A Wizard, A True Star

Nope. Not at all an album I enjoyed. Not unlistenable, but I don't think there was a single track I genuinely went "Oh, that was good". In that weird space between prog rock and psychedelia that I just cannot enjoy.

Here was probably enough in this give it a higher rating, it was just all over the place

I liked Something/Anything, his album just before this one, but this didn't land so well with me. The album, as intended, merges into one, but there are no real highlights. Would be surprised if he had two albums on this list and I personally would have picked his other one!

I think I underestimated how much weird music there was in the 60's and 70's. This was fine but I don't need to listen again.

2.25 - Not bad. I could see that score going up with repeat listens.

Have no intention of listening to Todd Rundgren again, won't relisten.

Didn't love this- kind of Deep Purple adjacent early prog rock, but with some drifting into glam rock and avant-garde styles. Lots of mixtures of sounds and styles- it didnt always land. Overall- 2.5/5, not quite a 3

I guess Todd Rundgren is just not for me. Didn’t enjoy at all.

Too quirky for me.

Wanted to love it, but just couldn’t get there.

Really more of a 2.5 for me. I thought the middle songs were the best part of this one

Wow, what a mess

The music was nice but his lyrics seems like “stream of consciousness” .

2.1 2x

I did not find this enjoyable

Didn't enjoy it.

progr. Rock, 1973 -> 2

Unfortunately, I couldn't do anything with it; one star because it might be cool if you're on drugs (though I don't do drugs anymore, unfortunately).

Interesting & unusual but I wouldn't listen again

i expected something a lot better, and well mixed. but this sounds horrendous at times. chaotic in a bad way. idk, but even if i liked parts, there are other moments that are weird in a bad way

too all over the place for me

Didn't vibe with this one for whatever reason. A little too all over the place for me in the moment.

Weird

Десь 2.5 Не шарив такого чувака, але цей дивний про-поп(?) місцями аж занадто клоунський плюс альбом затягнутий сильно. Остання пісня сподобалась, але повертатись до цього альбому я не буду.

Some weird shit rocking here

4/10 Generally speaking I always appreciate offbeat music, especially when it's on this incredibly repetitive list. This album certainly can be considered offbeat. Unfortunately I think it's too long, not particularly cohesive, and some parts just don't sound pleasing to the ear. While I do think it belongs on the list for its iconoclasm, I don't really like it.

Would either be really good or really terrifying while on psychedelics, which I am not so it was neither of those things (2/5)

Never consciously listened to this guy so was receptive to doing so. Don’t know if this is an insight to what he is all about but it just sounded like a mishmash of sound with no coherent structure. Granted because of this it might take a few plays to realise its potential but I’ve got 1089 albums (and counting) to get through here and I really don’t have the time. I only mention that becuse I have now clocked up 900 albums and didn’t realise this until this morning when I got the red dot bell. Also saw that my average rating had increased by 0.01. Which thanks to this album will probably fall back again. 2/5 22/6/26

Toddy-boy noodles around in the studio and slaps it down onto tape, all for your benefit (?). After the excellent prog-pop opening track "International Feel", Todd dons his mad scientist cape and cooks up one warped song fragment after another, none of them worth anyone's time. After getting somewhat back on track halfway through, he then serves up a ten-minute medley of cover versions of R&B tunes for reasons that just ain't evident in the grooves. This hodgepodge of an album is worth a once-through to see if there's anything on here that rings your bell but otherwise I can't ever see myself wanting to give anything a secomd spin (except for the aforementioned "International Feel" ).

Fair play to Todd Rundgren, he plays every instrument on this, and it's therefore his absolute right to attempt to make every instrument the star of the show. However, it does then mean that it's all very OTT and a bit of a mess at times. The songs often have the cold-sick feel of musical theatre, and there's a general Queen-esque wally-ness about them. And yet it's not charmless - unlike the aforementioned Queen - and at times it's impressive. A mixed bag.

Todd Rundgren’s A Wizard, a True Star feels like an acid trip if there ever was one — and that’s coming from someone who’s never taken acid. It’s every bit as bizarre as the album cover suggests. This is the kind of music that sounds like it should be blasting from a sketchy ride at a traveling carnival or state fair, the kind that looks like it was assembled overnight and inspected by nobody. You can almost hear the ride operator slowly leaning into the microphone: “Please keep your hands, arms, feet, and legs inside the ride vehicle at all times, and remain seated. Also, make sure you took your edible at least 25 minutes ago. Enjoy the ride.”

Proof positive that you should never let drugs perform a full album solo. There are small vignettes of straightforward music littered throughout this album, but those are few and far between. The back half is more digestible, but only because the drugs decided to do old soul songs. I had never really listened to Rundgren before deciding to tackle the list and this is yet another haphazard album from him.

