Getting into Todd Rundgren - where to next?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by warewolf95, Nov 12, 2017.

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  1. warewolf95

    warewolf95 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    Thank you so much for taking the time to write this up. And thanks for the suggestion to just do him chronologically. I'll give that a shot. :)
     
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  2. Mother

    Mother Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    I agree with WilliamWes mostly. Here's my 2c fwiw

    Runt
    (1970)


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    Todd’s first solo album post-Nazz. Strong rock and roll record.
    A Bearsville vanity project for whom he was working as a young hot producer/engineer at the time (eg: The Band’s Stage Fright).
    This albums also features Tony and Hunt Sales and The Band’s Rick Danko and Levon Helm.
    8/10

    Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren (1971)

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    Todd’s second solo album is up there with the likes of Hunky Dory as far as piano-based singer-songwriter albums go.
    A masterpiece of a record. Ridiculously underrated these days, it contains beautiful dense ballads, a few hard rockers and superlative songwriting and musicianship everywhere.
    In short a stunner. Musicians include Jerry Scheff (The Doors) on bass.
    10/10

    Something/Anything (1972)

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    Expansive and adventurous, this double album is essential to any record collection.
    Todd plays everything on 3 sides, and includes an in-studio live session on side 4.
    In Todd’s words: ‘a bouquet of ear-catching melodies’, this album finds our hero moving away from the ballad approach, becoming more diverse and experimental.
    10/10

    A Wizard A True Star (1973)

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    A glorious and eclectic mess: sonic collages, soul medleys and effortless pop songsmithery.
    This cartoony dream of an album sounds bewildering and bonkers at first, however rewards heartily with repeated listens.
    Shedding his pop star image at the time, Wizard defies genre classification.
    Time has been kind to this record, and is now considered his masterwork.
    10/10

    Todd (1974)

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    A personal favourite. Another double album, Todd has some career-high peaks but also some really far out weird stuff too.
    Touching on progressive rock, long spacey instrumentals, and even a Gilbert and Sullivan tune.
    Side 3 of Todd is one of the greatest sides of music of all time.
    9/10

    Around this time he forms prog rock band Utopia, who are yet to do much for me aside from some individual tracks.
    Also solo album Initiation (1975) fails to set my world on fire. Avoid.
     
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  3. telecode101

    telecode101 Forum Resident

    Location:
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    A Capella is not my favorite of his. It is a very interesting record in that supposedly its all just his vocals. I believe the story is he sampled his vocals into a Fairlight or something. I cant recall exactly.

    Really depends what you mean by horribly dated. They are records made in a different era. I believe they have to be listened to and interpreted within the context of the other music that was being released at the time. Its a hell of a lot more interesting and fun to listen to than The Carpenters (even though I loved Karen Carpenters voice!), Helen Reddy or Captain & Tennille. :)

    I think Rundgren's music should also be appreciated along with his production work for other artists. Between the mid 70s to early 80s there was some very cool music that he made and produced out that recording studio he owned in the suburbs in Woodstock. It has a very distinct sound. You might also want to dig up a record called An Lpee's Worth of Producitons. A compilation of his production work. IMO, the stuff he did out of that Woodstock studio might have been a forerunner to the new wave music movement that was to come later on in the 80s.

    An Elpee's Worth of Productions - Todd Rundgren | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic

    My personal favs at present are Healing from 81 (because I recently picked it up on CD and am spinning it) and his latest one, White Knight.
     
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  4. Mother

    Mother Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    Faithful (1976)

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    Side A exact replicas of well known songs (Todd covers Strawberry Fields, Good Vibrations, Rain among others).
    It is mind boggling and very very clever from this gifted musician, arranger and producer.
    Side B is some of the best and most essential Todd materiel ever.
    9/10

    Oops! Wrong Planet (1977)

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    Utopia LP, a good underrated album. A little more conventional than previous releases.
    8/10

    Hermit of Mink Hollow (1978)

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    Something of a comeback solo album for Todd after Utopia ran itself into the ground.
    Again Todd resumes playing everything on this album. A stylistically complex and forward thinking album.
    A very consistent listen, signs of experimenting with synthesizers (remember them?) which he would for better or for worse explore fully later.
    It is also in my opinion the last really essential studio LP Todd released, until…..
    9/10

    The double live album Back to the Bars (1978) is absolutely essential.
    Recommended once you are familiar with this compilation and/or albums, then you can sing along with every single awesome song.
    A great live 70s record.
    10/10

