Reviews (page 5 of 7)
A very rich tapestry of sound—that sounds like all the other tapestries hanging on the walls of the psychedelic rock ‘n’ roll era. I know this stuff meant a lot to Todd. You can hear that in every song. But it’s like hearing about someone’s dream, or an acid trip. There’s an entire emotional menagerie that I recognize but feel no connection to. Is that the music? Is it a generational thing? Is it everything that has come since the facade of love and connection the music purported to embody and manifest has crumbled in the—at the very least in my—cultural consciousness? Am I simply turning into a cynical an old man, beyond the receptive powers of even Todd Rungren’s palliative orchestra? I don’t know. And honestly, it doesn’t change my rating.
I Saw The Light is a brilliant song. Rest was ok 3/5
3/5
This had some good moments, but ended up being too long with too much filler.
Kind of bland inoffensive pop-rock. I dunno man it's like dad-roadtrip-music or something. Didn't have to be this long. Songs were pretty repetitive so I started skipping to the next one halfway through to make it to the end. Apparently the last side is pretty much live studio. I like it better. Sounds less sterilized, or maybe I'm just biased to think it is. Anyway probably won't revisit this.
Välillä 4/5 ja välillä 2/5. Oli kyllä vaihtelua. Ihan mielenkiintoinen.
Artsy rock. Long album, but interesting all through
80s vibe but I like it! Easy listening on a Sunday morning
Not bad but Not as good as I expected. Was pretty soft 70’s rock.
The main distinction here between this and other 70s rock is that Rundgren mostly did this as a solo musician. Pretty average without that aspect.
Having listened to a previous album I thought it a bit weird but this album is much better, more commercial in some ways with better known songs especially the opening track. Rundgren is synonymous with the early 70's and this album very much supports that. Pleasant listening overall.
I may have needed an album like this as a base. It sometimes gets hard to rate music because it can change based on way too many factors, genre, consistency, artisic merit, lyrical quality, historic value, number of people already doing the same thing, sometimes even the person themselves may be controversial... and I only named the tip of an iceberg! So I feel stuck sometimes, or feel I could have made a mis-judgement. So an album like this is necessary now and then. This album is a perfect three star album! It is "good." It is "solid and well done." It is worth listening to but not essential, it has a couple of great songs and a couple of less memorable ones, it represents a 70's rock vibe without any strings. It is like a movie you saw many years ago, liked, but only bother to watch it if it comes out on TV now and then. In a word, it is a "three."
like every double album, its just too long. outside that its a nice relaxing listen, a little top heavy and a bit of a slog to get through the latter parts. I've never heard of Todd Rundgren before so this was nice to hear something completely new to me.
I love Rundgren, but this seems where the aperture of a film is a little too far back and Rundgren thinks it’s a good idea to show the behind the scenes crap. You like all those false starts and trail off in “Think of Me”? The whole album does that. Bleh.
some real bangers on here
Long
solid 70's pop
Early seventies pop rock. Not too bad if that’s what you’re looking for!
Wow I love how it just kept going
Slut right at the end really threw me for loop on the vibes of this guy. Quite a few jams but quite a few forgettable tracks as well, probably could've been reduced to just a single album. 5/10
I Saw The Light is a great song. Overall everything else is fine but excessive. *insert gif of Jeff Goldblum line from Jurassic Park regarding could/should*
25 songs at 90 minutes is a lot, maybe too much? Unless you’re Stevie Wonder, odds are you can trim some fat from your double album. And there are definitely a few songs that didn’t need to be here. Generally I can see why Todd Rundgren is a go-to producer, there’s a lush fullness to these songs. But too often they’ll veer into lite-rock territory and lose me. In the end, I found myself wishing I could hear Rundgren producing a Nilsson album.
I texted Mark and told him it should be illegal to make me listen to 90 minutes of this. I actually thought it was OK, but not great. Way too long. Why he didn’t just split this into two albums is beyond me.
I had this idea that Todd Rundrgen was like this Wizzard looking motherfucker who made Psychedelic Prog stuff so the fact that he’s just an average looking bloke, who does do some psychedelic stuff, but also quite a lot of pretty standard 70’s Piano Pop is a bit of a disappointment. It’s a bit like my reaction to how boring The Grateful Dead were, your name is fucking Todd Rundgren, why aren’t you actually singing about Wizards and D&D and all that nerdy shit? Why waste that name on this perfectly average man? And unfortunately, perfectly average is exactly how I feel about this man’s music. It’s fine, some of it is quite good. But there’s a solid hour and a half of it, and none of it sticks out enough to make me want to listen to the album again. Even his voice is average, he sounds exactly like what I picture an all American white Tenor to sound like. I kinda wanted to like this, I love the idea of a long album divided into four thematic sections by side. But I just don’t vibe with this guy’s lack of weirdness. As someone who exudes kind of an oddball energy, I think he should have lent into it, or at least like gotten himself a cape or something
Some good tracks.
Solid folky early 70's album. Didn't break through for me
Coming off another Todd Rundgren album A Wizard / A True Star two days ago, I was hoping for more out of this album as it has done better than that album by far in listens on Spotify. But it is lacking in character in my opinion. A lot closer to standard soft rock. There were parts I enjoyed but as a whole it came across a little flat.
Good, but much too long
B- I Saw The Light 3 It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference 3 Wolfman Jack 3 Cold Morning Light 3 It Takes Two To Tango (This Is For The Girls) 3 Sweeter Memories 5 Intro 3 Breathless 3 The Night The Carousel Burned Down 3 Saving Grace 3 Marlene 3 Song Of The Viking 3 I Went To The Mirror 3 Black Maria 3 One More Day (No Word) 3 Couldn't I Just Tell You 3 Torch Song 3 Little Red Lights 3 Overture - My Roots 3 Dust In The Wind 4 Piss Aaron 3 Hello It's Me 4 Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me 3 You Left Me Sore 3 Slut 3 Todd wasn't as good this time around. Sorry munch, my hands are tied.
Mor. Middle of the road. Middle of the middle of the road. In the middle of that.
if you cut this album down to 10-12 tracks, it is a really solid album, instead it is bloated and ruins the quality of some great tracks
I couldn’t connect with this at all. I think I’m too burned out on classic rock to care about 99% of it anymore. However, at times I didn’t mind this and I thought it was a refreshing change from similar albums on this list.
Too long
The second part is amazing , the first part is a Little bit too long , really appreciate SOUNDS OF THE STUDIO
It's interesting but gimot kinda long
i think i like a wizard a true star a bit more, but this was still fun. pretty squarely a 3.5, could be a 3 or a 4 here. ran a bit long, so i'll give it the lower score. but it's a loving 3 star. 3.5/5
Some nice likable tunes but overall not a great album.
