Search - Todd Rundgren :: Best of Todd Rundgren-Live

You Might Think

Thom L. Jennings | Albion, New York United States | 11/28/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"New Cars lead singer Todd Rundgren has put together a great compilation of live performances. In spite of the fact that these versions have appeared elsewhere Todd has done an amazing job of cleaning them up in a way to give the disc the feel of an actual concert complete with the splicing of crowd noises between tracks. That was no small feat considering the performances were recorded over a 26 year time span.

The only song that seems to suffer from poor production is the version of "I Saw the Light" taken from the Acapella tour and it's not the quality of the performance it's the quality of the recording. On the other end of the spectrum is the amazing versions of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Can't Stop Running."

If you are a loyal Rundgren fan you will appreciate how well this was put together and you won't be embarrassed to play the entire thing for your uninitiated friends. If the quality of the two tracks from "Liars" is any indication of how good the DVD will be then we are in for a treat.

If you are like me you probably wish that the last 15 years would have brought more new stuff and less live stuff or Bossa Nova rehashes from Todd but at least this compilation doesn't leave you feeling like Todd has insulted your intelligence or taken advantage of your loyalty for the umpteenth time, and for you Cars fans, fasten your seat belts because after you listen to this you will find that Todd is "Just What You Needed" and it's time to "Let the Good Times Roll."



"

Fabulous Collection of Live Todd Tracks

Todd and In Charge | Miami, FL | 12/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This one is a keeper: live tracks of Todd's concert staples, cherry-picked from performances with different groups and in different settings over the last twenty or so years. Although Toddheads have many of these recordings from various official bootleg releases, what I like about this release is the continuity and flow of the track selection: it really does feel like a cohesive, kick-butt concert you are listening to, except that each song is performed exceptionally well and there are no weak tracks, flubs, or hiccups during the set. I also really enjoyed Todd's comments in the liner notes about why he picked a particular performance, and what he remembers about the song or the show. Great stuff. Quibbles: what, no tracks from the awesome power-trio 1995 Individualist Tour? And though "Soul Brother" sounds great, off the recently-released "Liars Live" DVD -- when is Todd going to release a cd-only of that great show?



Keep it coming, Toddster."

Worth the Wait

it's a condition | California | 01/31/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As a long-time fan, this CD is what we've always hoped for in Rundgren's music - well played, well produced, and remarkably consistent. This really is a "best of" compilation that highlights Todd's Philly-soul sound and those intangibles that cultivated a loyal fan base over the years."