Great Rock Albums of 1983: Todd Rundgren- The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect

 

The first time I heard the song "Bang On the Drum All Day" by Todd Rundgren on the radio, I thought, "This is great! Todd is back." I have been a big Todd Rundgren fan since 1978 when a friend enlightened me to the "Something/Anything" album. Adding to the euphoria brought on by listening to that album, he then released the "Hermit of Mink Hollow" album in said year. If I wasn't a Rundgren convert before, I certainly was after hearing both of those great albums. Therefore, it was a no-brainer that I would be obtaining his newest offering in 1983.

In a fairy tale world, I would be telling you how great "The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect" is. Unfortunately, it's not. It lacks the versatility that I have always liked Todd for. On the two previously mentioned albums, there is lots of progressive rock, hard rock, ballads and even a little heavy metal. "Metal?" you ask. Just listen to the track "Out of Control" off the "Hermit of Mink Hollow" album and you'll see what I mean. Another thing great about Todd's previous albums is that he brings a bit of humour to some of the songs on both. However, on this album, the only evidence of that is on the track "Emperor of the Highway," which is the second best track behind "Bang On the Drum All Day."

The funny thing is that the first four tracks all start off with a very catchy introduction but each of those tracks quickly turn bland after and one loses interest. They are all very keyboard dominated and pretty much sound the same. "Tin Soldier" picks things up a little and it's the third best track. Then comes to the two best tracks and they redeem the album from the previous blandness. Sadly though, the last two tracks are a big let down following the big single. Maybe Todd should have made "Bang On the Drum All Day" the closer, it would have worked in my humble opinion.

In defense of Todd, now, unlike the Motorhead album, reading a little of the background history to this album was a good thing as far as Mr Rundgren is concerned. It turns out that "The Ever Tortured Artist Effect" was a contractual obligation album. Therefore, he didn't put the time and effort into it as he did with his better albums. This would be his last album with Bearsville Records. So, with this new evidence taken into consideration, I can let him slide for this album not measuring up to the previous ones.

Track Listing:

1. Hideaway
2. Influenza
3. Don't Hurt Yourself
4. There Goes Your Baybay
5. Tin Soldier
6. Emperor of the Highway
7. Bang on the Drum All Day
8. Drive
9. Chant

Todd Rundgren- All instruments, vocals and production

All in all, "The Ever Tortured Artist Effect" isn't horrible. It's just not nearly as great as his best albums. Then again, when you record an album simply because you have to, it probably won't be as good and you won't put your best effort into it. Let it be known that my feelings for the posted album in no way detract from my assertion that Todd Rundgren should be in the Rock Hall of Fame.

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1983: Utopia

 

First, happy Thanksgiving to all! I know it's a North American holiday but I still celebrate it every year despite living in the UK for nearly 30 years. British friends who have celebrated it with me, quickly see why I do. That's why I wish everybody a Happy Thanksgiving. My children love it so I have had three Thanksgiving dinners over the past week and a half and partly why I haven't posted in over a week.

Now onto the self titled album from Todd Rundgren's Utopia. I have only recently listened to this album. Back in early 1983, I read a negative review of it where it said that the other members of Utopia pull Todd down. I've never agreed with that and after listening to "Utopia," I still don't agree with it. Now, for the bad news, even though it doesn't support the idea of Todd's talents being wasted by joining up with the other members of the band, the album is still a few noticeable levels below their 1980 epic, "Adventures in Utopia." The good news, though, is that it is better than their previous "Swing to the Right" album. Another point of history is that long time bassist, Kasmir Soulton, left during the composing of the album to pursue a solo career. I may visit this album.

"Utopia" opens with the best track on the album, "Libertine." With the possible exception of "Hammer in My Heart," it is probably the hardest rock song on it. When I first heard the opener, I thought that maybe the band was back to the glory days of "Adventures in Utopia." Unfortunately, the album does tend to go more keyboard oriented and while this doesn't destroy the album, it doesn't make it great. I was not impressed by "Bad Little Actress" but "Feet Don't Fail Me Now" was rather amusing. Unfortunately, the next few songs sound pretty much the same. At least until you get to the more harder, "Hammer in My Heart." That song takes things back up a little and "Burn Three Times" was even more amusing than "Feet." On the first few notes of the closer, "There Goes My Inspiration," I thought the album was going to go out on a total high. However, it soon drags a little making it and adequate closer and that's is basically my verdict on "Utopia-" adequate.