I liked the music but this double album wore on me. I would have been much happier with 45 minutes than 90. Also had some songs I really didn't like such as Piss Aaron and Slut.
Easy listening, good background music. But way too long of an album! I can't take that much of one artist at once.
Not bad but it feels like when you're in an office meeting that won't end because some nerd won't stop asking questions. Maybe multiple listens would justify its lenght, but for for now it seemed long just for the sake of it.
I get Todd Rundgren and Jackson Browne mixed up for no great reason. I didn't know Rundgren wrote I Saw the Light, but I also didn't know the song was called I Saw the Light. This a good album. A solid 3. I didn't listen it to twice (hello, Little Earthquakes). But this is some solid work.
Skillfully made, but nothing really clicked with me. I wonder how Piss Aaron turned out.
Pretty good. I knew a few tracks from this one, but otherwise am not really familiar with Rundgren. I would probably need to listen a few more times to warm up to it.
I respect Todd Rundgren more than I like his work. His material is a perfect example of that kind of singer-songwriter style from the 70s that is easier to appreciate than to spin. So while there’s some killer stuff here, 90 minutes is just way too much for me. C
If I were slamming down Ritalin, I'd probably make an overly long, somewhat self-indulgent album also. It is impressive, to be sure, that with production help Rundgren recorded the majority of this double LP himself; that said there's plenty of material on here that doesn't qualify as "essential listening," closing track "Slut" included. Still, when it works, it does work, and there's some unique sounds for the time it was released. Favorites: "I Went to the Mirror", "Little Red Lights"
Right in the middle
hard one to put my finger on, sort of all over the place. Ranging from solid to fluffy. Several tracks have heard many times before, notably on The Virgin Suicides soundtrack.
Summery, easy going, have it on my playlist.
It’s great, I just can’t seem to get the underlying theme. It’s a little too long for what it is, but I can tell he’s extremely talented and the songs are really nice
Not great, not awful. Poppy first half got old after one song. Rocky bit was better but still uninspiring. Liked Black Maria, sounded like recent-qotsa. Rock opera was awful, turned off mid way through. Interesting concept, probably great for the time, just doesn't really do a lot for me personally. 2.5*
Rock. good
The music on it is pretty good and entertaining, but it is entirely too long of an album
Some nice ones there but way too long
Haven't heard this in decades. I remember having this album and only listening to sides 1 and 4.
The 70’s man
OMG TODD. Good album! I liked it. Great sounds and it was fun
Sugar coated pop.
Me: I want to listen to Elton John. Mom: We have Elton John at home. Elton John at home:
Really fun album with lots of variety. I am ashamed to admit the most memorable song was certainly “Slut.”
Something/Anything by Todd Rundgren is a quintessential example of album-oriented rock, but its length may deter some listeners. While the album has standout tracks, there's a noticeable amount of filler that detracts from its overall impact. Slut stands out musically, but its lyrics may be viewed as problematic through a contemporary lens, despite an attempt to raise issues of double standards. However, Rundgren's warm and versatile voice shines throughout the album, showcasing his undeniable talent as a vocalist. Despite its length and occasional missteps, I have deep respect for Rundgren's contributions to music. Personally, Something/Anything may not be my preferred style, but there's no denying the influence and artistry encapsulated within this album. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 4 STAND OUT TRACK - Dust in the Wind
sweet, funky, interesting but soooo long. too long.
1.5hrs? Woof. Impressive that he did all instruments. I recognize I saw the light. Enjoyed: couldn't I just tell you Overall ok, just a lot of genres/styles going on, 2.5* rounded up.
Ei kyllä nyt jääny erityisesti mieleen. Jos oikein muistan, niin ihan ok kuitenkin. Piti kuunnella muistin virkistykseks hetki lisää, niin olihan se jeekkis musisointia
The "Bouquet of Ear-catching Melodies" (Side 1) hardly has anything catchy imo. "The Cerebral Side" (Side 2) is more inventive and interesting. But as the title suggests, it's more experiemental than listenable. I like it though. In "The Kid Gets Heavy" (Side 3), the music indeed got heavier. But while there are elements of hard rock thrown in, which I enjoyed a lot, its overall vibe is still that of a folky basket. Like you know, those flowers in the cover art. It even ended up with a piano based snoozer. Finally, we get to the part where's there's a baby who "Needs a New Pair of Snakeskin Boots" (Side 4). Here, they went full David Bowie with vaguely experimental parts and an overall generic rock vibe. Overall an interesting yet bulky double album.
Generic and inoffensive I feel like this was definitely a certain type of guy's fuck record in 1972. Nothing in particular to hate nothing in particular I loved
Good
Mad respect for playing all of the instruments on 3/4 of the album, but at the end of the day it is an album that is far too long and should have been pared down to the strong tracks. Competent recording, but in my opinion, after hearing it multiple times, it is not memorable.
Quite enjoyed it but unremarkable
Lots of good tunes but so fucking long
3.5 Started off in solid male Carole King territory, got a little weird in the middle, and finished off nice and poppy again. 90 minutes is a bit too long but overall pretty fun.
Much better than I expected. Too much soft rock for me to love it though.
Started off rather ordinary before veering towards amusing, interesting, and entertaining.
Disco doble que agota, pero que se deja escuchar en pequeñas dosis
I kinda like this one not really my style more to say but it’s not bad
3/5. It was alright. Too long by half. There was not enough song variety to justify the runtime.
I liked this more than I expected.
Too long.
Witzig, nerdig, ein bischen zu weichgespült
With long albums, there tends to be a lack of cohesion, and I feel that to be the case with this album. While the majority of the songs I enjoyed, the lack of cohesion made this album slightly less enjoyable. This album could've been cut down to 18-20 songs and been a solid 8-9/10.
For an album released in 1970, it was just a little underwhelming. The music felt like it was meant to be enjoyable (by myself included), and it got most of the way there. There was just something incomplete about nearly every song in this set. All of side 1 was, barring some pretty simplistic arrangements, fantastic. The harmonies were glimmering and it sounded at least five years ahead of its time. As the album progressed, the music seemed to shift into more dramatic, "proggy" territory, but never quite reached the heights of other prog rock giants around the same time. Rundgren's style is a bit indecisive at this point. Black Maria, Hello It's Me, and Slut were some later highlights, but the energy of the album had long since plateaued. I thought I was going crazy. The Wikipedia article showed near-perfect critic reviews, and I couldn't observe that near-perfection. That being said, it's incredibly impressive that every instrument on sides 1, 2, and 3 was played by Rundgren. That's some sick talent.
