Album Review
Todd Rundgren
Space Force
Cleopatra Records
2022
Review: Thom Jennings
****
The long-anticipated Todd Rundgren solo record “Space Force” arrives in its entirety October 14. Many of the songs on the album have already been available as singles. “Space Force” is the second in a series of collaborative songs, the first being “White Knight” which came out in 2017. It is the longest time between solo releases for Rundgren.
Rundgren penned most of the material for “White Knight,” but on “Space Force” he completed other artists’ ideas. Even with that approach, the songs all have Rundgren’s stamp on them, and in many ways this album sounds more like an updated version of Bearsville era Todd.
The album opens with “Puzzle,” a collaboration with Adrian Belew, which thematically sounds like an internal conversation between a pessimist and someone offering encouragement. Belew and Rundgren’s voices blend seamlessly, but what makes the song a perfect intro to the album is that “Space Force” is a puzzle of songs that Rundgren combined to make an incredibly cohesive album.
The early songs are all catchy and fun, including a delightful collaboration with Neil Finn of Crowded House entitled “Artist in Residence,” and “Someday” with Davey Lane, which is pure ear candy.
“I’m Not Your Dog” with Thomas Dolby, and “Espionage” with Narcy are the most like the material on Rundgren’s last three records, and STFU with Rick Nielsen is a barn burning rocker that Rundgren shreds on vocally.
The real gems on the record are the last three songs, “Head in The Ocean” with Alfie “I’m Leaving” with The Lemon Twigs and “Eco Warrior Goddess” with Steve Vai and featuring Gil Assayas on keyboards. All of three are fun songs with all those unique elements that have drawn people to Todd’s music for over five decades.
After having heard some of the advance tracks on “Space Force,” I wasn’t sure what to expect from a full album, but the tracking is brilliant, and the album reminds me of Rundgren’s “Todd” solo album, which by coincidence, was delayed in 1974 because of a vinyl shortage.
Overall “Space Force” is a strong offering filled with fun and creative offerings, and it should please the diehard fans and bring in some of the fan bases of his collaborators as well.
Space Force Tracklist
Puzzle (with Adrian Belew)
Down With The Ship (with Rivers Cuomo)
Artist In Residence (with Neil Finn)
Godiva Girl (with The Roots)
Your Fandango (with Sparks)
Someday (with Davey Lane)
I’m Not Your Dog (with Thomas Dolby)
Espionage (with Narcy)
STFU (with Rick Nielsen)
Head In The Ocean (with Alfie)
I’m Leaving (with The Lemon Twigs)
Eco Warrior Goddess (with Steve Vai)
