Global – Todd Rundgren’s Spirited & Catchy Shout Out to the World

Todd Rundgren’s new recording Global is all about self-determination and the love of the common man. It is a musical shout-out urging unity, an invitation for the fat cats to crawl off their lofty perches and join the party down below where all the real living gets done. Most of the lyrical themes revolve around mother earth and is delivered with a strong humanist outlook.

Rundgren typically constructs his albums around anchored bookends. The first song, the introduction, is usually a riveting welcome to the listener which hints strongly at the general theme of the record while setting the tone. And the last track, the conclusion, usually assumes the role as a summary imploring the listener to take heed or take hope. In this case the lead-off track Evrybody capably fills the role exploding out of the gate and getting the foot tapping immediately suggesting that Global may be upbeat and spunky. The outro is a moody intellectual piece called This Island Earth which offers a sober counterpoint to the Ancient Aliens hoopla suggesting instead that we are all on our own, that it is up to humanity to save the planet as well as ourselves.

Most of the songs on Global are built around catchy choruses and there really are no instrumental solos (save for a screeching sax on Blind) or those patented bridges for which the artist is so well known. This appears to be a conscious decision as Rundgren opts to utilize a more simple approach tweaked with futuristic pings. Holy Land and Skyscraper are especially memorable tracks featuring lyrics that actually mean something. Soothe is a classic ballad that offers a dose of aural tonic for those in need (in other words, all of us!).

The juxtaposition of guitar god and mystic healer with disco DJ has always perplexed many of his followers, but then again, maybe all this EDM biz is akin to Hodja and his whirling dervishes whipping themselves into a physical frenzy allowing for a spiritual epiphany. At the very least most of us Baby Boomers don’t mind a nice soundtrack to motivate us to walk off those extra pounds and shed some angst (but better watch that volume on the iPod!).

There are sure to be plenty of old Rundgren fans, the stubborn faithful, who will be disappointed that he has chosen to stick to the computer as his primary musical palette. In fact the only guitar that these ears (admittedly not so sharp these days) hear on the entire recording is a couple of crunchy chords in Evrybody. Considering that he remains one of rock’s most admired players, this is both eyebrow-raising and intriguing. In the end the listener can choose to either embrace or reject this offering. However I would suggest that it would be a mistake to reject it after only a few listenings because, as with most recordings, it takes several listenings before all the little sweet parts are revealed and the hooks get a little stickier and start to kick in. Given half a chance these tunes quickly become earworm melodies that you just can’t seem to shake out of your head.

Rundgren, best known for his early pop songs (I Saw the Light, Hello It’s Me, Can We Still Be Friends, Love Is the Answer) and the novelty stadium anthem Bang On the Drum all Day as well as his many productions (notably Bat Out of Hell by Meatloaf and XTC’s Skylarking), is actually experiencing a renaissance of popularity with the younger musical explorers of today. Many up-and-comers have cited him as an influence and he has become the fashionable remixer-in-demand. Modern recording techniques have allowed him to become involved in various projects without requiring a time commitment from him or even his very presence. These virtual gigs probably fit his temperament as well as his attention span which is notoriously short. On the other hand, his actual presence is vividly experienced during the slew of recent Ringo Starr tours as well as the live full orchestra recordings of his songbook in Amsterdam a few years back not to mention all of his various live solo incarnations.

The guy gets around, both literally and virtually (Note: Runddans, the collaboration with Hans-Peter Lindstrom & Emil Nikolaisen is scheduled for release in early May).

Personally I can’t help but feel that Todd Rundgren (as well as a handful of other contemporaries – Neil Young immediately comes to mind) has earned the right to follow his muse in whatever mode or method he currently finds appealing. If that’s what it takes to inspire him to create new music, then by all means, follow your bliss and create. Add to the oeuvre, speak your mind, and the audience has the right to either tune in or tune out. The hermit of Mink Hollow never seems hesitant to abide.

Global is a reminder that in the end all we’ve really got for sure is the dwindling resource of time and one another. Might as well celebrate our existence while we can because we’re all together again... carry on, Todd!

Daryl Hall - Laughing Down Crying

Daryl Hall's new album is damn catchy. I can't seem to get these songs out of my head. The guy has always had a knack for writing great songs and he knows how to sing them. Alot of people I know like to dismiss Hall as just a pop song writer but that's only because he had so much success with Hall & Oates back in the 80s. You can't blame the man for producing hit after catchy hit. The truth is he's always surrounded himself with incredible musicians including Robert Fripp (check out Sacred Songs), Todd Rundgren (War Babies for starters), G.E. Smith (he was the H&O lead guitarist during their incredible 80s run), the late great T Bone Wolk and even the underrated John Oates. On top of that he's always had an experimental side to his work (see Fripp & Rundgren). Soulful pop, sing-along ballads, melodious rock - Laughing Down Crying has it all.


available from the Silver Moon aShop



Utopian Dreams

The following is a not so impartial review of Utopian Dreams, the new release of an old live-in-the-studio recording by Moogy & the Rhythm Kings, Long Island, March 1972.

