Todd is God

Here it is, a podcast with more ho's than an average rap song. Sit back for this surpringly short festive review where we set our sights on: Gary Barlow - Since I last saw You Robbie Williams - Swings both Ways Mary J Blige - A Mary Christmas Kelly Clarkson - Wraped in Red Jewel - Let it Snow - A Holiday Collection Erasure - Snow Globe Check out this episode!

Made it to less than 20 gigs this year, which seems like a poor showing. Despite that the ones I did get to were mostly very good. 1. Rick Springfield @ Shepherds Bush Empire. 4 June 2013: First time in the UK for over 30 years and whilst the set was far too short, considering that was the case, this was my most enjoyable and happy concert experience of the year and the one at which I sang virtually every line. Hope you come back again Rick, but if not, pleased finally got to see you live. 2. John Grant @ Shepherds Bush Empire. 15 May 2013: Released one of the records of the year and didn't disappoint live. Great songs, great voice and a great sense of humour. 3. Aimee Mann @Union Chapel. 17 November 2013. Essentially an intimate acoustic set. Relaxed, funny, and a set packed full of quality songs. 4. Loudon Wainwright III @ Royal Festival Hall. 3 May 2013: A set about looking back and looking forward. A mix of readings from the works of his father and new and old so...

As I start to put some thought to my albums of the year,   it is interesting to see where the music press are going with their opinions so far. Bowie and the Arctic Monkey's certainly making more of an impression with the British based publications and Kayne more with the US based ones. Also fun to note that Rolling Stone seem to be the only publication NOT hugely disappointed with the Arcade Fire album. And, of course, Paste have to be too cool for school with their choices.   My list is still a couple of weeks away, but thought I'd share these anyway just to get you thinking ...   ROLLING STONE http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/50-best-albums-of-2013-20131202 1.   Vampire Weekend   - Modern Day Vampires of the City 2. Kanye West - Yeezus 3. Daft Punk – RAM 4. Paul McCartney - New   5. Arcade Fire – Reflektor   SPIN http://www.spin.com/articles/best-albums-2013 1. Kayne – Yeezus 2. Chance the Rapper...

Foundation website Facebook page Todd sets out to help bring music to Schools. Alway support people who do this. Big fan of Music for Youth and Youth Music in the UK

Remember, remember the podcast from November. Yes, more rambling and waffling from your friends at CTTB Music. This month: - Arcarde Fire - Reflector Lady GaGa - Artpop Lorde - Pure Heroine Brandy Clark - 12 Stories Midlake - Antiphon M otorhead - Aftershock Check out this episode!

THE POCKET: ESSENTIAL SONGS OF PHILADELPHIA. Follow project creator, David Uosikkinen of The Hooters’ as he records the seventh song in his singles series. “I Saw The Light” was originally written and recorded by Philadelphian, Todd Rundgren.

I think 2013 has been a pretty good year for quality country music, especially as produced by talented women. Great albums from Kacey Musgraves, Ashley Monroe and by Brandy Clark.

I KNOW all best of/greatest lists are link bait, and they are meant to be a bit divisive but shall we take a look at NME's latest top 500 albums of all time . Let's start with the top 20 … 20. Radiohead – OK Computer 19. Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not 18. My Bloody Valentine – Loveless 17. Public Enemy – It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back 16. Joy Division – Closer 15. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake 14. David Bowie – Low 13. Arcade Fire – Funeral 12. Patti Smith – Horses 11. Nirvana – Nevermind 10. Oasis – Definitely Maybe 09. The Beatles – The Beatles 08. Pixies – Doolittle 07. The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses 06. Pulp – Different Class 05. The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico 04. The Strokes – Is This It 03. David Bowie – Hunky Dory 02. The Beatles – Revolver 01. The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead I'm sorry but in which parallel universe is the Strokes - Is This It the 4th best album ever made...

