Todd is God

Liane Carroll a jobing jazz singer from Hasting in the UK, has released an album called Ballads. The Ronnie Scott regular inlcudes on the album a version of Todd Rundgren's classic Pretending to Care

The latest offering from Todd is described in the press release as "a contemporary fusion of rock, soul and electronica that is at once danceable, ground-breaking, spiritual, challenging and infectious." Now I love Todd as much as the next man (actually I have just seen the next man, and I love him way more than that) but 'ground-breaking' ?? In the past, certainly, but there is nothing ground-breaking on State. State, despite its eclecticism and Todd's desire to recapture that experimental sounds feel of his 70s work, whilst channelling modern influences from   contemporary music, is still very much Todd, and several of the tracks on State would have sat happily on past releases. In fact, part of my is slightly disappointed that this is not more of a dance dj type record – and more of a true experimentation in the way New World Order was. That remains Todd's true dance record.   But what of it. Let's do a track by track. 1. IMAGINATION This sta...

Zachary Houle for Pop Matters   finds 'State' wanting: " Unfortunately, State is an album that is cautionary only in how it shows that Todd Rundgren’s ego still sometimes gets the best of him, and is rather lacklustre and surprisingly dated, for all of the intent behind it to make it an up-to-the-moment sounding record …Thus, Rundgren is basically up to his old tricks in self-indulgence and, not only that, is profoundly repeating himself with State , despite some good intentions." Back with British Newspapers, The Sun gives it 3.5 stars (out of 5) and says: "Pop's mad inventor sits hidden away in his home studio recording his own way and sod what everyone else thinks. Indeed, Todd sounds like he doesn't even care if people buy it. But State is worth shelling out for, even though it's one of his most eccentric albums." Meanwhile: MTV looked back on Todd http://www.mtvhive.com/2013/04/10/todd-rundgren-producer/ Interview in ...

Sunday Times " A distillation of the Runt's multigenre musical journey, State is a persuasive addition to his canon. Prog bombast, heavy riffage and swirling synths wage sonic war, yet Rundgren's flower-pop and soft-rock leanings cannot be ignored, any more than can his enduringly honey-sweet vocals. This makes for a fascinating hybrid, nowhere more so than on In My Mouth, Ping Me and, above all, the confessional Smoke, where EDM synths meet a melody that is pure 1972. Sir Reality and Something from Nothing are equally absorbing. Not bad for a 24th solo album." Scottish Sunday Express - Martin Townsend " Rundgren is undoubtedly a genius: one of the great American songwriters of the past 40 years. Yet the same Todd who composed ... I Saw The Light a...also gave us the awful Born To Synthesise. State ...flirts with both extremes" See Also: Rock Cellar Interview with Todd covering State, The Beatles and Patti Smith. Scotland on Sunday - Rough...

Billboard has a short piece on State "Todd Rundgren Researched Skrillex, Frank Ocean For New Album" http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1555290/todd-rundgren-researched-skrillex-frank-ocean-for-new-album Andy Gill gives State the first UK paper review I've seen – a 3 star review in the i ( i-Independent) today -   calling it's music range 'playlist-unfriendly' http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/features/album-review-todd-rundgren-state-esoteric-antenna-8560492.html

Music radar has a track by track break down of the new Todd album by the man himself. Only 4-5 days until release. 

With a week to go before the new Todd album hits the stores (digital and otherwise) Here are a couple of reviews: Something Else http://somethingelsereviews.com/2013/03/27/todd-rundgren-state-2013/   " As with the best of his music, State — Bon Iver meets the Nazz? Or maybe Nine Inch Nails meets the Buggles? — is neither fish nor fowl, at once diverse and of a piece." [This also includes link to the amazon site with 20 sec clips of the tracks] Halesowen News http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/newsxtra/music/10290086.Kevin_Bryan_s_Record_Reviews/     " maintains his reputation for eclecticism as it serves up a heady blend of rock,soul and electronica"

Pollstar has a good interview  with Todd on State and other things musically.