    Deface the Music – 1980

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    A fun Utopia record. All tracks executed in early-60s Beatles style. Very cool idea and ultimately perfected.
    7/10

    Healing (1981)

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    Todd plays everything here, his ‘gospel’ album and unlike anything else in his catalogue.
    Once again find our hero fearlessly exploring new terrain.
    9/10
     
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  5. strummer101

    strummer101 The insane on occasion aren't without their charms

    Location:
    Lakewood OH
    From the small amount you've heard, it seems you like Todd's diversity. That being the case, just start at the beginning and proceed chronologically, as has been stated above by @WilliamWes. The diversity comes, fast and furious.

    Don't shy away from his later, more electronic works. Most fans of older Todd music tend to not like it, but records like New World Order, The Individualist, One Long Year, Liars, etc. are quite good, IMO. You'll need an adventuresome spirit.

    His latest, White Knight, is excellent.
    with Donald Fagen:


    @Mother is wrong (hi mom! :wave:). Initiation is good.
     
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  6. Mother

    Mother Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    you may be right there. :targettiphat:
     
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  7. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    Trying to figure out where to start...
     
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  8. Mother

    Mother Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    Ballad. Run to record store. NOW
     
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  9. DirkM

    DirkM Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA, USA
    My gateway drug into Todd was the Singles compilation, which I still think offers an excellent survey of his more commercial work. The great thing about Todd is that no two of his albums are the same, so part of the fun is just buying up everything that you can find and going into each new album without any preconceived expectations.

    Every Todd fan is going to have their own list of favourite albums. This one's mine:

    Runt: The Ballad Of Todd Rundgren
    Something/Anything?
    A Wizard, A True Star
    Hermit of Mink Hollow
    Healing
    A Cappella

    I'm not as big on the Utopia stuff, but the Oblivion/POV two-fer is a fantastic slice of 80s pop. Oops! Wrong Planet has a great EP hiding in it as well.
     
  10. Black Elk

    Black Elk Music Lover

    Location:
    Bay Area, U.S.A.
    And if the OP is familiar with, and likes, these two albums then he should check out both Remote Control and Love Bomb by The Tubes.
     
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  11. warewolf95

    warewolf95 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    Awesome write up! Can't wait to check these out. Thanks mate. :)
     
  12. warewolf95

    warewolf95 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    The Tubes have never "stuck" with me, but I do enjoy them on a "surface" level. :)
     
  13. Mother

    Mother Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    The tracks on this two-disc compilation are taken from the multi-instrumentalist, seminal years: 1970-1981.
    Diverse and eclectic, this is something of an introductory odyssey, recommended for anyone looking to begin exploring the delights of Todd Rundgren.
    Unfortunately I couldn't fit in "You Left Me Sore". :(

    DISC 1
    1. Broke Down and Busted (Runt)
    2. Believe in Me (Runt)
    3. Long Flowing Robe (Ballad)
    4. Bleeding (Ballad)
    5. Wailing Wall (Ballad)
    6. The Range War (Ballad)
    7. A Long Time, A Long Way to Go (Ballad)
    8. Be Nice to Me (Ballad)
    9. Parole (Ballad)
    10. I Saw the Light (Something/Anything)
    11. It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference (Something/Anything)
    12. Black Maria (Something/Anything)
    13. Couldn’t I Just Tell You (Something/Anything)
    14. Hello It’s Me (Something/Anything)
    15. Zen Archer (Wizard)
    16. Does Anybody Love You (Wizard)
    17. Sometimes I Don’t Know What to Feel (Wizard)
    18. Just One Victory (Wizard)
    DISC 2
    1. A Dream Goes on Forever (Todd)
    2. The Last Ride (Todd)
    3. No. 1 Lowest Common Denominator (Todd)
    4. Useless Begging (Todd)
    5. Sidewalk Cafe (Todd)
    6. Izzat Love? (Todd)
    7. Heavy Metal Kids (Todd)
    8. Black and White (Faithful)
    9. Love of the Common Man (Faithful)
    10. Cliche (Faithful)
    11. The Verb to Love (Faithful)
    12. Love is the Answer (Oops! Wrong Plant)
    13. Love in Action (Oops! Wrong Plant)
    14. All the Children Sing (Hermit)
    15. Can We Still Be Friends (Hermit)
    16. Too Far Gone (Hermit)
    17. I Just Want to Touch You (Deface the Music)
    18. Healer (Healing)
     
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  14. Khaki F

    Khaki F Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kenosha, WI. USA
    Both Runt albums.
    Solo albums Something/Anything? through Healing.
    Utopia albums Todd Rundgren's Utopia and Another Live.
     
