Something/Anything?

I had only heard "I Saw The Light" and "Hello, It's Me" before (both great songs), but I'm actually surprised by how much I liked this album as a whole. A more diverse collection of styles than the pop ballads I had associated with him. - Fun Fact #1: Todd Rundgren played every instrument on 3/4 of the album himself until he was interrupted by an earthquake and left for New York - Fun Fact #2: The last side of the album was recorded in New York with an assortment of session musicians basically live with no overdubs - Fun Fact #3: Each side of the album has a unique name and personality: Side 1 is "A Bouquet of Ear-catching Melodies", Side 2 is "The Cerebral Side", Side 3 is "The Kid Gets Heavy" and Side 4 is "Baby Needs a New Pair of Snakeskin Boots (A Pop Operetta)" - Fun Fact #4: Todd credits his productivity creating this double album to Ritalin and cannabis. Apparently his sound changed after this album when he began experimenting with mescaline and other psychedelics. - Not So Fun Fact #1: YouTube Music only has the first half of the album, what a disgrace of a service

I don't get it, lame-ass 70s pop. This is album to listen to *after* you die.

What a slog. I had to call it at track 21. Some mix of yacht rock, parade/humor rock, and what? Slut was pretty offensive and I consider myself one. Such a monumental waste of time. God I will never do this again.

So opens with an all time classic and then is just indulgent studio wankery with no great melodies? And this guy dissed the Beatles?!

Very solid, very diverse album from a multi-instrumentalist virtuoso. Rundgren mixes R&B, soul, rock, and pop into a delightful 90-minute double album that does not wear out its welcome at all. It's astoundingly consistent in its quality despite the wide variety of styles and eclectic influences. Highly recommended.

This was pretty blah. Kind of sounded like a very good AI was asked to make non-offensive rock music

Absolutely great stuff, so layered and interesting. Loads of music reminds me of this album which i think means this album has influneced loads of people. Def can hear pet sounds influencing it though, also lots of motown in there... I dont know much about the era, and i think the beatles have the jump on him in some production techniques but this must have broken the mold/invented plenty. What a brilliant record.

Close to a 5. Great variety and interesting songwriting with non conventional chord structures

Starts off well, tails in the middle and never really recovers. I loved the harmonies and some of the first tunes, but very quickly it became so anonymous...every song a repetitive dirge of the previous. 25 songs too...you taking the piss? Least Oasis crammed 11 and a half into their 90+ minute album!

Sprawling and wonderfully indulgent. I hear flights of fancy in the instrumentation, arrangements, vocal stylings, and later in the other musicians. The "intro"-lude is a great break. It never quite flies into space, which is a shame, but always comes back to the ground, which is good. The back quarter never jumps the shark, but seems significantly looser than the rest. So far I'm enchanted but not quite in love. Future listens could temper my feelings, but for now this is just what I need.

Excellent production. Pleasant enough songs, superbly melodic with a plethora of ear worms, but can tend to lack some tangible substance. Its sheer length meant I couldn’t enjoyably listen to the album in one sitting, it took me a few days to get through which kind of broke up the flow. But honestly by that point my interest had wavered. 3/5 - Some bangers on here worth cherry picking, but probably won’t be listening to the album again any time soon.

Todd Rundgren's "Something/Anything?" is a personality-driven pop-rock mixed bag. The record sports a lot of eclectic instrumentation, like the juxtaposition of the gospel vocals and swaggering guitar lines on "Black Maria". The high-energy tracks like Wolfman Jack and Song of the Viking are also a blast, sporting Rundgren's quirky vocals and cute melodies. These qualities aren't present on every track, such as slogging ballads like "I Went to the Mirror" and "Torch Song", and some songs go on for too long for their best attributes to save them (see "The Night the Carousel Burned Down"). There's still great power-ballads and stripped-back cuts like "Dust in the Wind" and "One More Day", along with soul and jazz fusion on "Hello It's Me" and "Slut". While the duds make the 90-minute runtime feel bloated, the sonic range and charm that the record offers largely makes up for it. BEST TRACKS: Wolfman Jack, It Takes Two to Tango (This Is for the Girls), Little Red Lights, Dust in the Wind, Slut WORST TRACKS: The Night the Carousel Burned Down, I Went to the Mirror, Torch Song, Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me

I'm a day behind with listening...

