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His lyrics, arrangements and harmonic choices are surprising and beautiful. Too bad this album is out of print. hard to imagine, I know, because I can think of nobody but Todd Rundgren who could have pulled off this captivating piece of work.
without sacrificing the high standards that characterize everything he does. And although Amazon was offering it as a download last week, it's now been removed from the MP3 format. In a large body of great songs over a long career, Pretending to Care and Hodja are stand-outs.
The Beach Boys, Take 6, Manhattan Transfer and The Mothers of Invention rolled into one. He goes from funky (Lost Horizon) to experimental (Miracle in the Bazaar) to gut-wrenching (Pretending to Care; Honest Work) to joyous (Hodja) to poppy (Something to Fall Back On; Mighty Love) to bizarre (Lockjaw the Ogre). Still, it's worth the effort to seek out an affordable copy.
Even with the use of a synthesizer to reproduce and alter his vocal input, Todd's skills as a singer are virtuosic, and that's all he's working with here. In terms of subject matter, it's typically Todd: idiosyncratic, deep, playful and just plain weird.
it's up there on my list of d.i.d.s. my son and i love this record, and we have listened to it alot, together and alone. highly recommended. yes, up there with the cosmic beatles. i've had the cassette, the cd (twice, one got lost), and i have the lp for the great cover and reminder of the greatness of it. so love the vocals, the way the vocals weave in and out of this wonderful collection of songs.
Full of ego and sonic wonder, it can pull at the heart strings and soak you up with sweet pop sounds one minute: "Lost Horizon," and "Blue Orpheus," and bombastic yet somewhat irritating noodlings of the next: "Miracle in the Bazaar" and "Lockjaw." Not his best work of the 1980's, (this kudo goes to the brilliant pop gem "Nearly Human" from 1989), but definitely a must have for any hardcore Todd fan's collection. This one is yet another work from Todd that could have been much greater than what it turned out to be. Although the music is interesting in spots, and the true heart of Todd (all Todd fans know the "sound" I am referring to) appears here and there, it yet is another experimental work from this sometimes genius.
And what a trailblazer. Don't be scared off by the gimmick, because it's really one of Todd's more accessible releases. Although many Todd songs fall under that category, "Something." is just *insanely* catchy and fun sounding.Other highlights include "Johnee Jingo" (which sounds like an old protest song), the mysterious, majestic opener "Blue Orpheus", the frightening "Lockjaw" (Which manages to be 10x weirder than anything from "A Wizard a True Star" and "Todd"), and "Honest Work", which is a cappella in the truest sense (no processing at all - just Todd's regular voice).It's ambitious, fascinating, strange, catchy, and many other adjectives.
It sounds gimmicky, and it is.but, it really works. Both are extraordinarily good songs.There's plenty of quirkier, lighthearted moments too - "Hodja" ('covered' by John Stamos et al on an early episode of "Full House"), a cover of The Spinners' "Mighty Love", and "Something To Fall Back On". Like the title suggests, Todd Rundgren created "A Cappella" entirely with his voice.
The latter, as many other reviewers have said, is the ultimate 'hit that never was'. 20 years later, Bjork does the same thing with "Medulla" (which I also highly recommend). Due to computerized manipulation, he's even able to add percussion like sounds via his voice.
So it doesn't sound as bare as you might think.Songs like "Pretending To Care" and "Lost Horizon" are suprisingly lush and gorgeous considering this is all coming from one man's voice (albeit processed and meticulously layered).
I can definitely relate to Something to Fall Back On, as I think I may be a bit guilty of being a suitable subject of that song. But I got over that years ago, and now love the song once again. Johnee Jingo and Honest Work are wonderful to sing along with, and to listen to. I remember listening to this when I was about 6 years old. All in all, this is a great record: one that I feel to be very timeless. I remember dancing like a crazy child with my father to Hodja, standing on his feet so it would look more coordinated. There is nothing more that I could ask of this album. Lockjaw used to be cool, then when I got ahold of the record jacket, and read the lyrics, I was frightened by the pretense of that song for a good while.
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