Something/Anything?

Playing all the instruments himself is quite the feat pulling it off rather well!

25 songs and only 2 hits. This album should have been edited down to 8 songs and it still would have felt like a drag to listen to and the length too long. Double albums almost never work. Yet again here is another example.

Favorite Song: I Saw the Light

this was very good far too long though (i suppose that’s to be expected of a double album but he could’ve cut some material)

Inconnu au bataillon, c'est la première fois que j'écoute cet artiste. Et franchement, même si c'était pas extrêmement original, c'était quand même une écoute très agréable, en dépit de la durée excessive de l'album. C'est d'ailleurs ma principale interrogation : pourquoi c'est si long ? Musicalement, c'est pas quelque chose qui prend son temps, c'est majoritairement des titres assez courts et efficaces, rien qui justifie de faire aussi long, surtout qu'à l'époque, ça impliquait d'imprimer un double vinyle. Cela dit, il faut reconnaître qu'à la fin, j'étais pas lassé du tout, j'étais même assez content de mon écoute.

So much better than the other one 3.9

i don't understand the mindset of a person who has the audacity to record a 90 minute album but then produce something that is so safe. for the most part it's not even that this is actively bad, most of it hovers around Perfectly Fine, and occasionally even good, but there's not something that is binding this together beyond ego to make its length feel warranted. this is a double album split into four distinct segments, so a quadruple EP if you will. that's quite tiresome. capstone it all with a song that is just rank misogyny. a shame when it opens well, the only saving grace.

Hey do you wanna listen to 70s pop for an hour and a half? 25 whole tracks of it? Listen I hate to rate down an album solely for being a double album, but when sitting down and taking it in as an album listening experience its hard to ignore when the album wears out its welcome so long before the end of the runtime. None of the songs here are all that bad, in fact I do like most of them. But as the album goes on I can't help but feel that the album carries the vibe of listening to a crappy sirius FM "70s radio" at 3am in the morning. It's just all very uniform and samey with the every now and again "huh this ones quite good". Breathless sounds very ahead of the times for a 70s album, I saw the light is pretty fun, I like the sound of Black maria a lot. As the album goes on though, it feels increasingly like its playing into the "lame 70s" trope with songs like Marlene, Torch Song, The night the Carousel Burned down and Hello It's me. Overall the bad overtakes the good and by the end it becomes an exhausting slog to get through.

I Saw the Light 3.8 It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference 3.5 Wolfman Jack 3.7 Cold Morning Light 3.2 It Takes Two to Tango (This Is for the Girls) 3.5 Sweeter Memories 3.4 Intro n/a Breathless 3.2 The Night the Carousel Burned Down 3 Saving Grace 3.3 Marlene 3.2 Song of the Viking 3.3 I Went to the Mirror 3 Black Maria 3.5 One More Day (No Word) 3.2 Couldn't I Just Tell You 3.4 Torch Song 3.2 Little Red Lights 3.5 Overture-My Roots 2.8 Dust in the Wind 3.3 Piss Aaron 3.4 Hello It's Me 3.4 Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me 3.6 You Left Me Sore 3.4 Slut 3.5 Score: 3.345833333

I knew only the first song on this album. Most songs are easy listening however have to question some of the experimental songs in "Cerebal" section. Overall okay for back ground listening but did drag on at times.

I just didn’t quite vibe with this. Very long, didn’t love how much it leant towards 70s easy listening/pop, which is not a preferred genre for me

That was a rather insipid album. Nothing I need to ever hear again.

For the most part, I liked this album a lot, and was previously familiar with only about three of the songs. My only complaint is that it just got too long, and in my opinion would have benefited from some editing out of a few of the weaker songs. In any event, it gets four stars from me.

Too many songs to be a 4 but there are some 5star worthy stretches in this album.

too much happening for me, prefer the slower tracks

70er-Jahre-„Nicht-Meins“

Ein Album seiner Zeit aber ein vielseitiger Musiker

Meh

This was very bland. Peripherally aware of his name, don’t know any of the songs here. I read about how groundbreaking he was on this album but I just can’t find it. And it doesn’t even have the benefit of nostalgia to me.

Not a Rundgren fan but I love “hello, it’s me.” And it reminds me of this movie Duets from 2000 with Paul Giamatti, Huey Lewis and Gwenyth Paltrow. Giamatti’s character covers Hello it’s Me - classic movie

3.5/5 Pretty good, I think Az will like Intro, otherwise relatively unremarkable but pretty decent music. No plans for the playlists.

enjoyed, but the big hits are still my faves. I did like Slut, though.

I love Todd and this has his two best songs on it, but this shit's just too long.

My mind somehow confused Todd Rundgren with Tom Waits. So I was bracing myself for a double album of Tom Waits. What came out of my speakers was so gentle and un-TomWaitsy that I got confused and immediately took to the internet to figure out who Todd Rundgren is. (He is not Tom Waits.) The Life Lesson here is to always expect Tom Waits. It will make the actual experience (whatever it is) so much better.

Wow. Such an amazing album. I was prepared for this album to have some filler tracks, but it really didn’t at all. The whole album is such a cohesive masterpiece where each song brings something to the table. Just amazing! As for my favorites on the album, I really enjoyed the entirety of sides one and four. Each side was very interesting throughout, and had some really great songs. My personal favorites are “I Saw the Light,” “Dust in the Wind,” and “Slut,” however, there are many more. As for sides two and three, each maintained a similar sound throughout. For the first listen, I enjoyed it, but I can’t wait to listen to it again. Upon a second listen, the tracks will stand out more to me. My favorite song out of these tracks was “Couldn’t I Just Tell You.” Such an amazing album. I can’t wait to listen again!

Cool soft rock

Surprisingly good. Really enjoyed it. Some songs aged not as gracefully but for the most part it's really quite solid. Really fun, catchy and interesting 70s era pop that is obviously a hallmark, or cornerstone, for the music we're accustomed to today. Not to say Todd Rundgren has been a visionary of what we know as music now, but it still is quite nice. Bit on the longer side with 25 songs but there were few songs I didn't like. Highlights: I Saw the Light, Wolfman Jack, It Takes Two to Tango, Little Red Lights, Hello It's Me 3.5 out of 5

In some ways it's fairly standard pop rock of the 70s, but in other ways it is surprisingly experimental and strange. I'd say 2.5, but the mix of pretty pop and strangeness brings it up to 3.

First 4 tracks were solid it just went stale after that for me.

Surprising refreshing.

Mais um dia com um álbum meia bomba

good old rock n roll from the US of A. Actually not bad

Most double albums can feel like a bit of a slog, and Something/Anything? unfortunately falls into that category for me. There is no doubt that Todd Rundgren is incredibly talented, and you can hear the ambition all over this record. With 25 tracks there is a huge amount going on, shifting between pop, rock and more experimental moments. The harmonies are strong, particularly early on, and there are some interesting musical changes that show just how capable he is as a songwriter and producer. The problem is simply the length. At over two dozen songs it feels far longer than it needs to be. For me the album would be much stronger if it had been cut down significantly. After the opening stretch the songs start to blur together and it becomes repetitive rather than engaging. In My Eyes is a fantastic opener and sets the album off brilliantly, but from there it gradually loses momentum. The intro sections and some of the instrumental pieces feel unnecessary and add to the sense that the record could have been edited down into a far tighter and more impactful album. Favourite song: I Saw the Light Least favourite song: The introductory segments and instrumental passages that slow the album down Album artwork: I love the cover. Bright, memorable and very much of its era

After the first half of this long album I was not expecting anything anymore and was 100% just background noise to get it done. Then suddenly there was one positive surprise in the form of Little Red Lights that did light the mood up a little bit. Sadly it was the only lift up I felt during the album. I didn't hate it but felt that it lacked variety to justify the length.

I didn't make notes as I went with this one, so I've entirely lost track of which track was which... I enjoyed this one quite a lot, there's a decent amount of variety musically - I think the list of genres shows that too, there's some experimentation and unconventional stuff thrown in amidst the more traditional pop rock. I didn't think any of it was bad - Todd's voice is fairly good, and I'm really impressed that three quarters of the album is a solo effort, with Todd doing all of the (multi-layered) vocals and instrumentation. It's genuinely very cool. This album didn't blow my mind, and I don't think it did anything too crazy, but considering it's from '75, it's (almost entirely) a one-man album, and I literally didn't dislike a single song, I think I'm going to be generous and go with a 4. Definitely deserves a place on this list.

This album had me questioning if it was ever going to do Something/Anything. After an hour of nothing "Little red lights" was pretty good. Overture sounds like a demo but I love that shit/ High 2. Too long and aside from the above 2 songs didn't do anything to standout.