The first disc is some of the worst music I’ve ever heard. Instant one-star. Fortunately the second disc resterez some dignity into the album, so I can reward it with two shining stars

Todd Rundgren is the rare prog rock (or at least prog rock adjacent) guy who without a pretentiousness problem. Much less "ooh, look at me" and more "hey, check this out". I mean, it's still awful to listen to, but I feel like he's probably a good dude.

this love letter to himself was way too long of an album, havent listened to todd rundgren outside of the few hits he had though

No private session used for Spotify. Todd Rundgren is a dude whose name I have heard more than I have heard his music. This album is interesting and had to define, but it's evident that is what is was going for..so yay? Its got rock, soul, show tunes and more! I can't think of a mood that would fit such an eclectic mix where I would listen to it again, so I probably won't to it again.

Really not sure what to make of this!

This is a whole lot of nothing. So many songs, so few memorable moments. Experimental, but not in a good way. The medley was fun, but they were all covers with not much added to the originals.

'Just keep an open mind / & then suddenly you'll find / Never Never Land.' W/ Something/Anything?, the jury was very much in for me - Rundgren had what it took to make a sophisticated pop record, one that boasted complex melodies but real songs, as Stevie Wonder is wont to do. The jury is also in for me w/ A Wizard, A True Star, but unfortunately it's not a positive note. I don't mind concepts, but mostly dislike conceptual; I'd go for experiments, but I'm happy to omit experimental. In other words, give me a record that explores & pushes the frontiers, not one that begins so conspicuously on the fringes. 'You want the obvious / You'll get the obvious.' This is an okay to bad psychedelic prog album, & covering Smokey does Todd no favors.

Дольф Лундгрен психанул и записал демонов своих

Eclectic, creative and diverse. Shame I just didn't really like any of the songs. Couldn't get into it.

I like quirky, eccentric music so, in theory I should enjoy this. However, it strays towards novelty territory too often to be enjoyable.

I'm gonna write this review like Rundgren made this album (disjointed stream of consciousness) stranger than anticipated almost feels like a novelty record ironic, that he's now also well-known as a producer (because it feels like he NEEDED a producer, for this one) don't love his singing his 2 biggest hits ("Hello, It's Me" and "I Saw the Light") are good -- but they're not on this album was he trying for a magnum opus? (if so, epic fail?) a lot going on, but didn't seem to add up to a whole lot (disjointed), and didn't make me want to listen to it again in terms of how much i like it, probably a 2 - but maybe a 3 for creativity, and trying to do something new/ambitious? medley is ok, but i prefer the originals (another white guy singing black guys' songs not as well as the originals) the last song, Just One Victory, is I think the only one I recognized (occasionally played on the radio), and probably the best song I wonder if we'll get his album "Something/Anything" (which is supposedly his best)? Rating: I think I have to go with (a high) 2.

It sounds psychedelic and strange at the same time. But not in a good way.

This guy has been prolific. I found the collection to be noisy and scattered feeling, a bit frantic. I have liked a few of his more frequently played popular tunes in the past but this album was a no go for me.

What did i just listen to

trying a little too hard to be weird.

This is what your parents meant by stay away from drugs. Wild ride. Technically interesting, but incoherent and jumbled as music

It's a proper album, in that all the songs flow together well. It's not great music to listen to, though the longer this album went on, the more I liked it.

Too stressful to listen to - so many ear-aching sounds, seems very random in the first listen.

2 sterne

A very weird album that for me is all over the place, and kind of circusy / soft rock. Highlights: "Le Feel Internacionale"

An album that really makes you question

LSD trip 😵‍💫

Some great songs like however would not return many times: You don't have to camp around // Le feel international // Medley: I'm so proud / Ooh Baby Baby

Definitely weird and not exactly to my tastes. Some songs grabbed me, like 'I'm So Proud'. But there was not much here for me to grab on to.

Can't say I enjoyed this.

a little odd, not too bad but not my thing

Weird album, very psychedelic and different for 70’s pop/rock. 3/5 because I can appreciate the originality but probably won’t listen again.

..

I did not need to hear that before I died...

Very psychedelic with a lot of synth stuff. I can't say that it was bad but I didn't enjoy it much either.

p300. 1973. 2 stars. A prime example of early 70s wankage. Yes, he's talented as both a songwriter and musician, but this is all over the place - far too much filler and just plain weirdness.

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

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

Eh

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.

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

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

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

International Feel

Unmemorable

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.

pretty shite

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Meh...

WTF?

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

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

I really wanted to. I couldn't.

A good and interesting album!

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.

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.

Hints of good music but just wierd and noisy

I thought I liked Todd Rundgren.

Está raro, me estresó

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

I dunno even what half of this is.

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.

Meh

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

Fairly interesting and unique but couldn't get into it

Yep, not working for me.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

What a strange album, and not in a good way

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.

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.

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

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.

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

I found this album in parts weird and boring.

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

nah.

Too weird, too long, too boring.

