Todd Rundgren - Hermit of Mink Hollow poll

I have "Determination" on a lot of playlists and it amazes me how perfect that tune is

if there was a canon of the 10 best power pop songs I bet Todd would have like, 5 of them.

when he did "determination" 2 years ago at the Brooklyn bowl, I done lost my shit. Never thought I'd hear that tune played live.

went to Utopia show last week…they did "rock love" a song I had never heard, being that I haven't fucked with a lot of the quartet albums, and man did I ever feel like I had missed out…

I think that proggy/New Wave thing they had going on from 77-82 was pretty great. the s/t Utopia album (not the one from 74) is a worthy listen but it's very much "microwave pop", sounds to me like either a full-on imitation of the Cars or a grab at some of that sweet Huey Lewis cash. the following two albums I didn't like much but they've got some worthy tunes. the mid-80s ruined everything.

Here We Discuss Todd Rundgren's Bizarro "Healing"

WELL YOURE A NEW WAVE RAVER AND YOU LIKE TO TALK TOUGH

uh, you guys fucked with Disco Jets? didn't know that it existed 'til I read the book by Mike Myers' brother (a must read for any todd person); it is delightful…a bit of disco, a bit of Jeff Beck's fusion records, CB radio culture, star wars, star trek, bicentennial shit, etc…

in the same book, Todd sez that some of the utopia songs of the era took big existing songs and changed keys, moved things around: and so "more than a feeling" yielded "The Very last time." Maybe "rock love" rearranged "bad girls" or something? I like that the band trend-hopped!

funny little record isn't it? always thought "Pet Rock" was a great jam

that Utopia story checks out...I think at some point they were aiming for nothing more than FM success. a bit ironic that they never got it while Todd himself did around the same time with a little tossed off tune called "Bang on the Drum All Day"

if there was a canon of the 10 best power pop songs I bet Todd would have like, 5 of them.

…and three of them in the one song!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MmdxGP8crs

^
Yes
What a wonderful track(s)