4 stars. 5 stars if it was a little trimmed down. 2 amazing songs on this one.

LOVE

Several incredible pop gems surrounded by an overindulgent mess.

This was an interesting addition. Being a double album, it was a bit long, but I dig the story of self recording 3/4 of the album himself.

This was a good listen. It wasn’t perfect and at times it lost its cohesiveness but there were a lot of songs I enjoyed on here to make up for it. Also Hello It’s Me is a bonafide classic in every aspect.

Not as weird as his other album which I prefer. Still, not bad. I like the interlude with the "game" This album seems very spirited by a very young-man-happy-go-lucky-hopeless-romantic type of energy. Very 70's

Well, this is a fun little double album. Gets better as it goes along, for the most part. My first taste of full-on Rundgren. I'm ready for more. Good stuff.

If they edited it down to a single album it could have been truly great.

There is a bit of everything on this. There is songs that remind me of 80s American TV shows and some great guitar bangers. Such an eclectic mix.

Hated it. First DNF - just soppy love ballads, don't understand what people get from it. Two discs of the same song... just really not great.

Todd Rundgren is a genius and overrated at the same time

It was pretty good, nice and chill, but it wasn't like, amazing or anything.

pretty nice

i usually hate long albums because theyre very repetitive and boring in general but this.. lyrics are super creative and time to time funny, it creates a very great atmosphere and is simply fun to listen to. i finished it in two days and it didnt bore me at all. it represents 70s chill rock albums very beautifully. the first song is one of my favorites and others are just as smooth. LOVE THIS!!

It was okay

I'll search for detailed information about Todd Rundgren's "Something/Anything?" album to provide you with a comprehensive review. Based on my research, I can now provide you with a comprehensive in-depth review of Todd Rundgren's **"Something/Anything?"** (1972). --- ## Overview "Something/Anything?" is Todd Rundgren's third solo album and his true breakthrough—a sprawling double album that established him as one of the most versatile and innovative artists of the 1970s. Released in February 1972, it peaked at #29 on the Billboard charts and spawned his only Top 10 hit with "Hello It's Me." The album is famously structured into four distinct sides, each with its own character and subtitle, showcasing Rundgren's refusal to be pigeonholed into any single genre. --- ## The Four Sides: Structure & Musical Diversity ### **Side One: "A Bouquet of Ear-Catching Melodies"** This side establishes Rundgren's pop mastery. It opens with **"I Saw the Light,"** written in just 15-20 minutes—a fact Rundgren later cited as evidence of its "string of clichés," though critics have defended its construction as a well-crafted "moment of truth" tale about hesitant love finally realized through eye contact. The side continues with the mood-shifting **"It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference"** (a piano-based breakup song exploring trust and jealousy), the hard R&B of **"Wolfman Jack"** (where Rundgren manipulated tape speed to make his backup vocals sound female), and the controversial **"It Takes Two to Tango (This Is for the Girls)"** about casual sex and misunderstandings. ### **Side Two: "The Cerebral Side"** Perhaps better described as "whimsical," this side opens with the spoken-word **"Intro"** (a tour of studio recording challenges) before diving into **"Breathless,"** an instrumental showcase of electronic instruments featuring a mid-piece shift to electronic mariachi set to "La Bamba" chords. **"The Night the Carousel Burned Down"** is a cinematic masterpiece—Rundgren's "first movie score"—that uses tape speed manipulation and channel panning to simulate a carousel spinning out of control into fire. The side ends with the Gilbert & Sullivan-esque novelty **"Song of the Viking"** and the disturbing **"I Went to the Mirror,"** a "slow-release freakout" depicting real-life psychological horror. ### **Side Three: "The Kid Gets Heavy"** This is where Rundgren's rock credentials shine. **"Black Maria"** is a blues-rock powerhouse featuring his first extended guitar solo on the album, with dramatic soft-to-loud dynamics and disciplined panning. **"One More Day (No Word)"** shifts to emotional heaviness—three stories of people waiting in limbo (a soldier, a field worker, a separated lover) united by the heartbreaking fade: *"Doesn't anybody know I'm alive?"* The side's centerpiece, **"Couldn't I Just Tell You,"** is widely considered the prototype for power pop—featuring raw vocals, an economical guitar solo, and one of the best acoustic guitar breakdowns ever recorded. It only reached #95 as a single, a commercial injustice that critics still lament. ### **Side Four: "Baby Needs a New Pair of Snakeskin Boots (A Pop Operetta)"** The most divisive side, recorded with session musicians in New York and Los Angeles rather than Rundgren's one-man-band approach. It opens with archive recordings of his teenage bands, then moves through the R&B/gospel **"Dust in the Wind"** (written by future Utopia member Mark Klingman), the juvenile comedy of **"Piss Aaron,"** and finally the lush remake of **"Hello It's Me"**—transformed from the Nazz's "dirge-like" original into a perfect pop song about the messy ambiguity of breakups. The album closes with **"Slut,"** a sleaze-rock celebration of sexual liberation that releases all the swagger pent up through the previous 80 minutes. --- ## Lyrics & Themes Rundgren's lyrics range from deliberately clichéd pop constructions to deeply personal and experimental narratives: **Love and Relationships:** From the instant recognition of connection in "I Saw the Light" to the confused, hedging breakup in "Hello It's Me," Rundgren explores romantic dynamics with unusual honesty. "It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference" acknowledges that "you can't have love without trust and vice versa," while "Could've I Just Tell You" captures vulnerability through its famous false-start opening ("Mother of god! Take two"). **Sexual Politics:** The album is unflinching about sexuality—from the defensive narrator of "It Takes Two to Tango" to the ethical-slut celebration of "Slut." Some tracks haven't aged well; **"Marlene"** (about a 17-year-old girl) makes modern listeners uncomfortable with lines like "Then I don't care if they bust me." **Social Commentary:** "One More Day (No Word)" offers empathetic portraits of isolation and economic anxiety. "Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me" tackles racial identity with uncertain but energetic conviction. **Absurdist Humor:** "Song of the Viking," "Piss Aaron," and the studio chatter throughout Side 4 display Rundgren's willingness to undercut his own artistry with comedy. --- ## Production & The DIY Revolution The album's most celebrated achievement: **Rundgren performed all instruments and vocals on the first 18 tracks (Sides 1-3).** This was recorded primarily at I.D. Sound in Los Angeles (not mostly at home, as some myths suggest), with only three songs and some overdubs done at his home studio in Nichols Canyon. **Production Techniques:** - **Tape manipulation:** Speed changes to alter vocal pitches ("Wolfman Jack"), simulate carousel motion, and create psychedelic effects - **Panning and placement:** Meticulous stereo field arrangement, particularly on "Breathless" - **Electronic experimentation:** Early use of the Putney VCS3 synthesizer - **Controlled chaos:** The "live" feel of Side 4 with intentional false starts and studio chatter However, the one-man-band approach had limitations. Critics have noted that Rundgren's drumming could be "hit-or-miss"—particularly on tracks like "Cold Morning Light" where rhythmic shifts from straight time to waltz tempo caused timing issues. His tendency toward busy arrangements sometimes cluttered songs that needed economic simplicity. --- ## Influence & Legacy "Something/Anything?" stands as a **landmark in DIY recording history**—not because it inspired immediate imitation (the number of non-punk DIY recordings in the following 25 years remained small), but because it demonstrated that complex, sophisticated arrangements could be achieved outside traditional studio structures. **Artists Influenced:** - **Prince:** An avowed Todd fan who followed the one-man-band model - **The Lemon Twigs:** Their rock opera *Go To School* was directly inspired by Rundgren's catalog - **Power pop pioneers:** "Couldn't I Just Tell You" essentially invented the genre template - **Home recording artists:** While Steve Jobs and GarageBand ultimately democratized DIY production more than any musician, Rundgren proved the concept was viable for complex pop music The album made Rundgren a superstar, but he immediately abandoned its commercial formula for the experimental *A Wizard, A True Star* (1973), deliberately shedding half his audience. As he later explained: *"I had the advantage, being a record producer, of not having to link my commercial success with my artistic explorations."* --- ## Pros | Strength | Details | |----------|---------| | **Unprecedented diversity** | Pop, rock, R&B, soul, progressive, electronic, novelty, and experimental—all executed with competence | | **DIY achievement** | One man playing all instruments on 18 tracks with professional polish was revolutionary in 1972 | | **Power pop blueprint** | "Couldn't I Just Tell You" defined a genre that would influence decades of guitar-pop | | **Production innovation** | Tape manipulation, synthesizer use, and stereo panning were ahead of their time | | **Emotional range** | From genuine vulnerability to absurdist humor, often within the same song | | **Structural ambition** | The four-sided concept with distinct moods keeps the 90-minute runtime engaging | | **"Hello It's Me"** | The remake transformed a dirge into one of pop's most perfect breakup songs | --- ## Cons | Weakness | Details | |----------|---------| | **Inconsistent quality** | At 25 tracks across 90 minutes, not every song justifies its inclusion ("Piss Aaron," "Torch Song") | | **Rhythmic limitations** | Rundgren's drumming could be stiff or misaligned on complex tempo shifts | | **Overarrangement** | Tendency to clutter songs with too many elements when simplicity would serve better | | **Problematic content** | "Marlene" (statutory rape themes) and "Piss Aaron" (juvenile bullying humor) haven't aged well | | **Side 4 drop-off** | The session-musician tracks lack the energy and commitment of the one-man-band performances | | **Filler material** | The teenage band archive recordings feel like padding | | **Lyrical clichés** | Rundgren's admitted reliance on "moon/June/spoon" rhyming in places | --- ## Verdict "Something/Anything?" is not a perfect album, but it is a **remarkable and necessary one**. It captures an artist at the precise moment of achieving commercial viability while possessing absolute creative fearlessness. The flaws—rhythmic hesitations, occasional overproduction, juvenile humor—are the human mistakes of an honest effort, making Rundgren more accessible than the polished rock stars of his era. The album functions as both **a farewell to traditional pop stardom** and **a gateway to progressive possibilities**. It proved that one person could be a "one-man radio station," reflecting the diverse programming of 1960s-70s FM radio while anticipating the genre-fluid future of popular music. For listeners willing to accept that "the sum is better than the parts," it remains one of the most unique listening experiences in rock history—a double album where you genuinely don't know what's coming next, yet can't bring yourself to change the station. **Essential Tracks:** "I Saw the Light," "It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference," "Couldn't I Just Tell You," "Black Maria," "Hello It's Me," "The Night the Carousel Burned Down"

