Music review: Todd Rundgren – 鈥榃hite Knight鈥�
My first exposure to the genius of Todd Rundgren occurred after borrowing my oldest brother鈥檚 single of 鈥淲e Gotta Get You a Woman鈥� from 1970 and continued with my best friend repeatedly encouraging me to listen to the pop stylings of 1978鈥檚 infectious 鈥淗ermit of Mink Hollow.鈥�
To this day, I still get goosebumps when I hear 鈥淗ello It鈥檚 Me鈥� or 鈥淚 Saw the Light.鈥� Rundgren had a wonderful way of crafting an arrangement that captured a certain mood and preserved a particular period of time forever.
This time around on 鈥淲hite Knight,鈥� Rundgren collaborates with a diverse assortment of artists to create a work that melodically moves down many musical paths.
The opening track, 鈥淐ome,鈥� is a synth-lead track that dramatically invites the audience to partake in what Rundgren has to offer.
鈥淚 Got Your Back鈥� brings a hypnotic hip-hop groove with a little assistance from KK Watson and Dam Funk laying down a smooth Red Hot Chili Peppers鈥� vibe.
The standout track comes in the form of a duet between Rundgren and Daryl Hall. With 鈥淐hance for Us,鈥� the two artists continue the soulful electricity witnessed during Rundgren鈥檚 appearance on 鈥淟ive at Daryl鈥檚 House.鈥� I could listen to these two artists sing together all day long.
Steely Dan鈥檚 Donald Fagen enters the mix on 鈥淭in Foil Hat,鈥� a biting anti-Trump number that serves as a byproduct of both Fagen and Rundgren鈥檚 frustration with the past election results.
On the lighter side, Rundgren offers up a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the state of today鈥檚 music business during 鈥淏uy My T鈥� with Rundgren singing, 鈥淲e got your cotton goodies/I know my limits/I give until I hurt/You can bootleg the music/But you have to buy a shirt.鈥�
Other artists making sizable contributions to the new material are Swedish pop singer Robyn, soul singer Bettye LaVette, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails and guitar virtuosos Joe Walsh and Joe Satriani.
I鈥檒l be in attendance when Rundgren makes a Greensburg appearance with Yes and Carl Palmer on August 16.
I鈥檓 confident there will be a few goosebumps raised during the show.