Todd Rundgren &

Utopia

Todd Rundgren managed to keep his side-band, Utopia, going for 10 years, churning out a fascinating, eclectic series of albums:

Utopia

The year is 1973. Todd Rundgren has just charmed the critics with his acid-pop masterpiece A Wizard A True Star...and then he releases Todd Rundgren Presents Utopia, a prog-rock acid jam with three keyboard players, ponderous, cosmic lyrics and an appalling cover. The critics savage him. Strangely, many of the fans, especially the prog rock concert-goers, consider this his best work.

Another LIVE

Released in 1975, Another LIVE consists of three excellent cosmic songs, a suite that is perhaps the best hippy prog rock ever made, which took up what was all of Side 1. Side 2 was a selection of concert tracks, mostly good...that seem to be strangely disconnected.

1977 saw Utopia cut down to an economical four-piece and the introduction of the fine-voiced Kasim Sulton on bass. The Ra-undgren troops put their cosmic reputations on the line with the angry anti-war Hiroshima...and balanced it with the Tolkein-esque 20-minute suite (with the help of a pixie narrator) Singring & The Glass Guitar.

Oops! Wrong Planet

Time to get serious: With the world reasonably disinterested in joining the Toddsters under a giant pyramid and fixin' stuff up after the previous album, Utopia got lean and mean in 1978 with some aggressive power-pop.

Adventures In Utopia

Utopia's almost-breakthrough album with a hit single, Kasim Sulton's Set Me Free, getting good airplay...and then Todd has a falling out with the band's record company, Bearsville. Adventures In Utopia stalled in the Top 30...and Utopia never recovered.

Deface The Music

Utopia take Beatle pills and come up with a wonderful Beatles pastiche covering from Beatlemania through to Revolver and The Magical Mystery Tour. Deface The Music remains virtually unknown...but every Beatle fan should get this album and enjoy it for what it is, real entertainment.

Swing To The Right

Bringing back the hard-line of Oops! Wrong Planet, with Utopia take on the recently-elected President Reagan, Conservatism, Greed, big business & warmongers. Tell me, what's changed?

Utopia

Yes, Utopia dumbed down for this album...but at the same time, it's a magnificent, dizzying achievement, with one pop gem after another. Witty lyrics, great harmonies, memorable toons...it's all here. If you're ever going to have one brainless pop album, this is it!

After this terrific pop album, Utopia began to slowly grind to a halt and though they release two more albums with some terrific songs, Oblivion & P.O.V. (now released as a 2-disc compilation), infighting and changing priorities pushed them apart.

Utopia double release

"...these guys could craft not just beautiful meaningful lyrics, hard enough to do, but to enrobe then in luscious, unique, often hummable, catchy melodies!...If you can, get this wonderful compilation. Todd, Kasim, Roger, Willie, they shine. I want to thank them so much for what they have added to my life..." Amazon reviewer Amazon.com-lover

Highlights of Oblivion:

In Love With A Thinker (half of a great song)
If I Didn't Try (a less specific Too Far Gone from Hermit Of Mink Hollow)
Too Much Water (magnificent chug-a-lug groove)
Maybe I Could Change (perfect pop but unfortunately the snippet doesn't relay that)
Crybaby (a not unimpressive single)

Utopia: Crybaby

Utopia's excellent single: Mated Highlights of POV

Mated (anyone for a #1 r'n'b ballad by a duet?)
Mimi Gets Mad (catchy but the snippet doesn't relay it)

Utopia re-gathered in 1992 for a Japanese tour and a LIVE album, Redux. I've got the CD but I think you'll get even better value with the DVD.

Utopia Redux: LIVE In Japan, 1992 DVD

"...This video...is a real treat for the casual or rabid Utopia fan and shows four exceptionally talented and professional musicians at their best, even after a 7-year hiatus...The picture transfer is crystal clear and the sound is almost as good..." Amazon reviewer F.J. Hoffknecht "49States"

Although...the DVD only runs 55 minutes...the band put on a show heavy on energy, emotion, and excitement. If there was any personal conflict that led to the early demise of this reunion, it is certainly NOT obvious from the smiling faces on stage. Some musical highlights include:

Fix Your Gaze
Hiroshima
Caravan
Just One Victory
One World
Love in Action &
Princess Of the Universe

Watching this concert again, with the added sonic quality of full digital sound & picture, I really began to long for another Utopia reunion..." Amazon reviewer Jeffery K. Mattheus

Utopia's Greatest Hits

a superb collection of power-pop

For more info, see:

wikipedia Todd Rundgren & Utopia
Todd has continued being odd and Todd www.tr-i.com
Kasim Sulton is an in-demand bass player and also musical arranger for Meatloaf, amongst many others. He remains Todd's favored bass player for LIVE work www.kasimsulton.com
Willie Wilcox is a music producer in Florida www.williewilcox.com &
Roger Powell is presently a computer programmer and only an occasional musician www.rogerpowell.com
a small gallery of Utopia LIVE shots over the years