Track Listing:

1. Libertine
2. Bad Little Actress
3. Feet Don't Fail Me Now
4. Neck On Up
5. Say Yeah
6. Call It What You Will
7. I'm Looking at You But I'm Talking to Myself
8. Hammer in My Heart
9. Burn Three Times
10. There Goes My Inspiration

[caption id="attachment_1779" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Utopia[/caption]

Todd Rundgren- guitar, vocals

Roger Hammond- keyboards, synthesizers, vocals

Doug Howard- bass

John Willie Wilcox- drums

Like I said, "Utopia" is an adequate album from Utopia. There are some good points on it that outweigh the blandness. As for the question of Todd Rundgren wasting his talents with the band, I can add further light to this when I visit Todd's 1983 solo album later on down the line.

Next post: Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band- The Distance

To buy Rock And Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

Great Rock Albums of 1982: Utopia- Swing to the Right

Back in 1982 or there about, I remember reading a review on a Utopia album, not sure if it was this one or their next one, where the reviewer stated that Todd Rundgren was being pulled down by the rest of the band. I never agreed with that statement because I have always thought that Powell, Sulton and Wilcox were all talented musicians and song writers in their own right. For me, this was purely the case with their 1980 album "Adventures in Utopia," although that is their best album.

Let me say straightaway that "Swing to the Right" is not quite as good as the 1980 classic but it's not that bad. They do venture away from the more hard/progressive rock sound of the classic and adopt a more new wave approach. For the most part it works and even before U2 made it popular in 1983, the album is full of political lyrics aimed at corporations, religion and war mongers. My impression was that it's a dig at the Regan administration which embraced all of the things that Utopia were having a go at. It is also the reason why Bearsville Records were reluctant to release the album at first.

The opening title track is the most progressive rock like song on the album and it boasts an excellent guitar solo from Rundgren. "Lysistrata" is also a good track and the swing to the more new wave sound definitely begins here. "Junk Rock" goes even more new wave and is a dig at synth pop which was rapidly gaining a foothold in the early 80s. "Shinola" does go back to a more progressive sound and Rundgren's vocals remind me of some of his 1970s solo albums. The next few tracks are all what I have already spoken about, lyrics about political issues played to a new wave sound. For the most part, I like it and the standout track from these is "Last Dollar On Earth." The closer, "One World" goes a little ways back to the more known Utopia sound and that ends the album rather nicely.

Track Listing:

1. Swing to the Right

2. Lysistrata

3. The Up

4. Junk Rock

5. Shinola

6. For the Love of Money

7. Last Dollar On Earth

8. Farenheit 451

9. Only Human

10. One World

[caption id="attachment_1779" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Utopia[/caption]

Todd Rundgren- guitar, vocals

Roger Powell- keyboards, synthesizer, vocals

Kasmir Sulton- bass, vocals, keyboards

John 'Willie' Wilcox- drums

Todd Rundgren deserves to be in the Rock Hall of Fame both as an artist and a producer. It's an act a sacrilege that he isn't. The argument that his playing with Utopia demeans his talents is totally rejected by me and many others. It could be said that he should be there a third time with Utopia because they have made some good albums over the years. "Swing to the Right" is one of them.
Next post: Survivor- Eye of the Tiger


To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

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Great Rock Albums of 1980: Utopia- Adventures in Utopia

Staying on the subject of rock/metal acts who were considered great in their own country but never made headway into others, Todd Rundgren's band Utopia comes to mind. I can't think of anyone I know in Great Britain who has heard of them, however, when I have played this album to some of my British friends, they liked it. It is funny how at times music, no matter how good it is, never makes it across the Atlantic.

I read a review of a Utopia album sometime in the future. The critic stated that the rest of the band aren't up to the talents of Todd Rundgren and as a result pull him down. My only speculation here is that the critic never heard this album. True, Todd Rundgren is nothing short of a musical genius and it is frustratingly shameful that he hasn't been inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame, but the other members of Utopia are all good song writers, musicians and especially in the case of bassist Kasmir Sulton, good vocalist.