I actually discovered this album sometime about a year and a half ago when researching R. Stevie Moore. I was curious where the new widely know sub genre of 'Lofi' actually came from. I stumbled across this Lofi-folk inspired album that felt just a little ahead for its time. it has nuances of early 1990s experimental without encapsulating the sound of high fidelity equipment like synths So cool to see this album and artist wrap back around!
Felt like generic 70s music that was trying to appeal to every genre of the 70s without really showing anything new or interesting about any one particular genre.
Kind of funky at times. Pleasant. Quirky. Something/Anything? Seems to be having an identity crisis and can’t figure out what it wants At least a few that I’ve heard before 3/5
Heard before. I'm overwhelmed by it all, aaahh. So many tracks. I couldn't really keep track of everything. I think I like the wizard album more. But one thing I like is I Saw The Light and Hello It's Me. These ones have been in my rotation for years. + Sweeter Memories + Breathless + The Night The Carousel Burned Down + Overture
some decent tracks, but a lot of them aren't for me dust in the wind (+ others that i didn't write down)
Pro tip: If you're doing a 91 minute long double album, don't put the only decent song at track one. This wasn't awful by any means, and he's got a smashing voice, but it all felt a bit too cheesy for me and I lost interest pretty heavily.
not too bad tbh, very long but all right. would never relisten thoughever
Good last 5 or 4 songs are great
obviously talented, but I guess 70’s pop just doesn’t hit for me like it once did
Too 1970s for my taste.
It was that one song that sounded like it was definitely in a Guardians of the Galaxy movie or deserved to be, then 84 more minutes… it wasn’t bad, but there was a lot.
SUREMENT MEILLEUR que la note indiquée. mais cetait tellement long comme album, que jai perdu le train
I debated a long time on what to give this and here i am giving it a 3
ok
Pretty good but didn’t totally grab me - I’d like this if it were 25% heavier maybe. I was hopeful because I know he has producer credit on a lot of cool albums, but this didn’t interest me enough to dig deeper.
It was nice. It sounded like the seventies. Super smooth in places.
Tämähän oli jopa ihan vekkulinpaikoitellen! Kannen ja nimen perusteella ajattelin että tää on totaalisen jazzia, mutta olinkin väärässä. 3/5
Mietin jo alkupuolella että mitä tästä tulee, mut olikin yllättävän monipuolinen ja kiinnostava platta. En ehkä ihan nelosta antais mut kolmonen nyt ainakin!
Todd plays all the Instruments himself and provides all the voices as well Early 70's POP that would become his signature sound up until today. Great songs like "Hello its Me" and "see the Light" were radio staples on FM for years
Good but dragged on
Interesting
Surprisingly good. His voice is nice, the skits are well done. The instrumental is well recorded and you cannot tell that it's 1970s
I enjoyed this quite a bit. Haven't listened to much Todd Rungren, (as a side note, I think he has the most un-rock’n’roll name I’ve yet encountered. Not that that’s a bad thing) but based on this album, he’s a heck of a talent. Will definitely dig in more, both this album and his other work: a lot to digest on this album.
Solid, not that good
A lot to take in on one listen. Recognized a couple songs, but I feel I’ll need to come back to this.
Pretty decent. Definitely not the worst one on this list... Speaking of this list, as I get closer to the end, should I be worried that there is an extraterrestrial force that will search me out and kill me because I've listened to all the albums? Caveat is that I didn't actually find ALL of the albums as they were conceived. I had to improvise with youtube videos, for example... And I certainly didn't listen to every album all the way through (which, if there's a reason to kill me, that would be it).
I listened to about half the album and was all in, great stuff. Thought this might be a 5 star. Then I saw how many more songs were left. Fuck me this album is long. Why do people do double albums? I finished it out and there was good stuff in the back half, but this would have been better as two separate albums
Very impressive how Todd Rundgren basically did about 80% of this album! I have to say, I’m not the biggest fan, but the guy has a knack for good melodies. Maybe I need to dive some more into his catalogue! 7 out of 10
Mostly unremarkable, MOR pop, with occasional moments of jarring weirdness. Nothing wrong with it, but didn't strike me as anything special either.
Todd Rundgren obviously was feeling confident before starting this as his third album. To play and record all of the tracks and vocals independently for a double album in 1971, or at least 75% of it is one hell of an endeavor. The album is full of intelligent and well written pop songs with the occasional weird bit here or there. It got a bit repetitive by the end of it all, but a good listen
I appreciate the ambition of this album and my interest was definitely piqued a few times with some odd studio experiments. I was really tempted to try to like it more. But if I'm being honest this one just isn't for me. Too many 70s soft rock ballads for my taste.
This got a little samey for me, and could've used an editor.
Some of these songs were pretty good (I liked the vibe of Breathless) but the album was far longer than it needed to be, and the skits seemed unnecessary.
6/10, some of these song could have been left on the editing room floor. Love the general hippie aesthetic.
some of these are great and some of these are boring but the great ones are really great
I liked parts of it but did it have to be so fucking long? A lot of the tracks sound like B-sides and there is a good album in here. I get wanting to release a double album but it was a freaking slog to get through. Overall nothing really sounded awful but it just did not need to be so long. Also neat he played all the instruments on most tracks.
This album commits my two biggest fouls in albums on this list; it's far too long and has a skit. The album itself is really good, and I genuinely believe that there is a 40min version of this album that is five star, but the album goes on for 93 mins, too much, too cluttered, too messy. And the other big negative is the content of the last track, I don't want to go too much into it, but I don't think the lyrical content has aged very well. The penultimate track however is great as well as the first 4/5 tracks. I cant give it a 5 but maybe be between a 3 or a 4.
Melodic, diverse, but just ok.
Some songs have pretty cool experimentation, and I wish the album went that route instead. Way too long
Not my thing at all, but not the worst experience i've had
Starts off with a banger and maintains a light gray and breezy feel all the way through. I think I enjoyed this though there is a lot to get through.
Todd est vraiment un type incroyable, pas plus tard qu'hier il venait m'apporter un pack de bières en bas de chez moi, me proposant de regarder un bon film. Le problème c'est que dans sa générosité exacerbée, Todd vient nous offrir un album bien trop long. Cela n'enlève néammoins rien à la qualité de l'être humain, puisqu'il une fois l'album terminé, nous nous sommes empressés d'aller faire exploser des pétards sous le balcon de ma voisine avec ce bon vieux Todd.