This is a strange album to process through. The front six are as the album self-describes "A Bouquet of Ear-catching Melodies" that are very easy listening. The second side is described as "The Cerebral Side" and I'm not quite sure that is the best description. Unless by Cerebral he meant "I've fucked up my cerebral cortex with too much acid" which then yes I agree. There are so many mood swings in these 6 songs but yet it's still enjoyable to sit through. Until you get to the Song of the Viking which just feels like a Ringo song. And then I Went to the Mirror drags you down into the trip with him. "The Kid Gets Heavy" side is the return to rock roots if the first two sides are the weed album and the acid album respectively. It just doesn't really all flow together well. Feels a bit like the songs that couldn't fit on the other sides got thrown together with the hopes that it would work. The back seven, otherwise known as the "Baby Needs a New Pair of Snakeskin Boots (A Pop Operetta)" side was an ummm........experience. Not exactly sure why the 4th side needed to be a Pop Operetta but yet it is anyway. As a standalone album it might actually work really well, but it is just a strange way to end and album. But then again the whole album is all over the place so it is fitting. And to end your album with a song called Slut is a power move. I think the first two sides despite their weirdness sit above a 4/5 for me. But the third side sits at a 2 and the fourth a 2 in this but a 3 or 4 standalone. So I honestly don't know how to grade it.

This was really good. It was a pretty fun album, and did not feel like it was 90 minutes long.

Surprisingly (sunny why, tho – no idea why I expected what I was expecting) melodic and enjoyable. The outtakes and extras were a bit...extra. Still

It's got a song called 'slut'. However, otherwise pretty generic sounding soft rock. An unexciting 2.5

Enjoyable, middle-of-the-road 70s rock. Not planning to listen to it ever again though. This probably could have been edited down into a really good album, but as a double there's a lot here that's not essential. The awful cover of Money and the smug studio recording gag detract from the good tracks.

Something/Anything? is 65% mediocre/boring pop songs and 35% kick ass rock songs. With it being 90 minutes that makes for an excruciating listen. Feel free to just grab the best tracks and ignore the rest. Favorite Tracks: "I Saw The Light", "Wolfman Jack", "Black Maria", "Couldn't I Just Tell You", "Dust In The Wind", "Piss Aaron", "Hello Its Me", "Slut"

I recognized the first couple of songs but never thought Todd Rundgren did those songs. I always thought he was better than that. Perhaps we can attribute some of the weenieness to a poor attempt to fit in the psychedelic scene at the time. I had the 1 rating locked and loaded and then side 4 started. There are a few good rockers like Couldn’t I Just Tell You. Rick D also lays down some good ‘ole guitar on Dust … The side 4 goodness comes to a screeching halt with the next hit which is a return to hotdog songs.

I didn't have the willpower to listen to 90 minutes of Todd Rundgren, so I'll give it a 2 and move on.

I'm enjoying this so far

Wow! Great album. Every song could be a hit! Production is fantastic and the album really flows well. Gotta start listening to more Todd Rundgren I guess

Rundgren was unreal during this era of his music

Electric Light Orchestra pero más raro y particular. Todas me gustaron mucho.

A great throw back to 60s psychedelic pop and precursor to 70s pop all in one.

A rock-solid classic!! The album is stylistically diverse which is even more impressive when you know Todd played everything himself for the majority of the tracks on the album.

Vraiment un super album. 1h30 qui se passe bien. Une belle variete de chanson. Le projet es t malade. Reecoute assure. 5

I wasn't excited when I saw that this was a double album from 1972, but it's really good. Rundgren takes the listener on a journey, turning each of the four sides into its own artistic experience. It feels like an "influential" album but it's also a solid work in its own right. I like an artist that isn't afraid to eff with different genres and bring in different styles. The album art is really nice too. Also, I choose to believe that Rundgren is honouring his Swedish heritage by naming the closing track after the Swedish word for end.

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Great

Love is infectious and I was a victim The worst case you’d ever see But still I know no doctor or nurse Could cure what you gave to me. - You left me sore

Surpreendentemente bom

Oh wow this is awesome. I enjoyed it thoroughly! Infectiously catchy and feel-good without being simplistic and trite. It's so solid throughout. A bit bloated in size but there are so many highlights. The voice sounds just like Don McLean, but this music is way better than most Don Mclean stuff

Loved it!

10/10 awesome album my favorite side was probably side 2 where he has you play a game to spot all of the recording/mixing flaws throughout the songs it was genius because not only were the songs bangers I enjoyed listening to but I felt more invested because I wanted to dig deeper into the sounds overall super cool album, kinda had Elton John vibes but with more Queen style rock stuff

rose-tinted nostalgia beats. like montage music for a period movie. pleasant skits and a variety of styles keep this fresh. borderline 5 but this album left a great afterglow

Impresive and very colorfull

this was fun as fuck. probably 4 stars close to 5

One of those artists I thought I'd like if I gave them some time, and I was right. A great mixture of lovely ballads and enjoyable weirdness. I Saw The Light pips It wouldn't Have Made Any Difference to the coveted best song trophy.

