Rundgren Redux

As the body recuperates from that late-night three-hour trip back from Toddville, a.k.a. Muskegon, some additional reflections on the concert Wednesday.

Todd's best music has always been at its core emotionally compelling. That's true as far back as "We Gotta Get You A Woman" (with its plaintive conclusion, "and when we're through with you, we'll get me one too") through "Real Man" and "Can't Stop Running," "The Waiting Game" and "Hawking" from the brilliant Nearly Human, the righteous anger of Liars, or the bossa nova With A Twist. Whether it's his soulful vocals,  passionate guitar playing, or insightful lyrics, his music strikes a chord with the involved listener. Even the heavy prog/fusion pieces like "The Ikon,""Another Life" or his contribution to the Thelonious Monk tribute, "Four In One," can hit the listener hard with their soul.

With that in mind, it's no surprise that the second half of Wednesday's show was better received by the audience. Healing is one of the most emotional of all Rundgren's albums. With the exception of the silly "Golden Goose," the entire album shines (pun intended) with melody and compassion (pun again intended). Todd, on the other hand, was Rundgren turned loose in his own studio in '74, when experimentalism was at its zenith and the listening audience was open to try most anything. Todd addresses that in my interview with him in the Muskegon Chronicle.

In my pantheon of Todd/Utopia shows, it was one of the best "shows." While I can lament the fact the format meant that many favorites had no place in the show, I knew that going in. Now I know there really is no need to get a digital copy of Todd, but instead go for live performances of "A Dream Goes On Forever" and "The Last Ride." The concert disc Another Live, which I got from iTunes, contains a scintillating version of "Heavy Metal Kids," so I'm covered there. Now it's time to check out Arena and With A Twist and see what I've missed.