Who's Next. Definitely a big fan of this album.
Like all of the previous albums by The Who that we have engaged with throughout this course, Quadrophenia is unlike any other. The track “Quadrophenia” itself is probably the only song on the album that I had heard before, and to me it so distinctly sounds like something that belongs in a musical. There are so many non-traditional rock instruments being used in this song. The way that the synthesizers are used also paint the way that the song affects the audience in different ways than other songs. It sounds so orchestral, like I could imagine it being performed in a huge concert hall with the audience members being lovers of theatre and classical music, but also lovers of rock. The song is pretty long, but it changes so much throughout its length that it is almost like the song ends and another one begins at some parts. The way it ends with ocean-like sounds at the end is very nice and peaceful, after experiencing a track that is sometimes chaotic but also harmonic at the same time. I really have enjoyed learning about The Who and other artists of the time through this course.
I think continuing on from last week’s listen, Quadrophenia continued to capture that whole minimalist vibe that we saw in Who’s Next. You can see a lot of the growth that The Who has gone through in the sense that they don’t need a whole lot to give off the rock opera feeling, and of course the use of technology and more synths definitely have a lot to do with that. It’s simple, yet so elaborate, that’s kind of how I see their more recent works. It’s also nice because with more technology, they can incorporate a lot of more unique sounds that help them develop their story lines better, like the sound of waves.
I definitely feel like The Who is one of those bands that every one is exposed to at some point, even if it’s just a couple of songs. Their main thing seems to be the use of themes in each album, with each album emphasizing different topics like drug use and unfortunate childhoods. I think compared to the music of the time, The Who were super revolutionary and through this, I could definitely see them inspiring future bands to practice the whole storytelling-through-music style. They pretty much set the stage for concept albums/rock operas and were a great asset to rock music as whole.
Quadrophenia was quite the album. It is really cool to see The Who;s confidence grow enough for them into the 70s to put out an album like Quadrophenia. Their maturity, musically and lyrically, really shines throughout the album. They aren't making guitar smashing music anymore. Instead, they seem to be more reflective and inquisitive. My favorite was "The One" It starts off so peaceful and explodes into a burst of sound, like most good Who songs do. As a whole, I really enjoyed the deep-dive into The Who. The Beatles influence on music is quite obvious, but I know see The Who played a very large role in the future direction of music as well. I feel like all my favorite artists these days are trying to make edgy concept albums, something The Who pioneered. Even things like smashing instruments and punk originated from The Who. I never would have known all of this without this class and it makes me appreciate the artists influenced by them even more. -Ben
I found Quadrophenia to be a really interesting listen; it felt like more traditional music than "Tommy" to me, with an emphasis on the "rock" sound of fast drums and guitar riffs we tend to think of in the genre in modern day. Although I found it a bit harder to follow, I enjoyed the story of Jimmy and its references to the different members of the Who and their journey through their career in Jimmy and his contemplation. I also found the Who's incorporation of natural sounds in songs like "I Am the Sea," and "Doctor Jimmy" made this album feel like a movie soundtrack so that a listener can imagine Jimmy walking along the ocean or battered by wind to, helping them form scenes of the story in their mind (and to my surprise, I learned in some research that it was made into a movie later, which seems a good adaptation). The album still held very distinct songs and touched on dark themes, however, and showed off different moods of the plot with their different sounds and changing tempos, although I did feel that this album remained having quite a fast and energetic beat throughout the album. I feel that this album influenced the sound of rock, to solidify its use of synthesizers, as well as similar loud guitar riffs throughout each song of the album, and they brought brass instruments, lesser seen in the genre, into rock and had great success with it.
After listening to Quadrophenia, "The One" really stood out to me because it immediately sounded different from any other Who song. The quiet acoustic guitar and maybe synth? are very reminiscent of Led Zeppelin, especially "Going to California." I also heard resemblances to more modern songs because of "The One." Phoebe Bridgers really stood out to me with resemblance, especially her latest album Punisher. The synth and acoustic are evident throughout her album, with powerful vocals at the end of the songs a classic troupe for her. Her song "Chinese Satellite" has a similar beginning but her single "Waiting Room" has a similar vibe as the song continuously progresses to the rockstar end. Nathaniel Rateliff also mirrors some of the layers from "The One" from The Who in his latest album, with his acoustic-driven songs, especially "And It's Still Alright." He is not nearly as loud or provocative with his lyrics though as Phoebe and The Who.