In which Todd Rungdren displays his virtuosity by releasing a quadruple album, each side alone a worthy record and distinct from the others. The first side is undoubtedly the best - I’m going to make some stellar pop records, near parodying Carole King, and in twenty minutes (!) write I Saw the Light, one is the greatest tracks of the era. Second side I’m playing around with form and structure and studio effects; third side I’m making some straight up hard rock power pop classics. Oh and I’m playing all the instruments. Fourth side is live tracks in the studio and some more messing around. The guy is a one man Beatles. A freaking genius. What an achievement. Is this the first Ritalin album?

Pure auditory excellence

This strikes me as an album that has a bit of everything. At first I didn't pay much attention with the first few pop and soul songs, but it started to pick up a bit a few songs in, and the spoken word to the listener and the little game explained in Intro got my attention. After that I was pretty sold. Additionally I'm always a sucker for hearing some behind-the-scenes chatter and banter from the band, like what was in some of the later songs. (Shame Todd didn't name the album "Throw Money" in the end!) Some of the songs were weaker and weirder than others, but overall I liked this one a lot. Varied enough to never get old, despite the 88 minute runtime. Good one! Favourite: Breathless

Really liked this one. Kind of radio friendly rock in the vein of Elton John or Billy Joel. A little more mellow than both. But really enjoyable.

Fajne

Very. Good album

This is one of the albums that I always knew about but never listened to. And Todd Rundgren is one of those artists that I knew was more important that the few hits I had heard. I was excited to listen to this double album. I was not disappointed. There was a good deal of variety on this album, and it is even more impressive to think that Todd Rundgren recorded a lot of the songs alone. Really impressive. So much I loved on this.

If you asked me what 70s pop music sounded like, I'd hand you this. This is a long album and I think there are probably some songs that I could do without but there are also some real gems. I don't think I carry it in my brain all the time as such but when I listen to it, it's clear that "Hello, It's Me" is a genius pop song. I was prepared to be outraged at a track called Slut but even that was catchy and kind of pro-slut it turns out.

Another artist on my "I should really get to know their work" list. So, thank you, 1001. It was definitely worth the extended listening time today...too bad that I didn't have enough time to get two rounds in, but I will someday.

I was a little nervous about committing to a 90-minute double album, but I found it a quite interesting journey. It helped a lot to follow the album liner notes that gave a different title and feel to each of the four sides. I really enjoyed this.

I really like this album but this listen through it got a bit long - maybe could’ve been a single album. Still a soft-rock staple imo. 9/10

9/10. I knew going in that there were some classics on this one, my question was if the songs in between would hold up. In general they did, but a double album is a long time to listen to Todd Rundgren.

Really enjoyed that

Reminds me of 70's classic easy listening rock music, I like

A sprawling , varied and hilarious tour de force.

One of my all-time favorite albums. “Couldn’t I Just Tell You” is brilliant early power-pop, and the rest is clever and adventurous. This, coupled with his next album (A Wizard / A True Star), define Todd Rundgren for me.

really cool songs

This was a nice surprise, an artist I've heard of but never actually listened to. I recognized the first song when I heard it, but everything else was new to me. There is great variety on here, and a good bit of experimentation with different styles. I like that he doesn't seem to take himself too seriously as well, given the funny voice note about a quarter of the way in. I actually recognised that from "Shake A Fist" by Hot Chip, but never knew it was a sample until now. It's quite a long album, and I maybe could have done without the rock opera bit at the end, bit given I only listened to it once, I could see it growing on me. Everything else on here though was near perfect. This is exactly the type of album I was hoping to find by doing this challenge, unfortunately they are rare! 9/10

Previously rated: A Wizard, A True Star (4/5) ***************************** Like the previous album, it's an eclectic collection with good variety. He's got a great singing voice. This album even has a couple of hit songs. Didn't feel too long for a double album either. My appreciation for his music is growing. Some of it sounds a bit 70s AM easy listening, but I liked that too. Liked the humor too - I caught some of the recording problems he mentioned in Intro :)

Really wish I could have listened to this on vinyl. I think in order to get the full effect of the four distinct sections you need the physical action of flipping a disc to transition from one to the next. That said, I love some ambitious, high concept nonsense and this was a lot of fun.

cool

to be honest, i'm a todd fan. i haven't dived super deep into his greater discography, but this album is one i have loved for a long time, ever since i heard "I Saw the Light" on the radio one time and was mesmerized. i think you have to be a certain type of person to really enjoy todd and i'm that type of person. he is terrific at crafting catchy melodies and doing lots of studio wizardry. he plays most of the album himself! that is never not an impressive accomplishment, especially because YOU CAN'T TELL BY THE PLAYING. to me, this album is sort of like his version of the beatles' white album. is it overly long? yeah. is it a bit uneven? yeah. does it get kinda weird? yeah. and, like the white album, i appreciate how off kilter it is. although, still not my favorite album of his, and definitely not his most off kilter, but still very much up there for me.

