Mixed feelings. My fave from the album is "Let's Do This", a collaboration with Moe Berg. I like several others a lot, some are okay, and don't like a few more (such as the electronic/dance/rap stuff that you mentioned). That's my mini-review, LOL. But thank *you* for your nice and honest review. Oh, and P.S. - Some of the songs that I don't like on the album, or feel they're just okay -- sound much better in concert. If you have the opportunity, go see one and you might hear what I mean. Thanks again - great to see this here on RUclips. P.P.S. - I am a long-time Todd and Utopia fan.
ed grimley Hey thanks for commenting and sharing your thoughts. And no problem. I like to talk about music! Yeah i had some issues with the electronic tracks too, but if i ever get the opportunity to see Todd live i'll definately do it. I think he's only touring the US at the time though... I live in Europe.
7 лет назад+11
Todd Rundgren was the best payed producer back then, he made artists like Meat Loaf , Patti Smith, Grand Funk Railroad , Xtc, The Tubes and so on, score hits. He is a multi instrumentalist and was also one of the first artist who had a clip on MTV. He also was the first artist who sold his music online and made interactiv records. He is the most underrated artist in the world. So many people know his songs played by others. This last album is a small token of his genius. Listen to it a couple of times and you will like it more and more. His repertoire goes from trippy electronica to heavy metal and from singer songwriter to jazzrock. Ballads are fantastic and the lyrics are never superficial unless its the subject of the song. He is an outstanding guitarist and composer.
clichematic Thank you for adding more value to the video man. I didn't know he creates interactive albums. In what way and what album(s) do you refer to? And yes i'll definately have this and his other albums on rotation in the future 👍😊 Have a great day.
7 лет назад+1
It was the No World Order album released on compact disc interactiv made by Philips. There were 4 producers to choose from Like Bob Clearmountain and Jerry Harrison and some others .You could also alter the mix in tempo, style or instrumental there were visuals on it to play with and that was back in 1993! The Individualist was another album with pc content on it.
I am 58. The second album I ever bought was Todd's "Initiation" featuring the song 'Real Man'. I had just turned 17 going into 12th grade. That was it: a lifelong devotion to the man and his multifacted career. You need to listen to Todd, Nearly Human, and Liars just to get a view of his music. Of course there is Utopia. Listen to their first album, 'Utopia' with original line-up and then the second version of the Utopia line-up.Todd has three sons, two of which played minor league pro baseball. His youngest son is on the new album. His wife Michelle is an excellent singer. There is so much on Ytube for those interested in Todd's career from interviews to concerts to Toddstock!. He just received an honorary doctorate from DePaux University last week. He has taught as an artist-in-residency at Notre Dame last fall and at Univ. of Indiana a couple years ago. An all around genius and good guy.
TheTruthIsSweet I admire your love and interest for Todd. I never knew i would get this much awesome feedback after posting this video. So firstly, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts 😊 It means a lot to me. I had never heard a single word about Rundgren until a few weeks ago. It's funny to see someone with the exact opposite story. So would you consider Todd being your all-time favorite artist? Thanks for recommending the albums, i'll try to listen when i have the time 🎶
Tim McKeown I keep returning to those songs. They only get better and better. So much there, so much to listen to, so much to think about. An astonishing album.
hippydippy I don't think i need to open my mind. It's simply a question about time. If i had 16 hrs to listen to music every day i would've already been quite familiar with the rest of his discography 😊 Thanks for pushing me though. And also for taking the time to watch my video. It means a lot!
hippydippy Please do not be harsh with Lie. AWATS requires many intensive visits to be properly appreciated. Todd meant for it to be challenging! When AWATS came out, I spent days in my headphones before it became part of my soul. Todd even said Trent Reznor listens to it at least once a month. Why don't you suggest a more accessible album for Lie to explore, like "Hermit of Mink Hollow"? Peace out + be well.
hippydippy Haha. No worries guys. Thanks for introducing me to these albums. I'll put them on my list and listen to them soon 👂 Btw i wanna ask you - is there anything i could do to make these reviews better? 🙂
Lie Likes Music You review is charming. I love the pop-ups and the way you refer to your notes. Your English is flawless and I haven't a clue what your first language is, not that it matters. It shames me how few Americans are fluent in a second language (and that includes me, I know a smattering of French, enough to ask for a napkin).
barkybarkbarkbark Ah thanks! that's very kind of you. I still think there's room for improvement here though. I'm from Norway 🇳🇴 And yes i've heard that the UK and US have a more laid-back approach in schools to second languages. It's a bit sad yes.
It's great that you're including this album review but I think perhaps Todd deserves a little more respect. He is after all, a living musical legend in his 70th year, with an unparalleled back catalogue of self written, performed and produced rock classics. He is one of the most prolific, innovative composer/producers ever, and yes his early works are classics but Todd's output has spanned 5 decades covering an abundance of styles and genre's. Check out "Faithful", "A Capella", "Liars", "Arena", "2nd Wind", "Up Against It", his work with Utopia, The Tubes, XTC, Meatloaf etc. The list is endless!
Phil Watson Hey Phil. Thanks for informing me. When i made this review, White Knight was the only album i had listened to by him. So that might be why long-time supporters of him feel like i understate things. Luckily i've become more aware of his presence in music history and of his discography now. I've gained a lot more respect both for TR and his fanbase (i don't know if you consider yourself a Utopian or not). Are you going to Toddstock next year?
