Something/Anything? (Side B)

In 1971, Todd Rundgren released his second solo effort, Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren. Building on the strength of its predecessor, Runt, this album was the ultimate showcase for Todd to let his producing & songwriting skills (& craftiness with what instrumentation to use, as well as where & when to use it) shine through like never before. Surely, Runt was an awesome album but with a rag-tag vibe attached. On the other hand, RTBOTR is a naturally marked improvement, a solid, cohesive group of songs which are pure power pop heaven.

The opener, "Long Flowing Robe," is hooks central, catchy as much as it is a curveball (at the prechorus & chorus) & sets the tone for this album in a major way. Of course, the next track, "The Ballad," is just that, with a talkbox solo thrown in for good measure. Then we go to guitar heaven: "Bleeding," "Parole," & "Chain Letter" (with its powerful acoustic intro & Hey Jude-ish outro) are as good as Todd gets when it comes to penning tail-kicking rockers. "The Range War" has a country & western vibe written all over its sleeve, & the majestic jazzy sweep which is "Boat On The Charles" can't be overlooked either.

No Todd Rundgren record would quite be the same without the prerequisite ballads: the aforementioned "The Ballad," "Wailing Wall," (one of my fave songs on RTBOTR, period) "Be Nice To Me" & "Hope I'm Around" are stand-outs on an album chock full of awesome songs. In just under a minute, Todd says his piece & moves on with "Remember Me," as if to say you were going to hear bigger & better things from the man in the future (BTW, we would when his 1972 magnum opus, Something/Anything? came out).

With Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren, the man of the hour came through with one of his more accessible, more cohesive efforts to date. At the same time, he let us in on what made him one of the most talented musicians/producers around: delivering with a mastery of styles which would serve him well on his next big project, S/A? Todd was not only a true genius & a wizard with this second platter of catchy songs; he was also on his way toward becoming a true star in the making.