what Frank is listening to #82 – ROGER DALTREY – Daltrey – (MCA) – 1973
OK, I have been a Who “baiter“ from way back – the 80s in fact. I hate sacred cows. My recent tactic was to refer to this, lead singer Daltrey’s first solo album, as better than any of The Who albums … that works as bait but in any event to my ears … it is a better album anyway.
Daltrey was an exceptional vocalist and those wankers who think The Who could have made it on Townshend’s vocal abilities are well … wankers. At times Townshend supporters will say that Daltrey needed Townshend‘s song writing abilities, and I agree with that if I assume he was going to sing in The Who. It is clear, though, that Daltrey could have had a career outside of the Who – either solo or in another group.
The music to Who fans, and even non-fans (because Daltrey’s vocals are so individual you know it‘s him) on this album are quite jarring … there are none of the loud, sonic excesses of the Who, none of the screech, none of the pomposity, none of the noise for noise sake. And there is nothing wrong with that. The songs here are for the most part ballads, country rock, or carnival like ruminations … mainly pop rather than rock … several tracks are just piano and strings arrangements. Daltrey does rock out on number of tracks but it’s really the emotional depth of the songs on this album as sung by Daltrey that are impressive.
Daltrey doesn’t write anything on this album (he’s a singer and an interpreter) – all the tracks are either written by (or in combinations of) Dave Courtney, Adam Faith (yes that one), or Leo Sayer (yes that one !!!!). Leo was unknown at the time and co-writes 10 of the 12 tracks here much in the style that Leo became famous for. I can also hear some David Essex in the songs, as well as Elton John and the Beatles (in their later rootsy incarnations). The songs are introspective, revolving around themes of loneliness and alienation, with a lot of lost innocence, lost love, and world weariness in mood (Leo did really write a lot of songs like that). There is the potential for this to be another self absorbed pretentious wank, or bad melodrama, but again its Daltrey who keeps it from sliding down that path … a less forceful voice could have let it slide. Regardless of what you think of the album (and I really like it) Daltrey never sounded like this on any of The Who records. His full voice is used and there is a level of pathos and feeling rarely heard on The Who albums. He turns out to be quite the sensitive vocalist.
This album certainly isn’t ground breaking but it can sit well with anything by the Ian Matthews Band, Steeleye Span, Ralph McTell and even Fairport Convention in their poppier moments. And what’s more, a lot of it is pretty contemporary … you could see any number of alt-country acts covering these tunes.
The album was produced by UK rocker Adam Faith and the backing band are:
- Dave Courtney – piano (ex Patches with Leo Sayer, and also part of Faith’s backing band)
- Russ Ballard – ( ex Unit 4 Plus 2, Argent)
- Bob Henrit – drums ( ex Unit 4 Plus 2, Argent and future Kink)
- B.J. Cole – steel guitar (a legend : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B.J._Cole)
- Dave Arbus – violin (ex East of Eden and Fiddlers Dram)
- Dave Wintour – bass guitar
- Del Newman – string arrangements
Best Tracks
- One Man Band – could have been used in a Fellini film. Sayer recorded the song subsequently and is identified with it.
- The Way of the World – a nice rumination on fame etc.
- You are Yourself – a powerful ballad.
- Thinking – Townshend could never write a ballad like this. It is very Ray Davies though. I love the steel guitar. Maybe the best song on the album.
- Hard Life – a vocal tour de force.
- Giving it all Away – I don’t think I have heard Daltrey sing with such naked emotion before.
- When the Music Stops – a great ballad with some excellent violin work – yes that’s right Who fans … violin.
And …
A minor classic and a definite addition to my Who collection (which is one compilation album)
Chart Action
Singles
“Giving It All Away” #5 in the UK, #83 in the US
“Thinking” did not chart in UK or US.
“Thinking” did not chart in UK or US.
The Album
#45US
#6 UK
Sounds
One Man Band
The way of the World
Thinking
Giving it all Away
Hard Life
Reasons
Other Daltrey:
Review
with the fitting line “Daltrey portrays its maker in colours that the Who could never have emulated — a sometimes horrifying shock for die-hard fans, but a pleasant surprise for anyone tired of hearing him voice the increasingly dictatorial Townshend’s self-aggrandizement”
Bio
Some may ask how am I reviewing this as I already own it and have extolled it’s virtues over a beer or three. The answer is simple : This is relatively new to the pile, I had the CD of this album in the past so I feel I can comment on this “new” acquisition on vinyl.
(originally posted: 02/09/2009)
