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Davey
07-15-2004, 09:44 AM
<img src=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0001VNCJY.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg align=left hspace=5>Any Todd Rundgren fans out there that have heard his latest from a few months ago? Many are saying it's his best since the double LP glory days of Something/Anything? and certainly better than anything else he's done recently. I'm always a little hesitant when an artist takes such total control of the music, doing their own recording and mixing and production in their own studio in Hawaii (now that sounds like the good life to me) and doing all the writing and all the vocals and playing all the instruments. I'm often left thinking that it might've been better with some extra creative input to shape the songs. A classic case is that first McCartney album but there have been many others throughout the years, such as one or a few by Adrien Belew. I guess when an artist has been around as long as Rundgren, and done production chores for many others as well, he probably wouldn't benefit much from the input of others. In fact, most people would probably be leery of giving him advice knowing his "credentials". I do have to say that if he is solely responsible for that goofy cover, then maybe he should have sought out someone with better artistic vision than his own. Namely, just about anyone! Anyway, be interesting to hear some feedback on the music (or artwork) if anyone here has heard it yet.

DPM
07-15-2004, 11:12 AM
I bought a used copy of Todd's latest a few weeks ago and can honestly say that it's the best thing he's done since the early eighties. (The one exception may be Nearly Human.) His voice definitely sounds much improved. My only real complaint is that Liars would have been better with the exclusion of a couple of tracks that sound a bit too much alike and the inclusion of more guitar. Otherwise, it follows in the footsteps of No World Order in that its dominated by keyboards, but it isn't as cold sounding production wise. No World Order was a turn off for me. Liars is quite the opposite. Simply stated: Liars has better songs, better sound and rejuvinated Rundgren vocal chords. It won't make you forget Something/Anything. It won't even make you forget The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect. But you will like it.

My score on a 10 scale: 7

Killer tracks: Truth, Mammon, Soul Brother, Stood Up, Living, and God Said
Duds: Happy Anniversary

Dave M