me hizo acordar a elton john tiene un par de temas con una guitarra interesante, pero en general no me termina de gustar xq me da la impresión que es bastante comercial y romanticon

A little bit of Queen, a little bit of old times dirtiness, both in jokes and sounds, generally a good experience and finally not a mid album, It's actually good, cool, thank you. Also a little bit of classic prog rock, aswell as very avant-gardish take on the stuff like spoken word. Also... SLUT.

Opens with the hit single "I Saw the Light" which I vaguely remember. But on the whole I found the album rather boring - it might have been cutting-edge back in the early 1970s, but it sounds a bit jaded now.

Bland.

Oh, fuck me. 90 minutes of 70s easy listening pablum? No thanks. I jumped around a bit to try different songs and they all sucked hairy coconuts.

This is pretty peak 70s light rock - at least sides 1,2 & 4. I liked that he had a different theme on each record side. It's impressive he recorded 3/4 of this by himself. All that said, while I generally was fine with the experience, it didn't convert me to a follower.

I like Rundgren when he decides to rock: Wolfman Jack, Couldn't I Just Tell You, and Slut were excellent. (And see especially the amazing Open My Eyes from his previous band Nazz.) As for the rest, some of the Carole King-ish stuff, like the opening track, was okay, but not really my bag. Didn't like most of the rest much, although Rundgren was clearly talented and had an impressive range. Too much experimental meandering for my taste, and it was too long.

3/5 - This was better than I expected, despite being obviously self-indulgent and overly long. The second half finally started to move me with more rock, and the whole thing felt like a tour of early 70s music across multiple styles with some solid production skill by Rundgren. Aside: I'll bet Tom Scholz listened to "Couldn't I Just Tell You" more than few times.

And I was left speechless.

An "interesting" historical document at least, and from that perspective I suppose I'm reasonably happy this is on the list. But it's dated and far too long, obviously. I see this mainly as a representation of all the odd appearances on Top of Pops repeats from the early 70s by artists that you have absolutely no recollection of ever existing. And which sound terrible with modern ears. There are exceptions of course (Fox mainly), but there was some absolutely shite in the charts at that time. And this represents much of that quite nicely. It has merit on the list, which saves it from a panning. But it's really, really dated.

Not my thing

I liked this album. I didn't realize this was Todd who sang, "I Saw The Light." This album hit all the right nerves for me.

achei melhor do que o outro desse que passou por aqui gostosinho de escutar

powerpopzão da massa com um leve toque de glam em alguns momentos menos experimental e maluco que o outro dele que passou por aqui. esse eh mais coeso, numa proposta mais palpável pro público. bem divertidinho, achei massa

Låååååång! Massor med låtar och en hel del skips för min del. Gillade I saw the light och några till men inte riktigt min grej. Lite tråkig...

This was a bit of a rollercoaster ride. At first I was extremely skeptical. A double album of seventies blues rocks did not appeal. It sometimes feels like there are more seventies blues rock albums by bearded men on this list than the total number of albums by women. Then I grudgingly had to admit that there was more interesting stuff going on with the production and musical styles than I'd expected. Then he started singing about loving teenage girls and calling women sluts.

I had a fine time. Cross between the Eagles, Beejees, Cat Stevens, Jackson Brown, etc

Sounds very 60s but just kinda keeps going

Not sure why, but this just doesn’t do (something/) anything for me. The same is true for all the Todd Rundgren albums I’ve listened to for this project. They just feel generic and unremarkable. Also, I’m annoyed to have gotten several extra-long albums this past week, none of which I’ve especially enjoyed. A spiteful 2.5

2 stars Double album of mostly lounge music. Often uninteresting and at times annoying. Side D could have been scrapped all together and could have easily been a mediocre single LP rather than a frustrating double. There were moments of interest (good instrumentation on “Little Red Lights” and a decent opening ditty), but I’d never sit through this album in its entirety again.

It was pleasant, not particularly memorable

It’s nice for Todd that he got to indulge himself in the studio. Not so good for the listener though. He could have done with some supervision. This just doesn’t engage me at all. I was willing if to be over. And some of the lyrics are questionable. Not feeling it

So generic and boring. Way too many songs on this album

Dope

/Nothing

Butt

Eerste 2 nr aardig. Rest niet mijn ding

It's aight, kinda steely dan but not quite Will I listen to again: 6%

This is my second Todd Rundgren album in a week. The previous one (A wizard. a true star) slightly surprised me - it was better than I expected, more psychedelic and adventurous. This album though, is full-on hyper-boring soft rock. It's so faint and inoffensive that is almost becomes offensive. And "Slut" - what's that about? I'll give a 2 because I keep my 1's for music I dislike AND wasn't even written by the artist themselves. At least these songs are of the artist's own doing, and musically it's played well, he sings in tune etc. Definitely on my "must not hear before I die" list.

I really hate this. Like, a lot. I’m not sure if it deserves a 1 star or a 2 star rating, but I know I’m mad that I had to listen to it, so fuck this album.

au début, j’étais sûre que j’allais aimer ça. mais plus je l’écoute, moins j’aime ça. au final, c’était pas mémorable

Some good songs but a bit meandering. LP side 2 intros sound weird on streaming.

Felt very long and very disjointed often. The music for the most part wasn't bad per say but it felt like there was a lot of filler and that the quote from the album itself that it should have been named "throw/money" instead felt a bit like the quality wasn't in the high seat Stamdouts Slut 3/5

Very enjoyable album.

Started with the best song then just got worse and kept on going and going

Starts brilliantly with I Saw the Light. What a song. Then it becomes a bit tiring. It's a very long album and not all songs are standouts. Still great song arrangements, harmonies, and great r&b, 70s soft rock, sophistirock and soul influences.