Definitely a big and expansive album. There are good songs here, but I’m not huge on the whole product. Some 70s fluff vibes with weaker rhythms and vocals. Impressive for the aspect of him doing (almost) all of it himself, if nothing else. Best song: Couldn’t I Just Tell You or You Left Me Sore
Lite för långt och jag behöver egentligen lyssna igen. Det här skulle kunna vara en fyra
Interesting
70’s soft rock. Not that exciting today, but good decent work
What happens when a talented pop producer does a ton of speed and has full creative freedom? You get a double album full of so many different styles that take inspiration across all corners of music. We got some ballads, power pop, cabaret, country, jam, you name it. Even the interludes are engaging and worthwhile. Now this guy kept churning whatever songs to his mind. And to me, I'm hearing a lot of lame tracks that are decent and impressive, but not particularly engaging. In addition, this makes a very inconsistent record, with completely opposite moods being played in quick succession, akin to some compilation. I do find tons of things I like that display his innovation and skill set in production techniques and songwriting, such as smooth bridges and changes in tempo. "Marlene" is an example of a song that sounds elegant and smooth but underdeveloped. I find it repetitive and the progression doesn't feel satisfying, and this is only further spotlighted by the minimalist boring lyrics. I wouldn't label this as one of the "lame" songs, but of the many that have potential if perfected. Favorites: I Saw the Light, It Takes Two to Tango, Breathless, The Night the Carousel Burned Down, Couldn't I Just Tell You, Little Red Lights, Piss Aron, Hello It's Me
Incredibele variety in sounds and styles, all rendered with a directness and an ear for pop melody that is unwavering. Unfortunately not all of it works for me and the well known songs are well known for a reason and the not so known songs are also unknown for a reason. However you have to admire the shear scope of this project, the depth of Rundgren's musical talent. 3.5 stars
Ik kende deze artiest alleen via de soundtrack van Worst Person in the World, maar hij heeft meer lekkere nummertjes. Alleen een album van 25 nummers is gewoon te lang.
Favourites: • I Saw the Light • I Went to the Mirror • Black Maria
Thanks Todd, maybe shorten it up TODD
Familiar with a couple of the songs but I always thought a raspy sounding woman was singing. So weird. Anyway, only a couple of songs worth listening to on this album, and those are the hits (I Saw the Light & Hello It's Me).
It's fine, nothing special.
Was bracing myself for a slog but overall kinda enjoyed it, minus the song about being in love with a minor. Some cringe, but some fun. I liked that it had a game, more albums should have games 3.5/5
So boring. It’s inoffensive innocuous soft rock. I’ve heard the singles many many times on classic rock radio and I’ve never felt compelled to go deeper. Granted, Rundgren does address the issue of his boring formulaic music with his next album, A Wizard A True Star, but I didn’t exactly love that either. It’s fine, this album is just fine. But it’s also cursed now because it features prominently in the first few episodes of And Just Like That, the worst show on television. I won’t take points off for that, but I just can’t think of a worse way for it to try and drive some substantial new royalties from. That show is so not the right fit for it. And it’s not going to get the same renewed interest that Kate Bush got from its genius use in Stranger Things. Sorry Todd, you’re just too basic.
This is one of those albums that's fine, a fun listen even, but I don't understand why it's special enough to be on this list. I suppose that it represents a transitional album from the sound of the 60s to the sound of the 70s, but nothing on here feels all that groundbreaking. It just feels very straightforward. There's nothing wrong with that, and I enjoyed this album, but it's hard to analyze something that is competent but unspectacular. He does have some synthesizer stuff on here that is relatively early. Maybe it gets really good on the second disc of the album, but I'm definitely not going to make it there because I have things to do today 3/5
Rock
Lotta music on this one. Most of it is good, but a lot
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: I saw the light
A decent album. It was a combination of yacht rock and some slightly heavier rock tracks. It was very long, I recognized the song Hello its Me. Other than that, I'd never heard anything off this album before. There are lots of parts where it's just talking in the studio, like a live uncut show, it was kind of interesting. Overall it was ok
Pretty decent, I'll listen to it again
Rock clásico con algún toque más sureño y más relajado. Todo un icono en EEUU. Guitarrista con buena voz
"it wouldn't have made any difference" is a song I can imagine in a rom-com where both characters are at a the low point of the movie 😂
Un album foisonnant qui veut m'entraîner dans toutes sortes de directions, mais je résiste. Je ne connecte pas vraiment à la voix ni au projet.
Soft rock. Fine.
Way less interesting to "A Wizard / A True Star", it's fine and competent but just normal rock/pop to me.
- (Disclaimer I'm writing this before I listen to it) 1 hr 28 minutes is incredibly unnecessary this album better be godlike - ^after listening I was 100% correct it's way too long - Honestly some decent jams on this thing, but tons of songs that were boring to me as well - "she may be a slut but she looks good to me" is a bar - 2.5 but I'll round up
- 70’s pop for sure (Elton, Joel) - Some catchy tunes in there but far too long - S L U T
Docked 1 star for length
Some very strong parts, but also some very weak parts. Loved the variation on styles most of all. Thinning this out a bit could make it an easy 4, but not as it is for me.
Chill lite långt dock tbh
Ok, some interesting bits but it didn't really stick out on first listen. Might need another go
Kannte ich natürlich wieder nicht. Endlich mal wieder ein Album, das dem Anspruch gerecht wird, hörenswert zu sein. Zu recht und nicht nur aus Gründen der Dokumentation in der Liste. Kein Riesenwurf, allerdings.
I mean it was a nice album, far too long though. Nice vocals and instrumentals though I'm not particularly a fan of some of the music, sounds a little jokey at times? 6/10.
Couple memorable songs. Mostly nice sound.
Very long album. A couple standouts, and a lot of stuff that is good but not great.
Mikä harmittaa tässä albumissa ihmessejä ihan menevä kokonaisuus on. Voipi sointi sävellys olla yksinkerttasemppaa kun ei tässä nyt.. ehh.... heh... kun ei tässä ole nyt ollut herralla kaverreitta ja livenä pittäis jokaista soitinta pimputtaa sitthen ja kappaalethan esittävä sithen.. Onkos järki immeisellä ennää, kun aevanm olisin luullut se ompi kaksi kättä jokkaisella pallon tallustajalla. Kun ei tallustahja esisiäkhää - kaiken maaihlman apinoistakhee puhun - ,sais artisthia vaikka jalloilla ne ossais soitella.. apinnat.. kun ei järkeä ole.. heh Sinne jalakhoihin vaikka jos vain saisi..laittasi sähkökittarra sais rumpuja paukuttae käsivoemain.. Se ompi semmone taipusa jalkavarvas käsi hommeli niillä se ompi semmonen
Big fan of the first couple of tracks, fell off a bit after that for me.
