Todd Rundgren- A Treatise on Cosmic Fire (REACTION & REVIEW)
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- Опубликовано: 24 авг 2024
- Song Link: • Todd Rundgren A Trea...
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OMG! Didn’t see this coming, but SO glad it did! Thank you so much Justin (yes, I might be gushing just a bit)! Clearly, I can understand how this isn’t for everyone, but it’s hard to deny the experimental genius this track is. I’ve often said that this is the most bizarre piece of music I’ve ever heard. One of the biggest points of watching reactors is the whole “so what did you think of THAT?” vibe. It’s stuff like this that makes Todd my favorite artist. Just so unique and different. In actuality, side one is better, but so glad you checked this out! Thanks again! And yes, considering just how much Todd can do and is capable of, it’s easy to forget what an underrated guitarist he is!
Yes the piece with guitar is fantastic
Will the real God please stand up.
A side note: the motorcycle in the title track of Meat Loaf 's BAT OUT OF HELL is actually Todd Rundgren on guitar.
"A Treatise on Cosmic Fire" (Recorded at Secret Sound and Bearsville Sound Studios)
Todd Rundgren - all instruments
Roger Powell - synthesizer programming, "creative assistance"
Roger’s fingerprints are all over this album. Pete Townshend wasn’t the only person to learn about synthesizers from Roger Powell.
Much like "Tales From Topographic Oceans" by YES, this left many Todd fans kind of scratching their heads...at first. But like "Tales..." this song was a masterpiece...a very long masterpiece. I believe it is the longest song ever to be put on vinyl. They reeeaally had to squeeze those grooves together! Those early days of the "synthesizer" were truly awesome, and Todd totally embraced it here. Blessings.
Todd takes me to a place no other musical artist can take me. When I listen to his composition I always start to reflect on the meaning of existence and the human condition. Looking at Todd one could never imagine such eclectic and profound composition emanating from such an unassuming head. The song Initiation showcases his lead guitar prowess while also having enlightening lyrics, Fair Warning has a profound philosophical message which is reminiscent of John Lennon’s song “God”. And Eastern Intrigue shows one of Todd’s satirical bites from the man whom has studied the books on Hinduism, Taoism and Buddha.
It makes me absolutely die inside how good Prana is and how it's just buried into obscurity.
JustJP. I loved your critique and that 20 minutes is hard to digest for sure. You MUST listen to 1st side! The first song, Real Man is just from another world. After hearing it back in 75’ as I walked into a record store I knew my life changed. My quest was to become a Real Man! The second song, Born To Synthesize, was my go to song at work. It inspired me to create and did with patents in the semiconductor industry. Initiation, the 5th song is an incredible inspiration song and finally the last song, Fair Warning, is Todd’s warning that you have to believe in yourself and it’s up to you to make it happen. The world doesn’t own you but it’s up to you to own yourself!😊
Todd has stated he's a huge Yes and it shows here. Also; many of the 'natural' instruments were fed through synths to further alter them - especially vocals and guitars.
Justin!! Your commitment is on another level!!! And wholly f@$k!! Some of this music piece is intense with a vengeance!! This kind of sound design in 1974-5 (all through "A Wizard A True Star") Is really hard to do!!! As a 14 year old hearing this for the first time, I ate up every single sound coming out of the speakers!!! 🤘🔥🤘
Side 1 of this album is what you expect from TR. Side 2 is TR's playground for experimentation. It is actually a double album if you consider the amount of music.
Side one has some of Todd's best stuff.
Exquisite.... thanks, been too long. As I have said before, my generation's answer to Mozart.
wowwowWow!
I plan to use this track in a music listening course coming fall in the congregation (this year I ‘did’ Places of worship by Arve Henriksen in 2 evenings; last year it was Talktalk/Hollis in 3 nights)
Thanks Justin 🎉
Not totally sure yet but it’s certainly a possibility…. At least myself I thoroughly enjoy this as I also love Direct from mr Vangelis and El greco
Keep spreading the good vibes!