With the New Todd album upon us, he has been speaking about it and his thought process Todd Rundgren on His Frustration With the Music Industry: 'I'm Not a One-Hit Wonder As Some Suggest' Todd Rundgren On ‘Maximizing the Sonic Realm Available To Me’

So there is only just over a month to go before the new Todd studio album comes out (or 'drops' as I believe the kids like to say these days). As always with a new Toddd album I am looking forward to it, and at the same time wondering if he can pull another great record out of the bag, as following his last 2 (proper) studio albums Liars and Arena is not an easy task. The new album merges rock with electronica by all accounts, and some of the tracks have surfaced online, but I have resisted the temptation to seek them out and instead will wait for the official release. Even better news is that Todd will return to British shores again to promote the album, and I already have my tickets booked for that in June (in a week where i shall also get to see Rick Springfield live for the first time - his fist uk dates in over 25 years) Let there be Todd ...

The Paralympics are currently taking place in the UK [Off to see some athlectics, swiomming and equestrian events this weekend] but as this is a music blog, I'll say I was very happy to see Channel Four the broadcaster who is carrying over 500 hours of live coverage of the event has been using Public Enemy's - 'Harder than you Think', off their 2007 album How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul???, as it's theme music for all their coverage - including in trial like this one . The original video for the track I LOVE this song. It was the stand out track off the Soul album and one that I told anyone who'd listen to me deserved to be a hit. As a result of the Channel 4 usage it looks like being Top 10 in the UK singles charts this Sunday. PE also have a good new album out Most of my Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamps

YES! So I decided to try and write a Jazz ballad - as you do - and this is what I came up with. I got a lovely German girl called Anja to sing it, as my warbling wouldn't do it justice.

Tame Impala - Elephant (Todd Rundgren Remix) Available 26th Aug http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008XHNGY4/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_oKrlqb1GNYJD3

Childhood/Nightmare Sense Christening Lullaby

Sense

An album I am really enjoying at the moment is the second full album from Joe Pug - The Great Dispiser. Great songwriting, and certainly one of the hidden gems iof the year thus far.

A spot of Girl Rock was on the agenda last night. First up were a young band from Banbury called EVAROSE. These four young ladies have their musical feet firmly in the emo-metal field, in particular bands such as Flyleaf and Paramore (with vocalist Dannika sounding and singing very much in the style of Hayley Williams). They are certainly not lacking in energy of musicianship and singer Dannika knows how to own a stage – and I loved the harmony vocals/vocals provided by guitarist Imogen , but song-wise they are still not quite there yet (for me). Which is not to say they don't have some good tunes. Cough it Up and Best Left Alone are fine examples of their ability to write catchy songs in the genre. I'm just hoping that the next 18 months – 3 years will see the band find a bit more of their own identity (so that people's first thought in hearing them is no longer Paramore for example). On the evidence of last night they certainly have the potential to be a force to b...

UK singer-songwriter Rumer http://www.rumer.co.uk/ ( Sarah Joyce) releases her second album next month – a set of covers of less-obvious songs by male artists. Rumer said: ‘this project is about passion, and paying respect to other people’s work. I went on a journey and this music tells that story.’ Included is a version of Todd's Be Nice to Me, off the Runt album. Boys Don’t Cry tracklisting 1. P.F. Sloan (Jimmy Webb) 2. Be Nice To Me (Todd Rundgren) 3. It Could Be The First Day (Richie Havens) 4. Travelin’ Boy (Paul Williams) 5. A Man Needs A Maid (Neil Young) 6. Soulsville (Issaac Hayes) 7. The Same Old Tears On A New Background (Stephen Bishop) 8. Soul Rebel (Bob Marley) 9. Flyin’ Shoes (Townes Van Zandt) 10. Home Thoughts From Abroad (Clifford T Ward) 11. We Will (Gilbert O Sullivan) 12. My Cricket (Leon Russell)