Healing Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this album in 1981. I was 15, and "Healing" was one of the very first albums I bought with my own money. That's how crazy I am! And I liked it then, just as I like it now. No matter how many times I hear it, I am still taken by surprise due to its uniqueness and originality. There is no other album quite like it. It does have something in common with its predessessor, the excellent "Hermit Of Mink Hollow", but it's also very different. I like to think of "Hermit" as DAY and "Healing" as NIGHT.
This album has atmosphere! It's loaded with synths and drum machines, but don't let that scare you. Just be aware that "Healing" is very personal, spiritual, and about as idiosyncratic as it's possible for a pop album to be. My favourite track is "Shine". This song means so much to me! It is, in my opinion, a good candidate for the definitive Todd Rundgren song. Mystical, futuristic, soulful and incredibly intense. The 20-minuite long "Healing"- suite is great, even if i sometimes think part II is a bit too long. But that depends on what mood I'm in.
Still, I agree with some other reviewers, that track number 4, "Golden Goose" is out of place somehow. As a vinyl release, "Time Heals" b/w "Tiny Demons" came as a free, additional single to the album. If I could choose, the single would have been "Time Heals" b/w "Golden Goose". And "Tiny Demons" would have been track number 4 on the actual album. I use to program my disc that way, since I think it makes a tremendous improvement. Try it yourself!
For me, "Healing" will remain an album I return to frequently. This is one I will play at the oldies house!

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Special 20bit K2 Japanese limited edition issue of the album classic in a deluxe, miniaturized LP sleeve replica of the original vinyl album artwork.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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A Cappella Review

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(More customer reviews)... Rundgren album. This album was the first I ever bought, and it contains some of the most engaging pop music ever to grace an aluminum polycarbonate sandwich. It's all composed of sounds made by Todd's voice (and other self-made sounds, such as handclaps). Some sounds have been heavily processed and you'll find it virtually impossible to believe that they started out as vocal sounds (although Rundgren's soulful voice, one of the best in rock, also makes plenty of appearances under its own recognizance, most notably on "Honest Work"). Never has one man's mastery of the studio as an instrument been so evident. I only give it 4 stars because Rundgren displays a regrettable tendency to repeat his choruses a bit too long before finally fading out. Still one of the best.

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Todd Rundgren - Live in Japan (1990) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the definitive Todd Rundgren DVD! Less self-indulgent than "Ever Popular Tortured Artist", less dated than "Utopia Retrospective", & less uneven than "Desktop Collection", "Live in Japan" has the best set-list of any of his solo or Utopia concert DVD's & sound that far exceeds any of the Utopia DVD releases. It's Todd at the height of his powers, emphasizing tracks from his very best late-period CD, the sadly out-of-print "Nearly Human" - though he does plenty of the hits, too (including a solid rendition of "Hello, It's Me"). I am thrilled that Image Entertainment dug this out of Rhino's vaults - it's a great concert from rock's most underrated artist (and a perfect Introduction to Todd for the uninitiated)!

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Todd Rundgren performs his greatest hits in this exciting live stage show recorded in Japan! Rock's original Renaissance man--producer, founder of the band Utopia, writer of such hits as "I Saw the Light," "Hello, It's Me," and "Bang the Drum All Day," and general music maverick--rocks the house with this dynamic performance, featuring a room-shaking remastered soundtrack! Recorded at the Tokyo Sun Plaza Hall. Songs: Real Man, Unloved Children, Parallel Lines, Can't Stop Running, Compassion, Secret Society, Something to Fall Back On, Love of the Common Man, Can We Still Be Friends, Mated, The Waiting Game, Love in Action, Rock Love, Hawking, The Want of a Nail, Hello It's Me, I Love My Life.

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Stuck on Repeat Review

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(More customer reviews)Stereo Skyline is a great CD full of "feel good" songs. They never fail to make me happy because the beats and the always cute lyrics. I would recommend this to anyone.

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Japanese edition of their 2010 album includes four bonus tracks.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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Woodface Review

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(More customer reviews)"Woodface" was to be Crowded House's return to the top of the pop charts--Neil Finn, I understand, delivered a much darker record to Capitol that they rejected, and that's how Tim came into the band--he and Neil had been collaborating on a Finn Brothers project that pretty much became "Woodface." And while Tim Finn is truly an outstanding songsmith in his own right, he's not the consistently impressive lyricist that Neil is--some of the lyrics don't work as well as one would expect from a Neil Finn composition. Still, much of the material is among the best and catchy Crowded House stuff available--"She Goes On," "Four Seasons in One Day," "Fall at Your Feet," "Fame Is," "Weather With You"--which is why, I think, it's such a popular album in Europe--that, along with the tongue-in-cheek poke at American shallow consumerism: "Chocolate Cake." In a nutshell, they bartered some of the artistic lyricism for pop sensibility when they brought in Tim (and if you want to hear the "Woodface" rejects, pick up "After Glow"). But it works--this may be the most immediately accessible of all Crowded House stuff. The only truly "weak link" is the obligatory Paul Hester comp that shows up on all of their albums--the Ringo effect, I guess. "Italian Plastic" is okay, but it's a bit like serving a platter of corndogs at a wedding reception--sure, they're tasty, but don't belong with the caviar and champagne.

