Notes

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Todd Rundgren – Todd + 1 (1974) [FLAC] {Japan SHM 2009}
VICP-70062

Taken together with its two predecessors, "Something/Anything?" and "A Wizard, A True Star", "Todd" is the last third of a potent trilogy of albums that established him as THE pop genius of the 70s. These are three of the most ambitious albums ever made during any era of pop and like the two that came before it, "Todd" is mostly successful.
The opening salvo of "How About a Little Fanfare", "I Think You Know" and "The Spark of Life" document Todd's growing involvement with synthesizers and give an indication of things to come. He pokes fun at himself on "An Elpee's Worth of Toons" before giving you a slice of pure pop heaven - "A Dream Goes on Forever". But the real standout is the guitar ballad "The Last Ride", one of the finest and most haunting songs Rundgren has ever penned. The guitar solo climax is powerful and affecting - some of the best guitar work he's ever done. "No. 1 Lowest Common Denominator" sounds like it was taken straight out of the Jimi Hendrix songbook. Also excellent is the segue from the bubblegum-tinged "Izzat Love?" into "Heavy Metal Kids" which sounds just like its title would indicate. Very few artists can incorporate those kinds of influences and make albums this seamless (Prince comes to mind). And yes, the synthesizer doodling of "In and Out the Chakras We Go" is still annoying after 26 years and I mean that in a good way. It's the only real blemish here.

This is Todd's last pre-Utopia album when the songs became somewhat pretentious and bloated for a time. As such it is a must-have for any Rundgren fan or any music lover who wants to know what this guy is all about. A portrait of the artist/genius at play...

I don't know that this lives up to any HMCD hype you may have come across, but this 2009 Japanese issue of Todd's 1974 acid-tinged near-classic sounds significantly better than the original Rhino Records release from nearly twenty years ago. The songs sound loud (but not too loud) and clear. No more sonic murk! As an added bonus (?) the disc includes an alternate mix of 1972's "Wolfman Jack," which features Wolfman Jack himself "singing" some of the lines instead of Todd only.

Tracks
01 How About a Little Fanfare?
02 I Think You Know
03 The Spark of Life
04 An Elpee's Worth of Toons
05 A Dream Goes on Forever Rundgren
06 Lord Chancellor's Nightmare Song
07 Drunken Blue Rooster
08 The Last Ride Rundgren
09 Medley
10 Number 1 Lowest Common Denominator
11 Useless Begging
12 Sidewalk Cafe
13 Izzat Love?
14 Heavy Metal Kids
15 In and Out the Chakras We Go (Formerly: Shaft Goes to Outer Space)
16 Don't You Ever Learn?
17 Sons of 1984

Bonus track
18 Wolfman Jack