Reviews (page 7 of 8)
I hated this.
Old Matt Mercer lookin ass International Feel - okay. psych rock again. very brash (2/5) Never Never Land - gospel time woo. (2/5 the dreamy sound is warpled too much for me) Tic Tic Tic, It Wears Off - ska/retro jackbox version of Mario 64 soundtrack mixed with the sims. (5/5) You Need Your Head - I'm being screamed at by the Talking Heads. (1/5) Rock & Roll Pussy - i'm sorry, rock and roll what (3/5 okay) Dogfight giggle is where i stop the format what the fuck is this. Undertale???? oh thank god. i don't think i like cruise ship white dad soul rock.
International Feel Zen Archer
Pink Floyd on happy pills ;)
I turned it off halfway through a song called Rock and Roll Pussy.
Decent but nothing to write home about
I knew a couple of songs from Todd Rundgren going in, Hello It's Me and the Bang on the Drum song. I didn't expect how quirky and weird this album would be, at least the first half of it. I wasn't sure if I was liking the music or the production, but I started getting into it and rather enjoyed it by the end. So much I started it over from the beginning. Whenever that happens, I give the album at least a 4/5.
What a weird album. But it succeeds becuase it doesn't stay in one place long enough to get tiresome. He tries soemething new every minute or two and manages to keep the concepts fresh and the audience engaged.
The only good bit was the soul compilation.
Stand out is 'Does Anybody Love You?'
Very darned good stuff. 5 stars.
Made after his experimenting with psychedelics, and it definitely has that vibe. He intentionally avoided releasing any singles, making it a true album experience. I like the experiment, and it’s pretty listenable, meaning not exceedingly weird. This was a fun one.
It has some really good songs, but also a lot of weird ones. I guess it evens out as about average.
This album is utterly bonkers but is also, curiously, absolutely worth listening to. Sometimes something like this had to be made.
A pretty alright album. A very weird one too. Almost too weird at times. But overall, I liked it. I probably won’t go back to this album again in the near future, but I didn’t dislike it at all. 7/10 Top 3: 1. Zen Archer 2. International Feel 3. I’m So Proud / Ooh Baby Baby / La La Means I Love You / Cool Jerk
I only know “Hello, It’s Me” from Todd, so this album was a surprise. I prefer the Hello, It’s Me Todd.
Super interesting album. Very flowy, very drug-70s-esque vibe.
I’m not a huge Prog rock fan but this was a decent album
I like how varied it is.
Great album, good rock
Meh
oddball kinda dug it
Chaotic. Not bad. Not as amazing as some of the reviews led me to hope for. Good though.
Rundgren's sense of "what music and sound were like in my internal environment, and how different that was from the music I had been making" is pure aural poetry.
Interesting album. Kind of all over the place, but overall pretty good!
Interesting carney music
Strange, but interesting. Really 2.5 stars in my book.
Solid proggy rock album.
What a weird album! A mix of stuff I quite liked with some really weird interludes. It definitely keeps your attention. I might have to explore this guy more
Interesting. Not for me
Inventive! Zen Archer is great
Ok, I saw Todd Rundgren in ringing starr's all starr band, and by god was he awesome. Brilliant rhythm guitarist, a real showman and a great songwriter. Todd Rundgren also produced bat out of hell, and his guitar solo at the end of the title track ranks with 'voodoo Chile', 'so we’ve ended as lovers', ‘Brighton rock', 'comfortably numb' 'eruption' etc etc. Todd Rundgren has written some brilliant work, and has found the level of fame he’s comfortable with. And dimery continues his habit of the obscure over the important. This is not the best Rundgren album, so why not pick Todd or Hermit of Mink Hollow? Let’s have this lsd fuelled critically loved decent album rather than Todd’s great stuff. Gotta keep that street cred. 3.5 rounded up.
Fully powered up, intergalactic tripfest 1970s style. Liek the cover art, its a bit 'busy'...
If this is the soundtrack to a trip - as I understand Lundgren intended- it just reminds me why I never want to go on one. Meanwhile, after skipping through most of this album beyond the first few tracks, I enjoyed catching up on the Nineh Cherry album I missed. (Thanks for your positive reviews, guys!)
I really like Rundgren & I have a lot of his solo stuff, Nazz & Utopia stuff & a lot of the stuff he engineered (The Band) & produced (Badfinger, NYDolls, Meat Loaf, Tubes, XTC). But I had never heard this album before. How he crammed all of this on a single LP is a mystery to me. It’s all over the place & a lot of the tracks sound like unfinished ideas. But some of the highlights are typical Todd & truly beautiful. The Rolling Stone Album Guide suggested there were only 3 “fully realised songs” here. I think there’s more than that. I really enjoy the Broadway cover - Never Never Land & the nod to German cabaret in Zen Archer. Not to mention the Al Jolson imitation in Just Another Onionhead : Da Da Dali. And I thought he did well with the ten-minute soul medley - particularly with Smokey’s Ooh Baby Baby & Al Green’s La La Means I Love You. But the highlights are the tunes he wrote & bothered to complete - International Feel, When The Shit Hits The Fan : Sunset Blvd, Sometimes I Don’t Know What To Feel, Is It My Name &, particularly Just One Victory - an outstanding closer. Loved this.
ugh, prog rock, ick. I get that this is kinda funny and stylistically diverse, but it is (in the words of the Rolling Stone Album Guide 2004) "an endurance test of stylistic diversity, with just three fully realized songs ('Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel,' 'International Feel,' and 'Just One Victory') stranded in the midst of so much half-baked sonic decoration." There are moments in here that I mildly enjoy, but the lack of focus and intent make it hard to love. I can understand that it was really inspiring to a lot of bedroom musicians who just wanted to sit in their home studios and make records pretty much by themselves (artists as diverse as Prince, Daft Punk, Tame Impala, Frank Ocean and a bunch of others), but I don't dig it myself. To paraphrase the Spacemen 3, Rundgren was taking drugs to make music to take drugs to. Maybe if I got _really_ baked, lit some candles, and listened to this through headphones, I could love it. But that ain't gonna happen, sorry. I do like it better than Something/Anything?, because it does, at least, have a sense of humour.
I'm meh about Todd Rundgren, this album is fine and so is most of his discography
I guess I'm not a Todd Rundgren fan. This album once again feels like a product of it's time and probably best enjoyed under the influence. Fave track: Just One Victory.
This is a lot of fun - Rundgren's obviously having a blast playing silly buggers! With more plays I might be tempted to go up to 5? 🤔 Fave tracks - "Tic Tic Tic It Wears Off" and "Just Another Onionhead/Dada Dali" both caught my ear. Honorable mention to "You Don't Have to Camp Around" for the creation of snake jazz! 🐍
pas mauvais du tout. Beau mélange de différentes sonorités. malheureusement, bcp déranger à job donc pas la meilleure écoute. 6.5/10
It's OK. A little bit up and down. Some of the musical instruments and/or arrangements left me puzzled.
