Driven by the single that preceded the album’s release, Townshend’s shining moment, “I Can See For Miles” (which became The Who’s calling card in the United States and one of the most perfect songs ever issued), the new album was to be a more experimentally-oriented and far greater textured band than had been heard to date. So when it was released in December, after the band’s triumphant U.S. tour (which, of course, saw them open the eyes of the “love crowd” at the Monterey Pop Festival), once again, heads were turned. The cover was a ingenious spoof of real-life products – Heinz baked beans, Odorono deodorant, etc. – and the songs, along with the specifically-written-for-the-album ads were equal to the task. Once the needle drops, you feel like you’re listening to a British pirate radio station – in this case, Radio London (if you don’t know what “pirate radio” is/was, please look it up – it’s a fascinating story) and the band was able to use the station’s own jingles to truly bring the concept to fruition. And according to Townshend, by the time of the album’s release, pirate radio had been outlawed, so this album became the band’s tribute to them.
Opening with the haunting and exciting drone of John “Speedy” Keen’s psychedelically-staggering “Armenia City In The Sky” (the only original song to ever appear on a Who album not written by the band – this doesn’t count for cover songs and, personally speaking, is my all-time favorite Who track), you immediately know that this isn’t so much of an album as it is an aural AND sensory experience. Backwards guitar loops, thundering bass and sweetly double-tracked vocals of Daltrey and Keen (there’s another story here, but I don’t want to keep digressing) propel this album forward into the hilariously corny “Heinz Baked Beans” ad and then to the beautiful acoustic rendition of “Mary Anne With The Shaky Hands” (two other “band” versions had been recorded, one of which made it on to the B-side of “I Can See For Miles” in the U.S.). The next ad, “Odonoro” is, for all intents and purposes, a fully-realized Townshend track, which Pete sings; “Tattoo” is a humorous generation gap question and “Our Love Was, Is” is one of the prettiest things The Who ever committed to vinyl; another Townshend showcase. A quick succession of commercials, including the now-legendary “hold your group together with Roto Sound Strings” and “I Can See For Miles” closes side one.
As Townshend once said, “the concept really doesn’t hold up once you have to turn the record over”, so there are only two commercials on the second side. The “Charles Atlas” body building ad is another laugher which segues into “I Can’t Reach You” and then into “Medac” (or “Spotted Henry” as the American Decca label release reads). “Relax”, powered by an organ riff, is one of the heaviest and rocking-est numbers, followed by another of Entwistle’s “character” songs, “Silas Stingy”. The elegant, jazz-infused “Sunrise”, sung by Townshend precedes the closing track, “Rael”, which is a “micro-opera”, with a definitive storyline and later parts (that weren’t heard until the 1995 CD re-issue with the bonus tracks and extra commercials that had been recorded but not used). It should be noted that “Rael” contains the musical progression that makes up the later Tommy “Underture”.).
A great many of these bonus tracks (especially the ones tacked on to discs one and two) have been previously aired, but I’d like to give them their due. The singles that were issued prior, during and after the Sell Out sessions have long been favorites of mine and hearing the subtle nuances of the different mixes do hold interest. For me, my probable favorite of these is John Entwistle’s “Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde” – 3 different mixes – the original U.S. Decca 45 mix (found on the B-side of “Call Me Lightning” and on the 1968 Magic Bus album), the original U.K. Track single mix (on the B-side of “Magic Bus” and a fuller mix with little details, previously unheard. With this box, the 1968 U.S. mix is on the flipside of the bonus “Magic Bus” 45 – although this is a replica of the British single, Universal used an old American Decca label for this, which is a nice touch. The mono mixes of many tracks have a far greater power/sound to them – for me, “Armenia City In The Sky” sounds amazing in either mix – the “cleaner” sound of the single tracks (many found on Disc 4) are welcome. Oh – and for the record: “Armenia City In The Sky”, the way we all hear it on the album, was actually recorded as a demo for Speedy Keen. But The Who liked the way it came out, so they chose to use it for their album instead. Hence, the reason for him singing on it – The Who were simply his backing band!