You're very welcome my friend. I'm a life long fan so probably would be classed as a Utopian, but unfortunately I've never been to Toddstock (yet!) as live in the UK. However, I have been lucky enough to catch him live several times over here. Btw, there was a highly recommended but sadly underrated band called 12rods from Ohio who were privileged to receive Todd's input in 2000. They only recorded four albums but seriously, check them out. You won't be disappointed! :)
Phil Watson 12 rods ey? Alright, i'll put it on my list. Damn i keep discovering new projects and stuff that he did. Such a prolific guy. And it would be great if you could join Toddstock next year. It will be located somewhere in Europe this time. I'll definately have it on my schedule 😊 Thanks for adding so much value.
Nice review. Thanks. But... contrary to your suggestion I will listen to the whole album. I discovered Todd not too long ago and YES two of my favorite albums are Something/Anything and A Wizard A true Star. I truly believe he's a genius.
I don't doubt that either. It seems like his whole life was dedicated to creating art in general. And if you combine hard work with talent, you're bound to create something awesome i think. TR is a great real-life example. Cool! So if i ever review another Rundgren album in the future, would you recommend i pick one of those?
It's so interesting hearing a young person's perspective on the music. Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I'm a big fan, having decided at a preteen age that Todd's lyric "it's important to me, that you know you are free, 'cuz I'd never want to make you change for me" would embody a life-long philosophy surrounding free will. I'd venture, since I am the same age as TheTruthIsSweet, that you didn't recognize the story arcs through the dozens of albums he has created through the decades. For example, if you listen to 'Sons of 1984', 'Just One Victory' and 'Secret Society' (for starters!), you could recognize the theme in 'Come'. Todd may have mentioned the echo chamber, but failed to let you know that there are a lot of people watching what's going on in there. It's one of the joys of following his music - you never know when there will be a follow up to the ideas he explored years and years ago. Our Hero, indeed. There's always a cornucopia of musical thoughts in anyone of his albums. Not all of them work for me, and I'd dare say that everyone has the songs that speak to them. I think even Todd knows this as he has said that his fans assign their own meanings to the songs, which may have little or nothing to do with why he wrote them. One last little giggle I had was hearing you talk about Rebop as a guitar player. He is amazing, but I remember when he was still a kid, his mother let out that he wasn't as keen on learning to play the guitar as maybe he could have been. I'm glad to hear that has changed!
Katherine Barich The first thing i realize when i read your comment is how much more knowledge you have of his music and discography compared to myself. I tried to dive a bit deep on this one by adding some background story to it, and i'm glad i did so that it didn't become too vague and surface-level. It makes me happy to see that Rundgren has such a close following. People that really care as much about the man as about the music itself. Thank you for reaching out btw 😊 I love hearing other people's perspective too. If there is one other Rundgren album you would recommend me to check out after this, what would it be? Greetings from Norway 🇳🇴
His first album, with Nazz came out in 1967. That's 50 years of output, and for the old time fans, there are lots of links. But I love that you looked at the new album with fresh eyes. Or rather, listened with fresh ears :)
Katherine Barich Nazz ha? I watched a documentary where Todd and others talked about their album. From what i understand their release(s) flopped because they were overly hyped up in many big music magazines. So i got sort of a bad impression of that era of his music. But as with White Knight, i'll listen with fresh ears nonetheless. Maybe i'll even make a review of it sometime 🎶 Thanks for sharing Katherine.
Although I don't agree with each of your observations, I agree with most and completely enjoyed your review. Extremely thought. It's fantastic to see a young person listen critically to Todd, who I have been a huge fan since 1972.
Peter Day Thank you for your kind words Peter. I really appreciate it 😃 And that's no problem. We all have different takes on music no matter what. I loved creating this video. There was a lot of research involved, but there's something about that process which is very addictive and fun.
I think from a new to TR perspective and your age (your world is full of so many musical style genres, to pull back and listen to TR's pov, takes patients and understanding) that this was a very fair and open minded review. As a TR fan who is not swayed easily, you got a lot of things probably more right than diehard fans might admit. I think Fiction pulls you in like a creamy slow quicksand. Beginning of the End is extremely soulful. The Joe Walsh tune Sleep is growing on me every listen. The Donald Fagen track Tin Foil Hat well, check it out live - ruclips.net/video/HByflzFP1W4/видео.html //
Thank you for all the kind words and for adding more value to my video :) Sorry i didn't answer you sooner. RUclips filters out any comment with a link as spam. So both of your comments were in my spam folder. I like how you payed more attention to many of the songs that i didn't on White Knight. I'll make sure to check out the live version of Tin Foil Hat right away. And btw, i'm planning to make a follow-up video to this one. It's most likely gonna be a review of Initiation, since most of the people i asked here seem to vote for that one. Have a great day!
Well, no but yes. ;)~ No, as it is a staple of his current tour, and it is not a video that has been released, but yes it is the studio version. However, it does get a point across that one may not catch upon listening to the album.
Enjoyed your review. I've been a T.R. fan since 1979 (Back To The Bars - awesome live album and a perfect capture of Todd at his best). I always approach each new Todd release with a clean slate. I never listen for anything "Todd-ish" and I listen from song 1 through the last song. The songs on this album grew on me quickly, even though some I thought were easy to pass over.
