A Wizard, A True Star

Well, this is novel. I'd heard the odd track from this guy over the years but they didn't really register as being anything worth pursuing. After listening to this, I've got a new artist to explore. Whacky, quirky, psychedelic, pop, fun, groovy, fresh and definitely unique. Tracks seem to catch you with their familiarity, lose you with a jarring melody change or lyric and then make you jump right back in with an anthemic chorus, before being slightly repulsed again due to the constant variation in instrumentation and genre, like its trying to pack too much into one track. I like its loose free flowing quality though. Obviously a musician at the top of his game who has ideas about his ideas. A 3 for now but who knows, it may get to a 4 after more fly bys.

I will definitely be returning. This is one of the most creative and unique 70s albums I have ever heard, if not the one.

Very enjoyable

This passed me by in 1973 and I can't say I'm sorry . Will not be bothering to listen to this aden .

So bad I want to find the people responsible and hurt them. Worst suggestion yet.

I guess sometimes drugs might be cool.

COME BACK TO THIS

Fun fact Todd is from the same area where I grew up. Not fun fact, I don’t live his music.

justifiability is in the hands of the beholder

A lot better than his other album but could have done without the animal noises

Sometimes the universe conspires to prevent you from listening to a record. I started listening when I took the dog for a walk, but the music kept cutting out. Then, I started listening when I got home when the internet went out. This seems like the perfect record for needing to jump through hurdles (okay, minor inconveniences) to listen to it. It's odd, but somehow accessible.

I’m so tired of critics trying to convince us that experimental equals good.

I did t know what to expect but it was decent

The explanation was that it was supposed to be like tripping. Mission achieved, but I dont think this was for me. My enjoyment went up and down and was mostly hampered by Rungren's singing.

I hate long records He could have cut 10 minutes But still... holy shit!

6 / 10

I just found this muddled and annoying. Cool album cover though

There’s a lot, a very lot going on during Todd’s drug infused, experimental, progressive rock flight plan / album making it a valid entry to The 1001 Must Hear List. It’s weird , it’s long, had to listen to it twice to make sure I didn’t miss anything. Musicianship is solid through out. A flurry of brilliance from Zen Archer through Onionhead/Da Da Dali to When the Shit Hits the Fan/Sunset Blvd. I would say I enjoyed both listens, the second time was better. (2.5*s) I think his album Something/Anything? Will also make the list.

Certainly a trippy album. The use of drugs heavily apparent in its creation with tracks like "Dogfight Giggle." Rundgren works like a Wizard on this release but I can see why half his audience dropped out. I found it good through "Zen Archer" but it began to lose me with the medleys and I was pretty gone by side B. Hoping for an earlier one from Todd to compare to this one...a little pre/post drug influence. 2.38 true stars.

It can be fun to rip through a handful of 1-2 experimental songs but after a handful you kinda wonder what it the album is going for. The disjointed nature is fun for a bit, but the effect only lasts so long. After about half the album any enjoyment has devolved to a relatively uninteresting mess. Later in the album there is a medley of classic hits that only further add to the confusion as none of the versions from Todd are anything notable. I often see Todd Rundgren show up as a contributor or influence on other classic rock acts, so he is clearly a renowned musician. I get why A Wizard, A True Star could be held in high regard from indie rock acts that like the free flow nature of the way he arranged everything, but I'm not sure it makes for a great listen in a vacuum. You can do a lot worse elsewhere on the list as it wasn't a punishment to get through, but I also believe this isn't one that I really needed to listen before I die. I guess heavy use of psychedelic drugs and the way Todd largely self-performed and produced the album makes it a bit of an impressive endeavor but overall without context its just another skippable 70s album to me. 1.64 stars

⭐⭐⭐ Initialt kände jag att spontant motstånd till det här albumet men efter ett par lyssningar så växer det och jag kan se dess kvalitéer. De många korta experimentella spåren på första halvan är lite mycket, (Dogfight giggle är bara en kakafoni av ljud) men när man tagit sig igenom dem så gillar jag faktiskt albumet. Andra hälften är fortfarande lite quirky men inte på samma utflippade sätt som första hälften. Det är det melodiöst och intressant. Bäst är Zen archer, Does anybody love you?, Medley:I´m so Proud/Ooh Baby Baby..., Idon´t want to tie you down, Just one victory. Sista halvan av albumet är ln 4a men som helhet får det nog bli en 3a.

What the hell is this and how have I never heard it/him before. What a mind melt and I am here for it 🤯 What the hell is going on?! And songs are like 1 minute. Whaaaat. I mean I don’t really know how to sum this up, but I respect it and love things that pull me out of shape. Kinda Zappa esque at times and a very enjoyable journey. Will check out more

This is a nice, interesting album. I really enjoyed several songs: Medley and Just One Victory specially. 3.5

I feel like I’m in a psychedelic 80s movie.

Eh

Whoa I actually liked this a lot 3

hell of a range on this one. the opening few tracks are great, international feel is a crazy strong opening and it keeps up til at least da da dali imo, but the energy wears down around the end of the first half and the second kinda loses that experimental edge and makes me feel like maybe this album didnt need to be an hour long. kinda hard to rate this on a scale of 1-5, it starts off as a 4 but falls off to a 3 before the halfway point. guess that's a 3. but its a high 3 for whatever thats worth. rock and roll pussaaaayyyyyyyyyyy.....

Almost a 4/5 but the last third of the album gets a little dull.

It's a classic isn't it? Well, yeah I guess so, it's just that Todd Rundgren has largely passed me by over the last fifty odd years. I've listened to it a few times in the past, and it is very good, it just doesn't quite grab me in the way it's probably supposed to. having another listen this morning anyway.

Now this is different. In 1972 this had to be way out there. And yet it's not just noise and could have been made last year.

A very fun and varied record, it took a few relistens to click but this thing is endlessly entertaining and brings a lot to the table. Definitely one of those records that the more I hear the more I'll grow to love it.

Apenas ok

LOVED IT!!!! When I was the artwork, I thought this looked like a cool album and was excited to listen. I was immediately into it and happier to discover my enjoyment continued throughout the album! My only complaint is that I haven't heard it sooner!

Maybe its just the amount of this type of music that i've been listening to from the list the past couple of weeks, but oof. Relative to the other albums from this era, it did not age well and the mix sounds extremely outdated (possibly since it was self done), while others from this era have held up. I did not like this album overall, it was at times grating noise and the screeching and yelling/screeching just weren't doing it for me. Pros: The end of Le Feel Internacionale was a great way to wrap up the medley that was the first 12 songs on the album. Some of the tracks were cool, but to be honest I didn't save a single song off this album and probably won't be listening to it again. Best Songs- Zen Archer (Specifically the Sax Solo) Flamingo- Why does this sound like it could've inspired a Legend of Zelda town theme I mostly preferred the second part of the album over the first. The first 7-9 songs had me ready to give it a one but the back half brought me begrudgingly up to a two. I think that this album probably needs some sort of insobriety to fully appreciate and understand, but alas, I listened to it fully sober and it was not for me.

