Why is The Who’s It’s Hard not more celebrated?

I put it on the same level as Face Dances. Both are good albums, and have some strong, lasting tunes, but they also have some mediocre songs and iffy production. These albums are a far cry from most of their earlier output. As a side note, It's Hard has one of the worst album covers of all time.

 

Because it sucks.

The only song on it that I really like is one that most people hate (Eminence Front). Cry If You Want could have been good if it didn't fade out b4 the guitar solo kicked in (I think that is better on the reissue with longer running time for that but I forget).

 

Well there is a plaidback MCA from the eighties (that sounds like the original vinyl more or less) and a later 1995 with bonus tracks - reduced dynamic range is proof enough that the 1995 was remastered!

 

I always liked it and Face Dances even though they were mostly slighted by the press. Not up there with their classics but I still enjoy 'em.

 

I never heard the whole album but I must say, Athena IMHO is awful. Maybe Townshend would have sung it better but it embarrasses me every time I hear it.

 

The '95 CD says:

Reissue Produced, Remixed and Remastered by Jon Astley and Andy Macpherson with Bob Lugwig.

 

It's not so much bad as it is dated. The video game theme of the time really dates the cover. It's still not as bad as The Who By Numbers cover.

 

Loved it then, loved it now, and I was weaned on QUADROPHENIA. I don’t give a cuss about cover art and of course how can it compare to what preceded it? It is what it is, and I dig it. Japan target CD is my go to. Don’t like the revisionist remix at all.

 

Rolling Stone magazine loved it when it came out. Gave it a 5 star rating.

 

Since when do most people hate Eminence Front?

That being said, I really love the first half or so of the album:

It's Hard
Athena
It's Your Turn (one of their best rockers - why wasn't this played live?!)
Eminence Front
Dangerous

^^^^All great tunes by me.

 

Yes, it was definitely remixed. Are we losing institutional knowledge around here rather than gaining it . There is also a Warner Bros Target cd that no one has mentioned.

 

What do you think about It's Your Turn?

One of my all-time favorite Who rockers, I'm still shocked it didn't get played on the 1982 tour!

 

I agree It's dated, but that is not what makes it bad. I will take the By Numbers album cover over It's Hard any day (and twice on Sunday).

 

I like It's Hard from beginning to end. I've Known No War....

 

I have the original MCA, not a plaid back, the back cover is the back of the kids' head at the Space Invaders machine.

 

Because people need something to complain about. I love that album and Face Dances too.

 

Those three songs are okay to very good (I really like the title track), but there's nothing else on it; overall it's a really poor album, hence why it's not more celebrated, it doesn't deserve to be.

 

I like it. I have a soft spot for It's Hard and Face Dances. The 80s were the 80s, man.

Folks that don't care for the albums put too much onus I think on Moon's absence. Pete was getting tired of the band, and I think writing great songs was getting harder for him too. And, he had a big solo jones going. I think It's Hard and Face Dances reflect all those things.

 

I love Face Dances and It's Hard. Both great albums.

 

I like the album cover. Still hoping half-heartedly there are a few extra tunes on tape from the IH sessions, a Pete song that maybe ended up on a Townshend solo record, but that seems unlikely by this time. The title track seems kind of stiff, pun not intended - the "Popular" demo seems so much more fun, giddy, and revealing. At times IH can be a 'dark' and imo somewhat joyless sounding affair, with its share of doom and gloom, but not without a few quirky and some quality songs and good performances. Nice to have John get 3 songs on the record and Roger sing lead on 2 of them.

 

The album that got me into The Who - still love it. I had it on the other day.

 

Maybe because it needs quite a few listens by most people to grasp the concept, sound and theme and most people never gave it more than a few spins because rock music's spotlight were elsewere at the time and left forgotten. And when people go back to the band's discography they rather listen to the core early 70s albums rather than the last ones without Keith on drums. If someone plays the album from start to finish once or twice a day for 5 days straight it might definitely grow on people, but attention span and music variety accesibility these days is not a good combination.
If it were the old days and you spent your savings on an album you'd learn to appreciate it with time beause it actually cost you something and you had kind of "stuck with it" mentality. Whenever I can't immediately get into an album at the first or second listen I sometimes designate an album a week and listen to it almost exclusively and by the 5th day it's almost like a part of my day, it awesome! I guess this one is one of those albums for most people and most don't give it another chance.

 

"One Life's Enough" is the It's Hard track that really sounds like a Chinese Eyes leftover, in spite of Roger singing it.

Along with By Numbers, It's Hard and Face Dances are my favourite Who albums. Not gonna apologize for it, either. "Cook's County" is probably my favourite track on the album, along with one of the few John Entwistle songs I can actually stand, "It's Your Turn".

 

Because it's not a very good album overall. It has its moments certainly with "Eminence Front" being the best of a series of anemic songs. The album sounds forced and the material just doesn't hold up to the best of The Who. The songwriting is better on "Face Dances" by Pete overall.

The concept and the of the album is pretty basic IMHO. I think that Allmusic's review is spot on. The melodies are undistinguished for most of the songs by Pete.

It's Hard - The Who | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic

 

I've never seen a plaidback for It's Hard (or Face Dances for that matter). At least in the US, all CD versions have the actual album art.

I've always dug It's Hard. I thought it was a great time to be a Who fan; they were still huge and were putting out fresh sounding new music (as opposed to staying stuck in the 70s). There was a lot of fun hype around the ensuing "farewell" tour.