Rich L Yesss another cool Rundgren fan! Thanks for sharing. I like to have that approach too when listening, going through the whole album in one sitting. It's nice to hear you mention that, because some artists are much better live compared to on recording. Mike Patton is a great example. Still need to heat TR live though, i'll make sure to search him up 😊 Cheers.
TX for the review! If you realize that TR will be 69 next month, how does he do it? Love his music, how more you play it the better it is!!! You have the same favorite songs as me :)
No problem Jacqueline. I'm glad that you liked it. Yes!! I love records that grows on you as you listen to them more. I'm planning to maybe do a review of another Todd Rundgren album in the future. Which one would you recommend?
♬♪Sing, shout it, tell the world about it, the truth is sweet...♬♪Sweet from the Album Liars. Here is Todd with Darryl Hall singing Sweet: m.ruclips.net/video/_dlmlNgrXSQ/видео.html
I'm afraid that reviewing Todd Rundgren is momentarily beyond your scope. Rundgren is all about understanding and playing with music. However, it's good to see a youngster like you is making his first steps into a universe that's called listening and promoting that.
Petriek Bink Thanks for the critical feedback Petriek! Yes i might be young and ignorant, but i still have a big interest in music nonetheless. I'm glad you acknowledge my effort 😊
Let me rephrase that one: Rundgren is all about understanding how he is playing with music. His scope is huge in terms of music styles. That was sometimes hard to accept by the mainstream music consumers. However, he has a dedicated group of diehard followers around him. They all use words like genius, master guitar player, visionary and fabulous composer to describe TR. And they are very gentle to him in taking in some lesser periods he fell into. Rundgren is not about hits (not only anyway).It's about A Wizard, a True Star, about Todd. For a start :) Further 0n what clichematic says.Wish you all the luck. Like your enthusiasm.
Enjoyed listening to your review! I've heard the album twice now, and you've given me a fresh pair of ears for the next listening. Todd is godd. You should check out Initiation next.
Just suggesting Initiation especially for you, Lie. I don't have a favorite; there are so many brilliant albums that are so different from each other, I would have to list about 10 or 12, I think! Todd amazes. I've seen him perform about 70-80 times since 1973; lost count a long time ago! Be well, friend, + keep listening. 🖤💙
barkybarkbarkbark barkybarkbarkbark Whaaaat?? 70-80 times? I admire your dedication and love for his work! And yes i get what you mean. If i could just download all his albums into my brain i would haha. But we all need a bit of patience when it comes to music 🎶 Just curious, how did you discover my video?
Lie Likes Music I think it came up in the RUclips list below a White Knight video I had been watching. It sounded promising, so I happily gave it my time! Serendipity.
Lie Likes Music P.S. Many of Todd's fans have seen him perform dozens of times. We are a devoted group, kind of like Deadheads. Plus, like Todd, we've been around for decades!
I think I posted this in the wrong spot before so here it goes again (sorry): Speaking of Todd's extensive body of talents, if you haven't yet had the pleasure please check out XTC's Skylarking! As producer, TR's conception is almost other-worldly. Although there was much apparent discord (no pun intended!) in Andy Partridge and Todd's professional and creative relationship, IMHO it is one of the finest records ever made. I have loved and been challenged by Todd's music since I was 12 years old in 1972 and just feel sad for those who have not been enlightened! BTW, you must have spent some time in the U.S. because you have only a hint of an accent ! Thanks for being honest in what you do.
Julia Egner Hahah thanks for reaching out again Julia. Yes he seems to be a brilliant producer! And there's so much more i think i'll love by him. So i really appreciate that you recommend me things. It's awesome to see how he has impacted so many people at a deep level too, like you're saying. And about my accent. No i've never been to the US before. But american culture and language is everywhere these days, so if you're interested in language, it's easy to adapt to it 😊 Thank you for writing!
I forgot how ubiquitous American culture has become..dang internet!! First, thank you for your kind, polite comments. As stated by previous posters, I'm so elated that there are younger people who are eagerly willing to explore some of R&R's greatest innovators. Without being presumptuous, if you haven't been exposed I have a few suggestions of TR songs that are amazing to me and I'd love to hear your assessment of the "Todd" record, one of my absolute faves. Here goes: Drunken Blue Rooster (instrumental), A Dream goes on Forever, ( a beloved TR fan treasure), No. 1 Lowest Common Denominator (classic hybrid of psychedelia, prog-rock, humor , and mostly, an AMAZING scream!!! Also, one of the greatest feel-good pop songs, joyous and upbeat "Izzat Love". "Don't You Ever Learn" is freaking haunting. Please give this record several listens before you make your judgment (or at least these songs). BTW, I have so many artists to share if prompted but Todd is SPECIAL! Simply put: Music saved my life! Please all forgive for this lengthy post!