As someone who is fairly musically all over the place, I actually loved this album. Tons of detail for the early 70s, this must have taken *for-ever* to cut to tape. Zen Archer has incredible saxophone and the whole first part of the album is proggy, experimental and somehow all still jams and flows. Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel is a fantastic yacht rock track a good 5-6 years ahead of its time. And the closing medley is just a lovely little soulful chock full o' 70s and is such a live sound with really musical arranging. I had heard of but never listened to Todd Rundgren and my corny little ass loves this record. On my personal scale (1 =unlistenable/trash, 2 = boring/bad, 3 = okay, 4 = I liked this!, 5 = 'hell yeah') this gets a 5 for sure.

Not sure what was happening… feel like I needed to get drugs involved

Dude is very charismatic. Sounds quite experimental for that time. Nice vocal performance

Weird in the best way.

A begrudging second star, if only because I likely expected worse.

So bad. I wish I had more hands, so I could give them songs 4 thumbs down

A curious mixture of weird (4/5 enjoyable) and conventional (2/5 didn't do anything for me).

me gusto, pero es raro, como que siento que no sigue una misma vibe. los primeros temas medio psicodelicos ?? despues cambia una bocha la onda. es como que nose en que mood tengo que estar para escuchar todo el disco de corrido. creo que no lo haria. tiene muuy bueos temas igual, dont get me wrong. Se disfruto, pero no volveria a escuchar el disco (si algunos de sus temas)

Started off as “what did I get myself into?” until about halfway through “Zen Archer” when I realized I was listening to something truly special, and by the end I was in tears. A brilliant record from Todd Rundgren of all people. But my god. This is so good. Such a unique experience and just all encompassing emotionally. The medley was so good, and “I Don’t Want To Tie You Down” might have changed my life. It’s been a long time since I’ve been moved like this by a piece of media. But also get me in a different mood and this could be 1 star. I love music.

So I do enjoy this album, while still perhaps not really quite getting it yet. My guess is this is one of those that requires a few listens, and not just one. It's a bit of a mess of styles, and has some good moments. But I didn't latch onto it as a whole. So a 3/5, for the moment.

‘International Feel’ is such a fun opener, I need psychedelic music to come back!! The chamber rock sensibilities of ‘Never Never Land’ and Rundgren’s vocals are whimsical to say the least. It sounds like instrumentals for a desert level in a video game. Or something you’ll hear in a weird adaptation of Peter Pan. ‘Tic Tic Tic, It Wears off’ ?? This song sounds like it belongs in WiiPlay or on a flash game. The rest of the album is just as quirky and interesting to listen to I really enjoyed this on first listen. The cover is eccentric with the clash of the surrealist watercolour portrait and geometric shapes added on. Rating: 4/5 GEMV (11.03.2026)

Screw it give it 4 stars. Lots of cool sounds, melodies, instrumentation. Doesn't really have to be this long, and has like 7 tracks in a row that are a minute long. Don't know if that was entirely necessary, but I like Todd Rundgren and I like this album.

This album is a bit of an imaginative mess: brilliant in places, but elsewhere it sounds like a cat walking on a keyboard. I'm simultaneously glad I heard it and perfectly content never to repeat the experience.

super fun and exciting album!! i feel like u can really tell he put his soul into this one.

He wishes he was a fucking wizard.

Weird, but catchy. Seems pretty out there for the times. It is quite clear drugs were involved in the creation of this album.

No

Two Rundgren albums in one month is going to really fuck up my algorithm, and Todd Rundgren is probably going to make my monthly replay. I'm big mad about this because Todd Rundgren is shit.

Meh. Average voice, not nearly as edgy as the song titles would lead you to believe

Nice

One of so many albums here which are quite ok but nothing special.

His story is cool but the album didn’t really stand out to me. Kinda experimental pop y

Beautiful and awesome. Never heard before but really liked it

The cover of Oooh Baby Baby saves this album from the pit of despair.

Weird

I have heard the term “wizard” used to refer to a gentleman who has the strength of will to resist the charms of evil women and remain a virgin until he turns 30. Based on how this album sounds, I they may be onto something. I had no idea that Mark David Chapman was acting as Todd Rundgren’s shooter in a Biggie/Tupac-style beef between Todd Rundgren and John Lennon. I can see why the press focused on the “Catcher in the Rye” aspect instead. Nice to hear where Kevin McAlister’s uncle got the inspiration for his interpretation of “Cool Jerk”. I feel the same way about this album as I do about “Something/Anything?”, which I haven’t been assigned for this project yet but picked up on vinyl for a dollar at some point and promptly resold. I kind of get it. If you’re looking for the sound of the sad, disillusioned, peace/love hangover, “oh wait, drugs aren’t going to save the world, but wait now I’m addicted to drugs!” early 70’s, then Todd Rundgren is your guy. He captures that feeling as good as anyone else who was working at the time. But I’m not really looking for that particular aesthetic.

This album is INSANE, very futuristic with electronic wackiness. Reminds me of “the in sound from the way out!” By Perrey and Kingsley from 1966, which the beastie boys also ripped off in both title and cover art(inverted) in the 90s. Good shit

International Feel

Incredibly innovative album, self-produced, influential - but something about the wall of sound production and melodies on here just doesn't do it for me. Faves: International Feel, Just One Victory

Hola crap, did I ever love that album. Bang on the Drum just did not accurately set my expectations. I listened to it with close attention in my headphones on and had quite the little journey. Not sure it would weather a casual spin in mixed company, but perfect for deeper dive. One part even gave me real goosebumps.

You know how both jogging and cocaine raise your heart rate, but only one is good for you? This record sure got my blood pumping, but in the form of an anxiety attack/general sense of dread. I lost hope for the future. I hadn’t felt that horrid since Steve Irwin died. Three stars.

Unmemorable

Vocals are not very good but so confidence. He must have loved what he’s doing. Music wise not the best but I do enjoy the energy.

a weird little pop album that had a bit more oomph to it. didnt love it, but there were parts i thought were nice.

All over the place, but in a good way. I thought I knew what I was in for with the early songs and then You Need Your Head caught me completely off guard. I thought the second half of the album was especially good and even enjoyed the 10-minute medley. Would come back to certain songs from this album again, if not the whole thing.

It took me a long time to settle into this album. I really didn't like the first half, and only started enjoying it until the second to last song. It's probably closer to a 3, but I'm going to round down to a 2 today.

85/100. Such a fun record. This genuinely feels like it has everything. Pop melodies, psychedelic detours, soul influences, weird little studio experiments. It is chaotic, colorful, and somehow still completely intentional. It feels like stepping into someone else’s brain for 55 minutes, and honestly, it is a pretty fascinating place to be.

This was better than I'd expected, and I suppose it was quite groundbreaking at the time. I'm not so sure it's looking so good from 2026.

music is love

pretty shite

A lot weirder than anything I've heard by him before (in a good way)

Messy brilliance and great craic. Tiocfaidh ár lá

I enjoyed this. A weird fun time

Exactly the sort of hazy meandering psychedelia which punk rock needed to come in and blow away. And for that we should be extremely grateful.