I’ve heard of Todd Rundgren my whole life. I remember reading about him in rock magazines growing up, more so as a producer. It seems he was huge in the 70s, quit making music, and became a producer of some renown. It’s weird how someone can be one of the biggest acts in the world for like 5-7 years, then disappea,r and no one can say they’ve ever heard a song by them 20 years later. This is a double album, by the way. I doubt I’m going to track by track this sucker, though I may for songs that especially hit the earholes. Track 1, I Saw the Light, I have heard before, but I swear I thought it was a Carole King song. Apparently, Rundgren has a very high-pitched voice and sounds very similar to Carole King. At least in several song on this album. This sounds like perfect 1970s AM Gold-type yacht rock. Track 2, It’s Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference, has a similar vibe to track 1, but is more mellow. It’s good stuff. It puts me right back in the 70s, at least what flashes I can capture in my mind’s eye from a decade I was only alive in for six years. The production is very smooth. Rundgren knew how to craft a song. Track 3, Wolfman Jack, another very Carole Kingish song. The song is about the famous pirate radio DJ Wolfman Jack. No one under the age of 50 knows who I’m talking about. This is a very 50s pop song, almost Motown-like. It’s good. No bad songs yet. Track 6, Sweeter Memories, is the first slow ballad, and it’s a great song. It’s got some great guitar work, and a bed of organs is holding it up. Still could be a Carole King song, but this would not be how she’d arrange it. By the way, I found out later that Carole King’s first album came out a mere months before Rundgren’s, so it wasn’t like he was copying her. He did like her music, but hated that he was kind of written off by some as just being the male Carole King. Later in the album, he would put that comparison to rest. Okay, now Todd’s ego is taking over as track 7 is called Intro and it’s Rundgren explaining that he’s created a game called “Sounds of the Studio.” So, Rundgren shows different ways a producer can screw up an album and asks the listener to find different examples of those screwups in their favorite albums. I assume he’s trying to tell us that his album is produced perfectly and will not have any of those screwups. Brilliant, Todd. You showed us. Track 8, Breathless, is an instrumental. It’s kind of in the same style as the rest of the album, though it’s more synth-driven. This album came out in 1972, I’d think many bands or artists weren’t that into synths, beyond Kraftwork and Pete Townsend, but I could be wrong. It’s alright. At the time, it might have been a wonder, but it’s nothing incredible. I would later read Rundgren was a bit of an inventor, of sounds and equipment. He was an early adopter of the synths. Track 9, Saving Grace, begins with some kind of demon yelling at you. It really caught me off guard. Then, Saving Grace is another Carole King-ish song. Again, none of these songs are bad. In fact, they sound amazing. They just don’t make me jump out of my chair to dance or to just bask in the originality. Something is missing for me. I would later decide I was just in a bit of a sour mood, because I listened again and loved these songs. Track 13, I Went to the Mirror, started out with just a piano, but weird sounds kept popping up throughout until it ended in a pretty cool little blues rock jam with some great soloing on the guitar. Good Lord, I’m just at track 14, Black Maria, though it sounds like he’s pronouncing it Mariah. I’ve got 11 more to go. Ugh. But, wait a minute….this song is a jam. It’s about a devil woman who destroyed Todd’s heart, it seems. Good stuff. It’s definitely a more rock sound. It gives me Bridge of Sighs by Robin Trower vibes. Well, well, Rundgren is playing all the instruments on this track. It may be my favorite on the album so far. I later read that the album is broken up into four distinct sides. The first side is ear-catching melodies, side 2 is the more thoughtful side, side 3 is heavier songs and side 4 is a pop operetta. Track 15, One More Day (No Word), is giving me country vibes, at least during the chorus. No idea why, as I’ve never heard a country song use a clavinet. Though it has a definite southwestern feel to the groove. Interesting song. Maybe the second of the double album is where Rundgren really starts experimenting. Ooh, Track 16, Couldn’t I Just Tell You, is very cool, very Cheap Trick-like. I love Cheap Trick, just good old-fashioned pop rock. Great rock singing, with good backing vocals and a nice melody. I know I was talking about how this album wasn’t anything special and I was just not into it, but…….This song, on second, third, fourth, and fifth listening, gets better every time. This song should have been a huge hit. I think it could be if it were released today. Track 17, Torch Song, is a slow piano ballad, but I love it. It’s the notes. It reminds me of a Who song, which is the reason I love it. It’s just a great sad song. Now we have some slide guitar string bending, what is this?!? Track 18, Little Red Lights, is great. It sounds like KISS. This song is nasty. It’s another that has the same feel as Bridge of Sighs. Great guitar work. Again, it’s Rundgren playing all the instruments. Now, I’m to side 4 and Track 20, Dust in the Wind, is a beautiful song. Love, love, love it. Dammit, Rundgren has got me to love this album. This song gives me Aerosmith's You See Me Crying vibes. Also, Rundgren has a band backing him on these songs, including Rick Derringer on guitar. Vicki Robinson, of Turn the Beat Around fame, is singing backing vocals. Track 21 is called Piss Aaron, this ought to be interesting. It was more country-sounding than One More Day. It’s just alright. Track 22 is Hello, It’s Me which is arguably Rundgren’s biggest song. I’ve heard it before, and if you’ve heard it and like it, then you’ll love this album. The song is great and well-crafted. It sounds like the 1970s. Track 23, Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me, is a really fun, Rolling Stones=type jam with a Booby Keys-like sax solo in the middle. It really gives me Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’ vibes. Love it. Track 24, You Left Me Sore, is your standard 1970s piano pop song along the lines of Welcome Back. One more track to go. Track 25 is called Slut. You’d think it’d be a grimy hard rock song. It’s a very old school rock song with great rock sax. Yes, I said sax. It's a very good example of blues rock. “S-L-U-T, She may be a slut, but she looks good to me.” It was a different time. Perhaps the oddest part of the song is that Edward James Olmos is singing backing vocals on it. I made it. I know I complained a lot in the beginning, but in the end, I came to love this album. There are some great songs on here. Rundgren played all the instruments on all the songs except those on side 4. He was just a novice drummer and bass player, and when he was laying down the drum tracks, he said if he screwed something up, it was easier to write the song around his screwup than go back and re-record it. What?!? Who does that?!? Turns out a genius does. I know I complained in the beginning, but as the album continued, and then I read Wikipedia, the lore really brought me around. This is one of the best albums ever, and it invented the pop rock sound that Cheap Trick and others went out to perfect. This album is a must-listen as it has something for everybody. Could it have been a little shorter? Sure, but the sheer inventiveness of the album and recording make it worth being a double album.

Here's my simple rule for 1 ratings. Would I ever, ever sit down and listen to this album again? If the answer is no, if I couldn't get through the whole album, if I am bored to tears, or if I'm just generally confused - it's a 1. This is a 1. I made it to Torch Song.

Pretty interesting double album. Probably best listened to on vinyl - which becomes evident after the B-Side Intro. Most melodies are quite pleasant and I thought it was pretty strong instrumentally, with a good variation of innovation. Each side seems to have a different kind of vibe to it. Nothing really captured my interest but I could see myself revisiting this.

Bro you gotta cut it out with the double album shit. I ain't listening to 90 minutes of 70s ballads. For those of you curious why I'm bashing this with a 1/5, I'm pissy today, and the book's review of this album has set me on a war path against the practice of music critique once again. The book nominates this album as the pinnacle of Todd Rundgren's career, not just as a musician, but as a producer. Given that this album dropped in '72, I deem that judgment sorely myopic; deluded, even. By my estimation, this was the ninth album Todd had his hands on in either one of those respects, and has touched countless more since then. Exemplifying this album as the summit of his accomplishments not only belittles his subsequent FIVE DECADES spent in music, it signals that his output over the following years cannot match the purported "quality" of this release. Sonny boy, you fell victim to one of the classic blunders! Your confirmation bias fails to consider literally anything else in Rundgren's discography as performer or producer, and explain why/how this album eclipses his other work. I ain't buying what you're selling. A more deserving entry - Love Junk by The Pursuit of Happiness. Rundgren produced this. It goes way harder - more musical pressure in half the duration, and better lyrics to boot. Getting reeeeeaaaaaallllllyyyy tired of the critical echo chamber I've discovered along this journey.

This has been a difficult record to digest. It’s a dense listen. Rundgren spans multiple genres on one record that is a double album split into four acts. Each act has its own identity and I have thoroughly enjoyed discovering them. I have always adored the two hits from this record and have since found many standout songs deeper into the album. I am still unpacking it and am excited to do so. It’s layered and rivals some of the most theatrical acts of the time such as Elton John.

Pleasant enough

Listening to this album and looking at the photo inside the gatefold I come to this imaginary conclusion: Musically talented kid with an unwavering desire to be creative gets unrestricted access to a modern recording studio and gets to spend all day everyday smoking weed and making music. Turns out I could hardly be closer to the truth. And the results are proof positive that this was a great idea. I have enjoyed Something/Anything? more today than ever before. It’s an album so full of ideas that it rewards every fresh listen. Nearly 1.5hrs (a true double album) but just take your time. Big Star were obviously listening so you should too.

1.4 This is what they probably played in the post office as the soft rock offering, that made mailmen go crazy and start shooting people

I really liked a couple songs, like the first one and Black Maria, which hit nicely post-run. There was a certain shrewd, rapscallion sensibility tinged with a hint of misogyny which I found interesting and irritating in equal measure. 3 stars!