Lie... I’m going to fill you in a bit on Todd, his albums and his fan base. Many of us love the early stuff, like S/A, Todd & AWATS... along with the early Utopia music - which was very prog-rock. Then like me, many love the middle stuff - Hermit of Mink Hollow, Healing, The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect, Acapella, Nearly Human, 2nd Wind, No World Order & The Individualist. These are the albums that I feel are the core of his artistry and humanity. The albums after that really go downhill, with lackluster production, recycled musical tropes, and little guitar work... which I loved him for. Of course there are good songs on many of those albums, but overall, meh. White Knight is pretty much the same, despite the collaborations. His live shows, however, are still killer... because he is shredding and singing better than he has for many years. A lot of the fan base feels it’s blasphemous to criticize any of Todd’s work, but I don’t. He’s one of the best artists, singers, producers I have in my collection... but he’s human, and has had his low points, creatively. As to Utopia, I like the self-titled album best (sometimes called the Black&White album). It has tight, well-crafted pop rock songs that I think you’ll dig. Keep up the good work!
its a good album but he seems to be embracing modern music to much and joe walsh is under used the last track is the best track but that sounds like a utopia song but compared to most of the crap albums that pass as music today its worth buying
goldeneaglevideo Who's perspective are you talking about? And you never gave any argument to why he's more talented... He might be more prolific, but who cares about quantity over quality? Right? Maybe all of Todd's other albums are masterpieces. I haven't heard them yet, so i can't say for sure.
It's schockfull of hooks : no dull track. The fact that it took you so much time to get "used" to the greatness of "got your back" ( except the rapping bits that are... well, only rap and therefor dispensable, rap doesn't belong to music : it's only rap ) makes me think that your "education" makes it difficult for you to really hear TR's intrinsic sense of hooks. You don't even mention the great white soul of "Chance for us"... Also, the song with bettye Lavette is excellent ( the breaks before bettye's bits are pure TR genius ). And what about "Let's do this", classic power pop track if there ever was one ? And "Sleep" is not weird at all : it's just a great original tune that has an xtc flavor. So, as a whole, it's pop of the highest order.
Helios Marzal "Rap doesn't belong to music" - this statement makes me question your education 😂 That's such a powerful idea straight out of the blue, with no explanation at all. It's like saying "bananas are blue" without giving any context. Have you seen what's happened to music from the 80s and up untill now? Anyway... I really dig "I Got Your Back" and "Sleep" now. They really grew on me. But i'm not gonna be here to argue that my opinion is more right than yours. We all have different ways of percieving music.
Yeah, I understand that younger guys can be surprised by such a statement. Rap is not about singing, all right ? Well, if it's not about singing, it's not about music in my book. It's about rythm, if you want, but nothing more. A simple rythm is not enough to make music. Music is essentially about melodies and harmonies. Rythm is just a bed to melody. No melody, no harmony in what the guys are singing in the song we're talking about. The melodies and harmonies are brought by the keyboards and TR's singing. Those are the hooks. Not the rapping, which is absolutely dispensable. If you just listen to the rapping section, there's no song at all. If you listen to TR's section, the whole song is here. "They really grew on me" : now you're starting to get what TR's music is about. There's no way to talk about ANY TR album without having listened to it at least 5 times. Some of them, because of their complexity can take 10 times before "getting them". That's the very reason why he's no household name. Radio DJ's can't wait that long... They need immediacy. And therefor, simplicity. From what I've seen in my music lover "career", I would say that only one out of twenty music lovers will ever get what TR's music is about. In your "Hermit" review, you talk about "Fade Away" saying something about the drums sound. Which means you didn't listen to it enough yet. "Fade Away" is a genius song that, someday, one day, when you're older, will make you shed a tear both musically and lyrically if you're lucky enough to be one of the few people who finally get it. I recently read about an english guy who was saying it took him years before being able to understand the greatness of TR's music.
This is a thinly disguised paid plant. If the graphics don't give it away to you, you are willingly blind. This is straight PR, disguised as if from someone who doesn't know the band. *In particular, watch the graphics.* No unconnected innocent little hayseed would have those.
Bill Woo I'm eager to hear any good reason for why you believe this. If Todd wanted to promote his album i think he would've chosen someone with a wider reach than me.
What do you think about Rundgren's new album? Write me a comment and let me know :)
Mixed feelings. My fave from the album is "Let's Do This", a collaboration with Moe Berg. I like several others a lot, some are okay, and don't like a few more (such as the electronic/dance/rap stuff that you mentioned). That's my mini-review, LOL. But thank *you* for your nice and honest review. Oh, and P.S. - Some of the songs that I don't like on the album, or feel they're just okay -- sound much better in concert. If you have the opportunity, go see one and you might hear what I mean. Thanks again - great to see this here on RUclips. P.P.S. - I am a long-time Todd and Utopia fan.
ed grimley Hey thanks for commenting and sharing your thoughts. And no problem. I like to talk about music! Yeah i had some issues with the electronic tracks too, but if i ever get the opportunity to see Todd live i'll definately do it. I think he's only touring the US at the time though... I live in Europe.
Todd Rundgren was the best payed producer back then, he made artists like Meat Loaf , Patti Smith, Grand Funk Railroad , Xtc, The Tubes and so on, score hits. He is a multi instrumentalist and was also one of the first artist who had a clip on MTV. He also was the first artist who sold his music online and made interactiv records. He is the most underrated artist in the world. So many people know his songs played by others. This last album is a small token of his genius. Listen to it a couple of times and you will like it more and more. His repertoire goes from trippy electronica to heavy metal and from singer songwriter to jazzrock. Ballads are fantastic and the lyrics are never superficial unless its the subject of the song. He is an outstanding guitarist and composer.
clichematic Thank you for adding more value to the video man. I didn't know he creates interactive albums. In what way and what album(s) do you refer to? And yes i'll definately have this and his other albums on rotation in the future 👍😊 Have a great day.