Weird, but in a fun way. Eh, at least he's trying something different.

There might be more to get out of this album if I were on the same drugs as when they were recorded. I truly enjoyed the music. The early flow from track to track to establish the feeling of being on a journey, as were the unexpected musical and stylistic changes that created speed bumps in the road. Where I was most thrown off was the transition into covers. All were well done, but I changed gears enough to forget the rest of the album. I doubt that was the intent.

seamlessly arranged medley of weirdness! and it MUST be listened to as an album. glorious technicolor. what a journey of psychadelic experimentation.

Half of these songs had me thinking it was unconventional but decent experimental rock. Several others had me wondering what the hell I was listening to. It's more than a bit weird. I like that.

When this came up, the first thing I did was check the track listing for I Saw The Light, really like that song, but alas I did not find it. I didn’t have much in expectation but this album felt like a somewhat over indulgent, and sadly bloated album. It’s almost wonderfully weird in places, perhaps reaching the levels of say, Cardiacs or Tom Waits, but it’s not really my thing. There are moments, songs even, that I enjoyed, and I almost applaud the indulgence but sorry Todd, this ain’t for me.

Weird album, very psychedelic and different for 70’s pop/rock. I can appreciate the originality but probably won’t listen again. More of a prog-influenced Todd Rundgren fan. 3⭐️

Way more interesting than the other album from him I've listened to

This had an International Feel about it.

Uncgem

He's got some other good tracks, but none are on this album.

Kolejna dziwna mieszanka. Sentymentalne, ckliwe wręcz kawałki przemieszane z jakimś kosmicznym pastiszem Bowiego. A do tego, tak dla niepoznaki wrzucone zostało kilka dobrych, rytmicznych utworów. O co tu chodzi? 6/10

The Wizard of Oz?

Super interesting listen. Honestly really enjoyed it.

That was a trip

"Hello, It's Me" is one of my favorite songs of all time. Of course, I would enjoy listening to more Todd Rundgren. Part of this album sounds like it was released in the 2010s, this is bananas!

This is quite a strange album. It starts off as more of an artistic installation style performance piece. To the extent that I wouldn't 100% have classed it as music. Eight tracks of between 1:02 and 2:50 duration. All with their own little point but they seem to run into each other. All quite off kilter and not quite melodic. Like little crazy jingles for shops right on the edge of sanity. It all come to crescendo with "Zen Archer" a more song like track with arrow sound effects throughout. Then the album seems to start all over again with "Le Feel International" but this time turns into a a mixture of an Andrew Gold-esq Yacht Rock/Yes style Prog Rock mash up. I don't know if I like it or not. (2.000)

Niet echt spraakmakend

I suppose every album is just a collection of sounds. But this one really is just a collection of sounds.

This was really good. Very dad rock-y but an excellent take on the early 70s rock. Definitely worth the listen.

Zen archer is tremendous and there are other highlights. However there are much better Todd albums than this. Always listenable though

Meh...

Interesting psychedelic concept album. Very kool sound bites and backgrounds. Todd has a better voice then I remembered. Liked the oldies medley. Last song sounds like an Eagles cheer support song.

WTF?

Todd Rundgren is an odd duck… just like every other genius.

Pretty representative of Todd Rundgren, one of the most talented and underrated artists of his generation.

I like Todd but this was a weird phase

"This is so busy and noisy" I thought. "Kind of like Voidz mixed with Jack White. I wonder if it's like 2000s or 2010s". This shit is from 1972!!!!! And sounds like good modern noise albums. Absolutely crazy release.

This album was Todd’s homage to non other than Len Houmous from Houmous & Chutney. 2.1 9/19 Zen Archer

holyyy fire. love the experimental, full instrumentation and peter pan cover whatttt. not my fav singer though :/ highlights: Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel, Medley

Turd Rundgren. Awful

Good, not great. 3 stars

Interesting. Need to listen to this a few more times.

He’s a genius in his own right, but my god my head was scrambled. I can see where the drugs came into the mix, we’ve all got weird with music, but to create like this as well. Fair play. Again a lot of it is so smart and well put together and then on the flip side mind blowing and I’m not too sure if it’s in a good or bad way. To pull a song called rock and roll pussy off as well. Fair play. Don’t know if it just screams parody to me. I wanted to like it more than I did. But just feel like it was so intense in the first listen and it didn’t draw me to want to go again. I am going to give his other stuff a go though.

I just don’t know what to feel … Well how do I feel , like I’ve been mind fucked several times by this album lol God I’ve really had a good listen and a think to this one and In my opinion it’s just a clutter of farrrr too many styles of music for me The opening songs international feel and never never land had a nice melody and tempo to it almost sort of Jeff lynn ELO inspired and then from that point onwards it descended into chaos There were too many loopy noises In the background for my liking , space ships , Cazoos out of tune trumpets , which just made it too experimental and uneasy to listen to These little 1 minute segues made no sense and made the ballad songs such as I just don’t know what to feel , don’t let me tie you down , feel flat and not uplifting Even though those were actually my favourite moments from the album I feel like he was onto a winner with the standard traditional songwriting elements he had on this but the rest was just a hornets nest of different genres and sounds Todd rungren though got to hand it to him he’s a unique musician who has made some great records in past very multi talented but won’t be revisiting this one anytime soon

Wow what an experience this is, you can absolutely tell he was experimenting with psychedelic drugs for this record. I know knew of him by his pop hits until this. Some tracks are true self indulgence and exploration into sound textures which can be a bit much, but the second half of the record a true star gets a lot more musical and the transitions between songs are excellent. Really difficult to place I think it's a 4 but I'll have to give it a 3. A day is nowhere enough time go understand this.

a drug, a true trip.

Absolutely mental prog rock. I love Pink Floyd and can even get behind some King Crimson - but this is too far for me. Interesting but not something for a regular listen.

I really wanted to. I couldn't.

That was just an awful mess. Made my brain hurt.

A true weirdo. Sometimes I don't know what to feel. Side 1: this is just nuts Side 2: some of this is gorgeous (and wow, I really thought that was Daryl Hall on vocals) and some is nuts The nuts:gorgeous ratio is fairly high, I think.

A good and interesting album!

I can imagine this album is a grower and it probably takes time to grow on you, but I managed to listen to it only twice, so three is perhaps bit unfair. As it stands, it's a 3/5 but I won't be surprised if this will be 4 or even 5/5 later on.

Oh look, there's 19 tracks on this album! Oh what, half of them are about a minute of stupid navel-gazing nonsense Oh dear, that voice is tough to listen to Oh no, its prog from 1973! Oh yes, there is the Next button Oh hmm, listened and reviewed in five minutes Oh joy, back to my regular listening

5 stars, 6 stars in the Tokyo Dome

2,1 Highlights: Never Never Land, Sometimes I Don't Know What To Feel

I REALLY wanted to like this - but it was too erratic for me to lock in.