Dragged after a while
The randomness of the daily album is strange, I just listened to Todd's A Wizard/A True Star album the day before this one. However this being a double album- big ouft - I was not looking forward to the slog of such a long listen. This outing by Todd, is much more traditional pop rock and not so much experimental yet each sides of the original records are distinct in their own way with a flow that creates 4 mini albums/EPs. So as an entire album it doesn't feel like I've listened to 1 album, which kept it relatively fresh throughout. Best: I Saw the Light Worst: Marlene
I got through most of this. Most of it is fine, and sounds like the music of the era. A couple songs are great. A couple songs have, in my opinion, really shoddy drum work. Overall, average.
While there are snippets of brilliance in here - this album completely suffers from the the too much syndrome - too much album, too much emotion, too much contrition, too much self confidence, indulgence - at times talent and brilliance but the negatives are too much. Self editing might have made a wonderful record but I guess that’s the pitfall of going at it alone with so much ambition. Shame really.
enjoyed it, a bit unusual sound.
Hemtrevligt. Lite som att se ett gammalt McCloudavsnitt. Himla duktigt att göra nästan allt själv.
Knew surprising many songs of this one, some by covers of Mathilde Santing. Liked the covers better,,
An artist whose name is very familiar to me, but I've never happened to listen to any of his music. At least not intentionally. I didn't mind the 70s soft rock / yacht rock, but I can't imagine searching it out in the future.
There's a track that opens side B called "Intro" and it's just Rundgren talking about different production errors that can be heard, presumably in the middle of a self-induced psychotic break from producing the album for so long. It's funny and easily the most amusing part of the album.
Todd Rundgren is not in my usual list of what I would listen to. "Bang on the Drum All Day" is the only track that I can name from Rundgren, and it's not on Something/Anything. I did recognize "I Saw the Light" and "Hello It's Me", but that's only two songs from a double album. This album sits firmly at 2.5 stars. Almost half of the album is "okay - I guess", but 50% of the album I did not like. There was too much of a 70s soft rock or adult contemporary vibe. This album sounds like it might be friends with Carole King. It took until side 3 before I felt like Rundgren committed to some rock. The track I might come back to is "Couldn't I Just Tell You", which sounded like it was trying to bridge the gap between the early 80s to college station rock a few years down the road. The track sounds like it would fit in on a play list with early REM. I guess I'm rounding on this one.
3.4 - Listening to this record released in 1972 reminds me of Hunter S Thompson’s summation of how the giddy creativity of the 1960 ultimately led to disappointment. “So now, less than five years later, you can go up on a steep hill…and look West, and with the right kind of eyes you can almost see the high-water mark—that place where the wave finally broke and rolled back.” I hate to criticize this record too much - I appreciate the meticulous instrumentation and the amount of output - but it’s like Todd Rundgren channeled all of the bland, easy listening elements of the 1960s and forgot about the rest. And at over 90 minutes, this is a boring, bloated slog.
Cool at first but got a bit boring
Nice diverse album. It starts off strong with arguably the best song as the first one, "I Saw the Light", and then gets a bit weaker as it goes on. Singer has a nice voice that fit really well in this time period. Production is a little hot and cold though- listening to Track 3 "Wolfman Jack" into Track 4 "Cold Morning Light", you can hear a surprisingly audible change in master volume. The record felt a little bit long for me. By the end I was losing a bit of interest. The final track had some interesting lyrics... I found it pretty funny to consider backup singers singing the chorus harmonies "she may be a slut but she looks good to me" like sheesh louish.
Reading some of these reviews, I was wondering if people were listening to the right album, because the album I listened to first was a nice, tight, 43 minutes with only 13 tracks. Then I did some research and found that it's only half the album? The second half was... excessive. Unnecessary. Cut it, it doesn't need to be there. It's not all bad, it just doesn't add all that much. I felt like I would have liked this a lot better if it was broken up into two different albums, keeping the styles separate. Piss Aaron is a work of songwriting genius. Just kidding. What the fuck.
Gotta admire the ambition of this. Double album of angular but melodic rock that varies over the 4 sides of vinyl. He plays everything on the first 3 sides. The last side is with a band performed live. Its a tad too smooth in the production for my tastes and I know TR backlashed against it saying he didn't want to be a male Carole King. Needs more than one listen. 3, I think
Not the most impressive 70s rock album but with 20 something songs there were a couple that were pretty good. The thing about double albums is if you don’t love the artist it feels like it drags on for a while. The first song of this album is pretty good. It doesn’t pick up much from there. It feels like pretty typical 70s rock pop and this could’ve been a bit shorter. 5.8/10
An ambitious album for sure - and hard to rate on account of that. On one hand, Todd Rundgren has an impressive breadth as an artist. On the other hand, reducing the 25 tracks to the 10 best ones would have resulted in a way better, tighter album. Way too many tracks (in different styles, nonetheless) on this album are well executed, but without much soul. The few buried gems aren't really worth the slog.
This album seemed to go on forever, maybe it was the edible I had.
It sounds like AM radio. Good god double and triple albums are a slog to get through.
Never heard of Todd Rundgen before this starts out nice pop record. Intro then breaks into the second part of the record, it’s gets a tiny bit more interesting after that, part 3 gets even better. Enjoyed the change up in this album but overall found it a bit long. Glad Iv listened and agree with should be on the list but wouldn’t make my regular rotation, so this just misses out on 4 stars.
Usually interesting, but only sometimes enjoyable. 3/5
There are some all time great singles on here as well as some good deep cuts. Unfortunately it's also got a lot of mediocre material and is way too long. I thought maybe a 2, but the good stuff is good enough for a 3.
On first listen this seemed like a frickin' mess. I'm glad I took a peek at the reviews as someone pointed out this album is split into 4 distinct sides, each with its own title, and that helped me make sense of it a little more. The first side definitely seems the most consistent. The need for this to be a double album is questionable at best. Still, quite a lot of it seems like solid pop rock, I guess. Fave track - "Breathless" was fun electronic weirdness. "I Saw The Light" and "Wolfman Jack" were fun. "Black Maria" combined with the title of the side made me think that side was gonna be Black Sabbath-esque, but it turned out to be an outlier....
i dont know if its a three or a high two. i get this double lp is supposed to have moods and sides with different experiences, but it comes off muddy and murky. if youre gonna rock rundgren, fucking rock.
Didn't really enjoy it. The sounds of the studios bit was fun though.