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...

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

Couldn't do it

Maso

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

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

I just don't really like Todd Rundgren that much

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.

Umm no

Generic pop rock, not much to latch onto here

Difficult wanted to give up a few times

I don't know what this is supposed to be. Acid Rock, Prog, Punk, Funk? Not a fan.

Cover 6 Very rarely, when an artist does "everything" themselves, does it NOT end up being a clearly ego-driven, eye-rolling endeavor. Pretentious theatrics galore. A discovery of the synth, a shallow and simplistic utilization at that. There are sparks of genius here and there, moments of lucidity, but often one must be in a drug induced haze in order truly grasp anything from music (or any art) created in a drug induced haze. Pompous self-absorbed noise coupled with the occasional whisp of actual talent and skill. For the majority there's never any emotional connectedness. That's not what this album is about. And so, who cares. Whatever skill and talent it possesses is hard to differentiate from the absurdity. Is it wobbly and screeching on purpose or was he too out of it and just simply couldn't tell the difference? There are periods (especially during the 60s and 70s) where musicians seemed to be trying to impress each other with how esoteric and bizarre they could be. The more bizarre the more esoteric. But it's not really as esoteric as they thought. People did understand. They understood very clearly. It's not at all deep or remarkable. Going against the grain may have been the point but it's not like a political treatise or moral contemplation. It's sonic. That's it. It's about sound. It's not pop. It's different. That's all that matters here. And that's fine. But it's not good either. One man's treasure is another man's trash. Art is subjective, fine. At least aim for art. This is trash for trash's sake and then using "art is subjective" as an excuse.

This would deserve some of the String Band hate, if not for the Zen Archer

Some good songs but mostly forgettable

Prog rock is very hit or miss for me and this was more of a miss. Enjoyed a couple of songs but not my favorite overall.

Another unknown for me. OK tunes. OK album.

With a psychedelic sound steered heavily by progressive sounds, this felt like an attempt to evolve on the Beatles' and even the Beach Boys' formula up to this point. But I like progressive pop about as much as I like progressive rock. That is to say, not very much. And this was definitely sprinkled with tons of avant-garde in addition. Damn, this was a slog...and it wasn't even an hour long. But I guess bonus points for "Rock and Roll Pussy" being a low-key diss track about John Lennon?

Not a fan. Maybe this was precursor to electronic music but it sounds pretty full of itself, and full of deranged circus samples. Just meh.

It's 1973 and your mom orders the new Zappa album for you through TEMU and you get the next Todd Rungren instead. His last album was pop rock this is not quite pop rock but not Zappa either. There's points in this album where Rungren really seems out of his element but he seems to be enjoying making music. It has some high points

I've heard the name Todd Rundgren so much on my favorite local rock station, but I don't know that I could name a single song. Still can't. I don't really love this kind of 70s, falsetto, circus stuff very often, and don't here. T. Rex or Bowie this ain't. It's not, like, Steely Dan bad, but I don't much care for it. Highlights: The medley, which is passable covers of R&B songs that are enjoyable enough, but inferior to the originals. The beginning of "Is it my name?", which I had thought at first was the album flipping over to "Interstellar Overdrive," but which got worse when the vocals kicked in.

Pretty mid Very experimental

Never heard of this one. It's kind of weird and maybe experimental or something like that. I can see why I have not heard this before today, because it doesn't really appeal to me. I feel like this is some cutting edge stuff in the 70s that didn't really become anything. It's avant-garde I guess. Kind of nice in some places but didn't really hold my attention. Not terrible but not something I'm going to listen to again.

Very much psychedelic 70s rock. Not for me and couldn't finish listening to the album.

It’s not that I have no appetite for out-there freak rock, but this leans way too far into prog, a genre for which I have a very limited patience. Much of this veers into goofy circus territory to my ears. Even some of his more concise songs sound kind of dated and don’t really speak to me.

Moments I like. Experimental not so much

Weird. Interesting. Probably groundbreaking at the time. Still have no inclination to ever listen to again

Weird for the sake of being weird, a few good snippets mixed in here or there but usually sandwiches into other songs.

it's weird for weirdness sake at times but the seamless transitions between songs is something I wish more artists focused on. An album should be an experience, not a collection of songs. Just wish this execution was more enjoyable. Back half of album was better imo

Psychedelia definitely makes up a respectable chunk of my record collection. I like The Nazz, and, by extension, I don't mind Todd Rundgren - but something about this album just doesn't sit right with me. It's certainly psychedelic, but it's also all a bit silly - too random and proggy for my tastes, and a bit too pretentious. It is inventive and intriguing in fits and starts, but it has a clear "anti-song" agenda to its sprawling, single-free, 55-minute running time. Sadly, songs are, ultimately, what I listen to an album for.

It was just a bit too much to get into.

I can see why some would like this but just did nothing for me.

