T O D D    R U N D G R E N

ANTHOLOGY

RawPower/Castle Communications
1987 Made in England
Cat No.s
RAW TC 035 (double cassette)
RAW LP 035 (LP)
RAW CD035 (CD)

An Appreciation

In retrospect, the maestro’s statement "I'm not a real star, I'm just a
musical representative of certain human tendencies" fittingly cuts
through the difficult gauntlet of myth, endemic to any influential
character.  Certainly, this anthology, spanning over 10 years of work,
ratifies this, it being a full catalogue of the artist's/humanness’ part
to stretch, pull and push the parameters of expression.  The problem
once successful, is to occupy the territory gained with style. 

"The Verb To Love" is a graphic example; ease into this atmospheric
cocktail.  The rhythm lilts, sways, stumbles an almost falls on itself
....  and then picks up, not the usual form never mind the content. 

Yet, this is typical Todd, playing it for real, as it is, teasing the
question in every way possible, almost with hue and cry,.  The ice cold
piano midway.  A love song, without doubt, that suggests in the end, by
its tenacity, that there was never a question. 

For those who want the obvious, many of the tunes included could be
termed romantic.  The more recent single "Bang The Drum All Day", has at
it's core, a love of youthful enthusiasm.  "Hello It's Me" (a reheat of
the Nazz single) is embued with emploring endearment, lovingly.  This
even extends into Todd's esoteric aspects.  "Tiny Demons", a track
lifted from an EP (previously only available with some copies of "hermit
Of Mink Hollow") displays no fear of these elfs, only a humour and
companionship.  He'd be lost without them, but our hero knows no bounds. 
He doesn't open the gate and trudge through, he merely jumps over. 
Listen to the hallelujah chorus of "Can We Still Be Friends" (his most
covered song). 

How can one man extract so much from so little? This sleeve isn't big
enough to consider the task, nor suffer the proposition of the other
tracks.  If Todd is worth his salt, then the clues and answers are in
the music.  So be it.  When interviewed in the video "The Ever Popular
Tortured Artist Affect, in response to "how did you become a musician?",
Todd replied, "I got out of high school and didn't have an aptitude to
do anything else".  Now that's what I call devotion.  Viva la influenza. 

M.J.Rochester


  Side One

Can We Still Be Friends
All The Children Sing
Too Far Gone
Sweeter Memories
It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference
Hello It’s Me
I Saw The Light
Just One Victory
Love Of The Common Man
The Verb “To Love”
Sometimes I Don’t Know What To Feel
Couldn’t I Just Tell You
Tiny Demons

 Side Two

Initiation
Real Man
A Long Time A Long Way To Go
Long Flowing Robe
Compassion
We Gotta Get You a Woman
A Dream Goes On For Every
The Last Ride
Don’t You Ever Learn
Bang The Drum All Day
Zen Archer