ReplyDeleteI know Quadrophenia is supposed to be a rock opera, but I did not pick up on the story as quickly as I did with Tommy. That could, however, be because I have listened to Tommy several more times than I have listened to Quadrophenia. One thing that particularly stood out me about Quadrophenia was the use of natural sounds like the waves crashing in “”I Am The Sea” and the beach ambiance in “Sea And Sand.” I believe that the story of Quadrophenia takes place in Brighton, which is a beach town in the UK, so these sounds helped set the scene for the album. There was also a lot of synth throughout this whole album which I am assuming comes from Pete Townshend. I could hear a lot of inspiration form the Minimalist movement in the whole album but especially in the song, “Quadrophenia.” One thing that I didn’t originally pick up on, and actually read about later, was that Townshend wrote four different instrumental themes for each personality of the main character (and each member of The Who). This reminds me of the concept of leitmotifs and helps contribute to the storytelling nature of this album.
ReplyDeleteThe Real Me really popped out to me out of the songs in the album. It really has a catchy riff and chorus that keep pushing it forward. The brass instruments and drum part really push the song forward along with the really nice bass playing. The bass really just goes on to do its own thing during each chorus not necessarily playing something repetitive but really being a solo onto itself. It has a call and response with the vocals during the verses.
ReplyDeleteThe lyrics are really something you want to sing along loudly to. It has this energy that can't be contained.
I really enjoyed listening to Quadrophenia because it had so many elements that came together in ways that were always interesting and kept evolving in increasingly unique ways.The entire production felt really grand, especially with the incorporation of nature sounds, like that of the waves, as well as the use of more orchestral elements like the french horn and cello, and minimalistic influences like the heavy use of synthesizers. In “I Am The Sea,” for example, the way that they so heavily layered the ocean sounds that almost drowned out the minimal vocals was really interesting auditorily, and was also a clever form of foreshadowing a huge part of the story that they were telling with their rock opera. Even though it was only the first song on the album, it also introduced motifs that related back to four key songs (“Is It Me,” “Bell Boy,” “Love Reign O’er Me,” and “The Real Me”) that play important roles in the album and story. Then, in subsequent selections, a lot of these aspects that are introduced earlier are expanded and developed even further, each adding onto the grandness of the entire album.
ReplyDeleteQuadrophenia was certainly not what I expected it to be, but I definitely enjoyed it nonetheless. Coming into it knowing it was going to be a rock opera, I had some expectations already set based on Tommy, but this was entirely different. I should have known that it would match more of their later minimalist style with the heavy use of synthesizers and other scaled down elements. One thing that I found really cool about this album was their new use of natural sounds. That entire first track was so soothing with the sounds of the ocean, and it provided a really interesting juxtaposition to some of the other more energetic and powerful songs like "The Real Me". In terms of the actual plot of the rock opera, I found the story somewhat harder to follow than Tommy, but once I got it, it seemed a lot less mystical and fantastical than the story of Tommy. Overall, I really enjoyed the album, and I thought it was a really nice note to end the class on.
ReplyDelete- Preston Patam
I think the incorporation of synthesizers definitely made this album stand out from Tommy, the other rock opera. as other people have mentioned, the synthesizers' kind of whooshy sounds evoked the sounds of the ocean, and really helped set the scene of Brighton by the ocean. I do think overall the sounds of the songs on this album were a lot more cohesive than Tommy, with the synthesizers and brass instruments that connected a lot of the songs, but story-wise it was a little more subtle than Tommy.
ReplyDeleteThe Real Me reminds me of some ZZ Top music I listen to (it's very subtle, and I can't think of a particular song, especially since their music styles are quite different). Typically, when I listen to the Who, their music is so different from most of what I listen to that it's hard compare it to anything. But for some reason, The Real Me felt familiar in some way? I can't quite put my finger on it but I feel like I've heard a similar sound before.
-Sara Lim
Quadrophenia is more minimal than Tommy and it shows. The use of synths and natural sounds is calming at some points, yet it is still a rock opera. The ocean, rain, and nature sounds help audiences lose themselves in the song. (I was really excited to hear them because I record similar sounds for short films.) While jresearching the album, I learned that this album was loosely based on The Who, their fan base, and the progression of their careers. I also learned about the name of the album and it’s possible meanings (including the fact that phenia has to do with emotions but could also be a play on the word schizophrenia). The story was harder to follow and less obvious than Tommy, but the flow from song to song seemed better somehow. “Bell Boy” really stuck out to me because of the particular voice that Townsend in the beginning which was a really interesting way to mix it up. I also liked the how the more typical rock songs were balanced with more soothing sections (like in “I am the Sea” and “I’m One”).
ReplyDelete-Julia Alanis
Quadrophenia was definitely a fun album to listen to. I really liked all of the songs and their unique instrumentation, tempo, and vocals. I think that my favorites were "I am the Sea" and "I'm One." Although the songs were each different from each other, they are connected through the storyline of Jimmy’s life, creating an overture of sorts. In this way, the album is similar to Tommy. Listening to the whole album, I got a good sense of Jimmy and his journey. He definitely had a lot of struggles in his life, and the album ends on kind of a cliff hanger, with us not knowing what will happen next. Overall, I really enjoyed listening to and analyzing the songs in this album.