Felt like he tried way too hard to make a drug influenced masterpiece and it just turned into mash up of genres with no real core.

sprawling and with sufficient variety to just about hold my interest but its sounds are rooted in the decade of its creation and the whole sounds like all the other art rock, prog rock, rock opera cruft from that time. it doesn't generate any buzz or excitement, my steady heart hasn't skipped a beat. it's a 2.0 at best for me

Oh no - another Todd Rundgren album. This was even more hard work to get through than the last one. I know he must be a great musician but I found no merit or enjoyment in any of these songs.

Weird shit

Nope

Meh

56/1001 :: Todd Rundgren - A Wizard, A True Star Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ❌ Rating: 4 Fav Tracks: International Feel Listen before you die: No Do people actually like Todd Rundgren? I find it hard to believe they do. Maybe I’m wrong, but I’ve listened to Todd Rundgren before and it’s anther artist that I just don’t get. Not really sure why but either way I’m moving on…

Didn't appeal to my younger self and still the same opinion, a small bit proud of my teenage musical filtration system

2 - all over the place. Some super weird songs and then all of a sudden it’s sappy love ballads

Some Sparks of interesting ideas, but overall execution and productions are disappointing

δεν το άκουσα ολο

Pretty weird.

I had a hard time finding a groove with this one. It’s kind of all over the place. A little Zappa, a little show tunes, opera, R&B …..not sure what to think other than I won’t be back. I won’t leave it in the basement since it is creative and a little interesting.

Psychedelic rambling for the first half and seemingly songs and tunes strung together to form some sort of concept album.

bunch of one-minute rubbish tracks mixed with pretty good songs

2/5

Endless solos and odd instrumentals. I didn't like the last Rundgren album we had and I did not like this either. Contemplated a 1 star first but it felt a bit too harsh. Settling for a weak 2.

Frustratingly annoying Best Song: International Feel Rating: 3/10 Stars: 2/5

Nope

Not my type of noice

Ugh another boring album, I am cursed today

A bit soft and slow for me.

Man this album was just all over the place. Just when I thought I liked it I would run into a stretch I really didn’t like and vice versa. 2.5

Long album, not really my vibe. Too music/psychedelic heavy for me.

I am generally a fan of sprawling ambitious weird albums, but I found precious little to like in this. It was mostly just irritating.

Well, I made it through one listen. This project has introduced me to a lot of prog rock. Some good. Some not so good. Most of this album sounds too much like insane show tunes to me. The last song Just One Victory was worth the struggle of getting through the earlier songs. But, full marks for creativity and doing his own thing and for a crazy cover that perfectly matches the crazy music.

Opel Mokka, HDH - Aalen, Deutschland. weird freakin shit.

Rating: 4/10 Starts off horrible and partially redeems itself but was still bad overall.

Psychedelic bullshit

Ome Todd, daar is 'ie weer. Hij heeft weer eens aan de verkeerde kikker gelikt voor hij de studio in dook, als ik de hoes en de Wiki-snippet mag geloven. Als het allemaal niet te ver doorslaat vind ik dat wel geinig hoor, maar de kans dat het zo'n album is dat vooral de maker zelf heel geniaal vind ligt op de loer. Dit album gaat een beetje over het randje voor mij. Te veel gekke geluidjes. Tussendoor zijn er wel wat krenten om uit de pap te vissen hoor, het is echt niet allemaal compleet verschrikkelijk, maar het is zo'n gedoe om bij die krenten te komen. Ik vind dat eerder storend dan geinig. En op het moment dat je het een beetje gezien hebt moet de kant B nog beginnen. Kant B is wel een stuk minder psychedelisch en experimenteel, maar ik vind het er daardoor ook weer niet helemaal bij passen. Of helemaal niet eigenlijk. Ik gaf Todd al een keer twee sterren en ik denk dat ik bij dit album eigenlijk op hetzelfde uit kom. Wat mij betreft geen heel geslaagd experiment. Ik snap gewoon niet zo goed hoe die gast albums samenstelt.

Some really cool synth moments, but that was about all that interested me on this.

What a hot mess. This, kids, is why you shouldn't use drugs. +1 for "Medley".

Overly weird for the sake of it. Ok when he sings like a norm

I’m not sure who it’s for? Like, I feel like there’s obviously a fandom for this but other than, like, and I mean this, Brad Linville, what is it? What a weirdo. 3 for the effort, 2 for the listen.

Pretty annoying, tbh.

I couldn’t connect with this and wouldn’t want to hear it again.

An abundance of ideas, a lack of editing or self control. Sonically ambitious but chaotic and scattered.

Some songs I was down with but mostly too psychedelic for me. This is not the Todd Rundgren I was familiar with

Don’t know why but when read the review was expecting to like this and well didn’t. The ‘chaotic ‘ start killed it for me stone dead. Should have paid attention to those liking it to Barrett’s Floyd whimsical nature. I can’t stand drug induced musically whimsy, shit I can’t stand non drug whimsical music shit. think there may be a good album in here but I have no intention to listing multiple times til I get it, I don’t care to get it. 2 Star.