It was the No World Order album released on compact disc interactiv made by Philips. There were 4 producers to choose from Like Bob Clearmountain and Jerry Harrison and some others .You could also alter the mix in tempo, style or instrumental there were visuals on it to play with and that was back in 1993! The Individualist was another album with pc content on it.
clichematic All that, plus Todd loves crossword puzzles and rescue dogs! Such an evolved being Our Hero is. 🖤💙
barkybarkbarkbark Lol it's so weird that you know that 😂 But i guess you're a big fan. Thanks for sharing.
I am 58. The second album I ever bought was Todd's "Initiation" featuring the song 'Real Man'. I had just turned 17 going into 12th grade. That was it: a lifelong devotion to the man and his multifacted career. You need to listen to Todd, Nearly Human, and Liars just to get a view of his music. Of course there is Utopia. Listen to their first album, 'Utopia' with original line-up and then the second version of the Utopia line-up.Todd has three sons, two of which played minor league pro baseball. His youngest son is on the new album. His wife Michelle is an excellent singer. There is so much on Ytube for those interested in Todd's career from interviews to concerts to Toddstock!. He just received an honorary doctorate from DePaux University last week. He has taught as an artist-in-residency at Notre Dame last fall and at Univ. of Indiana a couple years ago. An all around genius and good guy.
I grew up in Cleveland where Todd ruled in the 70's and even now.
TheTruthIsSweet I admire your love and interest for Todd. I never knew i would get this much awesome feedback after posting this video. So firstly, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts 😊 It means a lot to me. I had never heard a single word about Rundgren until a few weeks ago. It's funny to see someone with the exact opposite story. So would you consider Todd being your all-time favorite artist? Thanks for recommending the albums, i'll try to listen when i have the time 🎶
Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren is one of the best pop/rock albums ever written. Ya gotta listen to that.
Tim McKeown I keep returning to those songs. They only get better and better. So much there, so much to listen to, so much to think about. An astonishing album.
I could listen to you talk about music all day long! Such a good channel :)
Ah that's very nice of you. Thank you!
You need to open your mind a bit more. A Wizard A True Star is a masterpiece as well as the followup simply title TODD.
hippydippy I don't think i need to open my mind. It's simply a question about time. If i had 16 hrs to listen to music every day i would've already been quite familiar with the rest of his discography 😊 Thanks for pushing me though. And also for taking the time to watch my video. It means a lot!
hippydippy Please do not be harsh with Lie. AWATS requires many intensive visits to be properly appreciated. Todd meant for it to be challenging! When AWATS came out, I spent days in my headphones before it became part of my soul. Todd even said Trent Reznor listens to it at least once a month. Why don't you suggest a more accessible album for Lie to explore, like "Hermit of Mink Hollow"? Peace out + be well.
hippydippy Haha. No worries guys. Thanks for introducing me to these albums. I'll put them on my list and listen to them soon 👂 Btw i wanna ask you - is there anything i could do to make these reviews better? 🙂
Lie Likes Music You review is charming. I love the pop-ups and the way you refer to your notes. Your English is flawless and I haven't a clue what your first language is, not that it matters. It shames me how few Americans are fluent in a second language (and that includes me, I know a smattering of French, enough to ask for a napkin).
barkybarkbarkbark Ah thanks! that's very kind of you. I still think there's room for improvement here though. I'm from Norway 🇳🇴 And yes i've heard that the UK and US have a more laid-back approach in schools to second languages. It's a bit sad yes.
A Wizard/A True Star was 1973
Oops. Sorry about that!
no problem :)
It took me quite a few listens to really appreciate this album but like most Todd albums it slowly grabs you. Now I really enjoy it!
Yeah same here! Thanks for watching. And i dig your wildlife videos btw. I've never seen turkeys up close before.
@@LieLikesMusic Thanks. I appreciate that!
It's great that you're including this album review but I think perhaps Todd deserves a little more respect. He is after all, a living musical legend in his 70th year, with an unparalleled back catalogue of self written, performed and produced rock classics. He is one of the most prolific, innovative composer/producers ever, and yes his early works are classics but Todd's output has spanned 5 decades covering an abundance of styles and genre's. Check out "Faithful", "A Capella", "Liars", "Arena", "2nd Wind", "Up Against It", his work with Utopia, The Tubes, XTC, Meatloaf etc. The list is endless!
Phil Watson Hey Phil. Thanks for informing me. When i made this review, White Knight was the only album i had listened to by him. So that might be why long-time supporters of him feel like i understate things. Luckily i've become more aware of his presence in music history and of his discography now. I've gained a lot more respect both for TR and his fanbase (i don't know if you consider yourself a Utopian or not). Are you going to Toddstock next year?
You're very welcome my friend. I'm a life long fan so probably would be classed as a Utopian, but unfortunately I've never been to Toddstock (yet!) as live in the UK. However, I have been lucky enough to catch him live several times over here. Btw, there was a highly recommended but sadly underrated band called 12rods from Ohio who were privileged to receive Todd's input in 2000. They only recorded four albums but seriously, check them out. You won't be disappointed! :)
Phil Watson 12 rods ey? Alright, i'll put it on my list. Damn i keep discovering new projects and stuff that he did. Such a prolific guy. And it would be great if you could join Toddstock next year. It will be located somewhere in Europe this time. I'll definately have it on my schedule 😊 Thanks for adding so much value.
