Rock-opera. That's what I keep reading as I research this album, and that's what I hear when I listen to The Who's 1969 four-sided release, Tommy. My first reaction to this album was "What the hell is this?". And then I started actually listening a bit more carefully. Tommy is an epic album. From the "Overture" to the final track, there are movements of music that represent different stages of the life of Tommy Walker, the son of Captain and Mrs. Walker. I will let you do the Googling yourself if you're interested in finding out more details about the overall story that connects that tracks on this album. What's notable is the style of the album, as I mentioned already. It is literally a 75-minute long rock opera that is heavier on the rock side than the "musical stage performance" side. But the result of this concept is a diverse album with expressive movements that vary in style, from "Eyesight To The Blind", a sparse and sharper sound with more ominous tones than  a track like the groovy "Smash The Mirror". The album is fantastic because each song has a self-contained, distinct story, but they are also part of a greater storyline that connects through the individual stories. Most of these songs I had seriously never heard before. Oh man, I feel embarassed everytime I say that on this blog. But its so interesting! The only track I actually recognized off this album was "We're Not Gonna Take It". Glad I had the opportunity to listen to this album, and I'm sure I would have a greater appreciation for it if I had heard it within the context of when it was actually released. It wasn't my favourite listen so far, but I can appreciate it's significance.