More Liars

Yesterday's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel gives 'Liars' a mention in it's new CD releases section " Todd Rundgren contemplates a world based in deceit -- in love, politics, religion and show business -- on "Liars" (Sanctuary)". Meanwhile the Glasgow Evening Times chipped in wth "His solo career has encompassed the truly awesome masterpiece Something/Anything, the ambitious concept album A Wizard, A True Star and the brilliant Initiation. Opening with the trance-like Truth, followed by tracks such as the sublime Sweet, this is proof there's still life in the old genius"

Thanks to Roger

Quick thanks to Roger over at TRConnection for kindly giving me a mention today. Nice to know it's not just me reading my own postings!

Passing the Acid Test

Gavin Martin of the Times on saturday hailed the return of rock’s maverick maestro stating that "If the recent comebacks by the 1960s acid heads Brian Wilson and Arthur Lee warranted a cheer, then Todd Rundgren's return to top form deserves a roof-top fanfare" He heralds 'Liars' as his most compelling album since Hermit of Mink Hollow. It "combines the full breadth of his talents, from the soulful symphony of Past to the blunderbuss pomp of the fundamentalist baiting Mammon, with a gleeful cutting-edge sensibility...[and] ... confirms what many of us have long suspected -the prodigal genius of 1970s acid rock has most definitely not left the building".

Johathan Takiff in yesterday's Philadelphia Daily News gave 'Liars' an A- saying "The sarcastic "Happy Anniversary," Philly Soul-flavored "Soul Brother," amusing tale of premature evolution "Stood Up" and metal rock/religious zealot parodying "Mammon" are just some of the pointed pleasures" available to the listener.

Observer & Daily Telegraph not as impressed with 'Liars'

Three Cheers for Kitty Empire in the Observer who dares to be the first to take a few light swings at 'Liars'. She feels Todd "suffers from a surfeit of ability and equipment" and that whilst Todd has a lot of interesting stuff to say the music is "overweening", and in the end Todd "can't relieve his music of its bloatedness". I have to say whilst I am revising my own views of the album (to more positive, now I have a real copy of it), I can still see where she's coming from.

Over at the Daily Telegraph, David Cheal calls it an "ambitious collection" that lives up to its ambition "to a degree". At worst - again pointing at 'truth' he calls the album "hectoring", "cliched" , and " not terribly tuneful". However, he says at its best "as on the relentless, churning 'Living' its irresistable". The album he says is a mixture of "extremes of brilliance and browbeating".

The Independent on Sunday proclaims "the original king of eclectica is back" in yet another 4 star review, which the reviewer justifies on the album's soul smoothness (he's less a fan of tracks such as 'Truth'). Elsewhere, the Leicester Mercury review calls Liars "a work of art"; and the Newcastle Journal suggests that any reader "looking for an alternative take on rock" to check out the album.