Something/Anything? (1972) was Todd Rundgren' third album and his first double album. Also in 3/4 of songs he plays all the instruments. Nice album, but not for everyday listening. Good Music for driving, although some parts was long.
sure. thanks.
weird and wonderful
Pretty chill. Nice listen
Liked a handful of songs but overall kinda blah!
This was really good psychedelic rock at times, I’d rank it higher if it weren’t for the slower lovey jams that interrupted the pace of this album. Favourite stretch of the album is likely from Song of the Viking to One More Day and the live jams to close it out had good energy. Crazy to see Rundgren has a new release coming out tomorrow 10/14/2022 with Rivers Cuomo making an appearance. Could have been a 4 but I’ll go 3.5
Yeah alright. Nothing amazing
Pleasant 70’s easy listening. Decent songs, album, and playing, but it won’t stay in my regular rotation.
Very classic
Interesting album, enjoyed the listen , weird pop from the 70’s
nothing to hate, nothing to love
Some catchy tunes and nice melodies but it was very long and there were weird noises!
A cool album. I’m glad I listened to it.
Good double album. Enjoy it and wouldnt throw it away but rare listen
Convencional pero también muy atrevido para esa época ¿es su mejor disco?
"Hello It's Me" is one of my favorite Carole King-esque hits from back in the day. Listening to it now, it's still fresh - I love the interplay between Todd, the trumpet, the horn section, the back-up singers and the drums - I would have never guessed it was THE SAME PERSON doing every part, and producing of course. Amazing! I like that he attributes his prolific song-writing and production to Ritalin and weed. There are some great songs, though a few of the sound similar, which is bound to happen when you record 25 songs in 26 minutes.
I saw the light and Hello it’s me are really great sngles that have stood the test of time and they sound pretty fresh even today. The rest of the album is full of pop ballads and even gasp, show tunes that aren’t as notable, but kudos to him for playing most of the instruments on 3/4 of this double album release.
I've an odd relationship with Todd Rundgren in that I've always got him mixed up with Dolph Lundgren and when I was a kid thought they were one and the same. And tbh I'd probably want to listen to an album by Dolph.
I love the intro in the middle and the bits of dissonance and unexpected winks spaced throughout. Also good sound variety from song to song. Didn’t get through the whole thing but I can hear the shades of brilliance in it.
Haven't listened to any Todd Rundgren before. This albums a lot of fun. Very impressive work him playing the majority/all the instruments. Nothing really stands out or grabs me. My favourite tracks probably are It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference & Black Maria
This wasn’t just an album, this was an experience. Seems like he was given the keys to a huge studio and he made anything and everything. Some really interesting tracks and some really boring ones too. I want to give it 4 but I probably won’t be revisiting this album anytime soon.
This album is fine, like pretty good, but holy crap is it long. It felt like it was a million years long.
The album name aptly names the process Todd used to choose what tracks to include on his album.
Mostly enjoyable but 'Slut' is a really sour note to end on.
Very decent singer songwriter. Easy to listen to
Getting tires of saying albums are just 'fine', but here's another one that is just that.
Fascinating that he decided to play all the instruments himself for this record. I remember quite a few of these songs from radio airplay in my youth. They are catchy and very reflective of early 70s pop. He's an excellent songwriter and I like his performances. I say that out of appreciation of the craft and work, not as much from a personal aesthetic preference perspective. I don't find myself listening to and enjoying this style of music so much these days, but I understand it's influence.
Nice and playful, but too long. Wolfman Jack is fantastic tho
Theirs some really solid songs on here, but this album unfortunately falls victim to the “double album padding” syndrome- where the artist def has enough material for a single LP but nowhere near enough to make a double lp. Theirs a lot of forgettable stuff here mixed In with the gold.
Nothing awful about this album. Equally nothing noteworthy. Insanely average.
Starts off good but kind of fizzles out.
Let's get the obvious out the way first: this is just too damn long, a common flaw in Todd Rundgren albums. One wishes that he could suppress his brobdingnagian tendencies and just focus on producing one great slab of vinyl rather than two middlers packaged together. However, that's hardly the only flaw present. That feels harsh, and it's not as if the album sounds bad, but the first three sides merge into a bog-standard 70s powerpop/AOR rock that neither offends nor inspires. So paradoxically, we have an overtly ambitious record that tries to play as safe as possible. However, side 4 markedly improves things, being rockier, more awake, and quite a bit funnier. As such, side 4 raises this to a 3-starrer, but that's all it can do.
Three stars, maybe? A landmark album for many but I'm not sure I'm sold on this one. It's sure impressive that Todd Rundgren played almost all the instruments on this album. And there are some choice cuts in it, from "I Saw The Light" to "Wolfmann Jack", not to mention the atmospheric waltz "The Night The Carousel Burned Down" or the awfully good power pop hit "Couldn't I Just Tell You"--here foretelling many later great tracks of a genre that was still in its infancy in 1972 (say hi to The Cars, Weezer and The Posies from me, please). The thing is, those cuts are here mixed with many tracks that often border on muzak or elevator music. And when I say "many", I really mean it, since it's a double LP. Of course, I *do* realize that double albums such as these should be unafraid to explore stylistic u-turns and take risks of some kind to justify their sheer length. But can the human mind stand *so many* meandering laneways that rarely have a proper destination point here? And this in *one single take*, to boot. Case in point: "I Went To The Mirror". After a long pointless dirge, the track starts to get interesting with a bluesy Led-Zeppelin-like riff that gets things a little more animated and lively. But almost immediately, the song fades out, just as we were getting to something. This feeling of an unfinished business pertains to many other parts of this double album. And even when things get a little more interesting, like in the track that follows, "Black Maria", one often can't refrain from comparing the proceedings to other staple acts from the sixties and seventies. Yes, Todd Rundgren can remind you of the Beatles, Queen, Led Zeppelin or even the Rolling Stones (see also the nice closer "Slut"). But can he be as memorable, charming and evocative as the Fab Four? Can he be as deliriously histrionic and "over the top" as Queen? Can he rock as hard as Jagger and Richards, or Plant, Page, Bonham and Jones? No, he can't, and this for all the examples we've just quoted. As a result, he's stuck in a sort of limbo: he's an excellent and imaginative musician, but he's not a perfect songwriter or performer (his voice is a bit dull at times). And as such, he's doomed to stand below all those rock legends we've just mentioned. Conversely, he's not leftfield or abrasive enough to offer something that would counter this overall "mixed bag" narrative either. He sure tries to be more daring sonically speaking in later tracks such as "Little Red Lights". But it's too little and too late, especially at this point of the second record... Some fans might argue that the chords change are often off-kilter or unexpected. Maybe, but it's the same question as the one we've asked before, is it not? Are those chord changes leading somewhere? Nope, they definitely aren't. Take "Torch Song", for instance. Sure, it's nice and delicate, and it offers thoughtful instrumentation and arrangements. But basically, it's just another interlude. The emotions it tries to convey at first do not feel earned at the end, if only because the latter comes too soon, once again. To put it in a nutshell, I feel like this is a record where technical prowess doesn't always lead to truly *compelling* songwriting. And just like the flowery wallpaper aesthetics of its cover, most of the sounds and melodies displayed in *Something/Anything* appear slightly quaint today, if not downright cheesy sometimes. So I can understand listening to this album once because of its cultural importance, and overall it's been an interesting listen, if not always a pleasant one. But I'm not sure I ever want to play that album again now that I've listened to it. Life's too short to waste it on stuff that doesn't convey genuine emotions to you. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 949 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 23 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 14 (including this one?) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important to me): 15
Ohh, this is who sings all those songs I've heard on 97.1 the Drive
It's kind of a bizarre album. Some good songs here and there. 3/5 Standouts: Hello, It's Me, I Saw The Light, Others: It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference,
Some really good songs, some weird songs
3 i guess, it was meh but I can't say it was bad.