He's a bit eccentric, isn't he?

Attention deficit hyperactivity dogfight giggle Mislabelled sample pack / Boosh episode All makes sense when you realise he was off his nut whilst writing.

Cacophonous and dissonant junk with some musicality mixed in. Sorry Todd.

The album is objectively brilliant, weird in a good way. But to me it just sounds like a soundtrack to something bigger. Definitely will revisit but so far it didn’t click with me on the first listen.

I thought this album was a bit of a mess production wise, very busy and unfocused. The amount of genres on here hint at that. To the point where it kind of starts to drown out the quality of the songs. I still quite enjoyed it and thought it was decent, but I expected better based on Todd Rundgren's reputation and the previous album I listened to by him.

I thought this was going to be soft dad rock, but I was pleasantly surprised. Pretty psychedelic. It lack consistency to eb great, feels a bit cobbled together (even though the songs blend into each other). Didn't find it amazing, but it has interest and I appreciate the early electronics and many other influences.

Hints of good music but just wierd and noisy

This is some weird, wild stuff. Not sure I'd revisit it, but listening is a very interesting experience. Crazy psychedelic rock that flows straight from one track to another for nearly an hour of complex, layered music. Picking out individual songs is difficult since it all blends together. Fun listen though IMO.

This album is wild! What a ride. I had never heard it before. Kind of like a psychedelic Frank Zappa?

My instant reaction to this is, "suck it Brian Eno." Eno is often credited for his experimentation, but I have always found his work to be very poorly constructed. And when I think of what really good experimentation could look like, I finally have an album that I could point to as a sound example. This record is manic, crazy, ludicrous, insane, and any other adjective you could think of. But it manages to work. It's far from the best thing ever and, frankly, I am not sure I would come back to it much. However, it was a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting listen and for those reasons, it gets 4 stars from me.

I thought I liked Todd Rundgren.

Somehow this hit the right vibe for the day

This was wacky, this was wild, and eventually it won me over.

This is a really interesting one. I had never heard this album at all and am only casually familiar with who Todd Rundgren even is so this was basically brand new territory for me. My first thought (oddly) - damn that's a fantastic sounding snare drum. I think it was quite apparent that he wrote, engineered, produced, and recorded this all himself. The flow of the album is really great, weird though it is. You can certainly hear some of his chemical influences here. It's not what I would call 'good music' but I don't hate it. I can't really pick out a specific song that I liked, it's not that kind of record. It's really just one long song. If you took any of it out of context it wouldn't really land right. I think it is a really interesting record and it does deserve a place on this list. Though I think it's likely to be a love it or hate it album, it kind of falls in the middle for me. I might play this one again, but I'd have to be in the right mindset. It's not one you can just throw on in the background, you kind of have to sit and listen or else it just washes over you and you miss the point. 3.25/5

What a trip of an album! I'd be willing to wager this is about 90% or more of where Of Montreal found their sound decades later. It's an eclectic and at times erratic album that I'm actually surprised I knew a number of songs already as radio singles in the 80s/90s. Seriously going to be coming back to this one on a regular basis. A surprising 5 outta 5 for me!

this is really weird…the synth is killing me

Had a long review that was lost after I put my phone down for a bit to work. I was Extremly pleasantly surprised with this album. The first 5 songs fading in and out of each other is something I think all albums should have. Middle is eh, but le feel internacionale is a great song. Every single song in the back half of this album is really good and none really sound the same other than vocals. Some live songs, some straight rock anthems. Either way they’re good. The horns and unique sounds used throughout are very cool. I’m so proud is also an incredible song. And then ending it out with just one victory which is very 70s but still so fun. The songwriting is great. Just a really fun album all around. 3.7 stars.

Really fun music, cohesively out there album. Incredible achievement by just some guy so early on

Psychedelic and whimsical... It's fun, but not spectacular.

Damn this is GREAT! Reminded me of Ariel Pink's Pom Pom lol

I got into Todd Rundgren last year and I think he kicks like an unreal amount of ass

Está raro, me estresó

Album 84. A Wizard / A True Star (https://open.spotify.com/album/3vpVWxOR2W611w9lgAxWET?si=vOgBDXXwROurgS1IWSBu5Q) — Todd Rundgren (1973) This album feels like my day — complete schizo journey. I mean, it's great — I love psychedelic music. But it's hard to listen to. A Wizard / A True Star is such an experimental album, that first listeners were rats. There was so much acid in the album, that every listener must take a drug test after listening. The whole album is a trip. And I love to travel. And I'm crazy enough, I guess, so I'm good not to relisten to it for extra dose. But never say never 3/5 —————————————— No liked songs

ambitious... HYPERprogressive pop. a large departure from what todd wrote in the past, apparently. it's so strong of a departure that this is one of those albums that really wouldn't be suited for typical radio stations. the songs are continuous, the ENTIRE record blasting noise uninterrupted instead of most songs having proper endings or fadeouts. so it's almost like one big fat song. this album is very ahead of its time. you know the one scene in the lego movie with the magic portal? where you're going at unimaginable speeds and every color across the horizon zooms past you and you almost feel like if you move the wrong way, you'd vomit? this is that album. it's so psychedelic and absolutely bonkers, overwhelming the senses and yet you get comfortable from where you're sitting.

Unique. ★★★

Kinda eccentric. Interesting, unique interludes. Quite boppy vocals - Mika vibes. Circus-like in places. A bit epic in parts. I like 'Sometimes I don't know what to feel' - reminds me of his more famous track 'I saw the light'. 'I'm so proud' is a really beautiful track - the medley that this track is part of kinda saves the album and amps it up in terms of rating. Some quite iconic-sounding 70s tracks towards the back end of the album.

Интересно беше. Бих слушал пак

Sounds like left overs from the 60s psychadelica. filled with random and annoying small songs, annoying falsettos and sections that just feels silly for no reason. from times really hard to listen to.The wierd parts drag down the score for me. Don't really know why you need to listen to this, it is not even the best of Rundgren.

2.5 Sorry Todd, I respect ya but not really for me. Dont like psychedelic rock much at all and over half of this album is that. When he gets more into his singer/songwriter vibe towards the end of the album, I really liked that! Like five great songs in a row to finish strong! Just wish that was more of the album.

Well, this was a fun little surprise. I had never heard this album before and honestly had no idea what style of music to expect going in. What I got was a blend of progressive sunshine pop filtered through the lens of acid and psychedelia. It’s a very artistic album that goes all over the place, some parts are playful and theatrical, almost like something out of a musical, while other sections dive into soulful territory. It’s unpredictable in the best way, constantly shifting moods and styles but still holding your attention the whole time. This one’s definitely going on my list of albums to revisit in the future.

Legit shocked, I thought I didn't like Todd Rundgren but this album (or the 3/4 that is psychedelic) is fantastic

I had no idea what to expect. I knew he wanted to bang on the drum all day, and that he produced XTC and later Bad Religion. This is a lot weirder than I expected. I actually admire the concept. I had a tough time getting through it though. It’s probably a 4 but I’m reducing it by 1 for being too long.

