Todd Rundgren - Arena
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Free Music Notes for Arena
Free Music Review: BRIGHT BOY SMART ASS!
Hit: 5 Stars
Ah, Todd. One of the original bright boy smart asses. Gotta love it. Here he is at 60 and he's already upset on the first cut. Mad, even! He's a restless guy. Got a lot to do and say. Here I am wandering around in my everyday stupor and along drops Arena. Yeah! Have to put my tea and toast away, get on my feet, swill some beer and get the brain veins popping again! Wandering through the Rundgren thicket has always consternated people. Too bad. He's always Forward. I never try to compare his songs to others or over think it. He's a genre lifter. Many of them his own. It's the Old Todd. It's the New Todd. Who cares? He always has the play that leaves the linebacker shaking his head. More power to him. Never drag down those who are still moving forward. Just a general rule. I don't think he'll somnambulantly wander into the next dimension like we're supposed to. Frankly, it gives us over-sixties (and trust me, I'm over the Sixties) a kick in the pants! What are we? Dead? How Reasonable are we supposed to get? I'm Alive! I'm Alive!Free Music Review: Arena is an enjoyable journey...
Hit: 5 Stars
The latest Todd Rundgren album, Arena, contains well-crafted rock anthems for the beginning of the new millennium. Obviously a Pro Tools creation, the cutting and splicing does not detract from the performances. The brilliant mind of Todd shines through the strong songwriting construction. Solid hooks include: "How do you like me now? How do you like me now that I've done your dirty work?" from the tune "Mercenary"; "I'm young, dumb, and I've got a gun..." from "Gun"; and (my personal favorite) "Time to strike while the iron is hot..." from the epic "Strike". My guitarist thought it was AC-DC's Brian Johnson when he heard it!
The grade of "A" for this project is only being kept from being an "A+" due to the mixes of a couple of the songs seem to allow the lead vocal to be lost in the mix. (Did Todd's ears get tired as he turned up the overall volume level during mix down or did he simply rush the project's completion?) Otherwise, contained herein is an exemplary album of songs for any Rundgren collection.
Free Music Review: Todd Rocks Again!
Hit: 5 Stars
Despite being a huge Todd fan, I was looking forward to my first listen of the new CD, Arena, with some trepidation, due to what I had already heard via live boots, youtube and myspace. Like almost every new Todd CD of the last 15+ years, I expected to have to listen to it more than a few times before it penetrated.
I shouldn't have worried! The super-compressed MP3 music I had heard did no justice to this album!
Production is excellent, and even though programmed drums are used throughout, they didn't sound lifeless to me. Adding plenty of guitar and vocal layers to the Reason-based synthesized sound that Todd perfected on his last release, Liars, has made this a fabulous listen.
Todd embraces the 'arena' rock band style, yet keeps his personal touch in it.
I found myself dancing around the house by the time I got done with my first listen - Bardo (great guitar anthem), Mountaintop (sports anthem) and Manup ROCK!
Free Music Review: The Master of Pop
Hit: 5 Stars
Plain and simple - Todd Rundgren has made the most innovative, diverse and interesting contributions to modern music in the last four decades. Yes, he is inconsistent and he reveals his flaws (limitations with the one man band on a laptop) The process is the greatest importance and as usual we get gorgeous arrangements with his signature charismnatic vocals..genuine self-expression. Todd brings back an emphasis on the guitar and thus, he rocks...he loves to appropriate and you will hear other bands ( 70's and 80's) in this music, but that is Todd's irony and humor at work. One song actually sounds like he could be covering AC/DC. Does the virtual appropriation make this less orginal? Not in the least. Listen to Rock's Rennaisance Man.This is a concept album with a theme: the loss and hopeful reawakening of male self-determination. Favorite tracks:
Mercenary,Weakness, Today, and Manup!
Free Music Review: This one shines
Hit: 5 Stars
I was a little nervous about Todd doing a tribute to Arena Rock after all isn't Arena Rock all but dead sans a few holdout artists? But Todd manages to make the genre sound current, even ahead of time with the futuristic "Today" and "Bardo". This CD is a great blend of everything you like about Todd's music, hard rocking angst filled guitar laden one moment with "Mad", "Mountaintop" and "Manup" then as sweet and loving as music gets with "Courage" and "Weakness". Then he throws in an alt rock type song like "Panic" that reminds me of the Meat Puppets! There are no throwaways on this CD, a solid collection start to finish. I have seen these songs performed live also and they stand up really well live so if Todd's upcoming US and European tour dates come close to you, GO!