THE VAULTS / CD REISSUES : A Spirited ‘Live’ Showcase From the Who : THE WHO “Live at Leeds”, <i> MCA</i> , ****

Rock is rarely more uplifting than when you can sense on record or on stage the musicians own unbending love for what they are doing--and few bands have ever expressed that love more forcefully than the Who. The classic British quartet’s best works are filled with an optimism and joy that can rattle your deepest doubts and leave you feeling that anything is possible.

It’s a sign of the Who’s unbending vitality that the group could take Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues,” a semi-novelty from the ‘50s, and turn it, in this live 1970 album, into a message of generational independence and pride almost as purposeful as the quartet’s own “My Generation.”

This original version of “Live at Leeds” ran less than 40 minutes, but it showcased the Who at its most spirited. This collection offers twice the music, thanks to extended versions of some of the original album’s songs and by adding eight previously unreleased selections. Among the latter: “I Can’t Explain” and “Fortune Teller.”

“Live at Leeds,” which includes an outstanding 24-page booklet, is a treasure that kicks off an extensive 1995 Who CD reissue program.

Album reissues are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (essential).