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  15. warewolf95

    warewolf95 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    I'll give this a listen - thanks! :)

    Btw, where's "Ikon"???? :D
     
  16. Khaki F

    Khaki F Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kenosha, WI. USA
    Todd hitting his stride during the tour that would become the "Back to the Bars" album:

     
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  17. DesertChaos

    DesertChaos Forum Resident

    If it's the first Utopia album that blew you away, then I would say rather than start with what some see as the "classic" Todd (Runt, S/A etc) I would say go with the "companion" discs from that era - Wizard, Todd, Another Live, Initiation" - they're more geared to what got you interested. That is not to diss those other ones, and they are well worth delving into, I just think moving in is better served with what caught your ear first, then acquiring the taste for the other sides of Todd (and there are many!)
     
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  18. Khaki F

    Khaki F Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kenosha, WI. USA
    And here's the whole show if the concert clip I posted above appeals to you. Sound quality leaves something to be desired, but still... it's more Todd.

     
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  19. telecode101

    telecode101 Forum Resident

    Location:
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    He basically has his early singer/songwriter phase. The recording studio experimentation phase, the return to a strong focus on
    FWIW.. I am a big fan of his 1st two records. Ballad was one that I recall listening to a lot when I first got into him. But then I discovered Laura Nyro and found out he was heavily influenced by her stuff at the time and this was his own attempt at the singer songwriter piano thing. It was good, but in truth, Nyro did a much better version of that particular genre of music. I think he found his stride with S/A and Wizard.

    As has been posted, every TR fan has their own fav list that is personal to them. My own is something like this - its not really in any particular order based on quality, just stuff off the top of my head:
    - Faithful -- side 2. I was mesmerized by the songs on that one.
    - Healing.. just because I recently rediscovered it and its so great.
    - Wizard/True Star -- that was the one that really blew me away as a concept record that it was.
    - Hermit of Mink Hollow - The songwriting and the vocal arrangements were what really stuck out in that one.
    - S/A
    - Nearly Human .. the first record I got that got me into TR
    - No World Order .. By that time I was a heavy TR fan and I thought he pulled off his own 90s techno/dance thing really well on this one. OP. this is one where I will agree, listening to it now, the sounds really do date the album - but at the time when it was released.. it sounded so amazing. I also saw that tour where he did one man in the middle of the machine show. very cool show.
    - Global. It took a few listens to get into it but I really think its really good. Soothe and Terra Firma are my fav tunes. Pretty impressive for a guy his age and he has adjusted well to the new music industry I think.
    - White Knight. I think its a great record.
     
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  20. Chemguy

    Chemguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Western Canada
    Listen to Something...Anything by Todd is great!
     
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  21. telecode101

    telecode101 Forum Resident

    Location:
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    I think this is a great example of what Utopia was as a band. They were at their live performance peak as a touring band in those years. TR was in top form as a vocalist and lead guitar player.

     
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  22. warewolf95

    warewolf95 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    Thanks for all the awesome suggestions everyone! :)

    I haven't heard much mentioned about the late '70s/early '80s Utopia albums up through POV.

    Any opinions?
     
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  23. warewolf95

    warewolf95 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    Great - I'll check those out!

    :)
     
  24. Khaki F

    Khaki F Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kenosha, WI. USA
    Ra had good songs on it... real good ones. Most of the second half of the album was taken up by "Singring and the Glass Guitar" though... which struck me as a bit of a stretch for Todd.

    Oops! Wrong Planet looked great from the cover art, but I thought the songwriting wasn't up to the standard of his earlier stuff. Adventures in Utopia was pretty much of a disappointment, and Deface the Music is where I broke it off with him. Struck me as kind of gimmicky. Don't get me wrong... Todd's turned out fine songs on those albums, but there were also a few clunkers in the bunch that kind of turned me off. Same for his solo work after Healing. It's like he was becoming less consistent, although still a fine artist in his own right. He just didn't need to keep proving himself over and over. He's still a pretty cool guy (yes he's still around) but I think he might have stopped really testing his limits after Healing.
     
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  25. Mother

    Mother Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    this song has to be heard to be believed

     
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