The Who – Who Are You (Half-Speed Mastering)
The Who [click here to see more vinyl featuring The Who]:
- Lead Vocals – Roger Daltrey
- Guitar, Piano, Synthesizer, Vocals – Pete Townshend
- Bass, Vocals, Horns – John Entwistle (A2, A5)
- Drums, Percussion – Keith Moon
Backing Vocals – Andy Fairweather-Low (A1-2, B2-4)
Rod Argent - Synthesizer (A2), Piano (B4)
Strings arranged by Ted Astley
Written by Pete Townshend (A1, A4-5, B2-4), John Entwistle (A2-3, B1)
1 LP, Standard sleeve
Limited edition
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 33 RPM
Size : 12'’
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : Optimal Media
Label : Polydor
Original Label : Polydor
Recorded September 1977 – April 1978 at Ramport Studio ; Olympic Studio ; RAK Studio ; John's Wood Studio ; Pete Townshend's own studio in Goring-on-Thames
Produced by Glyn Johns, Jon Astley
Mastered by Jon Astley at Close to the Edge
Lacquers cut by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios
Originally released in August 1978
Reissued in 2025
Tracks:
Side A:
- New Song
- Had Enough
- 905
- Sister Disco
- Music Must Change
Side B:
- Trick of the Light
- Guitar and Pen
- Love Is Coming Down
- Who Are You
Reviews:
“On the Who's final album with Keith Moon, their trademark honest power started to get diluted by fatigue and a sense that the group's collective vision was beginning to fade. As instrumentalists, their skills were intact. More problematic was the erratic quality of the material, which seemed torn between blustery attempts at contemporary relevance ("Sister Disco," "New Song," "Music Must Change") and bittersweet insecurity ("Love Is Coming Down"). Most problematic of all were the arrangements, heavy on the symphonic synthesizers and strings, which make the record sound cluttered and overanxious. Roger Daltrey's operatic tough-guy braggadocio in particular was beginning to sound annoying on several cuts. Yet Pete Townshend's better tunes -- "Music Must Change," "Love Is Coming Down," and the anthemic title track -- continued to explore the contradictions of aging rockers in interesting, effective ways. Whether due to Moon's death or not, it was the last reasonably interesting Who record.” AllMusic Review by Richie Unterberger
Half-speed mastering
In half-speed mastering, the whole process is slowed down to half of the original speed. A typical 33 1/3 rpm record is cut at 16 2/3 rpm. The source material is also slowed down (reducing the pitch in the process) meaning the final record will still sound normal when played back. Slowing the whole process down allows more time, which means the end result sounds better and is more efficient — allowing engineering to minimize the effects of inherent limitations within the vinyl format. The result is a more accurate and more open high-frequency response in the half speed vinyl when compared with a normal speed recording.
Ratings :
AllMusic : 4.5 / 5 ; Discogs : 4.03 / 5