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.

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

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

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.

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

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!

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

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?

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

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.

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

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.

I'm a day behind with listening...

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

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.

Every song sounded like a sitcom theme song.

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 appreciate the irony that right after I criticise Bjork for jumping from style to style, along comes one of my favourite albums which could be accused of the same thing. On Something/Anything Todd Rundgren tackles pop ballads, blue-eyed soul, Motown pastiches, blues, doo-wop, proto-metal, power-pop, prog-rock. He plays every instrument on three of the four sides, does his own backing vocals, produces and engineers it all. I'm not sure Todd gets, or ever got, the credit for the genius he is - as a songwriter, an arranger, a guitar player, producer (on the last two, listen to his Bruce Springsteen on steroids production on Bat Out Of Hell, especially when the motorbike sounds go straight into the guitar solo - all in a single take). There are some fantastic songs here - "I Saw The Light", "It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference" (listen to those lyrics about unwarranted jealousy and suspicion tearing apart a relationship), "Hello It's Me", "Dust In The Wind", "Couldn't I Just Tell You" - all classics, and we still have time for a peerless medley of blues and soul numbers which Todd obviously reveres, viking cod-operetta, humour, hard rock. But the album still feels like a whole. Each side of the original double album feels complete. An incredible album. It never fails to reveal new layers. Every listen is a joy.

Well, hey, look! It's Todd Rundgren! The man who I know best as a producer, specifically for producing what's one of my top five albums of the entire 1970's: Meat Loaf's BAT OUT OF HELL (can't wait to get to that one)! Not to mention, he also produced the first Sparks album and helped kick off that entire legacy. As it turns out he's also a musician in his own right, too. I mean, this isn't something new I just learned; I was aware of this album for a bit before I heard it for the first time last year... But yeah — he put out an album! Or, rather, four mini-ones. Y'know, the way this album's structured is actually perfect for me. See, ever since I saw this one Polyphonic video where he waxed nostalgic about vinyl, I've been listening to albums exclusively by record sides. Yes, even on streaming; I put in the work to look up beforehand what's on what side and queue 'em that way. I figured it'd be better for me to take albums in smaller chunks and consider them that way rather than tackle 'em all at once — and, yeah, it's worked out great. And this album is built especially well for that: every side is particularly well self-contained, each having its own name and conception. I mean, hell, the track titled "Intro" is seven in, as a kick-off to side two. Really, I can't think of another album that was so perfectly made for me, listening-wise. And in the spirit of this structure, I'm gonna talk about each side on its own. Just like a fellow group member of mine did, 'coz, hey, that's the best way to go, I figure. So, let's kick things off with... SIDE ONE! Sometimes I wonder what "Beatlesque" actually means. After all, The Beatles weren't beholden to just one style: they did beat music, folk, psych, good ol' rock n' roll... Heck, REVOLVER and THE WHITE ALBUM are such genre roulettes in and of themselves. I could begin to guess how "Beatlesque" is supposed to be defined. It might just be something where you know it when you hear it. Y'lnow, the likes of Electric Light Orchestra, early Bee Gees... Oh, and this. 110% this record side. It claims itself to be "A Bouquet Of Ear-Catching Melodies," and by goodness, it is. This is the kind of 70's music I find myself going the wildest for, after, like, Queen and BAT OUT OF HELL. It might just be my favorite side — and maybe that makes me basic, but I'unno. I know what I like, and damn, I like this. SIDE TWO! Here we come to "The Cerebral Side." Just judging a book by its title, I figured it'd be the one I had the hardest time with. I mean, my AuDHD ass has a hard enough time with regular lyrics as it is; you can only imagine how I deal with **cerebral** ones. Lucky for me, I hardly even register lyrics anyway unless I really wanna, so I was able to just take in the music, and... Yeah, it's still really good. I don't like it as much as the first side, 'coz this is fittingly not as poppy, but I still had a great time. Plus, hey, this side has a fun game to play, too: "spot the studio mistakes!" And I didn't play it, but, hey, I imagine it could help take a bit of the edge off the lyrics if you were the kind to pay attention to them. SIDE THREE! Oh, watch out, girlies! This is the side where "The Kid Gets Heavy!" In, like, a topical sense, I mean. I assume — again, I didn't really register them. Luckily, though, in a purely musical sense, this rivals side one in being my favorite. It might even surpass it, to be honest, 'coz while the heaviness mostly comes from the lyrics... Goodness, let's not act like the music itself is any slouch. The opener and closers go **so damn** hard. The ballads feel just so important. And right in the middle — I've heard tell about how "Couldn't I Just Tell You" was a precursor to power pop, and, woof, it's not for nothing, let me tell you. Plus, on all of this — the guitar stuff? **The guitar stuff**? Oh, goodness me. Give it to me all day. SIDE FOUR! Boy, and Side Four is the fun side if you're listening only on streaming. With a name letting you know that "Baby Needs A New Pair Of Snakeskin Boots," this is a pop operetta where the actual plot of the thing is only conveyed through the record's liner notes. Yeah, one of those deals. I went out of my way to go look them up — which isn't very hard, actually; it's just a matter of going to Discogs and squinting at slightly blurry pictures — and... Look, to be 100, they're not entirely important. At least not next to what I figure is the actual hook of this album, 'coz this is where I tell you that this is the only side where Todd didn't play and sing everything himself. Yeah, to this point he was a one-man band — and if that doesn't make everything before now more impressive, I don't know what would. And that's not to put this side down too hard; just because there's other people playing now doesn't mean it doesn't hold its own. It's just... I'unno. This is the record side that felt the longest. Not even the Cerebral felt like it was going on too long, but... I'unno. Let's just say this isn't the side I would revisit first. AND IN CONCLUSION! This is a record that takes you around and back again... But, no, seriously, I feel like the album being presented the way it is is really neat. It's basically telling you to just pick your favorite side(s) and not worry about the rest. In fact, to be honest, there's really no picks here. I mean, across the board this is the closest I've come to hearing something I'd call "classical 70's pop." And, sure, I'm not the hottest on side four, but you might think it's the best thing here. That's the joy of this thing, I figure: finding out which side speaks to you the most. It might be a bit of an investment, but it's certainly worth it. Like, if you think this album is an interminable 90-minute slog, I'd recommend giving this side-by-side approach a shot. Who knows, you might get something out of it. Or anything, anyway. And seriously, when's this randomizer gonna give us BAT OUT OF HELL? I can't overemphasize how much I'm excited to gush about this album, my goodness...

