The Who's second album, Happy Jack (as it was released in the U.S.) suffers from the sophomore slump. Though some of the songs are first-rate, nothing stands out like the debut album's "My Generation" or "The Kids Are Alright." Overall, Happy Jack finds the group attempting to carve out its collective identity, with each member writing and taking the lead on at least one song. This led to the discoveries that John Entwistle was a witty songwriter, that Roger Daltrey was a better interpreter than composer, and that as a singer Keith Moon made a damn fine drummer.

Entwistle contributed two pieces. "Boris the Spider" is perhaps the better known number, where Entwistle sings the title, as the spider, in a Cookie Monster-like growl in contrast with the high-pitched "creepy crawly" lines. But I think that "Whiskey Man," about an invisible drinking buddy, is the stronger song. Entwistle lends his character a touch of pathos when he sings "two men dressed in white collected me two days ago/They said there's only room for one and Whiskey Man can't go." Plus it gives Entwistle the chance to play his French horn (as the instrumental solo!), adding another texture to the band's sound.

Moon also contributed two pieces, though it's been said that "I Need You" was ghost-written by Pete Townshend. No matter, as Keith's falsetto singing is not a strong point and the cheesy keyboards do not help. As if to compensate, though, Moon gives his drum kit a severe bashing. That bashing continues on his second credited number, an instrumental entitled "Cobwebs and Strange." The bizarre circus melody is just a springboard for Moon to jump into his drum solo. An odd number that seems a fitting close to the equally odd first side.

Daltrey's "See My Way" is a below average song but mercifully brief. The same can be said for their tepid cover of Martha and the Vandellas' "Heatwave." Moreover, why did The Who censor the lyrics, singing "could it be I'm very temperamental" instead of the original "could it be the devil in me?"

Townshend provides the material for the remainder of the album, the best of which is on Side 2. "Don't Look Away" is an adequate love song but "So Sad About Us" is a real diamond in the rough. A breakup song, it is downright melancholy, despite the pop feel to it and the "la la la" background before the final verse.

"A Quick One While He's Away" is a nine minute rock opera on loneliness, infidelity, and forgiveness. Its success gave Townshend the confidence to write Tommy two years later. The music includes an a capella part, a country and western theme (used during a sea voyage home), and an orchestral finale sans orchestra--check out the "cello cello" lines sung in lieu of the real thing.

"Happy Jack," which became the band's first American Top 40 hit (and later the soundtrack of a series of Hummer commercials), closes the album. I believe this song was not included on the British version of the album, hence the U.K. title A Quick One. It's almost a children's rhyme and is sung with that type of innocence, right down to the "I saw ya" that Pete exclaims at the end.

Quirky but tuneful, Happy Jack isn't a great album but it probably would appeal to fans of the early Who.

Recommended: Yes