I enjoyed this album and will listen again.

quite bad aged, not only this album but the whole genre

Smoth tunes and singing but a genre that to me feels to old and nothing that makes me want to come back again. I feel like I have heard similar artists and songs before. Maybe their inspiration was this.

Unexpectedly good and interesting music. Hard to define genre or what you're listening to. But I like it!

Started well, too long

I didn't realize I knew any Todd Rundgren songs, but then "I Saw the Light" started playing and I was transported back to when I worked in a CVS Pharmacy. I was kind of dreading another double album, as I find the practice to be a balancing act that surprisingly few artists can do well. For the most part, Rundgren succeeds by separating the album into four suites that are different enough to retain interest. While Something/Anthing was fine, it didn't really impress. Yes, I know Rundgren played all of the instruments himself for 3/4 of the album, but that would mean more if the album were better. Enjoyable enough for 70's pop/rock, but I won't likely return to it.

The sounds of pop in the 70's

great

This reminds me of that Steve Winwood album, I got that a couple weeks back and while I loved the first track, it gets pretty corny afterwards. This is just solid the whole way through, it's like the fully realized version of that album -- just so much more variety and personality.

Double albums can be hit or miss. This did seem to drag on quite a bit. It wasn't bad. I liked some of the songs. Definitely 70s dad rock.

For better and for worse, experience the mind of Todd Rundgren. Definitely a handful of filler tracks present but the high points are some of the most endearing 70s power pop.

Just because you can do something, it doesn’t mean you should… and this definitely did not need to be a double album. There’s a laser sharp single album of lounge influenced pop , singer songwriter introspection and blues here. There’s also an incredibly baggy number of jams and a spoken word section about production.

Not bad, not bad.

I'm intrigued by the fact that he played all the musical parts, besides the female harmonies. I'm less intrigued by the songs themselves. But the fact that he's Liv Tyler's biological father? Fascinating.

Side 1: "a bouquet of ear-catching melodies" — sappy, 2-stars Side 2: “the cerebral side" — painful, 1-star Side 3: “the kid gets heavy" — decent, 3-stars Side 4: "Baby Needs a New Pair of Snakeskin Boots (A Pop Operetta)" — obnoxious, 2-stars Overall average: 2-stars Double LP: minus 1 star Net result: 1-star

Some fun songs, but definitely didn’t need to be a double album.

Baustelle, Gerstetten, Deutschland. Furchtbar öde.

Very nice

Moments of genius

First it was kinda good, then pretty bad, then okay again

Pretty good but (impatient Pirates of the Caribbean Guy voice) TOO LONG

Something / Anything? / Too much of everything at the end.

Pleased to meet me

El primer tercio de disco es la sintonia de "Los Problemas Crecen". El segundo hay algo salvable rollo Black Maria y la ultima hay alguna cosilla que si tuviera un MPC igual me creia The Alchemist. No lo volvera a escuchar a no ser que me ponga a hacer bases de Hip Hop

É unha verdadeira lástima que o prezo da fabricación dos vinilos non estivese bastante máis elevado en 1972 e tivese impedido que isto vise a luz como disco dobre para nos evitar semellante TURRA. Hai algunha idea interesante e cancións chulas, pero noventa minutos dun tipo xogando ao guitar hero, a compoñer melodías non aptas para diabéticos e, en xeral, a reproducir todos os putos males do rock dos 70 enterran o conxunto. Ocórrenseme 1.001 e 10.001 discos ca incluír nun libro de historia da música contemporánea antes ca este

turra

Tiene algunas canciones buenas, pero es una buena turra

Sounded ok. Not sure if it's a must listen, but it was entertaining for a while.

"Man this album is good, I just wish someone would call him Carol King." 4/5

Great feat by a great songwriter. No one understands him more like himself when composing, recording and producing and it shows. A-side is my favourite and then it falls off a little bit. The tracks just don't do it like as those first tracks. Maybe I've grown to like the weirder 'A Wizard, a True Star' better than this, but overall this album is one of the great records of that decade.

Excelente álbum. Bastante divertido y con diversos ritmos. No parece que dura 90 minutos.

Delightfully quirky. Good balance of avaunt garde and more pop.

This is probably very good to someone with different musical tastes than mine.

Oh just fuck off ...some nice songs and soundscapes

You start making an album of the Greatest Rejected TV Theme Songs, get bored and drop the tiniest little bit of acid, get a little trippy, but then you realize it wasn’t even good acid and now you’ve plateaued, your album is as exciting as a reheated microwave dinner, and you’re just a whiny boring coward. You wish you were cool like some of the rock stars who sometimes let you hang out with them.

4/10 You really feel every one of those 90 minutes.

Ok album. Didn't like the ballads but all of the songs had something interesting going on in them. Also the album was way too long for my taste especially as the songs were ok at best.

I want my hour and a half back. Critics, explain yourselves.

Has some interesting songs. Overall enjoyable. Some truly wild lyrics in between.

Didn't hate it. Had a sort of interesting lounge singer, swing, unironic Bowie thing going on.

todd needs to learn to quit while he's ahead

Weird journey of an album. Obviously miles too long but seems like this is because its actually two or three albums rolled into one. Didn't like the start but it morphed into something more psychedelic towards the end and I quite liked some of the tracks.

The albums that have come up this week have been challenging. I'm feeling a bit jaded! Too many songs on this record, only 1 or 2 of them any good. Self indulgent, 3 sides too many. 1 star

There isn’t a double album in existence that justifies its length, and this certainly didnt change that

Two Todds in one week, just a couple days from each other! This is better than the last album, but this dude looooooves to be self-indulgent. Like most double albums, this could probably be cut down to 10-11 tracks and legitimately be a 4 or 5 star album. Instead, it drags on for 90 minutes with a buncha scraggly, uninteresting diversions. Dude can’t help himself!

3/5

This was such a bloated album. It's way, way too long for how boring it is

It’s impressive that he did all of the instruments and produced this himself, but the end result kind of feels like and Elton John ripoff. And it’s so, so long with many songs that, while not bad, are not particularly good. Dust In the Wind and (unfortunately titled) Slut were the only ones I was interested in. Could have cut so much. High 2.

Todd Rundgren is incredibly talented as a musician and as a producer. There are some really good songs here and a couple were very popular. For some reason, he shunned his own commercial success. He plays every instrument on this record, which seems amazing to me. The little interlude where he discusses production faults is pretty funny. Some of this reminded me a lot of Matthew Sweet. He must have been a big fan.

I think this album is trying to do too much. Todd Rundgren is clearly a skilled musican and artist, but the album does not feel very coherent or essential. We have some yacht rock/easy listening songs, lectures on tape hiss, and pop ballads all in one place and for 90 long minutes. While it doesnt sound like the Yes album, I feel similarly about it in that it is a technically impressive accomplishment, but not one that touched me in any significant way. Also, Slut was a weird final track, and left me feeling icky even though i'm certain it was supposed to be a joke. Low 4.

Honestly, this is such a good album because basically, almost all songs slap. I think the only reason why I can't give it a solid 5 is that it's not perfect. But most of the songs are bangers, especially the slower, moody ones. Yes, it gets a little repetitive, but it stays on the theme, and that is what I love. Except that there is a part in the middle with faster, more major songs. I want this on CD.

This was the kind of album I wanted to hear from this project. It was relaxing and well produced. Was a little soft rock but I did not mind that

Another artist where I am familiar with the name, but had no idea what they sounded like. Quite a diverse record musically, but not always to my taste. Not really any standout songs (at least on a first listen), but also not a lot I would skip on a re-listen (maybe a couple songs).

too smooth 70s for me. so long. felt familiar but a bit like elevator music

Really fun album. The little skits in-between songs was a great touch too. Will definitely be back to this one. Even though it is 90 minutes long, the time just flew

Favorite track(s): I Saw the Light, It Takes Two to Tango (This Is for the Girls), Sweeter Memories, Black Maria, Couldn't I Just Tell You, Little Red Lights, Hello It's Me, Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me, Don't blame me because there are so many good tracks, blame Todd and his Ritalin

Again a little slow but I love Wolfman Jack

Sooooooo 70s!!

Good, wide, varied, LONG!