Alright, this album had me conflicted. After hearing Todd Rundgren's production work on XTC's Skylarking and Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell over the past week and a half, it felt right that I should check out his solo work. After all, I did hear two of the singles before, "I Saw the Light" and "Hello It's Me," and thoroughly enjoyed them, so I figured I would appreciate the rest of what Something/Anything? offered. Then I saw that this was a double album spanning over 90 minutes, and that worried me. I hadn't felt this daunted by such a long release from an oft-considered excellent musical genius since getting Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life as album #13 on my journey. But as I was listening through, it dawned on me - this album kept interesting throughout the whole runtime. There was no doubt about side one with the ear-catching melodies being enjoyable as Todd took influence from R&B and soul into popping compositions. But then side two opens with "Intro" where Todd gives the listener a playful and immersive explanation of improper handling of studio mixing, followed by the eclectic instrumental "Breathless". The pairing of the tracks alongside the rest of side two's experimental goodness made me realize how much of a music nerd Todd is. There's later studio banter added as well and the inclusion of live recordings of some of Todd's favorite songs on "Overture - My Roots" gives enough insight into the man's thinking as if I were sitting with him in the studio. That's a feeling I've rarely gotten on a record, certainly not to the degree of mastery this guy had. By the time I got to the end with "You Left Me Sore" and "Slut", I couldn't believe the time flew by. If you feel the need to break up your listening to this album, I completely understand. It's structured into four unique sides for a reason, back when people had to flip over vinyl onto a turntable. But there was something about Something/Anything? that was magical in how effective and endearing of a person Todd Rundgren can be.

Hier erklingt die Vielfalt: Pop, Rock, Motown, Beach Boys, songwriter, Saxophon, Gitarrensoli, Easy Listening Großartig

Loved it!

Surpreendentemente bom

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

Great

Понравился

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

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.

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

Rundgren was unreal during this era of his music

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

I'm enjoying this so far

This is annoying good, and I haven’t yet figured out the annoying part aside from the fairground music pieces, which are as atrocious as ever.

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

Well, this is the 2nd Todd Rundgren album on here, and like the first its a VERY long and VERY self-indulgent mess with supposed "funny" parts and very few tunes. General rule: if someone writes, produces and plays pretty much everything on a very long album, it's likely to be mostly poor as there is zero quality control. Between all of this and the other one there could have been a decent EP, nothing more.