Afternoon, Justin. Dave from London. After a generous dose of psychedelic Todd, what we need now is An Elpee's Worth Of Toons. Because he was also a master of classic pop, rock and soul/RnB, and was a big influence on Prince. His previous album Todd contains my song ref An Elpee's Worth... but also plenty of tunes - in fact, everything from heavy metal to Gilbert & Sulivan operetta. The track I would recommend is the wonderful Don't You Ever Learn.
Terry Riley · David Mingyue Liang - Shanghai Film Orchestra, Wang Yongji - In C · Music Of A Thousand Springs · Zen (Ch'an) Of Water... Side 2 is 39'37!
I'm a big Todd fan so I love this but I totally understand and appreciate your thoughts/reaction. You are also spot on in that when you consider the technology that Todd was working with in 1974/5 - no computers, no (good) sequencers, no digital editing etc it is a great technical achievement that should be acknowledged regardless of if you like it or not. The intro section (which I give a 10/10 too) was the B side to side 1's opening track 'Real Man' which was released as a single. Now you've done the 'difficult' side why don't you do side one and make it a whole album review. As you said they are much more 'regular' songs and they are very varied. Check out some of the musicians too! Keep up the great work JP
Wow JP! So excited you're doing this one!
I like that he trying something different
Since I didn't listen to this album until later (I didn't know who Todd was until 1978), I would have to say it was this album that truly tested the waters as far as which fans were going to stay with Todd on his musical journey, and which ones would say "Forget it, this guy got weird." As for me, "A Treatise on Cosmic Fire" always puts me on another level - and get this, I do not do drugs or drink alcohol. Zilch. So that tells you the power of this piece. I can't say I love it, but I sure as hell don't hate it either.
"Hello It's Me" it sounds like people of great taste and distinction, have given The Wizard of a True Star, their recommendation. After all these years it is still a revealing and rewarding listen! Though the stars we see, have been burned away to oblivion, their Cosmic Fire shines through time, and in our eye's they glisten. Is it any wonder, we look up at night, and call it Utopia, name it Heaven? Peace & Love to all my fellow Runt's, say "Something---Anything"!
OMG!!!!! Instant like!!!!! 💚
Ty Eric!
Along with all of his talents he has always been a software developer. He was sequencing his vocals before Windows 98.
No one could understand his music even when he is explained it clearly.
He designed one of the first screen savers for Apple.
So, he was unstoppable.
Anything he could (can) imagine is doable.
He is a pioneer.
Musicians credit him for leading music creators forward.
As for the circus vibe, somebody needs to check out Todd’s “When the carousel burnt down”
Little known fact: this is one of the longest single albums ever created. There is more music on each side of this then you would find on some albums. The mastering engineer had a hell of a time cutting the vinyl. in fact, the album has a note that says turn the volume up because they simply could not master the album at the correct volume.
I think most Todd listeners have found that the Intro/Prana section is amazing - there’s a part there that does really make you mind soar… actually a few pieces throughout that do that.
Gotta realize that there’s a good amount of cross-pollination between the Oldfield/Zappa/Yes types of input and Todd’s blue-eyed soul core.
There are many Todd compositions that give you that ‘bacon smell’ feeling… and it’s usually the combo between his voice, lyrics, playing & production that does it.
Different songs for different folks, but they’re everywhere in the Todd/Utopia catalog.
Roger Powell deserves credit here. Having recently joined Todd’s Utopia, Roger’s synth expertise contributed heavily to this album. Just look at the album credits.
Todd's one of the true originals! How different is this to the kind of music he was doing just a few years earlier in his first few records?? You wouldn't even think it was the same artist, would you? He has serious versatility and he has just kept trying out different things and never staying put with a repeated formula, like a lot of other acts tend to do. Todd's a real risk-taker and experimenter and much respect to that! Check out the initiation title track from side one, great tune too!
He's definitely an interesting artist, best described as you have. Ty ABC!
@@JustJP The album of his you really need to check out though is A Wizard, A True Star, from 1973. That is his masterpiece album for me, and the best example of his variety of styles and experimentation.