Lie Likes Music I heard Toddstock Europe is in Scotland this year! You should go, Lie!!!
Nice review. Thanks. But... contrary to your suggestion I will listen to the whole album. I discovered Todd not too long ago and YES two of my favorite albums are Something/Anything and A Wizard A true Star. I truly believe he's a genius.
I don't doubt that either. It seems like his whole life was dedicated to creating art in general.
And if you combine hard work with talent, you're bound to create something awesome i think.
TR is a great real-life example. Cool! So if i ever review another Rundgren album in the future,
would you recommend i pick one of those?
It's so interesting hearing a young person's perspective on the music. Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I'm a big fan, having decided at a preteen age that Todd's lyric "it's important to me, that you know you are free, 'cuz I'd never want to make you change for me" would embody a life-long philosophy surrounding free will.
I'd venture, since I am the same age as TheTruthIsSweet, that you didn't recognize the story arcs through the dozens of albums he has created through the decades. For example, if you listen to 'Sons of 1984', 'Just One Victory' and 'Secret Society' (for starters!), you could recognize the theme in 'Come'. Todd may have mentioned the echo chamber, but failed to let you know that there are a lot of people watching what's going on in there. It's one of the joys of following his music - you never know when there will be a follow up to the ideas he explored years and years ago. Our Hero, indeed.
There's always a cornucopia of musical thoughts in anyone of his albums. Not all of them work for me, and I'd dare say that everyone has the songs that speak to them. I think even Todd knows this as he has said that his fans assign their own meanings to the songs, which may have little or nothing to do with why he wrote them.
One last little giggle I had was hearing you talk about Rebop as a guitar player. He is amazing, but I remember when he was still a kid, his mother let out that he wasn't as keen on learning to play the guitar as maybe he could have been. I'm glad to hear that has changed!
Katherine Barich The first thing i realize when i read your comment is how much more knowledge you have of his music and discography compared to myself. I tried to dive a bit deep on this one by adding some background story to it, and i'm glad i did so that it didn't become too vague and surface-level.
It makes me happy to see that Rundgren has such a close following. People that really care as much about the man as about the music itself.
Thank you for reaching out btw 😊 I love hearing other people's perspective too. If there is one other Rundgren album you would recommend me to check out after this, what would it be?
Greetings from Norway 🇳🇴
His first album, with Nazz came out in 1967. That's 50 years of output, and for the old time fans, there are lots of links. But I love that you looked at the new album with fresh eyes. Or rather, listened with fresh ears :)
Katherine Barich Nazz ha? I watched a documentary where Todd and others talked about their album. From what i understand their release(s) flopped because they were overly hyped up in many big music magazines. So i got sort of a bad impression of that era of his music. But as with White Knight, i'll listen with fresh ears nonetheless. Maybe i'll even make a review of it sometime 🎶 Thanks for sharing Katherine.
well everything can't be melodious to us all
Although I don't agree with each of your observations, I agree with most and completely enjoyed your review. Extremely thought. It's fantastic to see a young person listen critically to Todd, who I have been a huge fan since 1972.
Peter Day Thank you for your kind words Peter. I really appreciate it 😃 And that's no problem. We all have different takes on music no matter what. I loved creating this video. There was a lot of research involved, but there's something about that process which is very addictive and fun.
Soul is the backbone of Todd and weird is trite and absurd when describing Todd's unparalleled style ∞
I think from a new to TR perspective and your age (your world is full of so many musical style genres, to pull back and listen to TR's pov, takes patients and understanding) that this was a very fair and open minded review. As a TR fan who is not swayed easily, you got a lot of things probably more right than diehard fans might admit. I think Fiction pulls you in like a creamy slow quicksand. Beginning of the End is extremely soulful. The Joe Walsh tune Sleep is growing on me every listen. The Donald Fagen track Tin Foil Hat well, check it out live - ruclips.net/video/HByflzFP1W4/видео.html //
Thank you for all the kind words and for adding more value to my video :) Sorry i didn't answer you sooner. RUclips filters out any comment with a link as spam. So both of your comments were in my spam folder. I like how you payed more attention to many of the songs that i didn't on White Knight. I'll make sure to check out the live version of Tin Foil Hat right away. And btw, i'm planning to make a follow-up video to this one. It's most likely gonna be a review of Initiation, since most of the people i asked here seem to vote for that one. Have a great day!
That was not exactly a live version though. But i can see that he has some clear political views baked in here. Thanks for sharing man.
Well, no but yes. ;)~ No, as it is a staple of his current tour, and it is not a video that has been released, but yes it is the studio version. However, it does get a point across that one may not catch upon listening to the album.
P.S. Make sure ya do Initiation with the headphones on, and whatever ya do to get well relaxed.
Ragemous Haha thanks for the tip. I'll try to enjoy it the best i can 👍😎
Enjoyed your review. I've been a T.R. fan since 1979 (Back To The Bars - awesome live album and a perfect capture of Todd at his best). I always approach each new Todd release with a clean slate. I never listen for anything "Todd-ish" and I listen from song 1 through the last song. The songs on this album grew on me quickly, even though some I thought were easy to pass over.
