Track
- International Feel
- Never Never Land
- Tic Tic Tic It Wears Off
- You Need Your Head
- Rock & Roll Pussy
- Dogfight Giggle
- You Don't Have to Camp Around
- Flamingo
- Zen Archer
- Just Another Onionhead/Dada Dali
- When the Shit Hits the Fan/Sunset Blvd.
- Le Feel Internacìonále
- Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel
- Does Anybody Love You?
- Medley: I'm So Proud / Ooh Baby Baby / La La Means I Love You / Cool Jerk
- Hungry for Love
- I Don't Want to Tie You Down
- Is It My Name?
- Just One Victory
A Wizard, a True Star is an trippy album. The music is art rock, which here means, some pop rock, some rhythm and blues and some soundboard noodling. The first half of the album is driven by fast-paced, fast-switching melodies, sort of like a medley. The second half keeps the same pace, but stretches out with longer songs.
This album may be considered prog rock because it appears to be a concept album. However, it's not clear what the unifying concept might be, so perhaps it failed to convey the concept clearly, didn't intend to a concept or maybe it's pure subtle genius.
Aside from the concept album trait, this album doesn't have much else in common with prog rock. Actually, it seems to have more in common with psychedelic rock.
I find this album fascinating. There's a lot of wacky nonsense and the album never seems to jell, but Todd Rundgren is a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none. He comes up with pleasing melodies, he can rock out when he feels like it and he can do Motown. Plus, he comes up with a few witty quips now and then. What I liked most of all is Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel. There's a depth of compassion and weakness not found in pop music.
I think the album is worth listening to, but I'm not sure why it should be on the 1001 Albums list.
Most of the songs are good. Some are just silly noodling. The stand outs are International Feel, Never, Never Land, Rock & Roll Pussy, Zen Archer, Just Another Onionhead/Dada Dali, When the Shit Hits the Fan/Sunset Blvd., Le Feel Internacìonále, Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel, Medley: I'm So Proud / Ooh Baby Baby / La La Means I Love You / Cool Jerk, Hungry for Love, I Don't Want to Tie You Down and Is It My Name?
★★★★★★★★★☆
Tracks
- I Saw the Light
- It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference
- Wolfman Jack
- Cold Morning Light
- It Takes Two to Tango (This Is for the Girls)
- Sweeter Memories
- Intro
- Breathless
- The Night the Carousel Burnt Down
- Saving Grace
- Marlene
- Song of the Viking
- I Went to the Mirror
- Black Maria
- One More Day (No Word)
- Couldn't I Just Tell You
- Torch Song
- Little Red Lights
- Overture–My Roots: Money (That's What I Want)/Messin' With The Kid
- Dust in the Wind
- Piss Aaron
- Hello It's Me
- Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me
- You Left Me Sore
- Slut
Something/Anything? is a prodigious album. The music is pop rock, but that doesn't even begin to describe the range of songs on this album. The songs span from the early '60s to the early '70s. It's as if Rundgren wanted to compile an anthology of rock song styles.
That variety, along with the fact that Todd Rundgren single-handedly made the first three quarters of this album—Yes, he not only wrote all the songs and produced the album, but he also performed all the instruments on the first three quarters of the album—potentially puts this album into a parody category. Did Todd Rundgren decide to do this album because he could? Did he challenge himself to write songs in a particular style? Do the songs have any value beyond this exercise?
This album is an absolute blast, but I do feel it's a very unserious album and that I'd be a fool to take it seriously. I think the album could have been cut down. The last quarter is much weaker than the previous three quarters and there are enough songs on the previous three quarters that could have been left off.
This album is worth listening to. I really would like to suggest that it belong in the collection of serious music collectors, but I can't. It does however belong on the 1001 Albums list. This album is a positive influence on power pop and a negative influence on the soft rock.
All the songs are solid. The stand outs are I Saw the Light, Wolfman Jack, It Takes Two to Tango (This Is for the Girls), Sweeter Memories, Saving Grace, Marlene, It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference, I Went to the Mirror, Black Maria, Couldn't I Just Tell You, Torch Song, Little Red Lights, Hello It's Me, Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me and Slut.
★★★★★★★★★☆
