Adventures In Utopia

"...This is the album that God forgot...with songs catchier than herpes at a groupies convention, you can't go wrong! A must for everyone who's into MUSIC..." Amazon reviewer Mikael Wistrom

Utopia: Adventures In Utopia

For many fans, Adventures In Utopia is their favorite Utopia album (Adventures was almost Top 30)...and for the unitiated, it's an excellent place to start. It's got everything:

• 4 vocalists hitting it right, led by Todd & Kasim
• fabulous harmonies
• hooks a-plenty
• some fine songs...pop, progressive, romantic...and best of all...
• ...that bubbling enthusiasm that came with the New Wave sound from smart but dumb (or is that dumb but smart?) bands like The Cars 

The album opens with The Road To Utopia, one of those songs that Rundgren used to be able to knock off so easily, like Just One Victory, which are instant anthems...they just makes you feel so goddam happy! Now, I'm not going to quote a whole lotta lyrics in this review, just some, simply because this isn't that kinda album. It's not a songwriting album, it's a driving album, a sunny day album...and the overall feel is what's important...and that feel is up!

Highlights include:

Willie's You Make Me Crazy...try not to sing along to that chorus!

"...Y'know you make me crazy
What you do to me
It's a chemical reaction or an allergy
Y’know you make me crazy
You're aware of that
Why don’t you come and put me away..."

             You Make Me Crazy

Roger getting mystical on Caravan

Todd going nuts on the hilariously over-the-top The Last Of The New Wave Riders...an apocalyptic vision of something, I'm just not sure what, which goes seriously silly when he repeats, twice..."...And the whole universe...is a giant guitar..." made even funnier with the cool melodramatic ending. Riders is a brilliant ominous riff-based song screaming for a cover version (and a new lyric) 

Shot In The Dark, Utopia at their impish, inventive and unforgettable best &

Rock Love,  Todd's fine hybrid disco-ish rock out & of course

the hit single, Set Me Free with young Kasim Sulton taking lead vocal 

Utopia: Set Me Free

Adventures In Utopia is a fun album...and even with hardly a memorable song on it...there are so many good bits and such a great "up"-vibe and that I cannot help but recommend it as summer in a CD. 

Utopia: Adventures In Utopia

"...This CD comes closer than any other to capturing the energy of (Utopia's) LIVE performances, and it also features some of their strongest songwriting & best production. Last Of The New Wave Riders outdoes bands like Van Halen at their own game; Road to Utopia (a killer in concert) recalls the best progressive rock of the 1970's and 1980's and songs like Rock Love even have a pounding dance beat to go along with a catchy melody & smart lyrics...(that) are playful and never maudlin or dumb... very unusual in pop music these days..." Amazon reviewer A customer

"...If you are looking for technical production that was innovative for the era, catchy tunes and lyrics as well as some that will make you think if you listen carefully...I highly recommend Adventures in Utopia..." Amazon reviewer The Succelerator

There's also a LIVE DVD from the tour to support the album, which is much-loved by Utopia fans, even given the primitive video coverage.

Todd Rundgren & Utopia: LIVE In Columbus DVD

"...I was at this concert and was surprised by the presence of cameras at the show unware there was any intent to any kind of video presentation. Shown LIVE on a local experimental cable service in Columbus...this was a historic moment for what is now very common in terms of interactive televison. I was so glad to find this on DVD and scooped it right off the shelf. It portrays the concert as I best remember it and it is a thrill to relive that night in Columbus..." Amazon reviewer Michael Gerstbrein

"...The video exists primarily as it was simulcast LIVE on local Columbus cable TV called QUBE, which was w-a-a-a-y advanced for its time. When watching, one must remember, this is 24 years old now and looks a bit dated but was pretty cutting edge for its day. The sound and video quality is sub-par when compared to today's standards...There were on-stage technical problems but I remember leaving the show elated thinking it was one of the best I'd ever seen..." Amazon reviewer "toddelkins2"

"...June 5, 1980 was indeed a magical night at Vet's Memorial Auditorium in Columbus. I too was one of the lucky ones to be in attendance...the greatest part of watching this video for me was how happy they were, they didn't look road-weary at all and all the songs were played with great feeling and a super beat...While the audio is not digitally perfect, a good surround-sound set up made it rock for me. They were on their game that night and it showed..." Amazon reviewer Scott J. Cowan "SJ"