Album review: TODD RUNDGREN – An Evening With Todd Rundgren (Live At The Ridgefield)

TODD RUNDGREN - An Evening With Todd Rundgren (Live At The Ridgefield)

Purple Pyramid Records [Release date 26.08.16] CD/DVD

With a Todd Rundgren live album, as with any tour, it’s all about the set list. Will it include the “hits”, more recent stuff, or something more obscure? Will Todd play electric guitar? In recent years, at least in the UK, we’ve seen him promoting the excellent ‘Liars’ and ‘Arena’ albums and celebrating the 35th anniversary of ‘A Wizard, A True Star’. But we’ve also seen him with a string quartet and purveying the likes of ‘Todd Rundgren’s Johnson’, a selection of his songs in a more bluesy vein plus covers.

Given the number of Runt live albums over the years, ‘Live At The Ridgefield’ – recorded in December 2015 – should really be judged as an update of the Rundgren canon for posterity. Strangely there is little from the recent studio albums but, thankfully, Todd is with his “electric” band and it’s a straight ahead selection of some of his best-known rock cuts. Bear in mind also that his latest studio album ‘Global’ (2015) – represented by only one track on the DVD – featured a bonus live disc.

Highlights include ‘Buffalo Grass’ which sums up his typical meld of exquisite harmony, chorus and underrated guitar work and ‘Lost Horizon’ with his soulful vocals complemented by Kasim Sulton’s ever-present harmonies. ‘Secret Society’ is also impressive.

Throughout, Rundgren’s strong vocals are to the fore and the accompanying DVD features half a dozen tracks more than the CD including his “soul medley”.

Hardcore fans will nod the head to the likes of ‘Drive’ from 1982′s ‘The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect’ and ‘Determination’ from ‘Hermit Of Mink Hollow’ and acknowledge ‘Open My Eyes’ and ‘Kiddie Boy’ from his formative years with Nazz.

The DVD includes some additional material with each band member interviewing another plus a great demo from Jesse Gress tuning his guitar. Does Todd embrace modern music trends? “I really can’t stand a lot of what is popular music now…this new kind of victim thing…your Sam Smiths and Adeles where you’re just like a victim on every song … yuk. I don’t really go for that.” Enough said.

The album demonstrates at once how Rundgren can enchant or perplex audiences in the equal mix of rock and soul. If you enjoy both genres, the result is engaging but there will be some who like one style but not necessarily the other. But if you like Todd Rundgren per se, you’ll love this live “update”. ****

Review by David Randall

David Randall presents ‘Assume The Position’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio every Sunday at 22:00 GMT.

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)