Reviewing Todd Rundgren - Something/Anything? 45rpm Audiophile Box Set From The Upcoming RSD 2022

[@awrogers3013]

Todd is my all time favorite artist. I grew up proverbially at his musical feet

[@LPfingstag]

Love the “master tape” jacket concept! Hope more audiophile companies do this for future releases.

[@cmealha]

This was my no. 1 want for RSD just because I’m a huge Todd fan but now I really, really, want it. I didn’t realize that it had gotten the full audiophile treatment from Chris Bellman.

[@rbarrettnd]

Good tip, this is a classic and It's never sounded better- more bottom end, smooth midrange- more air and soundstage- you can hear the background singers individual voices clearly. My wife was glad I did the upgrade- we both love this LP.

[@rundoetx]

Thank you for covering one of my favorite albums. Now I gotta go find this box set.

[@ralex3697]

I would want this, he’s so amazing. Brilliant talent

[@stevemarcantonio8587]

Todd is God! A Wizard! A True Star! This is my all time fav record. Def buying!

[@laxmoocow]

Something/Anything rules so hard. I love this. Thanks for breaking it down.

[@kensileo8793]

I met Todd working Pier 84 shows in NY. Real nice guy. Saw Him live earlier too. Utopia Live is a great LP. This set looks good.

[@OwlsRNotWhatTheySeem]

Bobby Charles on Bearsville sounds amazing.

[@adamgoldfarb7437]

I was able to find this in stock at my local record store. Thanks for your recommendation.

[@bryanzemlicka2837]

This is and has been my go to favorite album since it came out. Love Todd and his music journey. Very underestimated by most critics and perhaps this reviewer. But he is reviewing the box set which I am going to buy. Thanks

[@muuuzaklistener]

still remember clearly when i found this at amoeba, some scrappy used version. when i found it my heart dropped. had been looking for this record for years and yeah, the payoff of looking for a record you so love for YEARS and then finally finding it is always so grand. great rock n roll record. everyone should listen!!

[@timothyweers8054]

When I got The Beatles Revolver album halfspeed master, the one and only time I played side 1 you couldn't even hear the needle running through the groove. It had a surround sound feeling when played.

[@freightdawg6762]

Great Album, Excellent video. Thx Mike

[@michaelhorgan9525]

Liner notes on this release were written by Rundgren scholar Paul Myers.

[@yolielin4143]

I have the SACD version of this album. I got it because I liked "I Saw the Light" and "Hello It's Me." But I really don't hear any higher quality from the SACD vs. regular CD.

[@Vinyl_NV]

I wasn’t planning on getting this one….until now. Do you have a good amount of these? Thanks for the review!

[@byron8443]

Just got my copy of my mofi thriller I ordered from you. 😎 I’m digging it came quick as hell

[@brucef1537]

My favorite musician.

[@SafeAndSoundTXAudioExcursion]

This is a great LP including the oddities and now there is an RSD Purchase I might make.

[@billsmith8739]

Great album from 1972!!

[@chesterpielock8824]

Agree about the mofi, had one and sold it years ago,The original sounds pretty good! And yes,everyone should buy it!

[@Universityofvinyl]

Pretty interesting, love The Todd-father. Might have to pick this up.

[@mojorisen74]

The singles released were "I saw the light" B/W 'Marlene", "Couldn't I Just Tell You" B/W "Wolfman Jack", Then in 1973 due to the power of a radio station in Cincinnati WKRQ "Hello, It's Me" B/W "Cold Morning Light" and then in 1974 a special version of "Wolfman Jack" with Wolfman on vocals B/W "Breathless". Bearsville were really milking this album for a couple years!

[@theonlycaamz]

lol can you really blame them

[@slidetek]

*From Rough Trade Records:* _4-LP/45 RPM 50th anniversary edition of the acclaimed album including "I Saw the Light" and "Hello It's Me". Box set with 2 gatefolds featuring reproductions of original tape boxes. Each LP on different color vinyl. New notes by noted Todd scholar Paul Myers._

[@johnmurray1293]

Did anyone else get a misprint copy of this box set? On my copy, the side 6 label is correct, but the audio is a duplicate of side 8, including the dead wax catalog numbers. So, two side 8s and no side 6. Missing "Couldn't I Just Tell You," "Torch Song," and "Little Red Lights." Wondering if Rhino is going to fix this or are we just SOL?

[@varsitycamplife]

CLEAN as a whistle. That would work!

[@jmua8450]

It’s worth the $80. This is a fantastic sounding reissue.

[@booklover3959]

Anyone own this and know whether it says AAA anywhere on the covers or vinyl? Wondering if this is an all analogue mastering chain.

[@BillsBoxOfSound]

My original sounds REALLLLLLLY good. I decided against the $80 investment and bought 3 other albums instead, but I would recommend it to anyone who doesn't already have a good sounding copy of it. Thanks, Mike!

[@sandyfader4649]

Really really want this box set. Really!

[@cutandcover]

Analog Spark did a SACD with Kevin Gray a few years ago direct from the analog masters. It's my all time best sounding version of this and I ditched all the LPs once I heard it. I have no doubt CB would do it justice, but I feel no need to push it when that SACD is so solid. Give it a shot when you can!

[@BrianBurke06]

I own the original from ‘72 and a Jukebox 7-inch EP version from ‘73. (Piss Aaron is one of my favorites!)

[@christopherjoachim6729]

Some Bearsville lps when a true black light is held up to it it has reveals a marble effect in the vinyl.Similar to that Dave Mason marbled release. I discovered this “phenomenon “ with a Foghat lp .This may be the reasoning for the noisy vinyl .