ReplyDeleteAs for the influence of The Who on the music industry, I think that they played a huge role in influencing rock music overall, specifically bands like Guns N Roses and Panic! at the Disco. Regarding themes, something that is prominent in all their music is an emphasis on drugs and the difficulties of being young and growing up. Before them, artists were not as confident about singing these themes, but now it is much more common. For these reasons, I think that The Who’s music can be seen as revolutionary.
- Kate Latham
Listening to Quadrophenia was one of those moments for me of pure discovery. I feel like I've listened to music to the point where I feel like every album that people recommend, I usually have heard it previously. In this case, this album was a totally new experience. Personally, I think the more mature, later sound of the Who is much more appealing than their earlier works. I think that Quadrophenia brings out a lot of what made the Who great in their earlier albums while also showing off what they 'learned' in Who's Next. Definitely a big fan of this album.
ReplyDelete- Charlie
DeleteLike all of the previous albums by The Who that we have engaged with throughout this course, Quadrophenia is unlike any other. The track “Quadrophenia” itself is probably the only song on the album that I had heard before, and to me it so distinctly sounds like something that belongs in a musical. There are so many non-traditional rock instruments being used in this song. The way that the synthesizers are used also paint the way that the song affects the audience in different ways than other songs. It sounds so orchestral, like I could imagine it being performed in a huge concert hall with the audience members being lovers of theatre and classical music, but also lovers of rock. The song is pretty long, but it changes so much throughout its length that it is almost like the song ends and another one begins at some parts. The way it ends with ocean-like sounds at the end is very nice and peaceful, after experiencing a track that is sometimes chaotic but also harmonic at the same time. I really have enjoyed learning about The Who and other artists of the time through this course.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
I think continuing on from last week’s listen, Quadrophenia continued to capture that whole minimalist vibe that we saw in Who’s Next. You can see a lot of the growth that The Who has gone through in the sense that they don’t need a whole lot to give off the rock opera feeling, and of course the use of technology and more synths definitely have a lot to do with that. It’s simple, yet so elaborate, that’s kind of how I see their more recent works. It’s also nice because with more technology, they can incorporate a lot of more unique sounds that help them develop their story lines better, like the sound of waves.
ReplyDeleteI definitely feel like The Who is one of those bands that every one is exposed to at some point, even if it’s just a couple of songs. Their main thing seems to be the use of themes in each album, with each album emphasizing different topics like drug use and unfortunate childhoods. I think compared to the music of the time, The Who were super revolutionary and through this, I could definitely see them inspiring future bands to practice the whole storytelling-through-music style. They pretty much set the stage for concept albums/rock operas and were a great asset to rock music as whole.
- Kai Tokiyeda
Quadrophenia was quite the album. It is really cool to see The Who;s confidence grow enough for them into the 70s to put out an album like Quadrophenia. Their maturity, musically and lyrically, really shines throughout the album. They aren't making guitar smashing music anymore. Instead, they seem to be more reflective and inquisitive. My favorite was "The One" It starts off so peaceful and explodes into a burst of sound, like most good Who songs do.
ReplyDeleteAs a whole, I really enjoyed the deep-dive into The Who. The Beatles influence on music is quite obvious, but I know see The Who played a very large role in the future direction of music as well. I feel like all my favorite artists these days are trying to make edgy concept albums, something The Who pioneered. Even things like smashing instruments and punk originated from The Who. I never would have known all of this without this class and it makes me appreciate the artists influenced by them even more.
-Ben
I found Quadrophenia to be a really interesting listen; it felt like more traditional music than "Tommy" to me, with an emphasis on the "rock" sound of fast drums and guitar riffs we tend to think of in the genre in modern day. Although I found it a bit harder to follow, I enjoyed the story of Jimmy and its references to the different members of the Who and their journey through their career in Jimmy and his contemplation. I also found the Who's incorporation of natural sounds in songs like "I Am the Sea," and "Doctor Jimmy" made this album feel like a movie soundtrack so that a listener can imagine Jimmy walking along the ocean or battered by wind to, helping them form scenes of the story in their mind (and to my surprise, I learned in some research that it was made into a movie later, which seems a good adaptation). The album still held very distinct songs and touched on dark themes, however, and showed off different moods of the plot with their different sounds and changing tempos, although I did feel that this album remained having quite a fast and energetic beat throughout the album. I feel that this album influenced the sound of rock, to solidify its use of synthesizers, as well as similar loud guitar riffs throughout each song of the album, and they brought brass instruments, lesser seen in the genre, into rock and had great success with it.
ReplyDelete