The set opens with the rollicking locomotive grind of Midnite Train. Next up is the funky Tonite I Wanna Love Me A Stranger that sports a cool Dr. John vibe. The soulful confessional Dust In The Wind follows which is without question one of Moogy’s best-known and beloved compositions. The instrumental Heaven On Earth is a jazzy delight, reminiscent of some of that era’s better prog-bop tracks. Woulda fit in nicely in Mickey Rourke’s Barfly flick. The great Ralph Schuckett takes center stage for the next two tunes, the street-wise shuffle of Gimme That Bread and the bittersweet ballad Welcome To My House that’s sure to be a fan favorite, especially in light of the fact that 38 years after the actual performance most of us Boomers can relate to the beautifully expressed sentiment. Just a wonderful song. The following four are all Moogy standards (I Can Love / Cryin’ In The Sunshine / Kilpatrick’s Defeat / The Man At Ease) delivered with typical soulful flare and tight arrangements. I’m A Ram is an all-out rock-funk jam with plenty of electric piano and organ solos. Makin’ The Rounds At Midnite is a self-professed hunk of funk with a tip of the hat to Jerry Lee. The set concludes with Raised On An Island which starts off with a distinct Siomos drum beat, then John Siegler falls in on bass, then Schuckett on organ, and finally Moogy offers his “humble lick on the piano.”

“We’re gonna rock and roll all day, we’re gonna rock and roll my friend,
We’re gonna rock and roll all night, then we’ll rock all over again!”

It turned out to be more than just a Utopian Dream, it laid the foundation for one of the most respected and creative musical forces of the era – a few years later the mother ship landed and out popped Todd with his spacey guitar and Utopia became a reality. And now thirty-eight years later the founding father is still rockin’ – Keep On Rockin’ Moogy!

Utopian Dreams is brought to you by Moogy Klingman and Silver Moon Music and is available for purchase from the Silver Moon web site. NOTE: the performances are grand, the sound quality not exactly pristine. My suggestion is to dial down the bass, bump up the treble, crank the V and enjoy with a Newcastle Brown or three.

Keep Moogy In Your Thoughts and Prayers

Moogy Klingman wrote some of the more memorable songs from the 70s including Bette Midler's signature "(You Gotta Have) Friends" (with Buzzy Linhart) and the bluesy confessional "Dust In The Wind" which leads off side 4 of Todd Rundgren's magnum opus "Something/Anything."

Moogy has served as Bette's musical director and was the executive producer of the "Music From Free Creek" super-session that featured Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Keith Emerson and many others.

Moogy provided the musical foundation for Todd Rundgren's Utopia with his own group Moogy & the Rhythm Kings and was a very large influence over the first two Utopia recordings.

Moogy played live with frickin' Lou Reed and that's a show worth risking the perils of time travel (you know, wormhole navigation and molecular regeneration) to go back and see!

Moogy jammed with Jimi!

Moogy was kind enough to write and record two wonderful songs for our Medicine Park projects.

Moogy wrote and recorded a plethora of funky, soulful, spiritual, rollicking rock and roll tunes in the 70s and has continued to write and perform in New York City to this very day.

And now Moogy is involved in a very serious health battle and needs our support.

"Moogy wants to play a solo so let's give him a chance."

Please send your thoughts, prayers and positive vibrations to Moogy Klingman. Thank you.

Moogy Klingman CDs can be bought at Moogy Music.

Bearsville Box Set Available from Japan

A Bearsville box set was released in Japan last December featuring SHM remastering. Naturally, the 4-CD set includes plenty of Todd Rundgren material --- solo, Utopia, and a plethora of productions like The American Dream, Great Speckled Bird, Jesse Winchester, Sparks (or Halfnelson as they were known back then), M Frog Labat, Felix Cavaliere and others. No real rarities but it does include the Roger Powell Pipeline '78 single. CD Japan lists it currently at around $105.00 plus air mail shipping of about $15.00. Air mail shipping usually takes 4 to 12 days but sometimes can take longer. Complete track listing is available at the CD Japan link provided below.

**Bearsville SHM 4-CD Box Set**