[@tamomarfernandez7548]

Un disco maravilloso, como su sucesor " a wizard..." . De los mejores de la historia de la música popular.

[@9thstreetbrandt]

Love this record

[@smudreviewslife1660]

Are you going to compare the new half speed mastered Alan parsons box

[@harrysmusicroom]

I have a great sounding WLP haven't decided if I need the reissue. I agree it would have made a great single album.

[@hippydippy]

Wrong... It's perfect as it is. Just like The Beatle's White Album!

[@lawrence5368]

Thanks. Great review. It's quiet as a church mouse.

[@audiotomb]

Couldn’t I just Tell You Damn I thought I was getting off cheap for RSD thanks Mike

[@johnlovesbridge]

Are you getting enough Durans that i can order one on the website?

[@rtrout57]

Side 4 is so much fun!

[@christeuma]

"No splices"!

[@adamstuart8768]

Get on with it!

[@sbud5134]

$150+ in Canada!

[@jasonstegallco.960]

Clearly someone?/anyone? has thought about this for a long, long time...maybe they shouldn't think of this as much...but for me, seeing this, or seeing this as much as I do that, I'll take for granted that this will always be there (doubtful), and sometimes (anytime?) I can't help but see all the way through...(anyway), it's important to me!

[@slidetek]

I *SO* want this! When you held it up on Thursday and said 45, I was drooling. And this one would work perfectly as 45's, since it's still mostly singles. His album Todd would also work most likely, but sadly, not Wizard/True Star since it all flows together. I'd love to see those remastered on good vinyl. It's crazy to think my version of this is almost *50 years old!* Todd went crazy cramming over 30 minutes of music on a side of vinyl, but I think these days they could do a much better job even at 33 1/3. MOAR! And Utopia!

[@mojorisen74]

A wizard a true star was released as a double lp by Friday records in 2014. Then reissued on double vinyl on blue and magenta vinyl in 2021. The sound is outstandingly better than the original single lp. I wish "Initiation" would get the double lp treatment. Todd had to speed up the master tape on half of side one and all of side two as well as flatten all the frequencies so it would fit on a single lp

[@slidetek]

@@mojorisen74I mistakenly thought that release was a live version of it when he toured older material a few years back, so I ignored it TBH. I'll go back and take a look, I might be confusing it for something else entirely. They could probably do Initiation on vinyl, and split it at Treatise Pt III to Pt IV, though the effect would be a bit jarring since it'd have to be a hard stop/start. Thanks for the tip!

[@mojorisen74]

@@slidetek Cleopatra records did release the live awats on swirled vinyl but i wouldnt recommend it as every song is faded in and out. Pretty annoying on a live album

[@hippydippy]

@@mojorisen74 Yep. Sucks that it's broken up, but the sound makes up for it 10 fold. It's the best sounding WIZ ever.

[@KOSMICKEN09]

I own it But it makes me realize I can just put the CD on and not flip the sides 8 times every 12 minutes 😂 I buy something - everything Todd does lol

[@taralewis9916]

I doesn't show up for purchase on your web page. How do I get a set

[@jasonbenton741]

I believe the record store day stuff is for in-store purchase only on Friday. It should be available on the web page Saturday morning, 6:00 a.m. Arizona time.

[@taralewis9916]

@@jasonbenton741 Thank you but you know what I was listening to that album on KZbin and it really only has two good songs. I'm going save the 80 bucks and pass on it

[@Dbriskit]

Beard needs a trim Michael. (Excellent video as usual.)

[@jasonsmith2032]

Great the secret is out and I won't be able to find it now. :)

[@jasonsmith2032]

I found one and it's awesome.

[@edc.3761]

The fourth single is probably "It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference".

[@sauberf1372]

How about eric burdon war did you chek it out already Bernie Grundman? Regards from Zurich

[@kevintaylor5079]

You have to be out of your mind . It works perfectly as a double album . Tell me where it goes off the rails as you stated .

[@javajoelradio]

I don't want to live in a world where "S/A" isn't a double.

[@drewweissmann1486]

Wouldn't have made any difference?

[@chrisrees7054]

It's as clear as a bell.!?

[@georgialjones623]

Sha na na na na....

[@jeremyh5404]

Goddammit Mike. This was my one thing that I really wanted to pick up. Now everyone is gonna be clamoring for it. Gonna have to get up super early and sit in line now.

[@TheInGroove]

Sorry.

[@sandyfader4649]

Me too!!!

[@slidetek]

Or check your local brick and mortar. There's only 3500 of these things, and Todd's fans are mostly rabid.

[@ricefieldrecords]

And I want to get up every 11.5 minutes to flip over a masterpiece like Something/Anything, why?

[@SPAZZOID100]

Sound quality.

[@ricefieldrecords]

@@SPAZZOID100 I don’t know what there is to squeeze out from a power Pop album. The whole charm and character of Something/Anything is the juxtaposition of songs and style. They’re just ruining it with 11.5 minute intervals. What’s next? A Wizard / A True Star at 45 RPM? C’mon

[@thecans1584]

Guess what, you don’t have to buy it.

[@ricefieldrecords]

@@thecans1584 Roger that

[@lonthaniel]

Was totally thinking same, but for the amount of listening I’ve given this album over the years, I can attest to this pressing being legit revelatory. Night and day. Literally hearing new parts that have been there the whole time but masked by the squeezing and squashing to fit a chonky double LP onto 2 discs. Of course, I’ll still keep the old copy around for when I’m cleaning house or diffusing a bomb and need less needle drops.