First, the album begins with the very strong track "Road to Utopia" where the space age intro grabs your attention straight away. Straight away, the talents of all four members are highlighted and it in no way downgrades over the rest of the album. I also love the element of humour in songs like "You Make Me Crazy" and Sulton's vocals show their full potential on the track, "Set Me Free." After the lengthy but not boring "Caravan" is a total bang your head rock out, "Last of the New Wave Riders." Then there's the "The Very Last Time," which has some personal meaning for me and the slow love song "Love and Love Alone" that again showcases Kasmir's vocals. Finally, the song goes out not just on a high, I'm talking cloud ten with "Rock Love." A great closer to an album and an excellent song in it's own right.

Track Listing:

1. Road to Utopia

2. You Make Me Crazy

3. Second Nature

4. Set Me Free

5. Caravan

6. Last of the New Wave Riders

7. Shot in The Dark

8. The Very Last Time

9. Love and Love Alone

10. Rock Love

Utopia

Todd Rundgren- vocals, guitars

Kasmir Sulton- bass, vocals

Roger Powell- keyboards, synthesisers, backing vocals

John "Willie" Wilcox- drums, backing vocals

Anyone who agrees with the critic who said that Utopia diminish the talents of Todd Rundgren, should definitely go and listen to this album. In no way does "Adventures in Utopia" do that, in fact, it serves to showcase the talents of the other members. This is in my opinion, their best album.

Next post: Pat Benatar- Crimes of Passion

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Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop

Great Rock Albums of 1979: Todd Rundgren- Back to the Bars

It has been said that Todd Rundgren released this 1979 live album in an attempt to cash in on the success of other live albums such as "Frampton Comes Alive" and Bob Dylan's "Hard Rain." I'm not completely sure that I agree with that premise because of the content of the songs on this album. While "Back to the Bars" concludes with one of Rundgren's greatest hits, "Hello It's Me," it doesn't include some of his other noted songs. Furthermore, when he was preforming the live shows in 1978, it was around the same time his studio album "Hermit of Mink Hollow" was released.  So, if he wanted to cash in on a live album, surely he would have included a few songs from the new album, especially "Can We Still Be Friends."

Enough speculating for now because "Back to the Bars" is actually a pretty good album. A good way to reminisce over Todd Rundgren's creative days of the seventies. What I have always liked about him is the fact that you can't completely pigeonhole him. Yes, many of the more known songs are in the progressive rock vein and he has his share of Top 40 singles but he is also capable of laying down some rocking jams as well and there are some on this album. Most notably, two songs from the "Something/Anything" album: "Black Maria" and one I've always really liked, "Couldn't I Just Tell You."

Track Listing:

1. Real Man

2. Love of the Common Man

3. The Verb To Love

4. Love in Action

5. A Dream Goes On Forever

6. Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel

7. The Range War

8. Black and White

9. The Last Ride

10. Cliche

11. Don't You Ever Learn

12. Never Never Land

13. Black Maria

14. Zen Archer

15. Medley: I'm So Proud/ Oh Baby Baby/ La la Means I Love You/ I Saw the Light

16. It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference

17. Eastern Intrigue

18. Initiation

19. Couldn't I Just Tell You

20. Hello It's Me

Todd Rundgren

Todd Rundgren- lead vocals, guitar, keyboards

Mark"Moogy" Klingman- keyboards

Kasim Sultan- bass

Roger Powell- keyboards

John Willie Wilcox- drums

Additional appearances by Rick Derringer, Stevie Nicks, Daryl Hall and John Oates

For Todd Rundgren fans and novices, this album is a good way to reminisce or explore the mid seventies period of Todd Rundgren with some classic songs. Now, one or two people have said that he isn't too good live, but listening to this album, I can't agree with that sentiment. If Todd Rundgren isn't in the Rock Hall of Fame, then it's just another proof that the people who run that institution are just plain idiots.

Next post: Pat Travers- Live! Go For What You Know

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London