Petra Haden - Petra Haden Sings: The Who Sell Out

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 17 / 10 / 2005

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What is really surprising about the Who’s best album is that although it was very much of it’s time (it was released in December 1967 in the U.K. and a month later in the U.S.) with the pirate radio ‘Radio London’ jingles joining the tracks it has actually aged much better than some of their later albums. If any album should sound like it is nearly 40 years old then ‘The Who Sell Out’ should be the one. Even more surprising is Petra Haden’s decision to cover the entire album a cappella. That’s totally a cappella, vocals, harmonies and every instrumental part and that includes all the jingles. Petra is one of the daughters of legendary jazz bassist Charlie Haden and has already made albums with Bill Frisell and has made guest appearances on many albums over the last dozen years. Beck, Victoria Williams, the Twilight Singers, Kelly Joe Phelps, Tim Easton, Spain and even Green Day have benefitted from Petra’s vocals and skill on the violin and that list only touches the surface. Petra had also graced albums by Mike Watt who along with d. boon started the Minutemen. It was Watt who first had the idea of Petra covering ‘The Who Sell Out’ in its entirety and the fact that Haden knew little of the album before Watt presented her with his idea inspired him even more. But it was a huge gamble to take on an album which although always overshadowed by other Who albums is the one that really should be considered their classic. It was always the band’s most humorous album with Townsend matching Entwistle on that score for the first and last time on a Who album. In fact those songs, namely ‘Mary Ann With The Shaky Hand’, ‘Tattoo’ and ‘Odorono’ are among the best Townsend has ever penned. But does Petra’s version work? Surprisingly it does, so well, in fact that even Townsend has commented “I love it. It is exquisite”. It’s a bit like the Beach Boys ‘Pet Sounds’ 5.1 surround sound mix. A completely new way of listening to music which is now so familiar due to it’s vintage. Petra has made an outstanding job of covering this album. No doubt many die hard Who fans will take a different stance and hate the way Petra has handled the songs but there is no doubt that this is a brilliant way of presenting the songs. Apart from being an original idea in the first place it’s remarkable that Petra has covered every single note with just her voice. Entwistle’s thundering bass, Moon’s manic drum rolls, Townsend’s guitar and Daltrey’s unique vocals are all here, note perfect. Although the original album hasn’t aged, to any one who grew up with the album from 1967 it’s bound to bring back memories of those heady days of pirate radio, psychedelia and flower power. Maybe because Haden hadn’t heard the album until Watt introduced her to it she manages to make it sound incredibly contemporary and fresh. The album didn’t have 1967 written large over it in her mind as listening to it for the first time was a recent experience for her. It’s difficult to name just one song as a highlight but try Townsend’s first attempt at a rock opera ‘Rael’ as a taster. It’s all there, everything which made the song so great on the original album, but presented in a new, exciting way. There are sounds on this album that Haden makes that you feel sure were not on the original until you go back to that and compare the two. It’s incredible to think that Haden can produce sounds on her version that you hadn’t noticed on the original you’ve been listening to on and off for nearly 40 years. Of course the cover of ‘The Who Sell Out’ was also a great talking point, not least Daltrey sitting in a tub of baked beans, and Petra duplicates all the four ‘adverts’ which appeared on the original sleeve. Like many Who fans I had my doubts if this would work, but it does and it works extremely well. Two words sum it up: absolutely stunning.

Track Listing:-

1 Armenia City in the Sky
2 Heinz Baked Beans
3 Mary Anne With the Shaky Hand
4 Odorono
5 Tattoo
6 Our Love Was
7 I Can See for Miles
8 I Can't Reach You
9 Medac
10 Relax
11 Silas Stingy
12 Sunrise
13 Rael
14 Track Records

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