Ok, so although I've heard of TR and have heard some of his work, I'm not that familiar enough to properly critique. What I am hearing here though is so reminiscent of Isao Tomita's work, which, believe me, is high praise indeed. Yes, I really enjoyed this. Love the album cover too and anything space related has my attention.!
According to ChatGPT:
Alice A. Bailey's "A Treatise on Cosmic Fire" is a complex and detailed exploration of the nature of the universe, from the perspective of the esoteric tradition. The book draws on a range of spiritual and metaphysical concepts and teachings, including those from Theosophy, Buddhism, and Hinduism.
The book proposes that the universe is a manifestation of a divine and intelligent cosmic consciousness, which operates through a complex hierarchy of beings and energies. It examines the nature of these beings and energies, as well as the evolution of consciousness and the role of humanity in this process.
Bailey argues that the evolution of consciousness is a fundamental aspect of the universe and that human beings play a vital role in this process. She suggests that the purpose of human life is to develop spiritual awareness and to align oneself with the higher levels of consciousness that exist beyond the physical realm.
The book also explores a range of esoteric topics, including the nature of the soul, the role of the chakras, and the significance of sound and vibration in the universe. It offers a comprehensive overview of the spiritual and metaphysical principles that underpin the universe and provides a framework for understanding the nature of reality from a higher perspective.
R
Roger Powell had previously released an album called “Cosmic Furnace”, coincidence? I don’t think so.
Wow! More respect back to you Justin!! But I will say, the person who was determined that you listen to this,… well, their intentions were good but it’s not really easy to digest unless your really really into Todd, then you love it right away.
About the track. Noteworthy is that this is pre-midi. I am still wondering how he pulled this off technically in 1974. He had help from Utopia master synthesist Roger Powell and I hear his hand in it. The experimental part is harsh at first but after 45 years of listening I like it just as much. An acquired taste for sure and it needs to gestate for a long time. It does bring the necessary tension that a 35min composition needs.
Roger Powell has said it was primarily made from tape loops and ARP synthesizers (The ARP 2600 I Believe) That's were those percussive sounds come from. There are some acoustic drums and even voices that were put through those filters on the ARP.
Todd had recently gotten a big multitrack machine so with that, tape loops, varispeed, eventide harmonizer, and a lot of time to play out each part it was pulled off
@@mojorisen74The RMI Keyword Computer also figured heavily on this album. I believe Roger had a hand in designing that particular synthesizer as well as numerous others from numerous manufacturers.
C'est beau hein : It's Beautiful isn't it ? So deep. Todd Rundgren is immensely capable. Merci. (From France)
I remember the first time I heard this it felt like being in an alien landscape. I was totally lost in a musical maze. I still listen to it occasionally and enjoy it.
The "Todd" album is similarly off the walls
I think this is a truly awesome piece of music. Very underrated album. It usually only gets fair or mildly positive reviews (What a shame). Side one is fantastic too. It it the longest single lp I own except for a jazz album that plays at 16rpm. Todd's previous album ( simply called Todd) was a double album that is actually shorter then this one. I own all of his progressive albums including the Utopia ones from "Something/Anything" to "Ra". This was the first one I heard and was very impressed. Thanks for another fine video.
The sounds you are hearing in the background are recordings of fireworks displays
I appreciate TR doing everything, however… I like artists like Sting and Frank Zappa who understand their limitations and enlist others to bring out what they can’t. I think this track would’ve benefited from that. I liked the first 10 minutes but then I got bored. Too keyboardy for my taste.
Well….your a dick…….to stupid for my taste.
You should listen to some of "Hermit of Mink Hollow", released a few years after "Initiation". Again, it is ALL Todd. He was/is a Wizard, a True Star in the studio. Try "Determination" for great straight Todd rock, or perhaps "Onomatopoeia" which is a great example of Todd at his most fun and silly. The whole album is a gem. All the songs are short, but hefty. "Bread" is another beauty on this. Blessings.