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.

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"

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.

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

Well that happened!

Truly innovative in every sense, this did not feel like a double album, which is the highest praise you can get from me

ovo me oduševilo!

I was familiar with several songs though the artist's name meant nothing to me.

Somewhat bizarre, but quite fun.

This is the 89th album I’m rating. I don’t know what this is or who this is. Adding to my Playlist - I Saw the Light, It Wouldn’t Have Made any Difference, Wolfman Jack, Cold Morning Light, It Takes Two to Tango (This is for the Girls), Sweeter Memories, Breathless, The Night the Carousel Burned Down, Saving Grace, Marlene, Song of the Viking, Black Maria, One More Day (No Word), Couldn’t I Just Tell You, Little Red Lights, Overture my Roots: Money (That’s What I Want)/Messin’ with the Kid, Dust in the Wind, Piss Aaron, Hello it’s me, Some Folks is even Whiter than me, You Left me Sore, and Slut. Not Adding to my Playlist - Intro, I Went to the Mirror, and Torch Song. It Wouldn’t Have Made any Difference - This sounds very old but it has a charming quality because of it. Breathless - That intro into this song was sick but the first minute of it doesn’t sound very but that was a perfect transition. This sounds great though. Hello it’s me - I’ve heard this song before I think in That 70’s Show and I kinda hate it. All in all I liked 22/25 songs. Wow this album was fantastic. It sounded a little dated but I think it made it better. Just some fantastic songs all around I just wish he cut those songs that I didn’t like.

So good. This is the second time I've listened all the way through and liked a lot more of the deeper tracks this time. The concept is so cool, playing all the instruments, beautiful cover art, printing the vinyls in color - so many great things to love. I think it's time to delve into the rest of his work. Rating: 4.8

Having an album that's this long feel like no time has passed at the end of the track list is a genuinely impressive feat, and this record passes that test in spades. Solid 5 Stars.

I’m at a 5. I took an interesting approach to this; Todd Rundgren himself gave a little title to each side of the album, and they do feel relatively self-contained in scope, so I approached this as 4 miniature albums, as opposed to one long big one. Is that the right way to approach an album like this? Normally, probably not, but in this case, I think it really worked. Side 1, titled “A Bouquet of Ear-Catching Melodies”, comprises the first 6 tracks, and they’re a pretty damn good tonesetter. Couple of Beatles-y instrumentals / structures, lots of great vocal melodies, & ultimately, just a really fun set of tracks. Good variety too; the sadder tracks hit the sort of emotional notes they were supposed to, and for the most part, the lyricism was on point for each track. A few had broader strokes than others, but they all worked well for me. It was a good start, and probably my second favorite set on the album. Side 2 takes up tracks 7 through 13, titled “The Cerebral Side”, and I don’t think he was lying about it – a lot of those tracks required a bit more attention to the lyrics & soundscapes to properly paint the picture, but the instrumental / vocal quality was still on par with everything from the first side. I especially liked “The Night the Carousel Burned Down”, because of how effectively it used the production and sound design to get the sort of eerie mood across, while retaining the faux cheerful attitude of the carousel & midway. It’s a really nice set of tracks, though I’m not sure I liked it as much as Side 1. Side 3 is my favorite one here; only 5 tracks, 14-18, but they’re filled with some really strong guitar solos and some energetic instrumentation across the board. It’s titled “The Kid Gets Heavy”, but it was actually THAT much heavier? In the guitar sense, sure, but I’d say from a lyrical standpoint, it was more so a continuation of “The Cerebral Side”, itself already a solid continuation of the Ear-Catching Melodies. I do appreciate that this album builds on itself so nicely, though. It’s a pretty good set of tracks, & I really enjoyed them – “Couldn’t I Just Tell You” in particular feels like a slight precursor to the big power pop / power rock anthems of the 80s. Side 4, tracks 19-25, is my least favorite one here, but it’s not bad, just a little flat compared to expectations. It’s titled “Baby Needs a New Pair of Snakeskin Boots (A Pop Operetta)”, but apparently, the plot of this little operetta is stuck within the liner notes of the album, which just aren’t online from a first search, so maybe the plot was flimsy and imagined at best. I sort of see a vague line through each track, but nothing really concrete. As far as the music itself goes, it sure feels like 70s rock. The live opener to this side was a little harsh on the ears, and a few of the lyrics just felt sort of juvenile and awkward, but the musicality from the first 3 sides are intact & there is something genuinely enjoyable here. As 4 mini-albums, I’d say at the absolute worst, these are all maybe a 3.5, bare minimum. I enjoyed each side a lot, and as an entire 90 minute package, I think it’s a pretty consistent 25 tracks. There’s not a single one that felt specifically “bad” to my ears, save for maybe “Slut”, but that’s just a lyrical thing. This is probably more of a slog if you treat this as one long album, but I don’t think it’s intended in that sense. Regardless, I really liked it – it’s a 5 for me, & a really interesting way to treat a double-album experience for the 70s, with a lot of innovations & some unique production for its time.