The struggle is real. Most of the album, i was simply flip flopping between whether this was detestable or simply unlistenable. Though the start isn't too bad, it quickly devolves into psychedelic experimental mumbo jumbo with rough and uneven vocalizations. Though there's a glimmer of hope on the second side that we're stabilizing, there's enough that slides back into eclectic experimentation that it feels like PTSD from the first side. This grates on me more quickly than it normally would.
Rockig (gitarrenlastig), bisschen funky, psychedelic, durcheinander
Just nuts in all the right ways. Crazy experimental, bursting with ideas, Rungdren makes it plain he could write the greatest pop song every written and then just does his own thing. Engaging throughout, I think this might be genius.
Weird!
Illuminated
Not quite Supertramp levels of winning me over, but it's a fun experimental thing from somebody where my only prior familiarity was that he made the bang on my drum all day song, and knowing he was the person who got "Bat Out Of Hell" made when no other producers were willing to touch it
It was fine
One's reminded of the old joke about Oscars being awarded for the "best acting" not the "most acting." As much as there is to like, there's just too much to take in. For all that's fun and interesting, there's a lot that feels tossed-off or even thrown away. There are often dizzying and occasionally mesmerizing effects but a near overwhelming sense of excess. That’s TR, one supposes. It does come to grate after a time, one finds. Too many unworthy ideas are indulged and much noodling goes nowhere, leading to a circusy, nearly Fellini-esque feel. “Zen Archer” and “Sometimes I Don’t Know How I Feel” and “Just One Victory” are all strong, and the “Medley” is lovely – enough material to anchor a pretty great record and showing what TR can do when he plays it relatively straightforward; but then the jarring shift to “Cool Jerk” after the first three ballad-y parts of the “Medley” blowing the mood (and demonstrating in micro the record’s macro problems of excessive mood reversals. And isn't the whole record functionally a medley? One wonders whether TR fully trusts his material or pop music generally (a strange question to ask of a pop genius [especially one with a messiah complex) – why else keep throwing up more new stuff to try? That "you want the obvious/you'll get the obvious" seems insufficient justification. Even allowing for tortured artist effect, this is just show-offy and too much in the end.
Dit was me net iets te chaotisch.
I am surprised I haven't heard of this guy. Interesting psychedelic album.
Slightly odd: not sure how to feel about this one but let’s just say I didn’t hate it. I loved the way tracks flowed into one another but the music itself just felt strange. At points I was really digging it but then my interest would be lost pretty quickly. Just felt mediocre.
A spacey and ridiculous, occasionally lovely, disorientingly entertaining descent into Todd Rundgren's brain. I wouldn't want to live there, but it was a fun trip. Fave Songs: Just One Victory, Zen Archer, Does Anybody Love You?, Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel, You Don't Have to Camp Around
Big fan of our boy Todd. He can switch between making decent album tracks like this and coming with singles. Big fan of Mated and Bang the Drum All Day. He knows his way around a recording studio too - think he produced Bat Out of Hell and an XTC album or two. This album has that kind of late 60s/early 70s vibe, but the synth stuff takes it to another level of what was around at the same time.
Batshit fun. Really enjoyed this.
Another average album by Todd Rundgren, but at least this time I was able to sit through most of it. Entertaining at times, some interesting guitar passages and solos, but it's too much for me.
What a funky album! Couldn't have been any different than his previous album. All that being said, I rather enjoyed it for what it is. Makes me want to dig into more...I really enjoyed his medley. 3.5/5
Te trippy
The song I'm proud of you helped me put together a bed by myself so it get a star for that, pretty weird in places otherwise though.
Ok I'm a bit torn here. Different and adventurous. Self indulgent and written on drugs. A difficult listen if not high. A 3 straight down the middle.
Æðisleg plata. Todd er svo vanmetinn!
Didn't get it. Haven't had enough drugs for this.
I can’t imagine listening to this album in 1973. It is so cracked and uses so many sounds I would never believe existed in music, at least popular music, until the 90’s on. Some of it runs damn near hyperpop which didn’t hit until the last ten or so years. It’s like a rock opera of nascent musical ideas that would mature over the following 50 years.
This is some crazy psychedelic pop and definitely a big difference from Something/Anything. I’ve always admired Todd Rundgren’s studio skills, he’s produced a lot of great albums, including his own. This one has a lot going on, it’s hard to pinpoint what’s good and bad, but it’s easy to see how influential it has become. Effectively the 70s answer to Brian Wilson, he crafts so many left turns and trap doors, it’s like riding through a funhouse. I’d like to give this one another 4-5 listens to really appreciate it, but it does feel like a solid 4.
this is a VERY schizophrenic album. all over the place, and not in a good way. not sure what the hell i just listened to, but i do know this… i won’t do it again. not for me.
This is not a real album. This is a demo tape that you get from the 30-year-old guy who sells LSD to college kids in the dorms at a small Midwestern public university.
Gross. Every time it started sounding ok, it went dopey.
Очень весело)
It starts with fart sounds then it gets worse.
This was pretty entertaining.
Yeah. I couldn’t finish this. I didn’t like it at all.
3.5 - I was intrigued by the narrative of “70’s easy rock star tries LSD and starts making trippy music” given how underwhelming I found “Something/Anything.” I was really hoping to love this record. And it does start off strong, with an even mix of strange experimentation and pop songs that hit out of left field. In fact the first half is all quite interesting and inspired, from “International Feel” to the strange sonics of “Dogfight Giggle” to the trippy instrumentals on “Flamingos.” I hear whiffs of Pink Floyd throughout. But right around “Just Another Onionhead…” the pace and tone turn shriek-y and manic. The nadir for me is probably the atrocious 10-minute “Medley” and from there, it’s all fairly forgettable.
That's pretty cool art. Interesting music. It's pretty unique. I like how the end of each song bleeds into the next like it's one continuous track. It is a bit experimental and a bit unorganized, chaotic. Zen Archer is the first track that sounds like an actual song. lol Okay I really like Medley: I'm So Proud/ Ooh Baby Baby/ La La Means I Love You/ Cool Jerk. It super pretty. I hearted it. meh, it was alright. There were a few good songs but nothing I'd revisit.
Idk why this is rated so low, there are some fantastic songs in here
Initially was a 4 but it didnt stick. It got a bit much
This was a band/guy that I'd always wanted to listen to since I was familiar with them, but hadn't ever listened. Was listenable, but nothing Earth-shattering.
3,5
I’ve been meaning to listen to Todd Rundgren so this was cool. It was an interesting blend of genres: rock, glam rock, 80s-esque adult contemporary?? Some of it I didn’t mind, but most of it I wasn’t a fan of.