Now THIS is how you do a double album! Actually, this felt more like a quadruple album, given the variety of each side. I’ll admit that as I listened to Side A, I wasn’t particularly moved. In fact, I was worried I was in for 90 minutes of easy-listening 70s pop, and I wasn’t sure I was interested in that. But then Side B started with “Intro,” which might be my controversial pick for the greatest track on the record. See, it was at “Intro” that I realized I wasn’t just listening to a generic rock album—I was in for an experience. Todd Rundgren was doing something here, and drawing my attention to the mistakes that were bound to occur on the record made me pay more attention, made me understand what the album was all about. It’s easy to overlook how notable it is that Todd Rundgren did everything for the first 75% of the album, given modern music technology. But “Intro” forced me to become aware, without being pretentious. And from there, I discovered an album full of treats for the ears and for the brain, lyrics that were at times funny, at times heartfelt. And Side D, played with a collection of session musicians rounded up the day before was exciting in its clear spontaneity. I don’t recall the last time an album won me over quite this much. A well-deserved 5 stars!

Difficult LP to score. It's almost as if Todd invented the cd deluxe reissue in 1972, Side one and two are a pretty cool classic lp. I Saw The Light is wonderful; Wolfman Jack a tired 50 style boogie and the rest in between. It would be a four or five star lp. Side Three is like a radio session or stand alone ep. It's over guitar soloy and a bit boring. Black Maria is especially bad. 2.5 Stars. Side Four sounds like the studio outtakes from an aborted session where the band was sacked immediately afterward. Contains Springsteenesque saxomophone slop. Grim. 1 Star.

Enjoyable. Very 1970s but tinges of power pop, good songs, solid album would listen again.

3.5/5

I've never listened to this album (82).

2,6/5

it was too long

Vilken otrolig låtskrivare OCH producent han är ändå, Toddan. Finns såna otroliga toppar på det här albumet! Hello It's Me är ju som bekant typ min favoritlåt någonsin. Men som helhet är det en hel del psykadelika som ska konsumeras innan han hittar 5/5 rätt året därefter på 'A Wizard, A True Star'. Den kanske kommer sen??

Jag hade högre förväntningar på det här albumet. Det var bra men jag hade fått för mig att jag skulle tycka att det var väldigt bra. Det har sina guldklimpar, men som helhet når det inte hela vägen. Stark trea i alla fall.

Hitsen är av högsta kvalitet men resten gör tyvärr inte så mycket med mig som helhet, även om det såklart är svängigt. Ibland är det lite för lent för min smak men låter i stort som något som vid rätt tillfälle skulle vara magiskt, på kontoret med snöstorm utanför gallret kanske inte var det. Jag sätter en superstark trea!

Underbart spretigt! Men når inte upp till helhetsmagin som A Wizard / A True Star eller Utopia bjuder på. Hitsen är galet bra, men lite för mycket bös som album. Men vad roligt vi hade på Nalen i fjol, han är min typ av dåre!

Äntligen Todd! Yacht rockens rolls royce. Knappt uttråkad en enda gång under knappt 90 minuter. Kul bakom kulisserna-trams under andra halvan. Jävla spännvidd mellan en låt som ”i saw the light” och öset i ”little red lights”. Riktigt bra på gurkan är han också (honorable mention: ”black maria”). Finns ett todd-album till på listan enligt mina efterforskningar, ett där han börjat lämna konventionerna och kukar ur mer. Ser fram emot det. Betygsinflationen fortsätter. En så stark 4a att jag måste avrunda uppåt.

Gillar hans röst, men få låtar når högre än "ganska bra". Det faktumet parat med hur många låter det är gör det hela rätt utdraget.

Mastodont! Älskar Toddan. Riktig king. Musiken påminner som fan om Carole King va? Skivan innehåller miljoner låtar men typ alla har något att bidra med. Sen kommer "Hello its aa me" - mästerverk! Vad händer ens i refrängen? Måste kika på den. Om jag skulle tvingas att kritisera något skulle det vara att rösten är något klen på dom hårdare låtarna.

för meta.. berörde inte alls :/ men bra musik va? vissa melodier och texter låter som bert3000s ofiltrerade bakisnynnande och det behöver jag inte mer av känner jag!

Rätt bra men orkade bara en lyssning. Tar mig inte med på en magisk resa eller så.

This album is so long. It's got some great songs on it, but by the 20th song I was ready for it to end. Pretty interesting that Rundgren did all the vocals and instruments himself for about 3/4ths of the album. I think I'll listen to this album again but maybe in bits at a time.

nice music, but many songs. didn’t listen to all of it yet

Starting the album off with "I Saw the Light" is a power move. The album itself is also constructed in an interesting way, clearly laying out what we should expect on each of the four sides. It seems daunting at first, but the variety all throughout is quite refreshing. Never really a dull moment, plus a little fourth wall break in the intro to side two. A well-crafted album from Mr. "Do it all" himself, Todd Rundgren.

Good 👍🏻

Never heard of it. But the opening song was surprisingly familiar

Just a bit long.

An grand experiment that honestly requires a libretto to understand as there are so many different pieces. Just did not do anything for me.

een sympathiek en tof plaatje dat ik totaal niet kende... staat het hier op zijn plaats in de lijst, dat weet ik niet, maar ik vond het alvast een verademing tss de vele rapplaten

3-4

Really liked Black Maria

I could watch a game of football (soccer to my US friends) instead of listening to this. Guess what I chose? 1/5 10/1/26

This was just not it for me.

Bunch of love songs imo, pretty good, pretty long.

Great

I was not previously familiar with this album, but after listening, two tracks were familiar to me: I Saw The Light and Hello It's Me. This is a pretty interesting album. While firmly rock, this album touches on psychedelia, pop, and glam, among others. It's a bit long, but I did enjoy it. I would listen again but not in any rush to do so. I do think the album would be improved by trimming some of the filler, but there may be enough here to keep it as a double album.

This is a double album, with each of the four sides having a different theme. Side four includes songs all recorded live. One of these (Hello It’s Me) was a big hit. Overall I enjoyed this one more than I expected, even though there are a few duds here.

Hmm. Nice album cover and font. I guess Todd Rundgren, a guy I literally have never heard of until my mom randomly said she liked him recently, is probably aware that "some" and "any" have the same semantics (existential quantification), it's just that "any" is the variant you get in downward entailing environments like negation. That's why you don't get "Anyone? Someone?", just like you don't get "Never occasionally" (but you might get the opposite). Anyway, this a double album, which means it's two albums too long. Sounded OK, but by that I mean "like a slightly more compelling Steely Dan". Highlights: 'Intro' (I like a game), 'Breathless' (I like La Bamba)

A bit long but some gems on there

I feel like Moe would make us listen to this album. This seems like a rock classic, I'm surprised I haven't heard it before.

Not completely in my music taste but a great example of singles that were great on regular records, sounds a lot like tapestry (obviously) but lacks depth, to long and in some moments a lot of music just filling gaps with no sense

70’s Rock ⭐️Sweeter Memories

I like Todd Rundgren more as a concept than I do any individual album. First song out the gate is iconic then the rest is just weird. Sort of enjoyable maybe sometimes kinda.

This was an alright album, enjoyed having it in the background because it was quite chill, although there was nothing really too exciting. This is quite an old album, so I'm sure people enjoyed jamming to this.

It far exceeded my expectations when I pressed play. The only downside is the number of "unnecessary" songs included. An hour and a half ends up becoming a bit tiring. But apart from that, a good album.

A good album, I liked I Saw The Light, It Wouldn't Have made Any Difference, Saving Grace and Piss Aaron the most.

Starts strong but becomes exhausting really fast.

This album has some classic tunes from the era, and is very well produced. That said, it kind of went in one ear and out the other, and didn't make a huge impression.

Double albums should be banned outright. Can't deny the guy is talented but I had to start skipping songs. 3/5.

To my reckoning I only know one Todd song. Luckily it's a good'un, appearing on arguably the greatest Comedy and greatest movie soundtrack of all time - Dumb and Dumber. The CD soundtrack is so packed that that song doesn't even appear on it, bizarrely. Todd "Carty" Rundgren is of course better known for his infamous stints in both Grange Hill, EastEnders, and for skating 'uo the wrong chute' in Twats On Ice. Before he was Tucker Jenkins-ing all over the Dining Hall, he was recording unnecessarily long albums featuring songs about love, falling in love, being in love, luvin', and love. This seems to be one such album. Some good tracks on here, none quite as good as the Grange Hill theme tune, and it far outstays its welcome - also like the Sausage launching kids show. I am currently eating very potent Salt N Vinegar crisps. Points for all the faff and experimentation and for doing most of it himself, but the majority of the songs aren't very good. There are simply too many songs and for all of the experiments so many of the songs are copy pastes. I will never fathom why songs 9-13 are all present when any one of the songs would have been enough, each sharing the identical plinky plonky piano sounds and rhythm. The spoken word song has no business being on the album - indulgent, dated nonsense. It's disappointing as I was looking forward to this, having loved Can We Still Be Friends and enjoyed the first handful of songs. But my patience only goes so far and as much as I held out to give this a three star review, it just isn't deserving.