You shall have a fishy on a little dishy... Hello again music lovers. What a treat we have for you this month. Get ready for our reviews of: Dan Le Sac v Scoobios Pip - Repent, Replenish, Repeat Haim - Days are Gone Sting - The Last Ship Lissie - Back to Forever Pearl Jam - Lightening Bolt Sleigh Bells - Bitter Rivals

 I have always had a bit of a soft spot, both for country music and for female singer-songwriters so an opportunity to catch one of Country music's up and coming stars could not be passed up. Kacey Musgraves arrived on our shores in support of her 4th album (first on a major label) Same Trailer Different Park. An album I fell in love with immediately on its release and as we approach the year's end it still remains one of the best records released this year in my view. The evenings set-list was a mix of tracks from this album and a selection of interesting covers which highlight her own varied tastes in music, so we got covers of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' I Put a Spell on You, Bob Marley's Three Little Birds, Weezer's Islands in the Sun and The Cardigans' Love Fool It was a great night and held together by strong song writing and Musgraves' undoubted charm. A very enjoyable gig.   Set List The Trailer Song Stupid Silver Lining Island In T...

Siobhán Murphy of Ireland's Metro Herald made an interesting comment a month ago when reviewing the fourth studio album from John Legend, which she described as being mostly pedestrian contemporary r'n'b. She noted "one gets the distinct impression John Legend would rather be making records that sound like mid-1970s Stevie Wonder or Todd Rundgren."

Went to see Evarose last night at The Barfly. This is their first headline tour and the second time I have seen the band. They have had a bit of shit week as someone walked off with all the money they'd made from the tour thus far in Birmingham on Weds night, but they didn't let that hold them back last night. Musically they owe a lot to the likes of Paramore and Funeral for a Friend, but that is not necessarily  a bad thing, although I am hoping that as they further develop that they will develop a sound that is more 'their own'.  As it is, they have a handful of quality tunes which certainly make me hopeful for their future: Vice, We can Pretend Anyway, Best Left Alone. The audience too was a nice mix of mother and fathers with their young daughters, cool student types, and the more mature [OLD]  muso types like myself. What I do like is  their energy. Lead singer Dannika is a natural performer, and I have to admit I am a little bit in love with Conni...

Hollywood Reporter talk to TR about the use of the Badfinger song at end of Breaking Bad.  Having only just watched the first three episodes of Season one of BB, I'm a long way from this moment. 

As Autumn kicks in, why not hold onto summer with these six new releases: Arctic Monkeys - AM The 1975 - 1975 Roddy Hart & The Lonesome Fire - Roddy Hart & The Lonesome Fire Rizzle Kicks - Roaring 20s Summer Camp - Summer camp Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks  

Now he has started, it seem you can't stop him - here is Todd doing a re-mix of Aussie Andy Bull's ‘Baby I Am Nobody Now’. Here is the original

TODD is a 4 hour documentary edited, produced & directed by musician and artist JSK (aka Jason Stuart Kamasz) chronicling the life of Todd Rundgren. The film is an entirely home-made project and is a non-profit work. The film is narrated by Todd himself having utilized audio from interviews spanning 40 years. Parts 2, 3 & 4 will be made available in weekly uploads. Part 2 September 17th Part 3 September 24th Part 4 October 1st

I'm going to see this guy live tomorrow. He has just released his 4th album (the first under full band: Roddy Hart and The Lonesome Fire, banner). Any man who managed to get both Kris Kristofferson and Eddi Reader to appear on his DEBUT album back in 2006 deserves respect in my book.

Here is our latest podcast. Reviews of: The Civil Wars - The Civil Wars Five Finger Death Punch - The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteious Side of Hell, Volume 1 Backstreet Boys - In a World Like This Gogol Bordello - Pura Vida Conspiracy Speedy Ortiz - Major Arcana AlunaGeorge - Body Music

Those who enjoyed the last podcast on here, will be pleased? to know that a new one will be posted here on Sunday. Up for discussion this month are new albums from: The Civil Wars, The Back Street Boys, Speedy Ortiz, Gogol Bordello, AlunaGeorge, and Five Finger Death Punch. Yes, that's Groove metal, UK dance, Indie, Boy band, Gypsy Punk, and Country/Folk all covered. We aim to be inclusive if nothing else.

Nice short interview with Kasim in Niagara Gazette Apparently Utopia were featured prominently on the cover of a recent issue of “Goldmine” magazine, and it included interviews with all the band members. It was one of the few times in recent years Todd has talked extensively about his former band. Which brought this classic quote from Kaz in the NG “I was pleasantly surprised at how generously he spoke about our history."

So I have a new song done. You can listen and download https://soundcloud.com/the-vineland/let-me-dance-you-1 or just watch the video!

