hi i was the anon asking about that todd rundgren movie, i felt a little weird at first asking abt it, i was actually one of the periphery progsquad people back when that was a thing but i’ve just started actively listening to todd’s music starting with something/anything, i was wondering if you had any sorta recommendations for navigating his kinda intimidating discography
ok ok!! well i can help you split it up into eras and stuff. you’ll probably want to listen to his prog rock era stuff (a wizard a true star - initiation and early utopia) then the poppier 70s/80s stuff and decide what style you want to go with next.
nazz / runt / runt: the ballad of todd rundgren / something/anything- baby todd stuff. simple love songs, but you can hear the beginnings of todd’s experimentation on something/anything, but still simple soul/power pop stuff.
suggested songs: baby lets swing, we gotta get you a woman / chain letter, wailing wall, long flowing robe / it wouldnt have made any difference, black maria, hello its me, couldnt i just tell you
a wizard a true star / todd / initiation and todd rundgren’s utopia / another live / ra - progressive rock era stuff. this is where i jumped in. todd at his most proggy and experimental. i suggest AWATS and Ra for introductions to both todd and utopia.
suggested songs: international feel, zen archer, just one victory / a dream goes on forever, the last ride, number one lowest common denominator, izzat love? / real man, initiation / the ikon / another live, the wheel, seven rays / communion with the sun, sunburst finish, singring and the glass guitar
faithful / hermit of mink hollow / the ever popular tortured artist effect and oops! wrong planet / adventures in utopia / swing to the right / utopia 1982 - this is where it starts to get fun. his solo stuff is mostly pop stuff (hermit and TEPTAE especially) that he felt obligated to do and the utopia stuff is their gradual transformation from a prog band, to a power pop band, to eventually a new wave band. definitely good for pop hits and some of their best songs.
suggested songs - cliche, bag lady, fade away / hideaway, chant / trapped, windows, love is the answer / set me free, caravan, rock love / swing to the right, only human / libertine, feet don’t fail me now, hammer in my heart
healing / a capella and oblivion / POV (and trivia)- mid 80s stuff. on the todd side, you get really introspective with healing and heavily experimental yet poppish with a capella. on utopia’s side, you have some pretty dark new wave stuff on oblivion and more run of the mill 80s new wave with POV (don’t forget trivia, which is +3 songs that imo are some of utopia’s best)
suggested songs: healer, shine, tiny demons / blue orpheus, lost horizon, something to fall back on / if i didn’t try, crybaby, too much water, welcome to my revolution / secret society, mated, fix your gaze, monument (my #1 fave utopia song)
nearly human / 2nd wind - todd’s late 80s stuff. More soulful and pop, with big bands. 2nd wind is actually a live album! recorded in front of a live studio audience. His band at this point included members from utopia, the tubes, bourgeois tagg, and other bands todd worked with and plucked members from. also includes songs from up against it, a musical todd wrote. (its a long story) jesse was left off 2nd wind but it’s honestly a gorgeous song.
suggested songs: parallel lines, can’t stop running, feel it / change myself, second wind, who’s sorry now, jesse
no world order / the individualist - DO YOU LIKE RAP? you better like rap because todd learned how to rap. Almost the exact opposite of the last two albums, todd’s back to doing everything by himself again, with lots and lots of technology. very electronic 90s stuff, and honestly one of my favorite eras. todd’s actually not that bad of a rapper. VERY political.
suggested songs - worldwide epiphany, property, fascist christ / tables will turn, cast the first stone, temporary sanity
one long year / liars / arena - todd’s 2000s output. (ok one long year is mostly random 90s stuff but it came out in 2000) liars is THE BEST. early 2000s electronica and dance music combined with todd’s wit and humor and a healthy dose of religious criticism. one long year is a mess with some good and bad. arena is pretty good but marred by the poor mixing. Look up the fan mix, it makes things a lot better. it’s basically todd attempting arena rock… in 2008.
suggested songs: buffalo grass, i hate my frickin isp / truth, sweet, mammon, living, god said / strike, courage, today
state / global / white knight - todd embraces EDM. some very good stuff on here mixed with some of todd’s worst lyrics i’ve ever heard. (”everybody can’t get a twerk from miley” is one of them) todd even does a skrillex pastiche and it’s really good! white knight is a collaboration album, but there’s some good solo stuff as well. not quite my favorite but you get todd’s oh-so-controversial “tin foil hat” that got him in hot water with fox news. goody.
suggested songs - smoke, collide-a-scope, sir reality / everybody (even with the stupid lyrics), soothe, global nation / come, chance for us, lets do this, sleep
yeah, this is long, because todd’s discography is all over the place, but hopefully you’ll find a place to jump in and branch out from there.
