The Who Offer Up Three More Classic Albums On SHM-CD
‘Live At Leeds,’ ‘Who’s Next,’ and ‘Quadrophenia’ will arrive soon in the high quality format.
The Who are offering up three seminal albums on SHM-CD for the first time. These releases include Live At Leeds, Who’s Next, and Quadrophenia. Live At Leeds and Who’s Next will be available in a single CD format, while Quadrophenia will be available as a 2CD set.
Live At Leeds is the first live album recorded by The Who. The gig took place at the University of Leeds Refectory on February 14, 1970, and was released on May 11, 1970. This edition of the album comes from the 1995 remix and includes eight bonus tracks. Who’s Next, the classic 1971 LP, is up next. This version comes from the 2023 remaster. Lastly, the band’s sixth album, Quadrophenia, was released as a double album in 1973. This version is from the 2014 original mix and comes with a 44 page booklet.
Songs on Live At Leeds include a cover of Benny Spellman’s “Fortune Teller,” as well as Mose Allison’s “Young Man Blues,” Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues,” and Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Eyesight To The Blind.” It also featured early hits like “I Can’t Explain” and “Happy Jack,” as well as an extensive run through “Tommy.” As for Who’s Next and Quadrophenia, these classics remain staples both within The Who’s discography and landmarks of rock music as a genre.
This isn’t the first collection of Who albums to be released in the special SHM-CD format. Earlier this year, the band unveiled editions of 1965’s My Generation, 1966’s A Quick One, 1967 The Who Sell Out, and 1969’s Tommy. Those releases also featured bonus tracks and boast the superior sound quality that comes alongside each SHM-CD release.
“SHM” is an acronym for “Super High Material,” meaning that these editions are made from a purer, higher-quality material than traditional polycarbonate, one that’s developed specifically for LCD (liquid crystal display) screens. The top-shelf material means that more precise etchings can be made in each disc, resulting in a “cleaner, brighter, and fuller” mix that affects each and every note captured by a microphone. Each SHM-CD is specially manufactured on a bespoke assembly line in Japan, and pressed in small batches. Despite their unique specifications, they can still be played on any sound system or CD player.
