Todd Rundgren - Hermit of Mink Hollow

Over the course of 1977, Todd Rundgren moved Utopia toward a more pop-oriented direction, winding up with the slick mainstream arena rock of Oops! Wrong Planet. With that in mind, it makes sense that The Hermit Of Mink Hollow -- his first full-fledged solo album since Initiation, if you discount the half-cover/half-original Faithful -- finds Rundgren in his pop craftsman persona. The difference is, he's heartbroken. His relationship with Bebe Buell collapsed during 1977 and it's clear that the separation has pained him, since pain and melancholy underpin the album, whether it's on ballads ("Can We Still Be Friends") or on apparently joyous revelries, like "All the Children Sing." That said, this is a Rundgren solo album and he has not abandoned his trademarks, which means that the lush ballads are paired with novelties ("Onomatopoeia," which sounds exactly how you hope it does), ersatz soul ("You Cried Wolf"), and pure pop ("Hurting for You"). Read More