A couple of days ago I got Primal Scream and it claimed the album was inspired by drug use and it sounded like generic 90s UK rock. I read this album was also inspired similarly. Primal Scream WISHES it was this. THIS is what I expected. This dude is tripping and in the best way musically. When the sax screams of Zen Archer, amazing.

One of my favourite finds from this project, again. This still totally slaps and on my second listen it just got better. Still a 5 star album for me.

With all of rundgrens talent this was weird. Reading his bio was worth the second star

Un disco del 73 siempre es una oportunidad interesante. No ha sido agradable. Muchos ruiditos, un disco muy largo y sin una canción memorable. Lo siento mucho.

Different

Pas convaincue 🫠

Todd võttis seeni ja sattus väga halvale tripile. Mõni üksik lugu on kuulatav. Üldiselt aga on plaat liiga eksperimentaalne ja miljon mõtet korraga jama. Halvasti mixitud pealekauba. 1.8/5

I really, really want to like this more, but I just can’t. It has some good moments, actually enjoyable ones, but that’s not enough for me. It’s kind of a good time listening to this, honestly. It’s really interesting. If I had been born at that time, I think I would’ve loved this compared to the mainstream of those days. That one song has no business being 10 minutes long, though. I’m sure of that much.

Meh

Lo he escuchado de fondo y aunque me ha parecido agradable no me ha llamado a guardar ninguna canción como favorita. Me ha recordado a las cosa más estilo opereta o musical de los Queen.

I felt like I was on a bad acid trip for some of the songs. Some were good but I just couldn’t get into it

Actually really like this album a lot and I rated it pretty high on the '73 dive (#16) i think what I like about it is Todd, much like Queen in my favorite period *Sheer* to *Jazz*, isn't afraid to just record it and see what sticks to the wall. In fact side one kind of reminded me of some of the chaotic shifts in "Sheer Heart Attack" and "Night at the Opera". And this was before either of those albums. I will admit some of the R&B covers on side two didn't 100% work for me but it didn't detract away from the overall project. Especially because honestly it ends with just a great closer. (9.6) ★★★★½

I like this album when I am in a very particular mood, but it is never boring, and has some really cool ideas at times. 4 stars

Sorry to those that think this is some sort of masterpiece, but for me it alternates between wimpiness and annoyance. The production is pretty good for 1973, but the songs just don't do it for me. "Zen Archer" is probably the highlight. 2.5 stars.

4.5

You’re a wizard, Todd Harry Rundgren. Not a True 5 Star though, there is a bit of patchiness on the second side. First side is stunning though. So crazy. So chaotic. So many choons. Such an amazing side-long whirlwind representation of an acid trip. More modern day rock n pop artists should be made to take massive long acid trips and log the musical results onto tape. Certainly would make Ed Sheeran’s and Adele’s next albums more interesting. There are titanic bangers such as International Feel which kickstarts and closes side 1 as well as live Todd favourite Just One Victory which seals the whole terrific deal on the album. Also some flab and wonky steps along the way too. The 10 minute soul medley is actually quite lovely for the most part except it mungles it up with a garbage rock version of Cool Jerk and there are a couple of shorter tracks either side of it that just whizz by without much effect. Anyhow… for the first half and Just One Victory, a true 4.5.

What a strange listen! So many weird things going on, I liked the back half better. The medley was fun, but I don't think I'll dive into this one ever again. 2/5 stars.

No. A Wizard has disappeared with a hour I won’t get back.

I have no idea what this was, but I'm here for it. Will I get the pleasure of listening to this gem again? Probably not, but I'm glad I listened to it once.

This is a trip. It really takes you all over the place. Maybe that's not a good thing, but I kinda liked it. It never got boring. It's hard to do that when half of the songs are about a minute long. Some elements were very pop, but a lot leaned more towards rock. I need to listen to more music by Todd Rundgren.

I dunno even what half of this is.

Album No. 0120 on my list. Quite frankly, I had never heard of Todd Rundgren or any of his work before - this was a completely new thing for me. I found that "A Wizard, A True Star" was actually a solid album to me. I guess it will not become an all time favorite, but I liked it. It's both somewhat experimental and psychedelic yet also quite catchy, with some good pop-rock melodies. Some songs are merely just sketches, but that does not necessarily make them bad. I guess that this album could have become even better though with some additional, well, "consolidation" work - creating proper songs, condensing them, etc. But I guess the artist did want it to be released as it is, and there may have been good reasons for this at the time, e.g. showing of his experimental nature. I'll add "International Feel", "Does Anybody Love You", and "Just One Victory" to my playlist. Partly because I like them, partly because they represent the album well. 3/5 stars.

Truly terrible

A struggle to listen to

Never heard it before. I tolerated it well up at first, a bit trippy but fine ("Dogfight Giggle" was maybe a bit over the top). Part way through "Zen Archer" I realized I was no longer having a good time, and "Just Another Onionhead" cemented the negativity a little more firmly. At this point I realized I needed to stop taking the album so seriously, and so I powered through the rest of the album without caring. I do not plan on doing this again any time soon.

I don’t think I’m going to like this… I was right

Meh

187/1001 Todd Rundgren - A Wizard, A True Star Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ Whilst at times, it can be great, it's all too fleeting and instead goes for the weirder flourishes, which is a bit too much for my tastes.

this just confused me most of the time. when it didn’t, it was good!

A bit weird, but it was alright I guess.

fav; sometimes i don't know what to feel

started out as a mildly psychadelic pop vibe. then a sudden vibe shift in 'You need your head' where the rhythm picks up and the guitar solos start busting out. WOW

não é ruim, mas tem momentos meio chatos pra caralho das ideia

PEDRADA. eh experimental e pop na medida certinha. ainda tem umas guitarrada bruta. eh por conta desses albuns que eu tô nesse desafio, hein dá pra ouvir beatles, zappa, beach boys, um pouquim de prog, além de umas doideira de drogado, tudo misturado nesse aqui. ainda tem um ar de bedroom pop, não sei, uma parada meio lo-fi, apesar de ser 100% caótico. eh bem massa pqp. entrou pra lista do SE UM DIA EU TOMAR UM PSICODÉLICO, ESSE ALBUM TOCARÁ AO FUNDO. senti que eh bem divertido e fascinante, mas um pouquinho inconsistente. bom, terei que escutar de novo amanhã e, qualquer coisa, aumento a nota. mas eu gostei DEMAIS, ce ta doido.