Boxsets are always a nice thing, especially when it’s not just a “dry” package – this is a great looking package: hardcover book, with “windows” for each disc, a hardshell slip case and a folder filled with reproductions of posters, promo bills, membership cards and 2 45’s in picture sleeves: “I Can See For Miles” b/w “Someone’s Coming”, with an old U.K. Track Records label and “Magic Bus” b/w “Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde” with the (as stated earlier) U.S. Decca label – and they were even nice enough to throw in 2 45 hole-adapters (!).
For me, this was a no-brainer. Is it overkill? I don’t think so. It only enhances an incredibly important piece of recorded work and gives a greater insight into where this band was going – this was their proverbial last piece of work as a “pop group” before they ascended to full-blown “rock stardom” and massive influence that would come next. And like I’ve said so many times: simply put, without The Who Sell Out, I wouldn’t be here today. Certainly, not in the musical sense. If you don’t want to invest in the boxset, there are special vinyl editions available and a few CD permutations, but regardless, this is an album everyone must own. Like Revolver and #1 Record, it’s required listening.
by Rob Ross, May 3, 2021 
Tracks
Disc 1
1. Armenia City In The Sky (John Keen) - 3:51
2. Heinz Baked Beans (John Entwistle) - 1:00
3. Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand - 2:34
4. Odorono - 2:35
5. Tattoo - 2:54
6. Our Love Was - 3:25
7. I Can See For Miles - 4:05
8. I Cant Reach You - 3:31
9. Medac - 0:57
10.Relax - 2:38
11.Silas Stingy - 3:04
12.Sunrise - 3:03
13.Real (1 & 2) - 5:39
14.Real Naive - 0:59
15.Someone's Coming (John Entwistle) - 2:36
16.Early Morning Cold Taxi (Roger Daltrey, Dave Langston) - 2:59
17.Jaguar - 2:58
18.Coke After Coke - 1:05
19.Glittering Girl - 3:00
20.Summertime Blues (Eddie Cochran, Jerry Capehart) - 2:35
21.John Mason Cars (John Entwistle, Keith Moon) - 0:39
22.Girls Eyes (Moon) - 2:52
23.Sodding About (John Entwistle, Keith Moon, Pete Townshend) - 2:47
24.Premier Drums (Full Version) - 0:42
25.Odorono (Final Chorus) - 0:24
26.Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand (US Mirasound Version) - 3:22
27.Things Go Better With Coke - 0:30
28.In The Hall Of The Mountain King (Edvard Grieg, arranged by the Who) - 4:23
29.Top Gear - 0:50
30.Real (1 & 2) (Remake Version) - 6:37
Disc 2
1. Armenia City In The Sky (John Keen) - 3:47
2. Heinz Baked Beans (John Entwistle) - 0:58
3. Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand - 2:34
4. Odorono - 2:30
5. Tattoo - 2:48
6. Our Love Was - 3:23
7. I Can See For Miles - 4:02
8. I Cant Reach You - 3:27
9. Medac - 0:56
10.Relax - 2:36
11.Silas Stingy - 2:58
12.Sunrise - 3:00
13.Real (1 & 2) - 5:48
14.Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand (US Single Version) - 3:16
15.Someones Coming (UK Single Mix) - 2:31
16.Relax (Early Demo Stereo) - 3:21
17.Jaguar (Original Mono Mix) - 2:51
18.Glittering Girl (Unreleased Version) - 3:17
19.Tattoo (Early Mono Mix) - 2:46
20.Our Love Was (Take 12 Unused Mono Mix) - 3:16
21.Rotosound Strings (With Final Note Stereo) - 0:12
22.I Can See For Miles (Early Mono Mix) - 4:00
23.Real (Early Mono Mix) - 10:49
All songs by Pete Townshend excpet where noted.
The Who
*Roger Daltrey - Lead, Backing Vocals, Percussion
*John Entwistle - Bass Guitar, Backing, Lead Vocals, Horns
*Pete Townshend - Guitar, Backing, Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Pennywhistle, Banjo
*Keith Moon - Drums, Backing Vocals, Percussion, Lead Vocals On "Jaguar" And "Girl's Eyes"
Additional Musicians
*Al Kooper - Keyboards, Organ
*John Keen - Lead Vocals (Shared With Daltrey) On "Armenia City In The Sky"
1965 The Who - My Generation (Japan SHM Remaster)
1966 The Who - A Quick One (Japan SHM Remaster)
Just Paste