When The Who By Numbers was launched, it was time for the British rock quartet to serve up a extra standard studio album, after the panoramic ambition of 1973’s Quadrophenia. Standard, maybe, however definitely not common. The report made its debut on the Billboard 200 of October 25, 1975.
Their seventh studio launch, By Numbers was warmly obtained and would produce a UK High 10 (and US High 20) single early the following yr in “Squeeze Box.” The report featured bassist John Entwistle’s join-the-dots cowl picture and likewise contained his composition “Success Story,” amongst 9 new Pete Townshend songs resembling “Slip Kid” and the usually autobiographical “However Much I Booze.”
The Who By Numbers went on to spend two weeks at No.8 on the American chart, in comparison with a UK peak of No.7. It was within the High 10 concurrently a lot of different British heavyweights. Elton John’s Rock Of The Westies was at No.1, whereas Pink Floyd’s Want You Had been Right here and George Harrison’s Additional Texture have been additionally driving the High 10, as was Englishman Graham Nash in partnership with David Crosby on Wind On The Water.
Townshend himself was pleasantly stunned on the vital response to the album. “A consummately-crafted record of fascinating depth and immediate surface appeal,” mentioned Phonograph Report, whereas Sounds mentioned it “reeks of group unity and love. Don’t be fooled by deceptive first listenings. This really is a great album.”
“There’s not a storyline here, but there are more important unities,” wrote Dave Marsh in Rolling Stone. “Lyrical themes, musical and production style, a sense of time and place…indeed, they may have made their greatest album in the face of it. But only time will tell.” The album went on to be licensed gold in December that yr and turned platinum in 1993.
Store for The Who’s music on vinyl or CD now.