If you ever need to explain 1973 to someone, play this.

When the production isn’t so smashed together into a colorful, hectic mess this album sounds okay. Particularly on the second half it’s decent, but the first half is just a struggle to get through. 3/10

As another reviewer said - exactly why I'm doing this project and I'm glad to have heard it. I'll be happy to never hear it again though.

Since learning the name Todd Rundgren a year ago I've developed a level of respect for the guy: for being a bit of a one-man band/production team; for experimenting with sounds and genres; for treating the album as an art form; for taking a chance on Sparks. But I just can't really connect with his music, beyond the occasional 'that's nice' moment. 2.5

Not giving that guy any stars

First half was strange and fun in places, but not consistently enough for me. Then the second half is okay, but feels all over the place with only half an album left to establish anything. I liked the more melodic parts, however nothing stuck with me.

I liked having listened to first half of this, like an immersive sound bath with all the layers of texture, some nice base and saxophone in places, lots of interesting percussion. I just can't imagine this being something you listen to all the time. The second was nice enough but nothing of note.

Did not click for me 2/5

Crazy first half. Weak side B.

There’s a real sense of journey to this record and I love its warm and open heart, but I can’t pretend I love everywhere that it takes me. It’s certainly interesting, and I can appreciate the freaky qualities which have garnered it a cult audience.

I decided, I don't like the guy. Gotta do more LSD for this one. I don't hate it for the most part, but it was pretty annoying at times. I remember liking Something/Anything a bit better than this :(

ok there are some interesting things here, but mainly not listenable as a finished music album

I didn't really like it; just yelling a portion of the time and the production was generally weird. 3/10.

It's kind of a lot... I could see it being cool. But it's all over the place, it's more like a random list of musical ideas than an album of songs. Just One Victory is pretty cool.

I had to check twice that this wasn't two albums. Liked to first half. Not so the second.

Psychedelic rock. First half of the album is all noise, dissonance, and weird sounds. Second half of the album is listenable.

Yeah, that's weird.

Tell me you have adhd without telling me. It'd a shame because there are some great moments on this record, but it's equal parts great, goofy nonsense and absolute wank. If you cut out all the shite it could be a very good album, but the wacky stuff gets in the way, and this becomes increasingly annoying. Maybe that's the point, but makes it very hard to rate this highly as a cohesive work.