A gloriously batty album. It jumps around ideas on seconds and every idea is fully realised before you can get bored. Imagine Floyd, except with a pop sensibility to never get too noodly or pretentious. Possibly the best album of the 70s. Best track is You Need Your Head I love the divisive reviews this is getting. Either 'this is insane. 5 stars', or 'Waah, I wanted some lumpen 70s pop rock how dare someone try something different 1 star'.
Well this is really weird. I'm not really with this. The cover definitely reflects in the music. Like he's just dropped a load of acid and is exploring this mad world via weird ditties and sounds.. But then there's some genuine songs in there in the second half that work well, particularly the more soulful ones found on the likes of 'Medley'. I kind of appreciate that he's done something interesting, and I admire the variation, but too much of it is just weird, and there's not enough to latch onto.
I appreciate the creativity, but the music not so much. Somewhere in the middle between Zappa and Supertramp. Very 70s. It's all over the place. So it's not all bad. Production is so so. Favorite song: Tic tic tic
The kind of insane prog shit I want on my shelf for my children to randomly pull off and have an experience with their friends. Adding to my Discogs want list for that purpose but not saving to Spotify so by the rules 4 stars
Fun and a lil goofy dad rock. I'm suspicious of anyone named Todd.
Mostly good/very good. One track I do not like and really doesn't fit with the album is the Medley. Other than that is is really enjoyable and interesting. 3.5/5 Standouts: Sometimes I Don't Know What To Feel, Just One Victory, I Don't Want to Tie You Down Others (There are quite a few other good songs): International Feel, Never Never Land, Tic Tic Tic it Wears Off, You Need Your Head, You Don't Have to Camp Around, Zen Archer, Just Another Onion Dead; Da da Dali, When the Shit hits the Fan; Sunset Blvd,
got some bangers, the cover medley was nice
One hit wonder releases LP ... without the hit single.
This rock is certainly prog
Sounds like baby’s first synth
Bizarre and sometimes brilliant
unbelievable crap, like some circus music, then switched to soul
This was an eccentric album. The only good part of the album is when he did covers of other songs in Medley. The other songs are not good. I will round up to a two.
Really good. Pretty mild for a psychedelic album
PREFS : International Feel, Tic Tic Tic It Wears Off, You Need Your Head, Rock and Roll Pussy, You Don't Have to Camp Around, Flamingo, Zen Archer, Just Another Onionhead / Da Da Dali, When the Shit Hits the Fan/Sunset Blvd., Le Feel Internacionale, Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel, Hungry for Love, Is It My Name?, Just One Victory MOINS PREF : Dogfight Giggle
4+/5
Way too weird, just making sounds on half the tracks
A psychedelic early 70s underappreciated masterpiece, the tracks seem together so well
Slightly disappointed after such glowing reviews by many critics. Clearly an accomplished musician and producer, but only a few songs are particularly strong (the later medley certainly). More creative control and filtering please!
I struggle with Todd. Some good stuff in here but I think it’s outweighed by the bad, just slightly.
A bit weird
Interesting album, wish I had more time to listen to it
This is a very enjoyable and clever record full of interesting songs and an original sound. I found it a really solid project.
- Well at least this one isn't an hour and a half - I think I'm just not that into this guy - Some bold sounding stuff on here, a different vibe from the other album
- Some weird shit going on in the middle of this album - Todd keeps it interesting for sure
Fíla upphafslagið mjög vel, hitt rennur svolítið saman en er ekki leiðinlegt.
What a bizarre album. It’s a tale of two halves, with the second half being much better than the first and nearly redeeming it. Overall, not my jam.
This 1973 album sounds like cutting edge weird/groovy from 1990. “You Need Your Head” especially. Reminds me of when Zappa gives just a passing thought to sounding good in addition to being weird/frantic.
4.0
Ok
I’m trying to catch up - this was interesting album minus the gay comments in “Is It My Name?”.
This album has an antsy, can’t-sit-still energy to it that was jarring at first but ended up working well in the context of the whole album. Wildly imaginative and experimental, jumping between 1 minute ideas and 5+ minute songs. Zen Archer was a trip. But “I’m so proud / ooh baby baby / la la means I love you / cool jerk” was a top notch 10-minute soul journey that came out of nowhere. 5/5.
listened to again a meandering, art house, masterful pop record
You want the obvious? You'll get the obvious, onionhead! You are required to listen to this album at least seven or eight times in your life. If you don't get it the first time, you will eventually. This batshit crazy odyssey zooms past and swoons all over you at unexpected moments as though nothing out of the ordinary occured and will make you wonder what was going through the mind of this supposed wizard, this true star as he calls himself. It was the sound of the future then and it remains the sound of the future today. Bedroom pop before there was even a thing known as bedroom pop and, quite frankly, it doesn't get any better than this. Most artists would hang their hats on this album and call it a day. For Todd Rundgren, it was just another Monday.
A strange, strange trip from a strange, strange man. Flows surprisingly coherently.
Great
Still find it hard to believe that people got laid to this.
What a 'Jackie Brambles'
At first I had to piss about with the audio settings of my stereo as it sounded dreadful. Eventually reverting back to original settings and starting from the beginning something clicked and I started to really enjoy it. Not what I was expecting at all. Instantly made me want to watch a Todd Rundgren documentary to learn more about him.
I liked this album, although it faded a bit in the second half. Definite stream-of-consciousness type vibe to it, lending well to the psychedelia. Wavering between a 3 or 4 star rating but as mentioned I think the weaker second half loses the extra star for me
Woah! This is totally unexpected and really awesome. Holy shit this was good. It's WILD and all over the place. But it still holds togeather in this super weird way. Unexpected 5 star.
can describe this only as neurotic. video game ass-music sometimes, then a regular song. not bad though! best tracks: zen archer, international feel, I'm so proud / ooh baby baby
Great album with so much replay ability, and just amazing sounds and songs to come up on this album. Not overall perfect but it’s overall just so fun and it’s a standout
Liked it slightly more than I was expecting.
Psychedelia without the burden of trying to be cool. The keyboards sound good and I liked "Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel" which reminded me of a plainspoken, angsty Brian Wilson song like I Just Wasn't Made for These Times. The tone of the whole album had me wondering if this guy is trying to be serious or not but there was a single lyric that made everything clear: "My voice goes so high you would think I was gay / But I play my guitar in such a man-cock way" Amazing.
Broadway on bad acid
Very cool, extremely experimental album. Some real good songs, some duds - but always surprising.
C'est psychedelique, ca demande une réécoute probablemtn pour l'Apprécier à ca juste valeur pour voir toute les nuances etc. Des fois pour ce genre d'album, cil faut vraiemen être dans le mood et dans la bonne situation. Beaucoup de chanson pour un run time quand meme correct, ca fait beaucoup d'écoute et de concentration. je vais réécouté mais je suis convaincu que c'est bon. 3.75
I liked the beginning half more than the second half, but both were good. I preferred the weirdness of the first half though. My favourite songs were Just Another Onionhead/Da Da Dali, Zen Archer, and You Don't Have to Camp Around.