Запись заинтересовала. Планирую позже переслушать, по возможности.

Very long but i really enjoyed how broad all the songs sounded and all this was made in 1972! the songs are fun and silly and there is a lightness to them, great vibe.

70s California rock radio He's got a little bit of Eagles, a little Supertramp, and a little ELO with some CSN harmonies thrown in for good measure Crazy to think he recorded most of the album all by himself! It was the perfect thing to listen to as I paid bills, made a grocery list and took the subway to play squash, which is what I assume he intended it for

Not really/no

Another eat my hat moment. I groaned upon getting this - another fucking double album from a ‘70s white rocker dude? I put off listening to it for days (“since last year!” I joked, since it’s now Jan 3.) It is way weirder, more idiosyncratic, and more fun than I expected. More varied and interesting music than straight rock n roll. He’s an artist. The fact that he played most of the instruments, too?! I give in. It’s a high 3 / low 4. I did listen a bit distractedly while cooking. I could reassess up with future listens I suspect.

This is one of those albums where I can respect the artist, the artistry and the influence of it while not really caring for the music that much. There are a few songs on this album which I like quite a bit, but on the whole this album's just not my thing. Many of the songs just sound like fairly conventional 70's pop/rock, albeit really well produced and written. Also, while album length isn't usually a thing that I care that much about, this one really felt like it dragged on for too long. I can see why this album's so highly revered by some, but for me, it just didn't do anything for me. All in all, I'd give this a 3/5 (2.75/5 to be more precise). It's fine, but like I've already written, it's just not my thing.

Wuss rock. Way too long.

Way too damn long. This has like a few good songs and then the rest is kinda meh. Also the last song was???? Weird and bad. A rapid tone shift tbh. Would be lower if I didn’t like Hello It’s Me and I Saw The Light so much.

Didn't mind a lot of this but it was far too long, cut the runtime by half and it's probably a 3.5. Felt like a solo album where Todd was far too excited to have complete control, thus the bit about recording sound artefacts and the lack of editing to a sensible length. Sort of slightly psychedelic classic rock, had some nice enough turns here and there but overall nothing to really shout about.

Quite long and meandering, many tracks sounded similar to previous tracks. I liked the vibe, but could have done with a strong cull. The Night the Carousel Burned Down and Dust in the Wind were the top tracks. Close to a 4, it all felt very familiar. Too familiar.

Definitely less out there and interesting than his last album we had. None of it grabbed me at all really. It all felt more familiar though, like it had been done before. Which I didn't really expect. Meh. 2.5. Won't be back

Wuss rock was invented in 1972

Really great album. There are soundscapes on here I should hate but they really work. He’s able to take some real terrible 1970s motifs and make them tolerable. The thing keeping it from a 5 are those songs. I’d rather they not be on here. If you just kept the weird fun tracks this would be a tighter better album. It’d be like a weird Brian Eno thing instead of a singer songwriter trip

Well prouced ballad songs, a clear voice and some cheesy lyrics are the elements which compound this album. I mean, it's not a big deal at the end of the day but he deserved his flowers. It keeps in the middle to me... It's not terrible but not outstanding.

Surprisingly clever and engaging for a 90 minute album. I had a good time, especially with the instrumentals.

It’s a decent album, it is obviously just too long. I struggled to be present the whole time. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again

Slow and cheesy 70s rock with some weird stuff mixed in. Really didn’t enjoy this at all. And way too long. Could’ve been a 1.

Pretty forgettable 70s soft rock.

Not for me. 1/5

Dull

Schmalz from 71.

ok

This is a nice Sunday afternoon chill album.

I’ve been meaning to check out his music for a while now but a complete double album is a bit of an overwhelming way to start! It’s interesting for sure but a lot of this is just going in one ear and out the other on first listen. Maybe too many ideas for me to absorb right now on first listen. The rock sound being on the softer side isn’t helping with having these tunes stick out but I can hear the nuances in the writing and arrangements so I think this album will be worth listening to more in the future. The next thing I want to hear from him though is a single album.

This is a weird album to try and judge. The opening song is blinding. Then it’s a weird mixture of 70’s rock, pop ballads, and odd interjections and even disco bits? I don’t know I kinda like it? I think it sounds a bit dated. It’s alright. I might have to come back to it because it’s so puzzling.

This was a fun little album that I'd never heard of and will definitely listen to again if I remember. Got to get through my backlog right now. Steely Dan kind of vibes.

A few somethings, mostly nothings. A lot of the material seems jokey. Reminds me of a Zappa album - and that’s a bad thing - in that there’s a lot of just dicking around in the studio. Notable tracks include I Saw The Light, Couldn’t I Just Tell You, Dust In The Wind, Hello It’s Me.

A fantastic collection of power pop gems. Sounds like a greatest hits of the 70s compilation.

Intro and Breathless were. Interesting but the rest of the album i was struggling to connect to or find much joy with… Creative band but not grabbing my attention really at all.

Should be illegal to stretch something this boring into the length of a feature film

appropriate amount of saxophone, and definitely some bangers on here

Enjoyed this way more than I expected to. Good concept album thing. Artsy.

I Saw the Light // It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference // Cold Morning Light // Breathless // Saving Grace // Marlene // Song of the Viking // Dust in the Wind // Hello It’s Me // You Left Me Sore

Pop, 1972 -> 2

Enjoyable

no

1st listen. Fits an easy listening play list.

Really interesting album, some bits unnecessary but when good it really goes off

I think Todd Rundgren's voice sounds oddly like Carole King's

J'ai trop aimé, des vibes très variées, j'ai senti un peu de city pop (Breathless), Elton John (Dust in the Wind), Harmonium sur plusieurs morceaux avec les instrus, vraiment bonne découverte

C’est un album hyper long… j’ai pas pu tout écouter ! Je trouvais que c’était de mieux en mieux au fil des pistes… je ne connaissais pas mais oubliable pour moi, c’était sympa mais je n’y reviendrai pas

Encore un banger! Je connaissais que la première piste mais j'en ai liké plein d'autres. J'ai vraiment kiffé la vibe 5/5

2 decent songs the rest of the album was a slog

It’s very skillfully put together but Jesus is it overlong.

First song is one of those I've heard before slapped on a hits of the 70s and then immediately forgotten about. Maybe this is a bigger deal somehow but doesn't seem to be any different than the midfield.

Muy happy flower pero y habria sido no demasiado cansino si no fuera porque tiene 300 canciones, como me suele pasar, disfruto mas de las canciones instrumentales (en este caso 1, que me recuereda a una mezcla entre plantasia y mario kart)

Pretty alright!

Decent start, but the whole second disk could easily be cut from this album.

Well, what I thought was Yacht Rock to the 4th power, with a reserved psychedelic trip starting on track 8, turned into a brain scramble of epic proportions. At best, this was a passable 3/5. At worst, it was a bad acid trip. And I really didn't want to listen to all 90 minutes of it.

This was just fine yacht rock adjacent pop.

70s yacht rock, with a bit of r&b thrown in

good monopoly soundtrack

I felt something, but not as much as I would if it was A Wizard, A True Star.

Great in the beginning. Drops in the middle. Didn't listen to the last third of the album.

Sure, being a double album it’s quite bloated, but the multiple moments of brilliance make it worth it. Towards the end of the second side you start to dread listening to another ¾-hour-ish of the same old shit, but then I Went to the Mirror comes bearing gifts of brooding and mystery, and then all fears are quelled come Black Maria to begin the second disc. I’m not going to say that Rundgren should have trimmed this down to a single disc, but I will say that at least on first listen, it would have been better if the best 10 songs were taken from the final 25.

52/1001 First listen. Never sought out a Todd Rundgren song before much less a whole album. A double album even! I like that each side has its own theme. I like that they’re only 3 or 4 minutes long. There’s a clear radio single here and then the rest. Sounds fine but I’m not coming back to this. 4/10

Say something/anything about this album? I'd rather not. 1/5

There were definitely parts of this album I enjoyed, but feel like it would have benefitted from better editing.

I was looking forward to this one, but it's honestly a slog. There are some gems on here, but it's definitely full of some garbage too. If the tracklist was reigned in 15-20 minutes, it would be much better. Best Songs: I Saw the Light, Cold Morning Light, It Takes Two to Tango, Black Maria, Hello It's Me Worst Songs: The Night the Carousel Burned Down, Overture, Slut

It's that comforting sort of 70s sound again, the one I associate with bands like Steely Dan and ELO, and which I had absolutely no time for in my youth. Now that I'm over 55, I often welcome happier, more relaxing music (sorry if that sounds sad) and I enjoyed it. Saying that, a double album was a bit too much for me.

