Utopia

by Utopia, Todd Rundgren

Overview

Utopia followed Swing to the Right, their first album for Elektra subsidiary Network, a mere six months after, dubbing the new album Utopia. Presumably, an eponymous release signaled a new beginning for the group, which is true to a certain extent. Utopia finally became a true collective here, with each member's contributions sounding remarkably similar, in performance and composition. Very few tunes bear an unmistakable Rundgren stamp, and even when they do, it's been processed into a signature Utopia sound -- the first time they could truly be said to have a sound of their own. Strangely, this happens on an album where the group makes a self-conscious effort to sound contemporary, dressing in new wave gear for the cover shoot while molding the music after synthesized new wave pop. Granted, that quirkiness masks a fairly traditional set of Utopia arena pop, yet these songs wind up as the most consistent album in the group's catalog -- which is saying a lot, considering that the album spreads over three sides. Utopia rarely sags in momentum, and even the weaker songs aren't far removed from the stronger material, highlighted by "Bad Little Actress," "Hammer in My Heart," "Princess of the Universe," and the excellent single "Feet Don't Fail Me Now." They had their moments before, but Utopia is where the band finally made a thoroughly enjoyable record; too bad they couldn't extend it through their final two records. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	03/29/2024
Label:	Cleopatra
UPC:	0889466537523
Rank:	19476

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Utopia   Primary Artist
Todd Rundgren   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Ralf Basten   Vocals
Rolf Zacher   Vocals
Olaf Kuebler   Synthesizer
John Weinzierl   Guitar
Falk U. Rogner   Keyboards
Siegfried Schwab   Guitar
Peter Kramper   Synthesizer
Renate Knaup-Kroetenschwanz   Vocals
Lothar Meid   Bass
George Green   Drums
Willie Wilcox   Drums,Vocals
Daniel Fischelscher   Drums
Roger Powell   Vocals,Trumpet,Keyboards
Edgar Hofmann   Saxophone
Andy Marx   Guitar
Joe Quick   Guitar
Joe Nay   Drums
Jim Jackson   Keyboards
John Wilcox   Drums
George "Funky" Brown   Drums
Keith Forsey   Drums
Kristian Schultze   Keyboards
Chris Karrer   Violin,Vocals
Kasim Sulton   Bass,Vocals

Technical Credits

Olaf Kuebler   Producer
Roger Powell   Composer
Utopia   Composer,Producer
Todd Rundgren   Composer,Engineer,Producer
John Wagman   Art Direction
Bill Hayward   Photography
Doug Howard   Composer
John Wilcox   Composer
Len Zabala   Art Direction
Kasim Sulton   Composer