Many albums that run the stylistic gamut run the risk of trying too hard and the record being a watered down dog's breakfast. This does not fall into that category. Well done.

wasischlos. mengmol ischs super cute und etz nich par songs ischs uuuultra weird. merci glöschti notes. when shit hits the fan slappt HERT. huere geil. le feel integracionale au fuuuck

ohh han mal welle something / anything? lose (weiss nümme wiso) aber bin gspannt ohh die erste 2 hemmer jz nödso gfalle aber tic tic fangt FUNNY ah AHH OK I SEE jaa pussy muss jz nöd daa im titel sii aber jo finds na funny aber 55 min vo dem stell ichmer ahstrengend vor WAAAS PSYCHEDELISCHI DROGE DAS GLAUB ICH JA NÖD flamingo hahahaha bin nanig malnide hälfti und es fangtmi schochli ah nerve zen archer hani recht cool gfunde just another onionhead so NAJA hahaha s medley passt iwie nöd so ganz is album? s isch echli zu normal hmm also am schluss ischs chli ahstrengend gsi isch es 2 oder es 3, han nöd würkli spass gha aber ah kreativität hets nöd gfehlt und drum hanis scho auno spannend gfunde, wenn au Z LANG

Fairly interesting and unique but couldn't get into it

It was actually interesting. You are able to tell what decade is it from. The songs merging into each other was really beautiful. I loved the shift from loud and chaotic to chill and more melodic without losing the fun. The medley song was pretty good but the closing song was the best one.

Weird, but not awful. Not something I really care to listen to again though. 3/5

Too much Broadway and soliloquy for my taste; a shame, as it’s lovingly made. “Le Feel Internacionale” pushed it up a notch, despite the godawful title. Let’s not mention the medleys.

I can see how this was very influential to the bedroom auteur set, however none of the component parts are that much fun to listen to. I've had this album for years and didn't recognize any of it. [EDIT: Since deleted, and not missed. The medley is the highlight, decent songwriting for once. Such a pile of wank.]

I had a mixed reaction to this one. It is a long album starting with many short songs. These seemed less psychedelic and experimental than self-indulgent and a bit silly to me. As the album went on the songs became more pleasing and I liked some quite a lot. I added “I Don’t Want to Tie You Down” to my Generator playlist. The track I liked best though was the medley of R&B covers.

Not my cuppa tea, but I can understand how groundbreaking this would’ve been

Yep, not working for me.

It's nonsense, but didn't burn my eardrums so gains a bit of credit

Very underrated musician. Absolutely fresh, creative and very risky. Great music the instrumental parts are very entertaining with classical music influences and just a fun album to listen to

Got better as it went on

Really enjoyed it and think it’s great. But not a groundbreaker.

Just a great 1970s progressive pop rock album. Really enjoyed this. Reminds me of ELO in its ambition and fun.

Great prog rock is awesome. I’ll usually like mediocre prog rock. Bad prog rock is fucking unbearable. This was somewhere between mediocre and bad.

Oh man, what a fucking weird mix of music. Didn’t expect this from the I want to bang on my drums guy.

The pop and r&b/soul(?) is stellar.....but man, some of the "prog" stuff is OUT there.

Going into A Wizard / A True Star I was deathly afraid it was going to be super quirk chungus and its impression would be similar to that of Trout Mask Replica, which has no appeal for me. Instead, I got a slightly deranged but tasteful acid trip of an album that made me desperately want to go make music. The album is a good blend of experimentation and solid tracks to the point where no side feels like it overpowers the other. The A-side is incredibly immersive and plays with psychedelia in such a unique way. The B-side loses a bit of steam for me, with the Medley grounding the album in a way I'm not sure I want it to be grounded. The run from Zen Archer to Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel is next level, certainly the most memorable section of the album. More than anything though, I think this album is just a perfect personification of what I want DIY music to be. It's so expressive and bold without being uptight or unlistenable like so many experimental projects. The soundscapes are so evocative and inspiring that it makes me want to go and make funny sounds too. It might take me repeated listens to be able to appreciate the B-side, but for now it didn't do nearly as much for me as the beginning did. Regardless, the album as a whole is a wonderfully unique experience and one of the better new albums I've found so far.

wtf is this?

Too many songs are clown like for my tastes. Not every whacked out idea that came in his head needed to be recorded. There is a lot of good stuff here, but he was unable to edit himself to a more conventional song structure. I have to judge the good with the bad.

It's different, it's interesting, it's experimental. I felt as though I'd been slapped in the face by his creativity.

Absolutely bonkers, for the most part. I'm going to need to give this few listens to work out what the heck happened, and to like it even more.

Had some enjoyable tracks but overall it was too experimental and not as good as other Rundgren stuff I’ve heard. Seems like he just really wanted to be Zappa and it didn’t work out.

fun cathartic sometimes it didn’t sound like the work of a white man

I did not expect this, but this album is actually really, really goated. so eclectic and weird and jazzy, but also weirdly coherent at the same time. I guess that's the beauty of psychedelia when it actually sounds like something. underrated gem, really awesome stuff. 9/10

Gear: ZiiGaat x Hangout.Audio Odyssey 2 Artwork: 🍄🌟🎨 Production (2015 Remaster): 📈👂😖 Music: 🎭💥🤯 Rating: 🧙‍♂️🧙‍♂️(🧙‍♂️)/5

A album worth listening from beggining to end. Really unique sound

Wow! Never heard of him before this. At first I thought "oh fuck what is this going to be", and then a few "oh well that was really cool", then eventually "wait... is this actually incredible?" Yes, yes it is. What an absolutely wild ride, 5 stars.

I’m not sure what to make of this album. Most of it was okay but not an essential album or anything that shows a musical progression that I could ascertain.

First half of the album is very quirky, second half is nice and I saved a few songs. I wish the vocals were balanced better on some tracks, because sometimes I just heard the music but couldn't hear what he was saying at all.

Honestly shocked I haven't head this album before it feels like something my dad would love. I liked Dogfight Giggle even though it sounded more like happy guinea pigs.

Big points for weirdness. I'd bet good money that a lot of this emerged from use of psychedelics. Honestly I totally forgot about Todd between listening to Something/Anything in 15 months ago and today. Apparently I wasn't super wowed by that one, and this one is just barely a three-star.

This was far better than it had any right to be.

This was a "fun" record for me. It was wild and experimental, at least in the mental, psychedelic sense. However, it also lacked a lot to "hold onto" and didn't feel solid enough for me to put it at 5 stars. However, I'd like to revisit it in the future.

Really weird album, but i enjoyed it. All over the place, but mostly coherent enough to be a really fun. Basically 3/5 because I can appreciate the originality but probably won’t listen again. Mostly as I think there are better wired albums - looking at you captain… But a few too many 1/5 or 2/5 songs like dogfight giggle making the album feel messy A tighter edit might have been better

5/10 - interesting album, a very trippy and psychedelic album

Very of it's time 70's musical style - in the way of Hair, JC Superstar, but not my thing. Good production.

A tremendously talented performer who was perhaps at his artistic peak here. But, man, a lot of this just seems self-indulgent. Not necessarily a Rundgren effort I feel like coming back to when I'm in the mood to hear him.

Every time I kinda get into a song, something pulls me out of it. Also not really a fan when he pulls the nostalgia act about half way through.

I appreciate the interesting and experimental nature of this album, but it didn’t move me as others in this general genre or era. Will give it another chance.

