Todd Rundgren Related CDs

Todd Rundgren was the engineer on this CD.

The Hollywood concept shorthand for Todd Graff's semi-autobiographical musical comedy may be Fame-meets-Meatballs, but the film (nominated for the Grand Jury prize at the '03 Sundance Film Festival) has an energetic musical heart all its own. The original songs of Michael Gore (the original Fame) and Lynn Ahrens (Schoolhouse Rock, the Broadway adaptation of Ragtime) revolve around poles of upbeat gospel fervor ("Here's Where I Stand," "How Shall I See You Through My Tears") and introspective ballads ("I Sing For You"), while the score's choice of covers initially echo those concerns via Todd Rundgren's "The Want of a Nail" and the Stones' "Wild Horses," respectively. But the teen-voiced covers of Sondheim's middle-age missive "The Ladies Who Lunch" and Bacharach/David's loopy "Turkey Lurkey Time" also underscore its youthful sense of anything-goes abandon. The pop songs that round out the collection are a well-chosen and emotionally sympatico lot, especially the Replacements' "Skyway", the Wonder Stuff's "The Size of a Cow" and even Warren Wiebe's weepy ballad "I Believe in Us." This enhanced CD features include behind the scenes footage, film trailer, cast photos, and bios.
- Jerry McCulley 

Todd produced/engineered and played guitar on "Shinin' On."

Todd sings with Hall & Oates on the New Radicals' song "Someday We'll Know."

Todd produced, engineered and mixed this digitally remastered CD. Kasim Sulton played bass.

Todd was the producer/engineer on "One Sided Story."

Not since the heyday of Rough Trade has a hip Canadian band been so obsessed with sex as The Pursuit of Happiness. While Carole and Kev probed the darker side of lust (though oft with tongues in cheeks), Moe Berg and Co. bring a much lighter, happier tone to matters of the heart and flesh. Their superb debut LP, Love Junk, marked TPOH as real power pop/rock contenders whose charms were better appreciated in Europe and the US than here; their exclusion from any Juno nominations was scandalous. Their second album, One Sided Story, was again produced by Todd Rundgren, clearly one of singer/songwriter Berg's heroes. A song like "Survival" is too Todd-like for comfort, and the band would be well-advised to move elsewhere next time out. That's the only real reservation here. Berg's spirited vocals and guitar work are nicely enhanced by a no-frills rhythm section and female backing vocals, and his hook-filled songs again offer plenty of naughty fun. On his first hit, "I'm An Adult Now," Berg pledged to write songs about women, not girls, but most of the songs here do, in true pop tradition, sing the praises of girls. The first song, "Food," is a hilariously lewd comparison of his lover to various food forms - "Your love is like greasy fried noodles, instantly gratifying, makes me want to come back for more." The next song, "Two Girls In One," accurately nails the modern girl - "Sensitive and vulnerable, that's the kind she like best, but he's got to have muscles and lots of hair on his chest." Just occasionally, Moe's gaze is averted from the groin; "Little Platoons (My Neighborhood)" being an evocative depiction of his decaying home area. Their pop vision may be one-sided, but Canadian music is indeed invigorated by The Pursuit of Happiness.
- Kerry Doole

"An Elpee's Worth Of Productions" is a great collection of songs produced by Todd. This is a "cutout" CD and it has a drill mark on the spine.

The opening track on Jules Shear's first solo album, "Whispering Your Name" is one of his best and most popular songs. Although it hasn't become as famous as "All Through the Night" or "If She Knew What She Wants" (Alison Moyet's fine 1994 single wasn't a hit, unfortunately), it's still a remarkable tune. Opening with a vaguely threatening battery of cellos and electric guitars (producer Todd Rundgren's fingerprints are all over this song, and the album as a whole), the song has a relentless forward momentum exacerbated by Flo and Eddie's oddly syncopated, high-pitched vocals in the chorus. Shear's elliptical lyrics are directed at the ex-boyfriend of the new woman in the singer's life; it's left deliberately unclear exactly what's going on between the singer and the woman, or indeed if she's still in love with her ex, and, indeed, the lyrics convey this confusion so well that it's clear that the singer himself has no idea what the emotional ramifications of his situation are. It's like a Raymond Carver short story set to a bouncy little post- new wave synth-inflected pop tune.
- Stewart Mason

Todd produced "Halfway Down The Sky."

Todd plays clavinet on this CD. Also featured is Patti Austin and Joe Walsh.

This CD is extremely rare. There is only one copy in stock!

Personnel includes: Felix Cavaliere, Cissy Houston, Elliott Randall, Randy Brecker, Roger Powell, Todd Rundgren, John Hall. This CD was also co-produced by Todd Rundgren.

Todd and Kasim play on this CD.

Todd produced "Sparks."