TODD RUNDGREN'S UTOPIA

Warning: Utopia were not a very prog band for almost all of their career, except for this first astonishing album. Todd, having recluted three keyboard wizards, left his usual pop disturbances in 1974 and performed (on stage and later in studio) a 'power prog' formula that gave us not less than two immortal masterpieces - the 14 mins. 'Utopia Theme' (on stage) and the monstruous 30 mins. 'The Ikon'. No one else will be so prog-rock: strong tunes, heavy solos by both keyboards and guitar (Todd's a good axeman too), a dozen themes for each song... Alas, in the years to come Utopia moved towards an AOR form that's not worth the price of the albums. Isn't it a pity?