Todd's "Hermit of Mink Hollow" and Utopia's "Oops! Wrong Planet" are my two faves!
@@MissAstorDancer Agreed. Hard to pick faves though. "Swing To The Right" absolutely rocks too. And I really love "Liars" as well. I got to see Todd and Utopia live once. Seeing Todd jump off a huge stack of guitar speakers in mid solo is a fave concert memory.
@@leoscone4036 I also love "Liars". Bought the Live DVD! It was the first time I'd seen a concert lit with LED lights!
@@MissAstorDancer Go to RUclips and check out "TR-i (Todd Rundgren) 'World, No Order' Live in London". Todd performing "No World Order" solo. Great stuff. Blessings.
@@leoscone4036 Thank you for bringing that "period" of Todd up! I have seen everything (I think) there is on utube to do with Todd, including that TR-i period and the whole Video Toaster thing and all. And, yes, I've seen that concert, but I had forgotten how AWESOME it actually was! Just watched it again, and saved it to my "Todd" playlist!
Thanks again! Good Lord, it's fun to go off on old Todd binges, as a result of watching Justin's reaction!😄
I only know Todd Rundgren's few popular songs, but I had heard he was very experimental in his sound and this song sure proved that. I really enjoyed some of the sections, but most of the piece made me feel very uncomfortable, and it made me think I had stumbled unknowingly into a creepy, vampire-clown circus.
Overall, I appreciate his abilities; however, this song is not for me, even though I usually love wild music, like "Close To The Edge" and "Gates of Delirium."
Sorry for the scratches on the lp, maybe you would have liked the disliked tracks more with skips…
I don’t really give a blank if this was loved or hated, I don’t care for lots of loved music heard on the channel. Just put it out there, someone will love it, someone will hate it. Realistically, I don’t love it all, but it’s what it is. Way different than what I was listening to back then.
Thank you for playing this, I was just watching Todd, Adrian Belew and band playing Bowie music as a tribute, Space Oddity. It fit right in.
Sorry for annoying a lot of you all.
Be well.
I loved it. Thank you and all the others for reccing it.
Great!!
@@maruad7577
Glad to hear it, it’s a thick novel with small type for your speed reading course. Fun time for some, not so much for others.
@@jerkedevries
Just realized I played the album a few days ago at work and it was fine, no headaches, no negative comments, just made work a bit nicer and easier.
@@-davidolivares yes, good music does that !
Thanks for the listen, JP. And the indepth analysis - I never knew the book it was based on (I'll have to look that up sometime). I've got a vinyl copy too from 1975, with the original wrap and store label on it, and the 30 min.+ record lasts as long as you don't play it with a badly worn needle. The first time I listened to "Treatise" was with headphones and plenty of beers at hand, so I guess the beer buzz actually fit in with all the harsh sounds in the latter half, and it didn't bother me as much. My favorite part is the echoey Tibetan monastery part, where Todd plays a guitar lead with what seems like monks chanting in the background. A couple of years later, in 1977, I saw Todd play that "Treatise" guitar part live on stage during Utopia's Ra tour, dressed as an Egyptian as he climbed the steps of the 22 foot tall steel tube pyramid in front of the sphinx. It was a brief excerpt of "Treatise", that was part of their performance of a long Utopia story song called "Singring And The Glass Guitar". It's fair to say that Todd was always very busy making music, and made lots of gems mixed with cut glass.
Well, you can hear the talent and exploratory mind (as with many, many of his other albums - including Utopia) but yet again, he just falls short of true greatness. This does meander at points with little to hum along to. Disappointing in that I think that Rundgren did have the skills, musical nous and ear for a melody that could have resulted in a landmark album (like Bat Out of Hell which he produced) but he never quite got there.
I agree, Ken, but I think Todd/Utopia came closer to that landmark album in Ra, Adventures In Utopia, Todd and Something/Anything than on this one. I also have Todd's Anthology compilation and that is crammed full of pop, rock and soul classics. You could almost add Bat Out Of Hell, as Utopia is essentially Meatloaf's backing band, as well as Todd producing it.