I like this man's noises. Going to follow his other stuff and could see myself rating it higher later too

Was interested in this. Probably need to listen a few more times. Found it odd that Rundgren has so many songs I know but none from this album. 2.75

Imagine how many times your favorite musicians had to play a song in the process of writing, practicing, recording, and touring with it. Now imagine them being excited about doing it again with music that sounds the same. For that reason, I can't really fault artists for choosing to take big swings and making something different... unless different = more boring, I kinda don't love that (*cough* The Velvet Underground *cough*). This is certainly not more boring than 1972's "Something/Anything?". This album is a freight-train on a rollercoaster track; Todd really indulged himself and chased his dreams here. 56 minutes is a very long single album, but it moves quickly and covers a lot of ground. If Todd died after making this album, I could see it held up as his masterpiece and him talked about like a legendary visionary we lost too soon. As it stands, he's continued to live & work and gave us the smash hit "Bang the Drum All Day" in the 80s - building a very different narrative for his career. I listened to this record twice today but probably need 5-6+ more spins to get my head around the whole thing. Much to my own surprise, I'm willing to make that investment in a Todd Rundgren album.

Feels too experimental to be considered a best of album. It was interesting but wouldn’t say it was good…

Well... that was interesting. It had the random craziness of a Zappa album while still being mostly coherent. I liked that the album was essentially one piece that all flowed together despite how different each track could be from the next. Many tracks had the 60s/70s sound, but others ranged from something that felt like it came from the 80s (Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel) to songs that sounded even more modern than that. It also had a 10+ minute medley segment of soul covers. So yeah, the album as a whole was quite a journey. Really, that's why it's a good addition to this list. It got me to hear something I probably never would have sought out otherwise. That said, I didn't find it all that great. There were a handful of songs I thought were good, a couple of which I liked a lot. He ended the album with two of the strongest tracks on it. While the rest were mostly fine, many felt incomplete or in need of some more planning. I think the album just felt a little lacking in execution of whatever it was intended to be. It was also kinda long, so it managed to be a bit tedious even though it was so diverse. I'm going to give this one props for the concept and format, but otherwise I think it sits firmly at OK. I do consider it a much better fit for this list than a number of other albums I've gotten here, so I'll bump it up a little for that too. I'll say it's worth listening to at least once. Not sure how likely I am to listen to it again, though. Overall: 2.7/5

Weder Qualität noch Inhalt konnten überzeugen. Besonders die Musik war ein Graus – monoton, unpassend und einfach nur nervig.

A slightly confounding experience; there were aspects of this I greatly liked, and other aspects I found somewhat irritating. I generally liked side 1 more than side 2. Tic Tic Tic... was a highlight for me.

Not sure if it was spotify but the quality of the recording was rough

This was a level of trippy/random that could only be achieved with psychedelics. There were parts that were reasonably enjoyable but peppered with a lot of choices that were strange for the sake of it. One of those where you admire the guy for sticking to his one track drug fuelled intentions but you don't listen to it again.

I didn't know what to make of that. I wanted to like it, but I'm not sure I did.

I think I recognise the name, but no idea why. I was expecting something weird, and there were bits that were a bit out there, but there were also some very generic sounding love songs here too. Makes it a bit tough to rate. Bits of it were pretty dull, but then something would change and all of a sudden I'd be thinking this is pretty decent. I think my favourite was "tic tic tic, it wears off" I'm going to say 3.5 as there's something there, but not sold

What a strange album, and not in a good way

This is the first one where I’d like another few listens to let everything sink in. I had heard and liked International Feel, but nothing else from this album and was unaware just how out there this album gets. I really enjoyed it. Favorite tracks- I’m not sure, I need a few more spins with this one.

Todd Rundgren. Hmmm. Not someone I expected to be on this list 3 times, but it’s perhaps foolish of me to expect as much since Rundgren was both an art-pop AND eventually slightly psychadelic musician. This is much, much more on the frivolous psychedelic side of things. I love it when you can tell an artist has gone through a psychedelic drug phase. I gotta hand it to Todd on this one for how ambitious it is. “Dogfight Giggle” transitioning into “You Don’t Have To Camp Around” is really cool. A few songs later, “Flamingo” is a wonderful space odyssey type of intsrumental that keeps evolving over a short runtime. Something I realized about midway through the track list is how this album probably stood in Rundgrens discography. While the Beatles were almost immediately heralded for their ‘experimental’ work, I’m willing to bet this put a lot of people off. Which is a shame, this album is so full of color, motifs, and crazy ideas. “Zen Archer” with its crazy sax solo is a great example. I think the high rating I give this album ultimately comes down to Todd Rundgren conveying an unbridled sense of fun and ambition with these wild arrangements that are even occasionally catchy, like on “Sometimes I Don’t Know What To Feel”. Is it a Pink Floyd opus? Is it a galavanting perfect prog record? Is it a perfectly accurate drug trip accompaniment? Probably no, to all those things. But it’s a very fun, very colorful record thats not ashamed of itself. 4/5

Found this album a bit weird (shock). It starts off in a haze of whimsical psychedelia that goes on for some time, which on the whole is grating and feels a bit forced, if experimental and interesting on some level. It then transitions on the back end of the album into something more conventional that is (to my ears) not all that interesting. Both parts probably equally not up my alley but for very different reasons. Props to the audacity of some of the early songs though, Giggling Dogs was batshit.

This is really interesting as its chaotic. Its wierd as one minute you feel its off its head then the next its calm and balanced. Dogs giggling and the synthtastic "Flamingo". Then you have Something like "Just One Victory" which is pretty normal 70's almost pop track. Oddly somehow despite this blending of the mind and musical genre it works and you never feel completely lost. Possibly a little self indulgent but had it not been like that I dont think I would have rated it. Weak 4 but it gets there for me on basis there is a lot to it. Maybe I will come back and cement that view in time.

The positive side is that if he was trying capture the sound of a pretentious artist who has been experimenting with psychedelics, he has absolutely nailed it. Generally I didn't find this album convincing at all. A mixture of sickly sweet and uninspiring fluff and a load of formless noise. I am fully aware that others would accuse some of my favourite bands of the same faults. It could be called "Progressive" but its not prog-rock, instead its more prog-beige pop. What it ultimately comes down to, is a matter of personal connection plus an assessment of the artistic depth or sophistication. One man's weird nonsense is another's artistic expression, unfortunately this one sits in the latter camp.

Great album. Best as a straight through listen - it was conceived that way. Works really well, feels like movements instead of separate tracks. Feels like that up until the medley of soul/motown songs. Still good after, but those tracks feel more singular. There’s a lot going on here - different genres, different instrumentations. There’s some synth stuff happening that reminds me of video game music from the 90s. Fun listen. Just One Victory may be the best candidate for a single. All the other tracks are best served together.

Not enough of his bangers. Greatest Hits will do.

Overblown, overproduced twaddle. It scraped a second star mainly for the slight redemption of the soul selection at the end

Equal parts 70's Yacht-Rock schmaltz, Zappa-esque weirdness, and guitar-driven Heavy Rock on par with early Queen.