Sorti en 1973, "A Wizard, A True Star" de Todd Rundgren n'est pas simplement un album ; c'est une déclaration, un kaléidoscope sonore qui a dynamité les conventions du rock progressif et de la pop psychédélique. Oeuvre d'une ambition folle, cet album est souvent cité comme le magnum opus de Todd Rundgren, ou du moins, son disque le plus audacieux et le plus déroutant. Il incarne à la perfection l'esprit d'un artiste total, un "sorcier", un "véritable artiste", qui refuse toute catégorisation et suit sa muse avec une détermination quasi mystique. Dès les premières notes de "International Feel", l'auditeur est happé dans un tourbillon de textures sonores, de changements de tempo abrupts et de mélodies insaisissables. La première face de l'album (pour les vinyles) est une suite ininterrompue de vignettes, passant d'éclats de génie pop à des expérimentations bruitistes, de ballades éthérées à des commentaires sociaux acerbes. Todd Rundgren, en véritable homme-orchestre, joue de presque tous les instruments, superpose les pistes avec une frénésie créatrice et manipule les sons du studio comme un peintre sa palette. Des titres comme "Tic Tic Tic, It Wears Off" ou "You Need Your Head" sont des fragments frénétiques, presque punk avant l'heure, tandis que "Never Never Land", reprise d'une comédie musicale, détonne par son innocence apparente au milieu de ce chaos organisé. "Zen Archer", avec ses arrangements luxuriants et sa mélodie planante, offre un rare moment de contemplation avant que l'auditeur ne soit à nouveau bousculé par des morceaux plus abrasifs comme "Rock & Roll Pussy", une critique à peine voilée de John Lennon et de son activisme jugé opportuniste par Rundgren. Ce qui frappe dans cette première partie, c'est la densité de l'information musicale. Chaque écoute révèle de nouvelles couches, de nouveaux détails cachés dans le mixage. C'est un disque qui exige une attention soutenue, qui défie les habitudes d'écoute passive. Certains y verront un excès d'auto-indulgence, une surcharge sensorielle, mais c'est précisément cette audace, cette volonté de repousser les limites du format album, qui en fait une oeuvre si fascinante. Todd Rundgren semble vouloir condenser l'intégralité de ses influences et de ses idées en un flux continu, une sorte de rêve éveillé musical. La production, assurée par Todd Rundgren lui-même, est un élément clé de l'identité de l'album. Il utilise le studio comme un instrument à part entière, expérimentant avec les effets, les panoramiques et les techniques d'enregistrement pour créer un paysage sonore tridimensionnel et immersif. L'influence du LSD, que Todd Rundgren a admis avoir consommé durant cette période, est palpable dans l'esthétique psychédélique et déstructurée de l'œuvre. La seconde face de "A Wizard, A True Star" marque un contraste notable, bien que toujours empreinte de l'éclectisme de son auteur. Elle s'ouvre sur des chansons plus conventionnelles dans leur structure, comme la magnifique ballade soul "Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel". Ici, la voix de Todd Rundgren, capable de tendresse comme d'agressivité, se déploie avec une émotion palpable. Le point d'orgue de cette seconde face, et peut-être de l'album tout entier pour certains, est l'incroyable medley de classiques de la soul : "I'm So Proud / Ooh Baby Baby / La La Means I Love You / Cool Jerk". Durant plus de dix minutes, Todd Rundgren rend un hommage vibrant et personnel à ses idoles de la Motown et de la Philly Soul. Loin d'une simple imitation, il s'approprie ces standards avec une sincérité désarmante, démontrant sa profonde compréhension et son amour pour ce répertoire. Cette section ancre l'album dans une tradition musicale tout en soulignant la versatilité de son créateur. L'album se conclut par l'hymne "Just One Victory", un appel à l'unité et à la persévérance qui prend une résonance particulière après le voyage chaotique et exubérant qui l'a précédé. C'est une fin optimiste, presque triomphale, qui laisse l'auditeur à la fois épuisé et exalté. "A Wizard, A True Star" n'a pas été un succès commercial immédiat à sa sortie. Sa nature fragmentée et son refus du compromis ont déconcerté une partie du public et de la critique de l'époque. Cependant, son influence n'a cessé de croître au fil des décennies. Des artistes comme Prince, Trent Reznor de Nine Inch Nails, ou encore les Flaming Lips ont cité cet album comme une source d'inspiration majeure. Son approche décomplexée de la production, son mélange des genres et sa structure éclatée ont ouvert la voie à de nombreuses expérimentations dans le rock et la pop. Plus qu'un simple album, "A Wizard, A True Star" est une expérience. C'est l'oeuvre d'un artiste au sommet de sa créativité, libéré des contraintes commerciales, qui invite l'auditeur à un voyage imprévisible au coeur de sa vision musicale. Ce n'est peut-être pas l'album le plus accessible de Todd Rundgren, mais c'est sans conteste l'un des plus riches, des plus stimulants et, finalement, des plus gratifiants pour qui accepte de s'y perdre. Un disque qui, près d'un demi-siècle après sa sortie, continue de sonner comme une météorite tombée d'une autre galaxie, un testament à la puissance de l'imagination et à la quête incessante de l'inouï. Il demeure une pierre angulaire pour comprendre l'évolution de la musique populaire vers des formes plus libres et personnelles. Une véritable étoile dans le firmament du rock. Au final ce sera un 2 sur 5 car je ne suis pas rentré dans le délire de l'artiste.

I usually go for psychedelic music and really wanted to like this but too much of it just sounds like two or three radios playing at the same time. The one song that sounds a little like Bowie doesn’t really make up for it.

All over the place and anxiety inducing. Sounded like a well trained musician had a blast in a fun house studio and made a bunch of short tunes of every sound he could imagine. If he were my friend, it would be cool.....he is not.

just not hitting the mark. sounding weird for the sake of being weird.

Das Album wurde im eigenen Studio von Todd Rundgren, den Secret Sound Studios in New York, aufgenommen. Rundgren ist US-amerikanischer Musiker, Produzent und Multiinstrumentalist. Das Werk zählt zu seinen experimentelleren Veröffentlichungen und bewegt sich stilistisch zwischen Psychedelic Rock, Progressive Rock und Soul. Typisch für das Album sind abrupte Übergänge zwischen den Tracks sowie ein hoher Anteil an Studioeffekten und mehrspurigen Overdubs. Besonders auffällig ist das Medley „Soul Medley“, das mehrere Soulklassiker interpretiert, sowie die Tracks „International Feel“ und „Just One Victory“, die bei Fans als repräsentativ gelten. Das Album verlangt Aufmerksamkeit, belohnt aber mit einem vielseitigen und eigenständigen Hörerlebnis, das Rundgrens kreative Bandbreite deutlich macht.

This sucks, it sounds like circus music. It’s like The Beatles but annoying and bad

This wasn’t for me

A pretty frustrating album. There are nice little moments throughout this, but many of the songs are too short to have a sustained period of enjoyable listening.

Okay but not for me

could not get into it i know its good but not for me

Well this was such an interesting album, I knew who Todd Rundgren was but I don't think I could tell you a song by him and this album the whole time I was listening to it lol seemed like some trippy ass thing you'd listen to while high as fuck! Lol go figure when I was reading about the album it was made while he trying all sorts of new drugs lol

näää

Nah.