Brilliant! A wonderful half hour. Not to be played everyday but when in the right mood..........
Glad you enjoyed Paul :)
A star studded list of recommenders... I am looking forward to listening to this... I liked this. Some parts were amazing and others were not as good but for a piece of music that is this long, complex and experimental that is to be expected. My thanks to all those who recommended it.
My parents own this album. I feel like I *must* have heard this at some point in my life - probably not all that often, as this would definitely be too Out There for my mom's tastes. I remember basically none of it.
But I think what happened here is 'Todd wrote a video game soundtrack before video game soundtracks were really a thing.'
Todd is Godd
Thanks so much from a massive Todd Rundgren fan for your reactions to this. Funny this reaction came out today because Todd just released a brand new album yesterday called 'Space Force'. Right now I think you are very very smart because your ratings for the various sections of 'Treatise' would be the same as mine.The first minute or so of 'Intro' is maybe the most transportive thing I have ever heard through my headphones or played at loud volume on some nice speakers. That first section 'Prana' is one of my favorite Todd Rundgren songs. The final section has some parts of cohesion and melody which I can enjoy. But then of course those parts alternate with parts of chaos which are not pleasant for me to listen to even after almost 50 years. Overall, you can't throw out the baby with the bathwater. Some critics dismiss this entire piece as sheer self-indulgence but as you heard that's not true. I hope you'll react to the songs on side 1. The final song on side one 'Fair Warning' is some foreshadowing of what's to come on side 2. Track 1, 'Real Man' is one of of his career best songs.
Todd doing everything here makes me think of Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells .... and also I heve seen a video of Dave Grohl .... and actually have seen several vidios where there are like 6 screen in one where it is one person playing everyhing
Not an HOUR-LONG TODD RUNDGREN VIDEO, hell yeah! What a thing to see after coming home from errands.
Haha hope you enjoy Jill :D
Check out the second incarnation of Utopia 's debut album, RA.
1 Motoratomic intro.
2 Nursery Rhyme groove.
(3 Pat Travers was influenced by this guitar tone & melody then - they’re friends now i believe)
4 wishy washy synth
I wish there was singin
Paddy McAloon wrote an album called Andromeda Heights with a few similar tones
But he sang between the interludes
I’ve got hooverin 2 do
Diolch
I may return to see what’s been washed up
....wot did i miss? Has Tony Banks turned up on his own yet? Seems like it . Your two for two comment seems to have halved my list above. So here we are in the flippin fairground and someone forgot to tell Todd that Tony needs his bandmates for things to gel
Tangerine Dreams notwithstanding. So, I hoovered , trimmed the garden , trimmed my hair and even did a tokenistic core workout only to return to this
IT HAS to be said, an
uninspiring recycle bin of wot I have always perceived Todd to do: Namely, Play his Organ.
Tony Rang. The Waters of Lethe have run Dry.
I need some Ffresh Air. It ain't finished yet. Frank's Arrived. Is it Zappa or Marino? It's irrelevant. I'm outta here. Diolch.
No. It's got lively justin time. But I dunno . What's it 4?
I got dem Prog Blues. Goodbye Cruel World.
The artwork on the lp is totally up my alley
Good move to stay digital. All that you say just brings back all the downside to vinyl. Even if you were invested in audiophile equipment back when, the quality of the vinyl itself just seemed to get worse as time went on.
That said, this Rundgren offering was pretty darn tasty!
Man, you just brought back some memories. High school days for me. I actually have this vinyl! I saw him in a really small venue with maybe 200 people. Crazy days. Utoppiiaaa (in my singing voice) . . .
Granted, there was no rhyme or reason to most of this. Purely experimental (thank you captain obvious). It's been probably 45 years since I listened to this whole side. Now I remember why.
I wore this out in my college dorm room in 1975
JP, Please Please, get to Singring And The Glass Guitar from Utopia's RA album. It is a whimsical , album-side long slice of pure bombastic prog! I think it's right up your alley! TRUST ME!