Big fan of the talking ‘Intro’ bit - rest of it good fun, change of pace just often enough to not ~totally~ blend together Undeniable craft throughout, liked the rougher end quarter best

Felt timeless, was a real joy to listen too

I guessed the most sounds!! I win!! Ha Ha!! 5

Something/Anything? is the third solo album from Todd Rundgren, and the first to be released under his name. His first two were released under the band name "Runt," on which Rundgren played every instrument but the drums and bass. On the first three sides of double this double album, he even took on these parts. Side four is full of recordings of a session band, in the form of a "pop operetta." This album contains an incredible range of great pop sounds, in an impressive collection of styles. Rundgren shows his skills as a songwriter, musician, and producer in making an set of songs that helped define 70's pop.

That was fantastic. Oddly enough, I picked this up on vinyl years ago but this is my first listen through of the entire album. I don’t know why, but now I know I made a great choice back then.

peak

Great record when it came out! Amazing artistic accomplishment playing all the parts himself. Todd at the peak of his ability crushed it with this album! Lots of fond memories of many songs from this record.

Rundgren's “Something/Anything?” is “Stunning/Audacious!” in its melodic mastery and virtuosic variety.

Creating a song game made up of tape loops of studio recording errors is genius. The songs are great, very diverse and I'll definitely be listening again

An incredible burst of creativity. So much variety and experimentation here that I can't believe Rundgren isn't more of a household name. This album does go on for too long, sure, but I can only think of about 10 minutes of the whole record I'd be okay with cutting. The rest is just that good. Gonna be a 5, but a bit of a lower 5

Nice la bamba riff

One of the best albums of the 1970s, demonstrating Todd's genius and versatility.

Отличная музыка, классно легла на новогоднее настроение. За окном шел снег и было очень уютно и приятно слушать этот альбом дома!

Soft five. This album had a few of tracks that I liked, but also a lot that I didn't care for. It feels like it falls off pretty heavy at the end. That said, I loved the instrumentals, and for the most part enjoyed the vocal work. The first 4 songs were the best and my faves. The others were a mixed bag of good and decent.

This is an album I've listened to countless times and somehow I still hear new things and different songs strike me differently. Rundgren played everything on the first 3/4 of the album, and the final side's live free-for-all is a welcome rowdy endcap to the proceedings. I know it's a lot — any double album is — but this one is excellent from beginning to end. It's maybe really a 4.5, but it gets the 5 for its slow burn and enduring brilliance.

At nearly an hour and a half, this album feels incredibly long. You could probably condense it down by at least 30 minutes and it would really be amazing. Even still, there are so many good songs on this record, it makes it easy to look past the fat. The 6 songs on Side 1 are excellent. Those harmonies in Wolfman Jack get me every time. Side 2 is a little slow with the ballads, the best being Saving Grace, but still holds together as a detour through that part of Rundgren’s repertoire. Side 3 is sort of a mix of rockers and ballads, and probably a close second best after Side 1. Couldn’t I Just Tell You is pure power pop gold. Side 4 is probably the most befuddling, with some real oddities and live runs, and the reworking of Hello It’s Me mixed in. Dust In the Wind is a surprising country gospel vibe. Overall, despite the length, this is undoubtedly Todd Rundgren’s masterwork, and the forefather of so much good power pop and ballad driven rock.