Some decent songs. Some songs that sound like Ross in his experimental keyboard era.

What the hell, this scared me a bit. I actually had to pause my streak because I can't get past that Dogfight Giggle track. I appreciate the art, but no thanks. Still better structurally than Alien Lanes though. If there's a 2.5 I'll give it 2.5.

2

It's a work of art, mostly because it makes you question your sanity. If this was a painting, it would be one of the abstract variety, which comes with a bunch of snobbish critics looking down on you for not getting it. Interesting for sure. Enjoyable? Eeeh.

Got some cool noisy noises !!

I guess this would have been considered cutting edge back in 1973. But this is just really weird. Some decent musicianship....but beyond that....this is just off.

Songs I like, I loved, the others, did not like at all

Your a wizard, Toddy. 4/10

This was rough

The medley of covers almost saved this (by which I mean a 3). But I think the rest of it was bad enough.

Sometimes psychedelics are good for music, but not this time. It's just weird.

That was not great...

It is a mess

Listened Before? N Todd isn't really my cup of tea. Lots happening here - I get that he's a pioneer and this is art rock but it didn't really resonate with me. Bowie-esque but not enough to get me into it. I do like the short-form songs though. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Never Never Land (because it reminds me of Metallica, a band I do like).

Imaginative album that explores surrealistic themes such as the Wizard of Oz, Salvador Dali paintings, Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, but I'm not sure much of it lands beyond anything more than the odd curiosity. The best thing about this album is the album cover painting. Props to Arthur Wood. Favorites: "International Feel", "Tic Tic Tic It Wears Off", "Is It My Name?", and "Just One Victory"

Just so self indulgent. I feel he wanted a Jeff Lynn thing, but he ain't him.

Well that was...something. It had its moments, but too frequently it was just plain annoying.

I liked 'I Don't Want To Tie You Down' and 'Sometimes I Don't Know What To Feel', but mostly listening to this I DID know what to feel: irritation. Maybe just in the wrong frame of mind today to appreciate it.

This isn't the worst, but again not my taste. I'd say it's a 2.5, but I can't lean into it. 2/5

beatles pop esq

He claimed this album was how music should be made…this is not how music should be made.

I like Todd Rundgren, but this was a little out there for me

This album was all over the map. A compendium of different styles and musings that just did not come together for me. There were some good songs, but not something I could ever sit down and experience or enjoy.

Definitely unique

Honey, get the shotgun! It's the psychedelic clowns again!! By the end I was enjoying some of it, the first half is tough though. I'll call it a 2.5

I don't know how to explain it, it just was super weird to me tbh.

2.1

This album gives Jared Leto performing bad Steely Dan 5/10 Fav tracks - You need your head, Is it my name?

'Rundgren became uncomfortable when these descriptions also came to include "the male Carole King"' and decided to take a fuckload of drugs and say 'yes I like Zappa do you guys think I could be like him?' Yes, Zappa was 'werid', but I don't think he was ever as offensive as whatever the fuck Dogfight Giggle was. There are some parts here that shine but there are some real low points here especially the transition from Zen Archer to Just Another Onionhead / Da Da Dali which really doused the enjoyment that I was beginning to develop. The album is overly long, some of the decisions here in terms of instrumentation, mood, transition are outright weird and jarring. This is a fun novelty but I don't see myself returning to this. I have to pay respect to the album for being influential to artists I really like (Tame Impala and Ariel Pink) but I cannot lie, those guys did the whole 'write, perform and produce' thing a lot better. I can't deny Rundgren's talent as a producer, writer and a musician. He's worked on albums that I love and his pop music is top notch but this album feels like his version of Wish You Were Here 'I was acclaimed so now I'm lashing out' but this is certainly not WYWH. Highlights: You Need Your Head, Zen Archer, Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel, Just One Victory

Maybe I was in a bad mood, but this did not do it for me. Has some stuff I like, I think the last song is pretty good, but overall I found it pretty offputting. If you enjoyed/were intrigued by this, id recommend early Of Montreal, like specifically The Gay Parade. Now that I’ve heard this, the influence is really obvious, but I think that band’s frontman has the charisma that this guy lacks

Don't get it sorry. Does that make me a philistine?

2 - This was just too weird for me. Just chaotic and and incoherent

Prog rock. Some good songs in here but mostly boring.

This was a weird one. I don't want to compare it, but I had a Todd Rundgren album previously and gave that a single star because I found it boring and overly long. This album cuts down then length by 35 minutes so that's a good start. This album also is a lot more interesting with more ideas, so that's another tick. It's still not hugely interesting though. The odd decent bit pops up here and there. Apparently Todd was experimenting with psychedelic drugs at the time and moved away from tradiontal pop song structures and you can absolutely hear that. Unfortunately, for me, it sounds a little bit like he took his narcotic of choice, wrote and recorded a track whilst still high, it ended up on the album without listening to it with sober ears. The album is a little all over the place and not in a good way. It just didn't quite grab me like I hoped it would.

