TODD RUNDGREN'S UTOPIA

For several reasons, this album tends to elude the average prog fan's "classic album" radar. First is that Todd Rundgren is a pop guy, right? This stuff isn't prog, right? Wrong. This is one of the most definitive prog albums of all time (definitive in the literal sense -- this album defines what prog is). People take drugs, people change -- Todd the pop guy has departed for a while, and here we get Todd the prog mastermind. It's not that strange. Second is that this lineup only existed for this one recording, meaning that if you buy any other Utopia album, it's a different Utopia than this particular Utopia. There are some awesome albums by the other Utopias, but I'm not going to make a fuss about them at all to the degree to which I'm about to here, about this album. And a possible third reason is that these guys are from America not Europe. Who pays attention to American prog bands? Anyway, all these reasons add up to one huge joke on musical mankind, because this is one of the top few BEST albums EVER MADE by ANYONE. Some stats for you: Utopia is a 6 piece, including no less than 3 keyboard players. Except for one, the songs are all long -- one of them is really long. Do you like psychedelic synthesizers that "burble"? High energy, ring-modulated keyboard solos? How about hyperactive crunchy drums, scorching guitar solos (some of the absolute best ever), and gorgeous vocal harmonies? Everything we need is here, in spades. THE IKON is 30 minutes long, and is one of the few true epic masterpieces (think Yes and ELP) to emerge from the genre. If you don't like "extended soloing" or "self-indulgence" you better turn away! There's nothing but the purest stuff here, so unless you're uncommonly adventurous for a Genesis fan you better save your bucks. I patiently await the day when music even remotely approaching the grandeur of THE IKON is being made again.