Great album. The crazy length of the album results in lower quality vinyl, both of my copies are kinda warped sadly
This LP, along with A Wizard, A True Star and The Hermit of Mink Hollow are my favorite TR LPs. He could go from radio friendly to the outer edges with a flip of an album.
Todd.
A wizard, a true star.
47 years later, I still don't love this piece. Appreciate and like it, but don't love it. And that's saying a lot from a guy who has seen Todd five times in concert and waited to shake his hand. I'm a huge fan. But I will always love side A of this album more. If you do decide to react to side A, which I don't believe you've done, I recommend hitting up Born to Synthesize and The Death of Rock and Roll together. It's a more sensible listen as a pair - the segue and the contrast.
Thank you for making this video. It’s an experience…… it helped my migraine getting less, but I fell asleep during listening. I ‘ll listen to it again. It’s somewhat chaotic at times but sometimes that is good.
Okey listening to it again. The first and second part are great.
Part three is even better. So tasty
I lose count but the guitar piece is really really nice
The floating experimental latter part: loved it: cosmic
私は、この曲を聴いた時に、冨田勲の曲にインスパイアされたと感じました。
The original tapes were slightly sped up to fit this piece on one side of vinyl. "Prana" was released as a single but with the original speed.
With my digital audio workstation I was able to restore the original speed of "Treatise" and it sounds much better.
Nevertheless, it's not an easy listen for the "uninitiated" ;-)
A sometimes tough listen but ultimately quite rewarding. So incredibly futuristic sounding for 1975! Todd is the man.
It does sound a bit futuristic doesnt it? :D
@@JustJP Just *slightly*
Yes, you can hear the tape splices, so get over it!
Great stuff on Side 1 of INITIATION, too.
Wow JP, courageous! Time to say it. From all the reactors I like you best. I love this track in its entirety. It is one of my favorites and however much I appreciate and love his vocal based work, I wish he would have done more like this. His new album Spaceforce was just released and it is time for a change. Maybe an instrumental, hopefully.
I think that ship has sailed or blasted off…
Appreciate that a lot Karma, ty
I've listened to ATOCF many times over the years, and I have experienced an interesting phenomenon with the music.
If I try to recall the music, the intro/outro "Prana" immediately jumps to mind, with the rest appearing as a hazy memory. When I listen to it, as I 'm doing now, the cuts have a surreal quality, like a dream that you realize, as you're dreaming, that you've had it before.
This is a B-side for your a__.
Great choice.
You absolutely should listen to Side 1 as well, the title track is amazing, and I really love 'Fair Warning'.
Great cosmic vibe.
A f*&^$king masterpiece..... it's playful, lighthearted, spiritual, chaotic, too long, not too long, crazy, serious, melodic, not melodic, funny, extatic..... and so on.
That just annoyed me, complete and utterly. I started it playing while doing some other stuff (3d modelling) and I found myself making stupid mistakes on things I usually do as routine and getting very very irritated, so I eventually switched this noise off and went back to complete the 3d mesh that I had set out to make.
What a nuisance.
So did Todd trip on LSD AND Ecstasy together, before creating this? Just wondering 😛😱😎🙂
He was tripping on shrooms and peyote, before he wrote this
Think this was actually created for those who find themselves “flying” though the cosmic fire all about….a lot like Yes…greets,opens ever interesting doors and windows…and brings you happy home again….
Just started listening......and had my first LOL today, when you got a grin and said, "If we're doing that for 36 minutes...."
Anyway, back to watching!
I used to put this album on at least once a month on Saturday mornings to clean house by! Crank it up, and clean like a madwoman! Then take moments to come rest in front of the speakers and listen......then back up again with the mop and duster!!! To me, this side is best for listening to while doing something else meditative. It might be interesting while sitting around a campfire watching nature! Just now, while listening, during the "weird", harsh part ("The Inner Fire?), I kept seeing, in my mind's eye, a very large ant hill with hundreds of ants busily working!