Incredible (discaralhasso)

This shit rules! What a ride!

Great easy listening like Burt Bacharac

most underrated!

I grew up with Todd Rundgren (quite literally as I spent my youth in Woodstock, Bearsville, and Mink Hollow). I love this album and never tire of it. And I have to say it, Todd is God!

The best Beatles album the four never made

Awesome album

So glad this found the weirdness from Intro onwards, he was starting to lose me a bit with all the love songs. Another example of fortune favouring the patient. I Saw the Light is up there with one of the strongest album openers in history, verging on perfect song territory. I've also dipped a little into his live performances on YouTube a few times, man was wild and probably informs why I was impatient for things to get weird. It all properly kicks off from Song of the Viking eg Black Maria, Some Folks, You Left Me Sore. A rare occasion where the over 1hr run time didn't bother me, would happily have sat with it for longer. Slut is an outrageous closer. Fucking loved this - enough to dive straight into a second listen.

Wonderful album and an all time great.

Extraordinary - Rundgren plays almost all the instruments on this bad boy. He covers so much ground, and does it well (largely). And sometimes, he is through the stratosphere - "I Saw The Light" is the apogee of power pop, "Breathless" is superior Yellow Magic Orchestra, "I Went to the Mirror" is delightfully brooding - and just when you might think one power-pop classic isn't enough, "Couldn't I Just Tell You" repeats the trick. I wish I had an ounce of Rundgren's drive, restlessness and creativity.

Should be 4.5 stars, but just too long for my taste. Great old school pop music

Poprock, multiinstrumentalist, melodiøst, kærlighed, harmonier

Ranges all over. But these are the guys who did bang a drum all day. So they know how to make a pop song

I really liked this. I think I'll checkout more about Todd Rundgren

good stewfs

I'm really digging this record. Very fun!

What a down to earth human

Odd collection of what seems like love songs and experimental songs. Almost everything and the kitchen sing when it comes to recording.

bello! non tutte però fresco e ascoltabile

This is like finding a brand new shiny thing. Montage of many artists in one dude. Pretty good

Pretty fun album

Una canción sale en My Girl, I Saw the Light. Le doy un 4. Aunque igual no me gusta tanto. Es agradable.

Experimental in the best sense of the word, when new textures and sounds are in the service of great songs. In its best moments (I Saw the Light, It Wouldn't Make Any Difference, Hello It's Me, Black Maria...) takes the form of a masterpiece. A lot of content though, not always at same level, but very compensated and a necessary listening altogether

2nd album was better than the first

Poppy 70s goodness.

Very well done, variety of music.

I never knew this was a double album! Have to say I liked the first two sides way more than the rest but it's still a great body of music. It really lives up to the "catchy" billing and embodies the best of early 70s rock/pop. Will definitely be revisiting chunks of it.

yeeeees

rundgren 4/5

A tale of two halves. The first half is a really enjoyable 70s Pop-Rock album. The second half, starting with the track ‘Intro’ featuring Rundgren explaining the extra background sounds of a recorded album, then proceeds to turn into a more psychedelic rock album with some really experimental sounds. Finishing with the song ‘I Went to the Mirror’ which starts off with Rundgren mumbling most of the lyrics until the song peaks with a George Thoroughgood/ ZZ Top guitar riff to end the track. An interesting overall enjoyable experience to say the least.

Great melodies, solid voice and lines. Very classic 70s disco sound.

so how many sounds did you guys find and who is the winner??

GOOD album!

Amazing album, Rundgren is a genius.

121021 17:53 3.5

It has a character

This got pretty cool in a few spots, with some hyperpop elements thrown in. Good fun album, even thoigh im suffering a bit of fatigue from albums of this era at the moment.

I only really knew Todd Rungren from Hello - so this was a really nice education for me. I really like the “just stupid enough” lyrics for songs like Piss Aaron and Slut. Even at 90 minutes, the album did t seem to long - quality just about all the way through. Even the other Hello-ish ballads were mostly great. I also really enjoyed all the studio talk before some of the songs - especially the scavenger hunt for hissing and other evidence of “poor engineering” - really fun stuff.