First time hearing this one. First impression: Weird collection of ok music. Some songs sound like Queen. Favorite Tracks: Sometimes I Don't Know, I Don't Wanna Tie You Down, Just One Victory Least Favorite: Medley 3.0
Don't know how to feel
This is a most bizarre listening experience. It's like a child was let loose in the recording studio and said "look dad, I can make records too!" then proceeded to go HAM on all the instruments while shouting stream of consciousness lyrics into a mic. I like weird and oddball things, but I think this one is just a bit too far left of strange for my liking.
I'm not against psychedelic rock (some of my best friends etc), but this is too much.
Pop progresivo, psicodelia. Ni fu ni fa.
Progressive pop. Es como un musical. No me aporta nada.
J'ai aimé le côté excessif et le complet engagement de la part de l'artiste.
I always wanted to listen to this album because of its album cover, but I held off for one reason or another. Glad I finally got to listen to it, as it was really enjoyable. I did enjoy the more avant garde style of the first half than the pop sound of the second half, but overall still really enjoyable. Can definitely here where Rundgren's production style comes from. Also, Dogfight Giggle sounds like a song from Yumi Nikki, so there you go for the .1% that read this review and know what I'm talking about.
caught in the crossfire between the mind-looping psychedelic of the 60s and the burgeoning fancy glam rock of the 70s edgy art scene, Todd Rundgren shields and dodges, and with A Wizard, A True Star, he makes an album that finds an astonishing middle ground. what results is a tonal and stylistic mesh that’s equal parts nonsensical and soul-stirring — Rundgren has said that the album came to him while under the influence of various psychedelic drugs, and it shows: the songs, even at their best, clash and bang, and Rundgren fills every empty space with some well-intentioned (if sometime alarming) detail — loud barking dogs and hysteric whistles (“Flamingo” being a high point of fuzzy sounds); brash synths (“Just Another Onionhead”) and puzzling vocal choices… and that’s all before he embarks on a sudden ten-minute long blues tangent (the medley of blues covers comes out of nowhere, and yet it feels so perfectly situated). i’m perplexed by the fact that the album even works, but goodness does it work — the record is overlong and ridiculously indulgent, but Rundgren is humorous and quick on his feet, and his charisma holds together a body that otherwise should’ve crumbled. and yet, with each silly little sound and silly little lyric, A Wizard, A True Star pulls you in slowly, until you’re forced to give up and give in to its craziness.
Finally, someone who admits they made their album while under the influence of psychedelic drugs. Thank you, Todd Rundgren. My only exposure to Todd Rundgren before now was his song "Bang the Drum All Day." Our local adult contemporary station used to play it every Friday at 5:00, and I would tune in religiously every week to listen to it. This album was... different than that. I liked a lot of the instrumentation on this album, and I enjoyed that each song flowed right into the next. The first four songs were really great, and had me hooked, but after that, the album pretty much lost me until "Is It My Name?", which was my favorite track. I appreciate what Todd Rundgren was trying to do here, but the album just didn't feel cohesive. Even with songs transitioning one right into the other, it felt kind of all over the place, without anything holding the album together as a whole. Overall, this was a good album, but not a great album, but I'd be willing to listen to more of Todd Rundgren's catalog.
Liked it more than I expected, until about track 5 where it just seemed to derail and go a bit too psychedelic.
A random, rambling procession of noises. No thanks.
This was a lot weirder than I anticipated it would be, but also way more enjoyable, and I had a fun time listening to it. 3.5/5, rounded up to 4/5.
Really impressive composition. The music itself doesn't exactly turn my crank, but he knows what he's doing.
veri cool
Loved this creative, unhindered synth romp. While there definitely was some listening fatigue (and some of the cheesier, 70s musical vice tracks) near the end, most tracks shine with just enough unhinged energy to be wild and memorable while staying well within listenable territory. It's clear Rudgren had a blast making this LP, and it's both a rare and wonderful thing when the artist's joy transfers 1:1 to the listener.
2,5
The album equivalent of "always keep em guessing". Fun, tongue in cheek, wild. For context, this album directly followed a Leonard Cohen album so the whiplash has left my neck completely snapped in two.
7/10
A little bit of Steely Dan and a little bit of Zappa. Fantastic piece of art.
That's a hard pass for me, man. I get that this inspired a lot of subsequent artists but it's just an utter mess. There's not a complete musical thought on the whole album. It's just a schizoid, drug-addled, frantic mess that's mostly (but, to be fair, not entirely) unenjoyable.
I just pressed play and started doing the dishes, “damn! This is funky!” I was enjoying myself and then by the third track I became totally intrigued, “this is so ahead of its time!!” And then I found out it came out 5 years ago lol… an amazing record, so glad I got to catch it, this late inclusion I approve.
It was fine, really enjoyed some songs.
A few months ago, I was introduced to Todd Rundgren by Something/Anything? coming up on my list, and I thought it was a pretty good album. This is like all the weird and standout songs of Something/Anything? blown up into a full album. Like the aforementioned album that came before it, A Wizard, A True Star is quite eclectic and all over the place, but I definitely feel like the focus of this album was clearer than the previous album. That focus was definitely psychedelia. It's definitely the kind of music that'd be enhanced with psychedelics, but it was the 70s. Saying that, this rarely felt like a 70s album - the electronic elements throughout made it seem more recent than that at times. Being a psychedelic pop album, it of course had its token unhinged and unsettling songs, but overall I still liked this quite a lot. I'm eager to listen to more of Rundgren's work. Favourite: Zen Archer
My second Todd Rundgren album this one is a lot more memorable, weird and wonderful can really see the influence this album had on tame impala. Just a bit too weird in places for the full 5 stars.
A Wizard/A True Star is a decent 70's psych rock/pop album. It feels very experimental in it's composition, with many short sharp pieces, with many of them seamlessly transitioning to the next, along with a couple of much more epically sounding and long tracks. After hearing this album it was no surprise that Todd was experimenting with drugs whilst creating this album. There is nothing that I have heard in more contemporary music that is likened to the late 60s/70s psychedelia rock/pop sound. Best: Sometimes I Don't Know What To Feel Worst: Is It My Name?
Pass. Boring rock.
really ambitious, and pulls off most of those ambitions pretty well. that said, it just felt, for lack of a better word, claustrophobic to me? 7/10
8/10. Kinda cool, not what I expected from Todd Rundgren
Todd Rundgren is under appreciated. I love Something/Anything and had heard this album before but never came back to it. Turns out that I should have because there’s so much interesting stuff on here, especially Zen Archer. Will be listening to this again for sure. 9/10
ew hate it
Have you ever wondered what it would sound like when a nerd with a studio tan takes copius amounts of acid and continues to camp out in his studio? No? Well, though shit, here's your answer. Best Tracks: International Feel; Sometimes I Don't Know What To Feel; Is It My Name?