A friend and I do a music review podcast for fun. This is the latest one wg=here we talk about the following new albums Queens of the Stone Age ...Like Clockwork Black Sabbath - 13 Transplants - In a Warzone KT Tunstall - Invisible Empire/Cresent Moon Camera Obscura - Desire Lines Disclosure - Settle Pet Shop Boys - Electric The one where reviewed Todd's State album is http://cttbmusic.libsyn.com/podcast-five-2013 You can subscribe in iTunes too so that you never miss a podcast https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/cttb-music-podcast/id611136001?mt=2

Hour long interview with Todd talking about his latest album, his past, and what's next. Love his view that Major labels just do 'custodian work' now … and still love hearing him say 'music is a service, not a product'

The chance to see Todd live is always one I try not to miss, if for no other reason than, these days no one tour is like another. So since Todd started coming back to the UK more regularly we have had Todd with Ethyl, Todd doing Lounge greatest hits, Todd doing AWATS, Todd doing Arena (rock god Todd) and Todd doing Liars. No one tour has been like another, and I think it is fair to say the Official State tour keeps that trend going. The closest you could get to this version of Todd would have been the No World Order tour (and indeed a couple of tracks from that make it into the set). This gig was also going to be different from my usual experiences of Todd gigs because this time around I was going to meet the man himself. I had entered a competition run by 02 on their Facebook page, and found out on Thursday night that I was a winner and would be getting a few minutes with Todd. So at 7pm me and another guy met a member of Todd's UK promotions team who took us into the ven...

As Todd starts the UK leg of his Official State Tour, we have a couple of 3 Star reviews for his Scottish dates: Rob Adams of The Herald said (of Edinburgh Picture House gig)   " while it and the rather metallic sound quality of digital equipment made one hanker for five minutes of Rundgren singing at a grand piano, there was something almost mesmerising about what was billed grandly if humorously as the Official State Visit." Whilst concluding " good on him for moving with the times, even if technology can't always keep up with him." David Sinclair in The Times said (of Glasgow ABC gig) " To have so much of the performance pre-recorded was somewhat disconcerting. Isn't that what Steps do?" … before adding " the format came up trumps was in throwing the spotlight on Rundgren' s remarkably supple voice and cleverly engaging lyrics" he too concludes with praise for trying something new and moving with the times, saying you to ...

Rick Springfield has never been that big in the UK and Europe, which probably explains why it had taken him 28 years to return to UK shores for this gig. The last time he was in town it was in support of TAO, which coincidentally was an album that did well in Europe. I've always loved good pop/rock, so have been a fan of springfield since I bought the Living in Oz album back in 1983. I have wanted to see him live ever since, so I was not going to pass up on this long overdue opportunity. Would Rick be worth the wait? Would it all be a bit of a let down? Well before he took to the stage we had a young British band from Brighton to get us in the mood – Rubylux . Already with one album under their belts, which did better with critics than the record buying public, it was immediately apparent that this is a band who know how to blend 80s pop song writing sensibilities with that 90s indie rock attitude. Having subsequently listened to the band on record I think the band are curren...

Another interesting use of Todd samples (A Dream Goes on Forever and Elpees Worth of Tunes) in this song by a young british girl being tipped for big things

Kevin Wierzbicki at Anti-Music in a four star reviews says " longtime fans and critics will debate whether State lives up to whichever Rundgren album happens to be their favorite but really that's a silly attitude to take" Rock Guitar Daily with Tony Conley (Blog) – who perhaps has a limited experience of electronica - says "Rundgren has emptied the fridge - he's left no ingredient in storage, and he has put them together with a deftness and beauty that has been missing from the concept of soulful electronic music since Don Was put his flagship Was (Not Was) into dry dock some years ago. From beginning to end, State delivers on the promise." Meanwhile Elmore Magazine talk to Todd and Daryl Hall about what they're listening too, first record bought etc  " TR: I’ll tell you what’s on my Rhapsody. This Heat, Bon Iver, Skrillex, and Oskar Sala—I just discovered him, one of the original electronic musicians" And finally the latest issue of...

Howard Whitman at Technology Tell manages to sum the album up quite well: "State may be jarring at first to longtime Rundgren fans. The electronic tracks may seem a drastic change from his more organic sounds of yesteryear. But stick with it. Over time and repeated playings, the substance of the material sinks in and the style becomes familar—and the strength of this work comes through like the gem it is."

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 ...