Kinda weird

boh, da mal di testa

Undecided about this one, maybe off is heard it when younger with different influences I might have been able to appreciate it

Feel like this could have been good but it constantly sounds fuzzy.

2/5

was sure glad when that ended

Not for me

Pretty cool, definitely deserves another listen. Didn't really stick

I guess not for me. This album really helps me appreciate focus. There are probably lots of great ideas in there but I am having a hard time recognizing a single one of them. I am left very unmoved and confused at the same time.

Not sure on this shite. Fucking druggies

Dit was voor die tijd vast revolutionair, maar niet mijn stijl. Te cabaret-achtig. Veel gekke geluidjes, synths.

This album..... Is fucked. Todd admits to having done a shit ton of psychadelics while recording this album, which makes sense. The album released no singles because Todd designed it as 19 songs that are each like 2 mins long and all run together. He didn't want to break the songs up. He wanted the whole album to be listened to instead of just singles. Because of this, and the fact that this album is so experimental, and a huge change from his previous album which I've reviewed on here already (Something/Anything?), this album did really poorly. I looked it up.... The album prior to this I gave a 4 to. It kinda sounded like the Eagles crossed with Jefferson Airplane. Good easy listening with hints of psychadelic rock. I even mention in my notes that after that album he got really into psychadelic aspects of music.... I'll fucking say he did. Man this album is weird. Not sure why some idiot decided to include this album on this list....I am nowhere near high enough for this. It isnt terrible, but it's super weird. This album is just the incoherent ramblings of a man too fucked up on psychadelics to know what the hell he is doing. Even the album cover screams DRUGS!!!!! This album does kind of come around after the song Does Anybody Love You?, but it is a bit too little too late. The song Is It My Name? has some hilariously fucked lyrics. Some examples include: "there is cause and effect There is a reason I'm so erect" "my voice goes so high you would think I was gay But I play my guitar in such a Man-cock way"....... Wtf does that mean, lol Favourite songs: Is It My Name?, Hungry For Love, Medley: I'm So Proud/Ooh Baby Baby/La La Means I Love You/Cool Jerk, Just One Victory Least favourite songs: Dogfight Giggle 2/5

Weird. Way weirder than I thought it was gonna be.

Not my thing.

Ist mir zu psychedelisch!

These songs were short-by the time I was ready to skip it-it was over!

I like some todd Rundgren stuff, but this is a little too crazy, even for me. Interesting sounds, but not that enjoyable.

Lemppari: Sometimes I don't know what to feel Vähiten lemppari: Just another onion head

It’s sort of OK but not an album that I would buy

Very experimental and, I'm sure, very influential for its time. It's just that, for me, it's also very unlistenable. 2/5

It’s better than Something/Anything?, but that’s a really low bar. It does have some interesting moments, especially “International Feel” which sounds like it would fit right in on a Tame Impala album. But after that, the album generally trends downward with increasingly cacophonous vignettes followed by cheesy 70s soft rock/pop. I read that this album was produced after (during?) Rundgren’s experimentation with psychedelics, but it just seems like he wasn’t on the good stuff.

Rundgren and Zappa tried to out-weird each other in the 70’s. In my opinion, Frank came out on top, in terms of both talent and success. There are a few TR songs I do like, so I’ll go 2 here. That’s generous, as this album is most definitely rubbish.

All the worst parts of Frank Zappa, Harry Nilsson, and Flaming Lips. But pretty cool.

Starts interest. Gets weird (You Need your Head). Dogfight Giggle... umm. This album is just some kind of weird experiment.

This album was all over the place. Super Manic in the beginning but then settled down. The soul medley was pretty cool. I like Zen Archer the most. There were pieces I liked, but in the end I found myself wishing it were over.

Horrible operetta prog pop. Respect the will to create, dislike the creation.

A worse Rufus Wainwright

This was irritatingly kooky for me. Like relentlessly quirky. I found it hard to handle and too long

I'm torn. I enjoy the freedom he's allowed himself but I didn't find that he ever found a groove.

too chaotic for me, not sure I'd even go to the trouble of taking acid to enjoy this. Credit for the musicianship but it does fell like a "look how well I can play everything" set rather than an album of songs. I'd rather listen to king gizzard & the lizard wizard for my eclectic prog rock experiences.

A lot was awful, some was ok. That’s about the best it got. I suppose it can be filed as an album that needs to be listened to under the influence of hallucinogenics to be enjoyed. I don’t so I won’t.

Just weird. Where are the truly great albums?

Back half of the album was better than the front. It was tolerable, but just. I don't think I'd listen to it again.