Oh… no… this is not for me…
Very cool progressive pop rock album with excellent fluidity and cohesion between the songs. This cohesion really make the album experience fun here and really put the themes on the forefront. The sound is super cool throughout too and influential on the indie sound of today. Spacy 8,6/10
Overall, I liked it. Some weird ones but some really good ones, too.
3.5
long album
This was a weird listen to say the least. I had never actually listened to a Todd Rundgren album before, but I had a suspicion it was going to have some pretty incredible production. This album didn’t disappoint. I simply MUST highlight those drums! You’re basically hearing the next 20-30 years of rock music. It’s a long album (one of the longest single LP records around), and so there’s a bit of inconsistency as a result. The boundary between pompous, indulgent prog and genuinely revolutionary prog is quite a fine one, but on the whole this album fares well. The song structures and harmonies sound often dated, but Rundgren is really pushing the boat out on the production front - certainly enough to make up for the former flaw.
Interesante, me gustó bastante pero despues de la mitad del album, me gusta lo experimental de los primeros temas, pero a veces es demasiado
Meh
Up until today, the only Rundgren song I could name was "Bang the Drum All Day," which I quite enjoy. But if this album is any indication, I suspect that "Bang the Drum..." is a bit of an outlier in his catalogue. There's no denying that this album has artistic value, but the fact that my favorite part was the medley covering '60s R&B/soul songs sums up my feelings pretty well. This isn't for me.
This was like a bad mix of Supertramp & Frank Zappa. Maybe we'll hear some of his other work because I like him as a vocalist, but this was a loss for me.
One of my all-time favs!
There is an awful lot going on in A Wizard, A True Star, quite hard to define it by a single number but given I liked some, didn't like some and the rest was somewhere in the middle, it's 2.5/5.
I don't really know what to make of this. And then I look to see that it's from 1973 and I'm really impressed - it sounds much more modern than that, although there is the odd place where it shows its age (the Flamingo synths is where it sticks out the most). It's somewhere in the prog rock / psychedelia mix, and I really like it. Doesn't have the drama or compelling story telling of really good prog, but has a wonderful flow to it and is really nice and light hearted. Just about squeaks a 4/5.
couldn't wait for this one to be over. didn't hate it, could appreaciate it vrey much, I think it's truly interesting and cohesive, but just not my cuppa tea.
There are definitely benefits to LSD, but this album isn't one of them.
Better than expected
I was a little distracted and its a little long, but overall a lot of the ideas are bonkers or fun in a good way. At times it sounds like how I wish Captain Beefheart sounded.
I was expecting more because "Hello? It's Me" from Something / Anything? is a great song, but they can't be considered on par with each other. I actually don't think this experimentation campaign was poorly executed. There were some tracks that tickled my toes, especially towards the end, but it wasn't there for me collectively.
I don't want to work I want to bang on the drum all day I don't want to play I just want to bang on the drum all day Ever since I was a tiny boy I don't want no candy I don't need no toy I took a stick and an old coffee can I bang on that thing 'til I got blisters on my hand because I don't want to work I want to bang on the drum all day (yes I do) I don't want to play I just want to bang on the drum all day (that's right) Now if that song was on this album, I’d give it more consideration. Instead, at its best it’s a 3, at its worst it’s a 1. Plus I hate creepy wizard bands. People that listened to this played Dungeons and Dragons in their basement. 2 stars.
Yeah I mean, it's not horrible, but it's not great, realistic rating is a 2.5. It just kinda seems like alice in wonderland but as music and with creepier wizard people. There were some things I liked, some including the creepy wizard parts. The production was probably the best part, idk, nothing really to write home about, easily forgettable.
True rating is a 3.5, gonna need to listen to this one a few more times but I liked it the first couple listens. Some weird shit but I liked it. Tic Tic Tic, It Wears Off was really cool and caught me by surprise. I liked the second half of the album more than the first half. Did you like this album? Or are you just another onionhead?
The production on this is incredible. I was eager to see who produced this and it was him! The fact that this guy basically made this album on his own is quite an achievement. With a better singing voice and less repitive tracks, this coulda been a 4. I liked it a lot tho. Surpised me. Swept me off my feet, you could say. Apparently, the vocals were all added after the beats were completed, which makes sense because there’s definitely a disconnect between the two when listening. The beats are great and the vocals feel somewhat forced at points, as if covering a Ferrari in a new coat of paint. I consider The Delfonics one of the greatest singing groups of all time, so I was happy to hear La La Means I Love You sneak in there, which he covered really well.
In the 70s it wasn’t uncommon for someone to describe an album as being “good to listen to on acid”. This album would be one of those albums so described. This album is so bizarre and he plays very well. I think I’ll head to the pool room, score some blotter and give it another listen.
Todd is quite scattered on this album, dabbling in (too) many genres. The beginning is hard to take. It gets more melodic later, but still, who decides to throw a 10-minute medley of 60s soul hits onto a 56-minute album, especially after what has preceded it? A drug induced concept album that seemed like a good idea at the time.
There’s some interesting material here, but as others have said I think you need to be high on acid to really get it. The album is redeemed by the long mashup medley which is probably his finest work
A very psychedelic album a pretty much to the point to where it’s too much. I’ve heard songs from Rundgren before but these were nothing like the ones I like. Don’t think I’d revisit this one as I’m not dropping acid or drinking shroom tea all that often. 3.9/10
A Wizard did a zig zag shit on me wheetabix!
I'm glad that this exists, and that it's on this list, but I'm not sure I'd listen to it again
Yes please. This is the kind of batshit weirdness I was hoping to discover on this foray into albums. I could hear influences of (or to) Pink Floyd, Meatloaf, The Beatles, psych rock, Zappa. It's not something I'm particularly INTO, but it is GOOD.
Hadn't heard of Todd Rundgren before. Initially thought it was bonkers (in a bad way), then I strangely got into it. Still very bonkers, but in a good way. 3.5
Holy smokes Todd, leave some drugs for the rest of us! This might just be the most 70s record of all time. Your favourite musicians favourite musician, Todd Rundgren, takes everyone on a journey through space and time. Space rock, psychedilia and progpop/rock melts together in an incredibly unfocused, too long, lovable record encapsulating an entire musical movement. I prefer the more surprising elements of the album than the rather dull Medley taking up around a third of side 2. Luckily, 'Just One Victory' ends the whole trip and a very high note.
It’s not only a wild musical trip Todd Rundgren provides us with A Wizard, A True Star. I dare not even consider the trip the man must have been on himself making this. The first half simply flies by in a flash of drug induced creativity and you’re never allowed the chance to even stop and think if this might not be for you. It’s only really when Medley hits that I fully snap back to reality. From there I lose some of my initial interest and also start becoming a bit dizzy from the many impressions so far. Then “Just One Victory” ends it all and Rundgren manages to pull himself out of his maniacal frenzy and produce one of the greatest pop songs of the early 70’s. What a way to end a thrilling yet somewhat disturbing ride.