Certainly, this is just one of his many sides, and this is also one of his least accessible pieces! I don't like everything that Todd or Utopia did/does, but I like over half of it, I would say. And some things, I have come to love over time.....like the song "Zen Archer". Didn't like it the first few times I heard it. Now, I love it!
Todd does anything and everything, between the sweetness of "Hello It's Me" or "I Saw the Light", to something like this piece, to Motown covers, to Gilbert & Sullivan, to Hendrix-style blues psyche, to sports anthems!!!
Anyway, regarding Side One of this album, I can only recommend in the strongest terms that you do not FAIL to react to the first song, "Real Man", and the last song, "Fair Warning". The lyrics for both those songs are so intense! Todd always wore himself on his sleeve, musically.
👏
...reminds me of Tangerine Dream a bit...very atmospheric...T.R.is a truly talented & well respected artist...one of a kind, really...
You absolutely must listen to side one of this album. While this album has some head scratching parts, some of it is his best work. It was all in the name of experimentation though!
As far as side one goes, the first song is an excellant opener, radio friendly but not simple pop. The second is quite the opposite with the rest have elements of both. One is VERY heavy. I think overall you would enjoy side one a lot.
what I have heard from Todd I've liked so far. I've never heard that before and I did enjoy it overall but would not pull it out to play again... ... I listen to the whole thing. thanks for sharing. soon after you made the Zappa comment about the 30-minute mark I was losing interest and then it picked up again for a brief minute but I agree at the end was too techno for me
To those who think that this album side was boring and repetitive just listen to some Kraftwerk. 😉
Todd sure got away with murder at a time when everybody else in rock had to actually sell their records to make a living (lol)
TR has always been on the cutting edge of recording technology.
@@Katehowe3010 I agree ! 😉 For me it sounds a bit like fairground music, and undergoing this for 36 minutes is tiring. On the other hand side 1 is really worth it.
@@Katehowe3010 I understand, this stuff is hard to bear until the end. I've had the CD for a very long time but I've only had to listen to this track twice (and now three with Justin's post !) and that's already too much for me. I only like the first six tracks on the first side of the vinyl.
Correction: five tracks on side 1 because the a cappella thing "Born to Synthesize" is also going nowhere ! 😉
If you really want to hear some cosmic fire, Dancing Madly Backwards by Captain Beyond...
Pink Floyd's Animals. That's the first "echo" of anything else I heard in there (twice, I think, and the second time, it's the sounds from Dogs, which makes me feel I might be on less shaky ground having this impression.) And then when you mentioned Zappa, yes, that too. I started hearing some of those echoes, too. (But maybe it's not some kind of "Easter Egg", but just a natural consequence of "influence". Nobody just starting screaming out music on the day of his birth.)
A lot of this, I thought is just "Brand New". Sometimes those old synths have "silly" sounds that you don't hear any more, but there wasn't a recipe like there is today. They got hold of those huge machines, with no "conservatoire instruction manual" to go with it (no synthesizer lessons available). So as a matter of necessity, what you have is invention, some of which "everyone" has kept and carried on using, and other sounds that haven't stood the test of time.
I'll tell you another "echo" I heard at times in there (one in which the influence works the other way round): Tim Smith. And since it's almost guaranteed that Tim at least sometimes didn't so much soak in, as pickle himself in, Todd Rundgren's music.
Anyway, thanks. I enjoyed that (for all sorts of different reasons at different moments).
Nope, you're not unintelligent not understanding all the things taken for granted in the blurb for that book. ... I'd better not say more, just to take a little break from saying mean things for a change. Although I have to say I'm glad I've never read it, and it pleases me not to understand a word of what the blurb writer is saying.
I rather like Todd Rundgren in general, but this piece in self-indulgence mode has never been my thing, moreover I find the rendering very synthetic throughout these interminable 36mn. On the other hand, side one of Initiation is more classic Todd Rundgren and I find it much better than this electronic rambling. Next time, start with the first side !😉
First 17 minutes of that track are genius electronic pop. Second part, not so much a fan of it. As a whole, great unique album.