Þetta var allskonar. Margir tónlistarstílar en þrátt fyrir fjölbreytnina fannst mér platan vera ofboðslega mikið eins. Ekkert sem stendur upp úr en heldur ekki neitt leiðinlegt. Ég mun líklegast gleyma þessari en kannski ekki því hún var svo löng. Ég mun samt örugglega aldrei setja hana í spilun aftur.

Soppy shite. Just bland run of the mill saturday tv family gameshow appearing drabness.

Favorite song: Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me

Snork. Første låta er det eneste som er noe her.

Sadish

Don't think I'd ever listened to Todd Rundgren before. Not sure I will again.

Good album. It's kind of all over the place stylistically but I guess that just shows Rundgren's versatility.

Les sons sont pour la plupart très mid voire bien mais l'album est bienr trop long pour mériter une bonne note

Bonne vibe

Vraiment lourd, plein de styles différents mais bien gérés petit banger. Vibes des beatles, de elton john mais pas en too much donc c'est bien.

This is a mix between generic restaurant background and ballad type music, album is fine but songs are hit or miss and nothing outstanding, kinda feels like a shitpost at times with the lyrics

Individual songs are good but I’m rating the entire album and man it was tough getting through this.

This was too long, and somehow - despite the changes of style and genre - all very similar. Maybe the idea of developing a song while recording it isn't the best way to create something unique.

Chad Rundgren

Well put together but did not interest me. It has no grit.

As is always the way with hugely talented musicians, there's a total lack of quality control. Track 1 is clearly one of the greatest pop songs ever written. It goes massively downhill from there. While there's the odd pleasant moment, with editing this could have made a pretty good single LP. For a double, it drags. The decision to leave in the studio chatter on side 4 makes that feel like a bunch of bonus tracks, and the last track leaves a really unpleasant taste in the mouth. Some good tracks, but I don't think I would recommend this to anyone. A mid-high 2*

I didn’t mind this, but it did feel like it went on and was a bit all over the place. Maybe I’ve lost interest in hearing albums over 45 minutes, but I feel like some of the weaker songs really could have been cut.

A weird hodge podge of not very interesting songs. I thought I would like this. I didn't.

this was fun! quite long, took me two days

Enjoyed it, good errand-running soundtrack. Happy listening in the kitchen. Makes the mundane more enjoyable.

Some good songs but certainly didn’t justify its run time. Meh.

one-man, double album. each side behaves like its own little universe. its stylistic sprawl isn't just variety, it's Rundgren showing he can genre jump like he's changing channels and yet... every track feels deliberate in its place. i especially like that he parks "intro" halfway through. the whole album comes off like a producer proving he can outdo an entire studio system with nothing but tape, ideas, and nerve.

Solid pop gems. Bit dull. Low low 3

Singer gems in there but not an album you're likely to put on ever

A solid pop rock record with a lot of energy - its not enough to flaw me but it made for a pleasant listen. I much preferred this to A Wizard / A True Star even if it takes you on less of a "journey."

The Todd rudgren album was far too long but I do think if this was an artist like the Beatles who had credit in the bank with me I’d love it, but this guy doesn’t have any credit in the bank with me, so I find it a bit overlong and tedious in parts whilst also being full of melody and pop nous, with some cool experimental touches It’s ending up a high 3 for me, and I don’t think we need a third Todd album on this list…

Perhaps a new low

It’s been over 900 albums since I reviewed Todd Rundgren’s A Wizard, a True Star, and here we are with its predecessor. I don’t remember much about AWaTS, but I gave it three stars, and my review says that I thought it was fine (for some reason, I remember picking up some dry cleaning on the day I listened to it, but that could be a bullshit memory; there’s a mural close to my dry cleaner’s that has a similar color scheme to AWaTS’s cover, so maybe that’s where the association comes from. Isn’t the mind a bizarre thing?). I’m curious to see what this album is like, but I’ll admit that I’m not super keen on the idea of listening to Todd Rundgren for 90 minutes. Unfortunately, Something/Anything wasn’t really my cup of tea. Yes, the amount of work that Todd Rundgren put into this album himself is impressive, and he’s a talented musician, but Something/Anything is bloated, and pretty uneven across its four sides. There were a few good songs on this album, but there were also large swaths of it that I really didn’t care for. I think Todd Rundgren is one of those artists who falls under the category of “your favorite musician’s musician,” but his work just doesn’t wow me, because I don’t find it particularly unique, and it’s not the type of music I gravitate towards. I have some notes on each section of the album: Side one of the album was pretty good. “I Saw the Light” was definitely the most notable song on the whole record. I thought it was just a really good, beautiful pop song. Its sound was really well-layered, and there was a lot of emotion in the softer sound of the vocals. “It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference” was good too, but not as good as “I Saw the Light.” There were some good little details in the arrangements, like the tinkling of the cymbals. I thought the bridge was pretty strong too. “Wolfman Jack” sounded great, and it was really fun. I loved the backing vocals and the horns, and this song had a strong bridge too. Side two of the album definitely lived up to the name “the cerebral side.” I really hate calliope sounding music, so “The Night the Carousel Burned Down” was not my speed. Also, I hated that garbled intro on “Saving Grace,” and this song had a melody very similar to “Carousel,” which I didn’t care for. I was glad there was no calliope involved on “Saving Grace,” but man, I wanted to move really far away from “Carousel,” and this song didn’t deliver on that. The only song on this part of the album that I remotely cared for was “I Went to the Mirror.” I didn’t care for it when it started, but I liked the bluesy sound it developed into. The third side of the album was my favorite part. “Black Maria” was pretty good, and I liked that it kept that blues vibe from the end of “I Went to the Mirror.” “One More Day” was really nice too, and I liked its soft sound. Todd’s vocals went along with the music really well. “Couldn’t I Just Tell You” had a great foot-tapping rhythm that I really enjoyed, and I thought the overall rock sound was really good. On the last side of the album, only a couple of songs stood out to me. “Dust in the Wind” was good, and I was glad that this wasn’t related to the Kansas song in any way. The lyrics were good, as was the overall sound, and I liked the backing vocals and the saxophone. “Piss Aaron,” while feeling pretty out of place on this album, was pretty entertaining. The lyrics felt like something off of a Primus or Ween album. While Something/Anything had some good moments, most of the album just wasn’t my speed. A lot of these songs failed to do anything that I thought was unique or interesting, and side two of the album was really grating to me. Sorry Todd Rundgren, but at least we’ll always have “Bang the Drum All Day.”

Good songs are buried in there but it’s just too long.

Why is it so long?????

This was pretty fun. Not what I was expecting from a name Ive heard of before. An interesting mix of styles in this too. I was expecting more of a harder rock sound and it ends up being somewhere between it and the early days of adult contemporary. Some kind of weird amalgam of the two. Pretty good.

4 out of 5. Enjoyed this more than expected.

Damn. I love Todd. This record has some really killer tracks mixed with crazy Todd moments. It does go on a bit long. I could see this record outstaying its welcome for some folks.

It would have been stronger as a single rather than a double album, but a classic nonetheless. Favorite tracks: It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference, Hello It's Me, Couldn't I Just Tell You.

2.5, super hit or miss for me across the album, but not a bad listen.

It’s pretty good i enjoyed it

The intro game was an interesting idea, and I actually did catch a few things he mentioned in this album, like the hissing sound in a few parts (namely Song of the Viking, albeit very faintly) and a few areas with editing mistakes (also namely Song of the Viking). Maybe it's a ploy to keep me engaged and treat mistakes as something interesting rather than a mistake, but it worked, so I don't care. I'm also absolutely going to start doing this with other older records on the 1001 and on my own time.

This is by far one of the better and more fun albums on this list.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this, but while ‘I Saw the Light’ isn’t my sort of thing i did enjoy it. Unfortunately my tolerance for that sort of thing is the odd song on the radio so i cant say the same of ‘It wouldn’t have made any difference’ and whilst ‘wolfman jack’ varies the style i think the problem is the vocals. By track 5 I’m already desperate for the album to end and there’s still a ridiculous 20 more tracks to go. And why given the length of the album do we need the entirety pointless’Intro’ (see also overture) and dont get me started on ‘Breathless’. i do not like plinky plonk 70s keyboards! ‘song of the Viking’ just made me wish the Vikings would put an end to this absolute divel. ‘Piss Aaron’ is just purile snd the least said about the final track the better