3.5/5 goodish, i'll have to relisten
A decent enough album. A bit long. There is good guitar and instrumentals throughout. Some songs pretty mellow where others rock harder. Strange mix. A few classic hits...Hello it's me... Overall ok. Although nothing truly exciting to listen to repeatedly for me.
Not my fave...
Старый лирический рок-ен-рольчик)
Bloat central, but I liked a lot of what I heard.
mmm very unmemorable. it wasn’t terrible but i just didn’t like it and it went on much longer than i wanted it to. it was just fine.
3/5
Very inoffensive
Very interesting and talented musician, but the 4 movement album seems all over the place and not as well planned out as say Stills’ double album. Production and musicianship is great but the songs never really take off.
Decent album that's a bit too long and too all over the place to really get going and leave an impression
Groundbreaking stuff, but the constant experimentation gets a bit tiresome over the course of a long album
There was a bit too much, but I liked the personalization of a few of the spoken clips a little. Some interesting sounds. Favorite songs were I Saw the Light (pre-existing, but still), Wolfman Jack, Saving Grace, Couldn't I Just Tell You, and Dust in the Wind.
Saved Prior: I Saw the Light Off Rip: It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference, Wolfman Jack, It Takes Two to Tango (This Is for the Girls), Breathless - Instrumental, Couldn't I Just Tell You, Little Red Lights, Dust in the Wind, Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: Too long. Probably a 4 if the filler is cut but the filler to me is probably why some people love this because it's like half the album. Album bats a varied 9 for 25 so it just sneaks into 3 territory but he really should've killed his darlings.
Liked his songs
This was a little much. Best track: Couldn't I Just Tell You
Didn't end well but was quite an interesting listen
There's a lot of schmaltzy 70s MOR rock here, but at least it's super well produced. The rockers here can really rock too, so all in all a worthwhile listen.
it may sound dated, but this is the album that influenced 80s and 90s rock and is still influential today.
Well that album did include my very favourite track by him ! Nevertheless, much as I enjoyed listening to it it only scores a 3*
Didn't get it. Very common sound.
3.5. Pretty chill. Noting truly special.
I couldn't believe how long this was, so I had to look it up. This was his first double album, and he played all the instruments and did all the vocals himself as well as produced it. Pretty damn amazing. Definitely know Todd Rundgren, but never knew he was such an intrumentalist. The first two songs are decent. Wolfman Jack caught my ear. There's a motown vibe, but I can't get over the fact that he wrote an ode to a damn DJ. You can see how the business has changed. The idea that pandering to an DJ is just completely acceptable makes my head spin. Sure you want to get played on the radio, but come on, man! He also covers "Money, That's What I want," so... Cold Morning Light reminds me of the Eagles. I get the sense that these LA artists of the early 70s really tapped into something that all manifested into a "sound." The Intro is brilliant. How often do you hear the artist talk to you like this? And for it to be about poor producing is even better. I would like to see more records have a track like that. The Night the Carousel Burned down definitely has that relatable feeling of loss. Interesting, sad and eerie. Saving Grace has a weird opening mix. Otherwise, a sing-songy song. Feels like a George Harrison song, which is funny since Rundgren apparently things the Beatles are over-rated. This album is an odd listen. It kind of goes all over. A love song about Marlene followed by the song of a Viking? Marlene was a beauty though, so I get writing a song about her! A few solid rock songs in the middle of this record. He can certainly rock on the guitar when he goes after it. I like Dust in the Wind. Has an Elton John/Billy Joel quality. Piss Aaron - it is stupid, but it's cool. Hello it's Me - Everyone knows this one. I didn't realize it had that little count down start. He's really working out a constructivist approach to this album. Slut is also Elton John-esque. The Bitch is Back kind of vibe.
Apart from the ingenuity (and that he produced and played everything himself) and the "mimicry" skills, the sound is somewhat still washed out and has little personality. The real creative approaches are found in the instrumental parts. (6/10) Favourite Tracks: I Saw the Light, Breathless
Why does Todd Rundgren have to make his albums so long? I do enjoy every single song on this album but I do not have the patience to sit through 25 songs.
No Really sounds very 70s, harmonising not unlike elo, keyboards
Yeah I dunno about this one. I keep flipping between 2.5 and 4 stars. The middle of the album started to drag / sound same-y and then a Viking song appears out of nowhere? If it wasn't so long then 4 stars. If he didn't play literally every instrument, a 2.5 stars. Feels like just over a 3 for me,
This is by no means a bad album, but it felt like it dragged on a bit. This is a 3.5 because I understand why it's on the list, but for me it started to get bloated about halfway through.
Not great. Some decent and catchy, some weird, and some just bad. 2.5/5
I learned something new about him.
iha ok
Mediocre album. The first song, I saw the light, was the highlight of the 25 song album. For the most part, It was all pretty cheesy soft unremarkable pop-ish types after that- with the exception of songs like wolfman jack
A bit forgettable
solid but realllly long
A bit folky but a bit weird sometimes
This album is pretty good! I like it a lot. Highlights have been I Saw The Light, Wolfman Jack and Couldn't I Just Tell You. The only thing is it did get quite boring due to how many songs there are on the album. 3/5 stars.
Pleasant pop, but nothing special.
I thought it was great, if a bit too clever for its own good. However, it was waaaaayyy too long and I tired of it about half way though.