A definite step up from it's predecessor, and I'm always a sucker for a good medley (and this delivered like 3 of them!). I just wish the back half was as solid as the front half; the more stable, less experimental nature of it made it kind of drag when compared between the bouncing-between-brain-folds zaniness of the A side.
A bit too long, which is surprising and amusing because almost every song is like a minute or two long. But something about the project dragged a bit for me.
Un peu délire bien quand t’es poco poco bourré
I kind of liked some of this, and kind of hated other parts of this. I might need to revisit?
Sadly, I heard cacaphony...
This started super strong. I liked the first few tracks a lot. Then it went a bit off the rails. Fewer songs, all with with more oomph would have been better.
I really wanted to enjoy this as there are a few TR songs I like. But this was a bit of a self-indulgent slog. I wanted to give a 2 but I'm awarding an extra mark for effort.
there are some interesting moments but most of the album is weird ramblings and eclectic sounds
I just didn't really enjoy this at all. One or two moments, but it felt like the audio equivalent of a car boot sale, just not a good one.
Some good notes but too much crispness for me.
I heard this for the first time a couple of years ago and it just blew me away. I prefer the first half to the second, but it's just a fantastic and incredibly odd little record
To say that early Todd Rundgren is NOT my thing would be a gross understatement.
Masse gøye lyda
Not disputing the talent of Todd Rundgren but I just couldn't get into this. Just all over the place and chaotic. Music is supposed to be pleasurable but this was a collection of aural anxiety.
I don't know what I just listened to, but it was good
aight
Ik vermoed dat er drugs in het spel was.
Een nieuwe naam die ik gelijk weer ga vergeten; iets te experimenteel voor mijn smaak. Jammer, want ik had 't idee dat het nog best aardig had kunnen zijn als het niet zo wazig verpakt was.
Dit was echt too weird. Ik kon er geen touw aan vastknopen.
Todd moet eens ophouden met blowen!
Ik vond dit nogal musical-esk. Niet heel vervelend, maar drie sterren zou overdreven zijn.
Prog rock. Boring.
A bit all over the place.
Some interesting bits (I was quite excited by the promising opening for about 10 seconds) but this doesn’t half go on. Bloated 70s over-production and trickery hide any traces of what may or may not be good songs. I don’t think his name is why he isn’t loved. Pompous and unnecessary, for the most part.
An album recorded partly on talent, partly on very bad drugs. It sounds like it was more fun to make than it was to listen to. I'm afraid I bailed after seven songs. It made no sense to me. The early 70's were batshit crazy.
Was okay
This is brilliant. Musicians being brilliant at being musicians. And experimenting with sounds that really works. Todd's songwriting skills are fantastic too.
Very solid record and great introduction to his talents.
Wild and creative - I think it'd be a 5 star if it was half as long. Sounded like better beatles at the start, then went off the walls in cool ways, just a lot to listen to at once. The story of it's creation and impact on solo producers definitely keeps it listworthy!
Somethings too much is just too much. It's like one giant track which changes its mind every 90 seconds. Some lovely melodies in this, but a severe lack of focus.
It's absolute rubbish
The first thing I thought when I saw another Todd Rundgren album on here and looked at the length was, "Oh god, he's putting another too-long, over-the-top album on me." And to a degree, that's true. Todd Rundgren likes his double LPs. You can charge more money that way! And woo boy, this is another weird one. Weirder than 'Something/Anything.' But is it bad, you might ask? Well, um, I don't know if I can answer that. The album got off to a great start, I thought, before really delving into the ear-ringing weirdness with 'You Need Your Head' and 'Rock and Roll Pussy.' It's weird, but having just listened to 'Lust For Life' by Iggy Pop, I certainly can't just dismiss weird as bad. There's a lot of merit to this album, a lot of choices that work out in Rundgren's favor, but there's a lot of stuff that just felt excessive or unnecessary. As a total package, taking the good with the bad, I think this album does succeed. Maybe a little shorter next time, and it'll be five stars.
Seems like an album about a pervy 70s star
Todd invited me to his house tonight. He played me this record and before I knew it, we were on a rocket ship to space! I asked him where we were going but before he could answer, we were being chased by Alice in Wonderland across a mushroom forest with a pogo stick. She had Cheshire Cat's weird face instead of her own, which was CONFUSING. We escaped into the first door we saw and found ourselves onstage in a circus. An elephant tossed me a unicycle and told me to get on. What? I don't know how to use a unicycle! Needless to say, I fell off and hit my head. When I came to, I was in the audience and Todd was singing & playing music. Oh shit, he's talented! After the show, I went backstage and suddenly we were slow dancing to Ooh Baby Baby. I yelled at him, "Ohmygod, I know this song!" He then went on a medley while dancing and crying at the same time, before pulling out his guitar and levitating, carried by his confidence. After his last song, he hit me in the head with his guitar. I opened my eyes and was back in his bedroom with the speakers on. What the hell, have we been here the entire time?! Ah yes, the '70s!
Weird
Long as hell, pretty good tho
Interesting, weird, psychedelic, drug-fueled
I am usually not super into ambitious solo albums. This certainly is one. Weirdly, my favorite parts were the R&B sections, “Medley; I’m So Proud…” was a welcome reprieve from the genre-hopping of the rest of the album. The guy is obviously some kind of genius, but I didn’t find myself wanting to know any more about him.
Really like the album... weird in a way that’s still melodic. Experimental without being too abstract. Todd Rundgeran strikes a balance between pop sensibilities and music experimentation. 4/5
This shit was weird as fuck!
I think I like it? 3/5
Really surprised me. Was all over the place but always brought me back into it.
Trippy, and not a good one.
Too weird for my taste
Weird.
Not a wizard, not a star...not good
drug music. which seems to be designed for a bad trip. would not recommend to listen to this on drugs. or sober. - did not finish -
Interesting, this somewhat felt like a big F U to the record company. Like when Ben Folds wrote "One down". That being said he has an incredible voice and his rendition of Baby Baby was great.
Out of all the '70s rock parodies that I've listened to, this one (or at least the first half of it) is my favourite. It sounds like David Bowie but crazier. It's a shame the second half is a soul-infused mess. I don't think the entire second disc is even necessary. With chaotic outburst-y sounds like this, it's safer when it's short. Like a joke, it gets worse over time.
This album is all over the place. Transitioning from traditional song structure to sound collages. It's a lot. Cool to be turned on to something like this from the 1970s. It's got a bit too much of a prog-rock feel to it for me. But pretty fun and interesting record.
El inicio y el final son demasiado experimentales para mi. En medio tiene buenas canciones, o al menos decentes, entre Zen Archer (la mejor para mi) hasta el medley. Nada de ganas de volverlo a escuchar.