As far as I can tell, the only thing Todd Rundgren can do wrong is sometimes be a little bit longwinded and a little bit quirky. And, as someone who has issues being brief and/or staying serious herself, that makes me feel deeply seen. Even at its goofiest, even at its nerdiest, and even at its most verbose, Something/Anything? is a goddamn masterpiece. From the ballads – some of which may be the greatest songs ever written, like “Hello, It’s Me” – to its experimental Tin Pan Alley pisstakes, Rundgren is always a positive light and a fun musical companion. The fact that there’s nerdy shit like “Intro” on here just warms my heart!! Honestly, it’s not made for single-sitting listen; I immediately got the vibe that I should digest it as 4 brief EPs, and that made for an even better listening experience. I also think it’s an ideal record to shuffle, which just goes to show how ahead of his time Rundgren is on this album. Something/Anything? is a masterpiece, a no-skip, and dare I say the 2nd best double album ever made, second only to Songs In The Key Of Life. And I don’t give a fuck what anyone has to say about “Piss Aaron,” damnit!!!

5/5

Definitely the most pleasantly surprising album I've heard so far. I didn't expect it to have so much musical depth - it's catchy, rocking, heartfelt, goofy, and well done. I wasn't the biggest fan of the live D side, but there's more than enough here for someone to enjoy something. A great and very entertaining listen that kept me engaged the whole time

Occasionally profoundly, almost obnoxiously irritating, but also brilliant and weird and creative and totally unlike anything before or since. Loved "I Went to the Mirror."

Great album that is timeless! Majority by Todd alone, must listen!!!!!

Great album, feels like the american Elton John.

Something/Anything? I’m aware of Todd Rundgren as a singer, songwriter and producer and I’m aware of this album, but I’ve never listened to it. This how you fucking do power pop yacht rock though. Catchy, groovy, infectious, accessible, playful, middle of the road in the best way possible. I love that the sides are all themed. Side 1 is great ‘ear catching melodies’ indeed, and in particular the first 3 songs are pop perfection, from the soft rock I Saw the Light, to the melancholic It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference to the soul pop of Wolfman Jack. Love Sweeter Memories too. Breathless on Side 2 is really interesting, a kind of proto-electronic percussion. Saving Grace is very nice on this side too, and I Went to the Mirror is fantastic, a kind of 3am vibe mashed up with some heavier guitar, presaging the next side. Black Maria is a great bit of psychedelic pop rock, I really like the slightly distant sounding vocals. Couldn’t I Tell You is just great, a superb bit of power pop, it sounds like the Cars or some of those 80s bands, love it. Dust in the Wind is superb, and I like the fact that Side 4 is band performances, it definitely has a different feel to the other sides, although with the same soft rock feel. Hello it’s Me is great for that 70s feel. I like the blue eyed soul of Some Folks is Even Whiter Than Me and the easy feel of You Left Me Sore (even though I presume it’s about an STD). Slut is probably the only misstep on the album, with its slightly problematic lyrics. Some tracks are definitely lightweight compared to others, but I think in a good way, not filler but little amuse bouche between the weightier songs. He’s kind of like a cross between Macca and Harry Nilsson, with a nice amount of the latter’s offbeat wryness. There’s also lots of Macca-esque melodies and the same sense of musical facility, that he just naturally tosses out great melodies and songs with ease. I loved this, even though its 90 minutes it never felt like a slog, there’s a deftness and lightness to it that helps it skip along and its really well sequenced. It sounds great too, that pre digital 70s warmth, depth and clarity. Feel like I’m going to listen to this a lot. Not always keen on giving 5 to albums I have heard for the first time, but this is a super bit of 70s pop. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I really liked this - a lot of fun. A bit of a hodgepodge of tracks, but in a good way, like Harry Nilsson. Fave Tracks: I Saw The Light, It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference, Intro, Hello It's Me 4.5/5

God created Carole King, and she was good. So he created male Carole King. And he was good

5/5. Progressive in my albums I need to listen to. Yes please! I love the fact that throughout this album, they are separated neatly into categories and it creates a nice flow of listening, like putting on different albums throughout the listening experience. The 3rd side where it "gets heavy" is not that heavy but it is still great listening. It's an awesome album and I am excited to explore more with each listen! Best Song: It Wouldn't Have Made A Difference, Marlene, Little Red Lights, Dust In The Wind

really good! it was a really fun album

Legendary. A musical genius, still at it. Plus...50+ year old hit songs!

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.

Wonderful album and an all time great.

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.

Awesome album

The best Beatles album the four never made

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!

most underrated!

Great easy listening like Burt Bacharac

This shit rules! What a ride!

Incredible (discaralhasso)

cool

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.

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 :)

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

really cool songs

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.

A sprawling , varied and hilarious tour de force.

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

Really enjoyed that