Rich L Yesss another cool Rundgren fan! Thanks for sharing. I like to have that approach too when listening, going through the whole album in one sitting. It's nice to hear you mention that, because some artists are much better live compared to on recording. Mike Patton is a great example. Still need to heat TR live though, i'll make sure to search him up 😊 Cheers.
TX for the review! If you realize that TR will be 69 next month, how does he do it? Love his music, how more you play it the better it is!!! You have the same favorite songs as me :)
No problem Jacqueline. I'm glad that you liked it. Yes!! I love records that grows on you
as you listen to them more. I'm planning to maybe do a review of another Todd
Rundgren album in the future. Which one would you recommend?
I would recommend my favorite album Initiation. Nearly Human and Arena are great too. Love what you are doing!
♬♪Sing, shout it, tell the world about it, the truth is sweet...♬♪Sweet from the Album Liars. Here is Todd with Darryl Hall singing Sweet: m.ruclips.net/video/_dlmlNgrXSQ/видео.html
I'm afraid that reviewing Todd Rundgren is momentarily beyond your scope. Rundgren is all about understanding and playing with music. However, it's good to see a youngster like you is making his first steps into a universe that's called listening and promoting that.
Petriek Bink Thanks for the critical feedback Petriek! Yes i might be young and ignorant, but i still have a big interest in music nonetheless. I'm glad you acknowledge my effort 😊
Petriek Bink What do you mean by playing with music?
Let me rephrase that one: Rundgren is all about understanding how he is playing with music. His scope is huge in terms of music styles. That was sometimes hard to accept by the mainstream music consumers. However, he has a dedicated group of diehard followers around him. They all use words like genius, master guitar player, visionary and fabulous composer to describe TR. And they are very gentle to him in taking in some lesser periods he fell into. Rundgren is not about hits (not only anyway).It's about A Wizard, a True Star, about Todd. For a start :) Further 0n what clichematic says.Wish you all the luck. Like your enthusiasm.
Enjoyed listening to your review! I've heard the album twice now, and you've given me a fresh pair of ears for the next listening. Todd is godd. You should check out Initiation next.
barkybarkbarkbark Thank you 🤘😎 I enjoyed reading your comment. Initiation? Alright. Is that your favorite Rundgren album?
Just suggesting Initiation especially for you, Lie. I don't have a favorite; there are so many brilliant albums that are so different from each other, I would have to list about 10 or 12, I think! Todd amazes. I've seen him perform about 70-80 times since 1973; lost count a long time ago! Be well, friend, + keep listening. 🖤💙
barkybarkbarkbark barkybarkbarkbark Whaaaat?? 70-80 times? I admire your dedication and love for his work! And yes i get what you mean. If i could just download all his albums into my brain i would haha. But we all need a bit of patience when it comes to music 🎶 Just curious, how did you discover my video?
Lie Likes Music I think it came up in the RUclips list below a White Knight video I had been watching. It sounded promising, so I happily gave it my time! Serendipity.
Lie Likes Music P.S. Many of Todd's fans have seen him perform dozens of times. We are a devoted group, kind of like Deadheads. Plus, like Todd, we've been around for decades!
I think I posted this in the wrong spot before so here it goes again (sorry):
Speaking of Todd's extensive body of talents, if you haven't yet had the pleasure please check out XTC's Skylarking!
As producer, TR's conception is almost other-worldly. Although there was much apparent discord (no pun intended!) in Andy Partridge and Todd's professional and creative relationship, IMHO it is one of the finest records ever made. I have loved and been challenged by Todd's music since I was 12 years old in 1972 and just feel sad for those who have not been enlightened! BTW, you must have spent some time in the U.S. because you have only a hint of an accent ! Thanks for being honest in what you do.
Julia Egner Hahah thanks for reaching out again Julia. Yes he seems to be a brilliant producer! And there's so much more i think i'll love by him. So i really appreciate that you recommend me things. It's awesome to see how he has impacted so many people at a deep level too, like you're saying.
And about my accent. No i've never been to the US before. But american culture and language is everywhere these days, so if you're interested in language, it's easy to adapt to it 😊 Thank you for writing!
I forgot how ubiquitous American culture has become..dang internet!!
First, thank you for your kind, polite comments. As stated by previous posters, I'm so elated that there are younger people who are eagerly willing to explore some of R&R's greatest innovators.
Without being presumptuous, if you haven't been exposed I have a few suggestions of TR songs that are amazing to me and I'd love to hear your assessment of the "Todd" record, one of my absolute faves. Here goes:
Drunken Blue Rooster (instrumental), A Dream goes on Forever, ( a beloved TR fan treasure), No. 1 Lowest Common Denominator (classic hybrid of psychedelia, prog-rock, humor , and mostly, an AMAZING scream!!!
Also, one of the greatest feel-good pop songs, joyous and upbeat "Izzat Love". "Don't You Ever Learn" is
freaking haunting.
Please give this record several listens before you make your judgment (or at least these songs).
BTW, I have so many artists to share if prompted but Todd is SPECIAL! Simply put: Music saved my life!
Please all forgive for this lengthy post!
*feeling left out* wow, you replied to everyone's post but mine... what a strange feeling.
Ragemous It didn't appear in my feed 😮
I figured sumpin' was up, just wanted to catch your attention, thanks for taking the time. Keep up the good work here!