De esas cosas que te hacen preguntarte ¿qué diablos acabo de oír? Mezcla de géneros, de sonidos, de intensidades e intenciones, pero al final no supe a dónde iba. Tiene pedacitos de mérito y le alcanza para la 3era estrella muy a fuerzas.
Album tried too hard to be an acid trip. Flamingo and Dogfight Giggle were too over the top, but think I would have enjoyed if I were shrooming. The later in the album, the better the songs. Enjoyed onionhead in a strange way. Liked shit hits fan/sunset Blvd because I got a kid that lives off Sunset. Favs - Is it my name and Just one victory. Overall, thought Ok, but wouldn't seek out to replay. 2
3.5 Jackie from That 70s Show probably listened to this. When it wasn’t making weird noises it was almost a Zeppelin/Queen crossover with a touch of the Doors. Mostly engaging and it’s catchy enough for me find worth listening to again. Though at times it sounded like a guy who got a new keyboard and is playing with all of the settings. Some of the songs reminded me a lot of the music from the Treehouse of Horror Level (7) from Simpsons Hit & Run which made me happy to hear. Pretty average 70s Psych/Prog rock that’s alright with me. Favorites: Rock and Roll Pussy, Zen Archer, Just Another Onionhead; Da Da Dali, When the Shit Hits the Fan; Sunset Blvd, Just One Victory
4 I read beforehand that this album was inspired by Rundgren's experimentation with psychedelics, and after having listened through, I gotta say that checks out. Rundgren captures the feel of a drug-induced trip well with this record... for better or for worse. The two sides of the album are drastically different - yet somehow complementary. Side A was mostly a sporadic collection of sounds and songs transitioning before I had a chance to fully digest one... and not all were pleasant to listen to. Side B was where the album really shined for me, where Rundgren creates a fusion of soul and R&B before finally "coming down" on a rock closer. At this point, I felt like I had reached the end of some spiritual journey. It's hard to pinpoint specific songs on this record, but I feel like that's kind of the point, and that the album is made purely to be consumed in one go. The second half is much stronger than the first, but at the same time, it almost feels like one couldn't exist without the other? Where Side A gives way to Side B to complete the journey? I'm still not sure how this album made me feel, but I think I liked it, so we'll go with 4. Idk I think I need to lie down.
Weird exploration of synth technology and sounds music. Listen to while under the influence of something.
Un Todd en très, très grande forme sur cet album. Vous savez d'ailleurs probablement que j'accuse un léger retard sur le générateur depuis quelques semaines. Mon ennemi juré et compagnon d'écoute eltrapeze a donc eu tout le loisir d'écouter l'album, de contacter Todd, de devenir son meilleur ami et d'emménager en colocation avec lui. Lorsque j'arrivai à hauteur de l'album A Wizard/A True Star et compris que j'aurais très bien pu être à la place d'eltrapeze, je fus pris d'une colère noire et tentai de me rapprocher de Todd coûte que coûte. Celui-ci ne répondit à aucun de mes messages. Cette histoire me reste en travers de la gorge.
Performance fantastique de Todd, qui vient nous démontrer que toutes les daubes interchangeables des années 70 n'ont aucune excuse.
This album art is giving me impossibly high hopes. I don't know this album or what is on it. Let's see what happens. This is fun and there's a lot going on here. When our kids were small and they'd get into a very serious mood and they'd be in and out of the room and carrying stuff in and out and building something, my wife and I would say "they're so busy." Todd is very busy here. This doesn't all hold together for me - it doesn't feel like there's something running through all of it outside of ambition or enthusiasm, but it's pretty much all fine craftsmanship. There are no songs that really pull me in, but it's not grating either. So it's background. The covers are strange - they sound... almost exactly like the originals? To the point where I had to say to myself "Are these the originals?" I don't know how to feel about that. I feel like if you're going to cover something, you gotta give it something of your own, otherwise what's the point? But anyway. Fine background for me.
What a feast for the ears. This runs the gamut from heavy psych through to Philly soul, and pulls it off - mostly. Points need to be awarded on the basis of sheer, widescreen ambition. Side one of the album almost feels avant garde in places, with the brief one-minute tracks such as 'Flamingo' coming over like cuts from the Residents' Commercial Album. Elsewhere, 'Zen Archer' has a coda that is close to beautiful. 'Is It My Name?' sounds like a long-lost Tubes track. Closer 'Just One Victory' also demonstrates that Rundgren can play it straight-ish, boasting backing vocals that trip and dance around the music. Very few individuals have quite as much vision as Rundgren does; even fewer have the moxy and the chops to execute.
A 3 star experience for me, but in a good way mostly. I don’t know where to even begin to describe this thing, but when he dips into the soulfulness of the very back end of the record I am here for him. Quite liked the opening track, too. There’s a LOT on here and I couldn’t pick out a standout moment other than the ones mentioned if you paid me to. But I didn’t really mind any of it and it’s hard not to be impressed by the vision of it all. Who’s the modern Todd Rundgren? That artwork - and some of the others I saw - make me think this dude would have cleaned up in the indie circles of the past decade.
Was not expecting to rate it this high, but this record is so out of control and unique that I have to give it a 5. Give it up for Todd Rundgren, because this is a psychedelic masterpiece.
Overstuffed with too many ideas and just too much going on. Awfully fun, but ultimately the center does not hold.
Crazy varied album with some very interesting high points together with some decided vanilla 70s prog.
One for the Onionheads.