Difficult to understand how this made the list. It is too long to be consistent. It works as a record as each side has songs of a similar style. The singles are magnificent and the album shows off his song writing ability and musicianship.
Album kao album mi se čini dosta ciljano da bude perfektno, bar što se tiče zvuka, kad sam čuo na intru onu igru koju je on izumio. Stoga, intro mi je čak malo i edukativan. Inače, drago mi je da sam našao vremena za album. Album ima puno pop elemenata, a u nekim pjesmama i onaj stari rock. Iako nije moj tip glazbe u neku ruku, skužih, nije samo do toga. Album je dost dugačak, a ako mi ne sjeda u potpunosti album, to može samo biti minus. Ima stvarno dobrih pjesama kao što su: Breathless, I Went to the Mirror, It Takes Two to Tango, The Night the Carousel Burned Down, Couldn't I Just Tell You, Little Red Lights, Hello It's Me. Naravno, puno pjesama na albumu, bilo bi žalosno da nema minimalno pet dobrih/odličnih. Zanimljiv album, playful, ovako za pustiti si u pozadini, shifta iz jednog žanra u drugi kroz cijeli album (iz popa u rock, pa u soul, čak i malo country na jednoj-dvije pjesme), dobar je ae. 3.3/5
Iznenađujuće oke, nis ti loš Tode.
Alright 70s rock. 7.6/10
spannende Mischung aus GIttarrenrock, Funk, pop, Hippie...
I'm actually ranked global elite at the studio game
This album started off great, but it's over an hour and a half long. There's movies that are that long. And several of the pieces are sketch like interludes. If it was boiled down to its greatest bits it would be a great album, but as is its unwieldy. Favorite Track: wolfman jack
Proficient soft rock, listenable but not too exciting.
I think it might be too whimsical... Some great (if sad / meloncholy) songs, but quite a lot is too meandering. Why not just do a tight album of bangers? Who listens to the stupid bits?
Some really nice tracks. Doesn't quite do enough to get a 4 from me
.
Unexpectedly good. Fun album. Beatles vibe. Would listen again
I like the vibe of this record. Reminds me of bands like the Eagles and people like George Harrison and Steve Miller. Impressive that he played all the instruments on the album as well as produced it.
Decent background listening. Little grabbed my attention, but nothing offensive to my ears.
Nice enough in parts (Beatlesey) but fuck me its long. Just as you think its getting going there is a bad track. Saving Grace, Black Maria, and Wolfman Jack are my highlights but there is just way too much filler. Could probably have made a decent 40 min album A generous 3/5 for the bits i liked, especially the 2nd half.
Nice songs but did not stand out for me
Decent
Pretty cool
It's all right. I like the piano in it occasionally. Couple songs I know.
Chill but boring at parts.
Sounds like typical white guy 70s music.
A few great songs, some are a little bit yikes
I had not heard this one, so I did a quick google about it, and was excited when Axl Rose called it his favorite album. It was a fun listen, thought of like a gay Tom Petty. Soft 70s rock, I'm on board. His 'game' was pretty weird. Odd inclusion. 3.5 if I could.
Sounds like 70s soft rock. Not bad, just not my favorite.
I had the impression of this dude being more of a rock guy than this album let on. Doing a little research, it seems that he went more in that direction after this album, as he didn't want to be pigeonholed as the "male Carole King" (is that a bad thing, though?). This album is interesting, as it seems to split its sound between singer/songwriter soft ballads, and of-the-time power pop. It's okay, but it's incredibly long and I zoned out pretty bad by the time Side 4 came around. Just too much material. Trim about half of it and you've got a decent record.
A pretty impressive multi-instrumentalist achievement but (aside from a couple of songs) not one I want to listen to.
Got better towards the end. But without this challenge I would never have found this out. It started very badly.
This was much longer than necessary. I think if the songs were 30% shorter and this was split into a couple albums, I’d have liked this a lot more. That said, I did enjoy the music more than some other music in the same genre from the same time.
A 2 with a couple of the songs
I got halfway through this album and had to quit. The first song was pretty good but that was it!
I'm sure lots of couples tried to get it on in the backseat of a parent's car with this on 8-track. So... Some level of gratitude to Todd is in order. But I'm not a teenager trying to get to second base in the backseat of a 1975 Opel Rekord or Ford Taunus, so this isn't for me.
Impressive feat, recording this massive project basically on his own. Then again it suffers from overindulgence like most double albums without a producer to streamline it. Might have been a decent 40 minute record, but this doesn't capture my attention. Might be, because this rather soft pop rock isn't my favorite anyway.
This was bizarre. It felt so disjointed and way too long. More like a compilation than a coherent album. Some songs were pretty good but they just didn't land because there was way too much happening around them.
2.3 2x a little too light folksy
While I can appreciate the fact that Rundgren played most of the instruments on the album by himself, this album vastly overstays its welcome.
Soft rock can sometimes just hit the spot and the best soft rock knows how to keep the time. Go too long and you’ll soon have an audience too tired to even enjoy it. THIS is one of those maximalist moments where there is too much of a good thing. THE INTRO is the 7th song and it’s pretty good it’s a look into Todd’s mind I just get so lost. These long albums that all sound quite similar. This is not bad music and Todd is Randy Newman,Billy Joel and a bit of Steely Dan. Songs like piss Aaron really showcase how silly Todd is but it can’t be alongside hello it’s me. It’s cut so terribly that it ruins the whole flow of the album. I’m not sure who this guy is but the instrumentals are awesome and Todd has a beautiful voice. I have to rate it lower just due to the terrible bloat. It’s also weird some weird songs on the back half
It's cool that he played all the instruments, but I didn't find it very engaging other than side 3. 2.2
I read somewhere he sounds like the male Carole King. Turns out that is exactly right. Nothing more.
It was nice. Just not impressionable
I Saw The Light is a classic for good reason - one of those timeless pop tunes that never seems to age - but aside from that, one or two yacht rock style tracks and a playful tune here and there, it all sounds a bit drawn out and aimless to me. He’s an impressively talented multi-instrumentalist and studio whizz, but doesn’t he just know it. I’d have whittled it down to ten tracks, held a few back for b-sides then binned the rest but what do I know? He seems to have done pretty well for himself without any input from me.
I thought I knew Todd Rundgren but when I listened to this I recognised everything and yet nothing specific. It sounded like something that would have been on constant play on the radio when I was a kid in the 70s. Well executed cheesey forgettable pop. Inoffensive but ineffective.
I'll take albums that were an hour too long for $400 thanks Alex
Nope. Nothing.