I know that Todd Rundgren is one of most influential producers of our time. However, I’ve always found his own music is to self-grandiose for my liking.

This album was a very strange and exploratory experience. Overall, pretty good.

Vamos hoy nuevamente con alguien totalmente desconocido. Psicodélico, con voces que recuerdan al Bowie en su época de Ziggy Stardust, es un trabajo fuertemente experimental y pensado para una escucha total, no de singles. Sus ecos llegan seguramente hasta bandas como Mr. Bungle y a los proyectos de Mike Patton, a MGMT más cercano en el tiempo y es sin duda contemporáneo a tipos como Frank Zappa. Todo un descubrimiento. Gracias y hasta mañana

Muy metalero e intenso para lo que estaba buscando el día que lo escuché

Oj vad spretigt och rörigt. Men oerhört före sin tid. Många har inspirerats av detta. Här finns guldkorn, kanske inte låtar men riffs och beats och licks. Fyra

I found this album in parts weird and boring.

Sufficiently weird.

I love this guy, but this is not his best album. Groundbreaking I guess, but indulgent. Not a good listen.

nah.

2/10

Too weird, too long, too boring.

Pretty fun. Some of the sounds, i don't particularly like though.

👎🏻

We zijn het trippende Sesamstraat nog steeds niet helemaal uit, zo te horen. Met deze rare vogel in de rol van Pino vandaag. Maar wat verwacht je ook van de man die later nog 'Flappie' van Youp in het Engels zou uitvoeren. Om het helemaal ingewikkeld te maken, gaat hij op plaatkant 2 ineens normale muziek maken. Een ballad, een rocknummer. Dus hij kan het wel. Uiteindelijk merk ik dat ik nog redelijk mild ben voor deze Muppetmuziek, wellicht omdat je hoort dat er in dit geval wel enig talent aan ten grondslag ligt. Maar als we morgen ook nog een LSD-gebruikende Ieniemienie voor onze plaat krijgen, begin ik er wel een beetje klaar mee te raken.

Het album biedt van alles. De ene minuut is het ronduit belachelijk, de andere minuut is vrij interessant en smaakt naar meer. Maar we krijgen niet meer. Het zijn met name flarden van nummers. Ik kijk vooruit en zie gelukkig ook een nummer van 10 minuten. O nee...Dat is een medley... En als er dan uiteindelijk toch wat nummers afgemaakt zijn, zijn dat weer de saaiste delen van het album. Todd, maak je nummers eerst maar eens af, voordat je ze bij elkaar raapt...

Todd Rundgren is, net als op het eerdere album van hem, psychedelisch en experimenterend. Er komen aardig wat gekke geluiden langs, waardoor het soms een spacey sfeer krijgt. Maar ik vind het allemaal vooral weer lekker bombastisch. Gekke geluiden kunnen irriteren, maar ik vind het wel leuk gek, ik denk juist door dat bombastische. Of misschien gewoon omdat ik het vandaag aardig kan hebben. We worden de laatste weken niet rijkelijk bedeeld met goede muziek, dus het zou ook een gevalletje "in het land der blinden is eenoog koning" kunnen zijn, maar het andere album van Todd Rundgren vond ik ook (deels) best vermakelijk. Ik weet er nog te weinig van om goed te kunnen vergelijken. Ik vind 2x een 4 voor Todd iets teveel van het goede, dus deze keer deel ik een 3 uit. Maar het zou best kunnen dat ik het achteraf andersom had moeten doen. So be it.

Based on the Wikipedia synopsis, I fully expected to loathe this album. Long, psychedelic, experimental, poorly received by the public - all the hallmarks of a bad time. So my expectations were super low going in, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was merely kind of boring

Favorite Track: Just One Victory

to ouvindo aqui e n consigo parar de olhar pra essa capa. psicodelica e entrega basicamente o felling doq voce sente ouvindo o album. ate entao, a mais pura perfeição.

местами красивый и запоминающийся, местами странный (и хорни), чувак хотел идиосинкразию сделать? получилось

Couldn't do it

Maso

Wasn't an instant beloved album, but it seems to have all the hallmarks of the kind of album I come back to later and ultimately wind up not believing I wasn't completely in it's thrall right off

There are some good bits and pieces here, but overall it is just too much rambling, disjointed stoner music. 2 stars or D+.

Really fun album with a lot of variety. Clearly influential, too. I could hear a lot of sounds/instrumentation that didn't become popular until almost a decade later (or more). 4.0/5.0: Great

like a knockoff beatles with a little bit of queen and just the right amount of zappa weirdness. there are some genuinely good songs on here even if some of them are just one minute ideas that don't really develop.

This was a really frustrating album. Some songs have a real catchy vibe going, others are imitations of The Magical Mystery Tour (like many bands/musicians convinced themselves they could do in the late 60s/early 70s). Hadn't heard much of Todd Rundgren before but when I dug in and saw all of the hits he has it frustrated me more because it confirmed what he could do. Old album though, maybe he was still finding his footing.

Too weird

Todd Rundgren is my Frank Zappa

Very weird, in my experience a mix of a bit weird but really good music, and then something more like penis music in between. Cool but not my thing

6.3/10

I had so much fun… this is exactly why I’m doing this

En kuunnellut loppuun. Ihan ok musaa. 2,75/5.

I just don't really like Todd Rundgren that much

This is when Rundgren admittedly started dabbling in psychedelic drugs. Huh, couldn't tell. He doesn't go full Zappa and that is for the best. Where Zappa was prone to mine genres like doo-wop via parody, when the R&B influences come through here, Rundgren is playing it straight like he did on his previous albums. Sure it gets a bit weird, but I didn't find it to be overindulgent at any point. You Don't Have to Camp Around retains the straightforward melodies of his earlier hits. Zen Archer has a cool sax solo. Just Another Onionhead is cool (not so much the back half called Da Da Dali.) Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel and Hungry for Love are cool as hell. The medley of soul covers ends with a riff on Cool Jerk that has a weird time signature which differentiates it from the original. Album really caught me off-guard (complimentary.)

This was definitely straddling the fine line that separates interesting and irritating. I liked the first few tracks but by the end I was ready for it to be over.

Bro was tripping balls then came down halfway thru the album. Anyways certainly an album of all time.

Umm no

Very bad album....

4.5/5

Not bad. I think I like the background of the album as much as the music. I always like when someone can use their celebrity to fund/get away with doing creative, experimental things. The soul medley towards the end of the album was pretty fun; wasn't expecting a Home Alone call back on this play through. 3.5/5

Really enjoyed this one. It's scattershot but in an engaging way. Reminded me of Zappa in that it rode that line between entertaining and annoying, but this never fell over into annoying. I'll be revisiting this one. 4/5

Album psicodélico, que vale la pena escuchar. Me gusta su sonoridad, sin embargo no se lleva la nota máxima. 3/5.

Batshit insane, I love it

Generic pop rock, not much to latch onto here

Want to come back to this, but first impression is that musically, it's ill as hell. Not sure about some of the songwriting, which read as corny to me.

Difficult wanted to give up a few times