Ragemous Yes 😅 No problem man. Same to you.
clichematic: I just watched your 'Come' video of Todd. Well done sir!
You gotta tag him or answer him under one of his comments here in order
for him to get notified.
Thanks. Just did that to his video.
Good review mate!
VelvetHead79 Thank you 😊
Lie... I’m going to fill you in a bit on Todd, his albums and his fan base.
Many of us love the early stuff, like S/A, Todd & AWATS... along with the early Utopia music - which was very prog-rock.
Then like me, many love the middle stuff - Hermit of Mink Hollow, Healing, The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect, Acapella, Nearly Human, 2nd Wind, No World Order & The Individualist. These are the albums that I feel are the core of his artistry and humanity.
The albums after that really go downhill, with lackluster production, recycled musical tropes, and little guitar work... which I loved him for.
Of course there are good songs on many of those albums, but overall, meh.
White Knight is pretty much the same, despite the collaborations.
His live shows, however, are still killer... because he is shredding and singing better than he has for many years.
A lot of the fan base feels it’s blasphemous to criticize any of Todd’s work, but I don’t. He’s one of the best artists, singers, producers I have in my collection... but he’s human, and has had his low points, creatively.
As to Utopia, I like the self-titled album best (sometimes called the Black&White album). It has tight, well-crafted pop rock songs that I think you’ll dig.
Keep up the good work!
sorry........SLEEP is one of TODDS best
It is an amazing track for sure! One of his best yes, although i haven't gone through all of his dicography yet.
its a good album but he seems to be embracing modern music to much and joe walsh is under used the last track is the best track but that sounds like a utopia song but compared to most of the crap albums that pass as music today its worth buying
Todd Rundgren is way more prolific and talented than Trent Reznor not to diss Trent just putting into perspective. ∞
goldeneaglevideo Who's perspective are you talking about? And you never gave any argument to why he's more talented... He might be more prolific, but who cares about quantity over quality? Right? Maybe all of Todd's other albums are masterpieces. I haven't heard them yet, so i can't say for sure.
6 out of 10 ? No way... White Knight is nothing less than a 8,5 out of 10. It's very good.
Helios Marzal Well in my mind it's still a 6/10. But i'm glad you think it's that good! What made it so outstanding to you?
It's schockfull of hooks : no dull track. The fact that it took you so much time to get "used" to the greatness of "got your back" ( except the rapping bits that are... well, only rap and therefor dispensable, rap doesn't belong to music : it's only rap ) makes me think that your "education" makes it difficult for you to really hear TR's intrinsic sense of hooks. You don't even mention the great white soul of "Chance for us"... Also, the song with bettye Lavette is excellent ( the breaks before bettye's bits are pure TR genius ). And what about "Let's do this", classic power pop track if there ever was one ? And "Sleep" is not weird at all : it's just a great original tune that has an xtc flavor. So, as a whole, it's pop of the highest order.
Helios Marzal "Rap doesn't belong to music" - this statement makes me question your education 😂 That's such a powerful idea straight out of the blue, with no explanation at all. It's like saying "bananas are blue" without giving any context. Have you seen what's happened to music from the 80s and up untill now? Anyway... I really dig "I Got Your Back" and "Sleep" now. They really grew on me. But i'm not gonna be here to argue that my opinion is more right than yours. We all have different ways of percieving music.
Yeah, I understand that younger guys can be surprised by such a statement. Rap is not about singing, all right ? Well, if it's not about singing, it's not about music in my book. It's about rythm, if you want, but nothing more. A simple rythm is not enough to make music. Music is essentially about melodies and harmonies. Rythm is just a bed to melody. No melody, no harmony in what the guys are singing in the song we're talking about. The melodies and harmonies are brought by the keyboards and TR's singing. Those are the hooks. Not the rapping, which is absolutely dispensable. If you just listen to the rapping section, there's no song at all. If you listen to TR's section, the whole song is here.
"They really grew on me" : now you're starting to get what TR's music is about. There's no way to talk about ANY TR album without having listened to it at least 5 times. Some of them, because of their complexity can take 10 times before "getting them". That's the very reason why he's no household name. Radio DJ's can't wait that long... They need immediacy. And therefor, simplicity. From what I've seen in my music lover "career", I would say that only one out of twenty music lovers will ever get what TR's music is about.
In your "Hermit" review, you talk about "Fade Away" saying something about the drums sound. Which means you didn't listen to it enough yet. "Fade Away" is a genius song that, someday, one day, when you're older, will make you shed a tear both musically and lyrically if you're lucky enough to be one of the few people who finally get it. I recently read about an english guy who was saying it took him years before being able to understand the greatness of TR's music.
Make America Great Again!!!! Trump Forever.
Randy Potter Obvious troll?
Proud patriot.
Randy Potter How does that relate to the video though?
dude, your not even pronouncing his name right.
Ryan Gleason Sorry 😮
This is a thinly disguised paid plant. If the graphics don't give it away to you, you are willingly blind. This is straight PR, disguised as if from someone who doesn't know the band.
*In particular, watch the graphics.* No unconnected innocent little hayseed would have those.
Bill Woo I'm eager to hear any good reason for why you believe this. If Todd wanted to promote his album i think he would've chosen someone with a wider reach than me.
Todd doesn't need plants to promote his work.