Todd Rundgren - No World Order

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Free Music Notes for No World Order

Free Music Review: Years ahead of it's time
Hit: 5 Stars

The disc opens with Worldwide Epiphany 1.0, which in typical Todd fashion, layers several simple lines together into a really catchy groove that just feels good. One feature of this disc is that almost all the songs are all intercut with snippets of one or more of the other songs; 1.0 has a snippet of "Word Made Flesh" at it's beginning. New World Order 1.0, like Worldwide Epiphany 1.0, is only an abbreviated version of the full song. Worldwide Epiphany 1.1 is also abbreviated, but pulls from different sections of the tune, and features lyrics not found on the full version which appears later. It may sound like it's very disjointed, but it isn't; the segues all flow very nicely into one another. Day Job 1.0 is funny, if a bit long. Those who remember A Treatise On Cosmic Fire from the Initiation CD may catch a brief motif worked into the beginning of the song. Property 1.0 is one of the few songs with no other snippets blended into it; it should have been a single and if Todd looked good on MTV it probably would have been. Fascist Christ 1.0 will draw the ire of Christians, but closer listening to the lyrics reveals that the Fascist Christ isn't Jesus - it's Jerry Falwell and his ilk. It also stands alone, without the re-mix rediting style. Then we're off on a long, kaleidoscopic journey that culminates with the full versions of New world Order and Worldwide Epiphany. The layers of harmonies and melody figures are superb, and we get a lot of musical styles all blended into one unique sound, as well as some pretty good lyrics. The mood cools down a bit with the next couple of short tracks, and then takes off again with Word Made Flesh 1.0, which you've heard snippets of all throughout the album up to this point.

Todd played and sang every note on this album. Truly amazing.

Downside? The sounds, particularly the drums, are a little thin sometimes. Of course, the hip-hop drum sounds back then were the same way, so I don't really call it a downside, but new listeners might. Also, the last track, Fever Broke 1.0, is probably the worst on the album, and seems to be there only to tie the whole "concept" together by saying that everything else on the album was the product of a delirium brought on by some illness.

You gotta like music to dig this, but if standard FM radio leaves you a bit bored, this album is truly worth checking out.

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