a lunatic / a psychonaut
Todd Rundgren va ser tot un aventurer musical. El Dr. Livingstone dels estudis de gravació. Cal dir que la majoria de vegades acabava arribant a illes despoblades i no gaire atractives, però els anys 1972 i 1973 sembla que la màgia l'acompanyava i els dos discs que va facturar són obres magnes de la seva discografia, i de la década. Sempre et pots perdre en alguns dels seus excerpts, o dels seus tours de force de més de 10 minuts. Meravellós
Last time I reviewed Todd Rundgren, it was for *Something/Anything*, and I complained that even with his brilliant production chops, Todd's music was not "abrasive" or "leftfield" enough to make up for his *relatively* lackluster talent as a writer of memorable tunes and as a performer. This double album displayed a lot of imagination, sure. But that imagination still gave birth to a somewhat by-the-numbers result, in spite of the vast array of genres tackled. Apart from a very few choice cuts here and there, most of those tracks indeed bordered on muzak or elevator music, unfortunately. And it was a chore to go through them honestly. Well, it now sounds as if Rundgren heard *some* of my complaints as I uttered them from the future. If there's one clear asset to *A Wizard / A True Star* (which followed *Something / Anything*), it is that, this time, its production and sonic signature can't be blamed for NOT being "leftfield" or "abrasive" enough. Those sounds are nothing short of astounding, even today--the record is designed to be a purveyor of many classic hip hop or electro beats (proof that it has aged very well), and one can thus easily picture Animal Collective or MGMT doing the exact same sort of music during the 21st century. The first side is almost entirely comprised of short crazy musical psychedelic interludes segueing one into the next, so no one can accuse Rundgren of going the safe way here when it comes to compositions at least. In other words, those 'shrooms must have been particularly potent, that's for sure... On the whole this record is therefore a far more consistent effort than the previous (double) LP, as lopsided and zany as its individual tracks sound. Of course, beyond the multilayered instrumentation and production, there's still the songwriter issue. Going for moods and sonic landscapes, Rundgren doesn't have to worry a lot about that this time, but a few more *real* songs sprinkled in the middle of that wild ride would have *also* been a welcome respite, and made the whole thing far more accessible. Side 2 still has a few of them, even if a third of those more classic cuts are actually covers of soul staples assembled in a medley that comes a little out of nowhere (but in a way, that's keeping with the generally crazy tone and intent of the album, obviously). The most impressive "song", "Zen Archer", is towards the end of side 1 anyway, and it can at least boast of a grand finale that's quite important to make sense of the collage mess that came before. "Is It My Name?" is also a nice rocker, reminiscent of The Who. If only Rundgren had added something that had the level of "Couldn't I Just Tell You" in terms of intensity to those proceedings, the whole thing would hold up far better today that it does now. But that awesome power pop track stayed buried in the middle of the long-winded nonsense of *Something/Anything* instead (rather than *shining* in the middle of THAT shorter sort of nonsense). Another missed opportunity... So it's often a glorious mess, but it's a mess nonetheless. One can easily see how Rundgren became an endearing name for many, and besides, the man was groundbreaking, there's no denying about that. So this is *probably* a record everyone should listen to at least once. But is it *aimed* at everyone? And can enough listeners really dig into all that crazy stuff and not turn mad (at it, or just plain mad)? This remains to be seen, honestly... Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 874 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 68 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 31 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 28
Nonsense.
Poppiprogea taas. Huumehista. Ei ihan mua varten 2/5
Ei ihan niin hyvä kuin Something / Anything mutta tosi hyvä levy silti. Todd selvästi taitaa löristelyn ja tunteikkuuden sekoittamisen. Tekisi mieli sakottaa muutamasta turhasta biisistä, mutta menköön 4/5.
Kuin lapsi olisi päästetty valloilleen studioon -- ja nyt siis 100% hyvällä tavalla! Leikkisä, luova ja yllättävä. 4/5
Has some real bizarre moments but I found it to be a fun listen!
Lovely surprise. Really enjoyed it
Ajme kako je dosadno
Volio bih ovo više volit. Nikad ni nije njegov solo rad lega. Baš mi je usiljeno ekscentričan
Enjoyable lo-fi album with a clear influence on indie artists down the line, but a bit too much filler
This album was an experience to listen to. It seems scatterbrained but with some type of order to it. Every song feels as if it was both handcrafted and also vomited out. Either way, it makes for a great first listen through. His voice fits the music perfectly, and each song has a sort of ulterior feeling that refuses to allow you to be bored. Honestly the only thing that I didn’t enjoy from this album was that the mixing was very sub par. Favorite track: International Feel
It's a mixed bag of an album. I find a lot of it unlistenable and unenjoyable, but that variety is a good thing in terms of showing the breadth of Todd Rungen's musical talents. I still don't like it very much though.
Now I know what Todd Rundgren's brain on drugs sounds like. Interesting but uneven. 3 stars.
Occasional cool, coherent moments amid the mess. Sounded like two completely different albums. An experience, but maybe not an experience worth having. (1.6/5)
Drugs, hey?
On record for one of the longest single-disc LP's at nearly an hour long, Todd Rundgren's A Wizard, a True Star is a sprawling piece of art pop that takes you on a musical journey like no other. Songs feel more like vignettes for a larger piece of work as we chug along from one scene to the next, occasionally sticking around a little longer to ground the listener. The album cover accurately captures the kind of experience that this album is. It is certainly strange and sort of loses the plot halfway through side A only pick things up again near the end of side A. Side B slows things down with ballads and a particularly smooth medley. Rundgren's experimentation with psychedelic drugs is on full display with how this record flows, it's an excellent listen throughout. It helps that Rundgren was already an established producer/engineer by this point, so he really brings his own vision to life here. Definitely worth the price of admission.
A chaotic mess, but occasionally brilliant
Okay, not the worst 70s album on this list
Interesting. Probably requires several listenings to appreciate
The Wikipedia for this album said it was the result of Todd’s experimentation with lsd and I think that really comes through in the music. The production gets insane sometimes and super overwhelming but most of it was actually really good and well put together as you would expect from an artist on lsd in the 70s
Some of the experimental songs are too experimental and some of the earnest songs are too earnest but on the whole an engaging listen
This was a musical rollercoaster...but I think I liked it!! A bit weird and out-there, a bit 60s ballads, a bit 70s rock. It was chaotic, but definitely organized chaos and the album actually has really good flow.
I don't think I had enough drugs in my system to enjoy this one. There was just a lot going on and in some songs and it was almost overwhelming. I'll stick to Band the Drum All Day as my fill for Todd Rundgren.
This album had some really cool things to it but then it would run over to the psychedelic sounds that I’m not crazy about. Liked some of the slower songs, this album was also too long.
Mostly forgettable, some good, some bad, mostly mediocre.
This was good overall. Some ups and downs. I was a big fan of "When the Shit Hits the Fan" and "Hungry for Love"
Disorganised mess and the song about onions can get in the sea
This didn't grab me. Maybe at the time it was important...
I don't know what to expect from this except the year and ear-heavy cover suggest we might be very experimental, prog. And ... yeah. The album gallops along through notably crazy (and seemingly unending) territory. I suspect this may be genius but it is out of my reach. Fave track: Hungry for Love.
I can see how this was very influential, 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. More Sufjan Stevens than Badly Drawn Boy unfortunately
"International Star", among a few others, had a nice hook. But this is the kind of "f" it album that an artist puts out when they're pissed off at the record company.
I always respect anyone who uses the accordion outside of Polka
Not bad
Now I know where Foxygen got some of their ideas
This was so weird but I kinda liked it
I like lots of weird sh*t but this really didn't do it for me. It tried twice and nearly didn't make it through the album. Really disappointing, as I expected to enjoy it. 2.5/5 stars
Not great for me
Even if side 2 was blank I still would love this album. A true star completely.
Kind of style exercise
This was very impressive and unexpected. I don't remember if I've already listened to something from Todd Rundgren, but this release sounds really great and that is the type of thing that made this 1001 list worth it. A lot of experiments that sound much more modern than some 2000's bands, but still very enjoyable without exaggerated virtuosic. I liked it very much!! It's not 5 stars, just because there is one only song that is kind of exaggerated, but it's almost an essential album.
Dope. Very prog. Groovy baby, Yeah!
Very trippy, though the short tracks take some getting used to, each one is pretty distinct, leading to a cool "tapas" kinda experience rather than a full meal.