A WIZARD, A TRUE STAR

This is where the Odd was poured into Todd. On the road to become the "male Carole King", Todd took a sudden detour. He didn't like that designation and decided to change styles and genres. Speaking to a graduating class he stated that when he put out this album he lost about half his audience. Rundgren never did want to stay in any genre for too long but pop seems to be where he spent most of his time. Another reason for his switch was his journey into drugs. He labeled taking acid and writing music as "painting with your head."

Well this album is a bizarre painting for sure. This is the first attempt at prog. Weirdly enough it is laced in pop leanings. Side one is a sonic disaster of mixed up and super active sounds and his production skills are very apparent on this side. I love the flow of the music from start to finish and the bizarre sounds he administered. It is important to note that there is the music and then there is the production and the latter is just as important as the former. Side one is a winner!

However, side 2 comes around and???. he completely loses me. This side settles into a set of pop songs with a hint here and there of something like side one. Even decades after I bought the album I play side two and just cannot connect with it. His venture into prog rock would not last all that long and he would be done by about 1979.

He is incredibly talented but the only music I really care for are his prog years. This album gets a high 4 for side one but a low number for the second side. I still give it a four if not just for side one.