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Another reissue in the Centenary Edition, in a Slipcase with Bonus Tracks.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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Spilt Milk Review

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(More customer reviews)Having enjoyed "Bellybutton" so much, this release was eagerly anticipated, and did not disappoint in the least. Sort of a 90's update of "Sergeant Pepper," the band covers a lot of musical ground in a dream concept. Beginning with the gentle, Queen-like a-capella "Hush" to the overblown, hallucinogenic carnival sounds of "Brighter Day," from the feedback roar of "All Is Forgiven" flowing into the peaceful acoustic "Russian Hill," I never fail to be impressed by the craft of the whole effort.The instrumentation runs a bizarre gamut of guitars, harpsichord, organs, banjo, brass...the vocal harmonies echoing Queen (of course), the Beach Boys, the Beatles and the Association. Hard songs, mellow songs, even a polka thrown in for good measure.This is one of those disks that I can listen to for days on end without tiring. Irresistably cheerful and upbeat and always amazing. Perhaps best of all, the disc ends where it begins, so I can go right back to track 1 for another listen. All of the songs are standouts.The music world should be mourning the breakup of Jellyfish, one of the truly great bands to emerge from the decade. I was lucky enough to see them twice on the "Spilt Milk" tour, and I was shocked at how much they were able to duplicate the incredible production on the album in a live setting.With brilliant songwriting, production and musicianship, "Spilt Milk" most definitely gets my 5 stars. It is truly a pop classic.

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Mass Romantic Review

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(More customer reviews)First,you'll be captivated by Neko's vocals in "Mass Romantic" and "Letter from an Occupant." Then you'll fall for other high energy songs like "The Body says no" and "The Slow descent into Alcoholism." Eventually you'll realize that the relatively unorthodox tunes like "Execution day" and "The Mary Martin Show" are your favorites.
With over-the-top layering the Mass Romantic Album will remind you of some old perky Brit-pop, but at the same time it is so original and flavorful that your musical palate will be tickled. If you ever enjoyed pop rock, you will be dazzled by this joyous romp from the New Pornographers. Easily one of the best albums of the past few years.

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Ra Review

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(More customer reviews)Preceding Adventures In Utopia, which is perhaps Utopia's most commercially accessible album, Ra is for me the best album the band produced. Todd Rundgren is very creative and playful here, free from the suffering that seems to undermine a lot of his later work. I get the feeling that the band had fun making this record, and it rocks. Todd and Roger Powell create hypnotic synth and guitar interplay, trading licks in Jealousy, Sunburst Finish, Hiroshima and Singring and the Glass Guitar. Utopia's signature four-part vocal harmonies are right on throughout, and Todd, Kasim Sultan, Roger, Pand Willie Wilcox are uniquely showcased both as vocalists and musicians in Singring.
This is one to have... and listen to.

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Limited Edition Japanese pressing of this album comes housed in a miniature LP sleeve. 2008.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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Cheap Trick: Sgt. Pepper Live (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is an excellent concert performed by Cheap Trick, along with a few guest vocalists and a full backing orchestra doing the entire Sergeant Pepper's album, pretty much note-perfect. Special mention needs to go to Tom Petersen's bass-playing which, to me, was perhaps the most impressive part of the whole concert - he really had his work cut out for him doing Paul's bass parts from that album and he did not disappoint! The end song/encore of "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End" was superb, especially Bun E.'s drum solo. One observance: I thought Rick's guitar sound on "Good Morning Good Morning" and "SPLHCB (Reprise)" was too soft - it didn't have the sting of the original guitars on The Beatles' classic but I think he was simply trying not to duplicate the record. That aside, this was a great concert with Robin in fine voice, and the backing band and full orchestra doing an awesome job. Beatles/Cheap Trick fans need to definitely pick this up!

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SGT PEPPER LIVE - DVD Movie

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Looking for Tomorrow Review

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(More customer reviews)Looking For Tomorrow rocks out!! No doubt, one of the year's best in power pop. I have this CD in my car - playing it often and loud!

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