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Bootleg Series, Vol. 2: KSAN 95FM, Live '79

 
Album Review: Bootleg Series, Vol. 2: KSAN 95FM, Live '79

  • Artist: Utopia
  • Rating: StarStarStar
  • Release Date: September 17, 2002
  • Type: Live
  • Genre: Rock

Review

As was his wont in those days, Todd Rundgren, having made a solo album, Hermit of Mink Hollow, for release in 1978, returned to his band project, Utopia, to craft their follow-up to 1977's Oops! Wrong Planet. At the spring 1979 San Francisco concert captured on this archival release, the group apparently had been at work on the album to the extent of knowing its title, Adventures in Utopia, and its projected release date, which Rundgren gave as July 6 (it actually appeared six months later). But in addition to previewing the songs "Shot in the Dark," "Love Alone," and "Last of the New Wave Riders," the band was prepared to review its first four albums, dating back to the segment of "The Ikon" from Todd Rundgren's Utopia that segued into "The Seven Rays" from Another Live and including "Trapped," "Abandon City," and "Gangrene" from Oops! Wrong Planet. (Annotator Paul Lester also mentions "Love in Action," but unfortunately it didn't make the cut.) And Rundgren, as ever making only a partial separation between his solo and group careers, also threw in several of his own numbers, including his recent hit "Can We Still Be Friends." Although each of the other three bandmembers got one lead vocal, Rundgren also dominated the proceedings with his off-kilter sense of humor, which included a shaggy dog story about "dinky Incans" that served as an introduction to "The Wheel." In other words, this is a fairly typical mid-period Utopia show. It provides a good cross section of the first half of the band's career and is a fine addition to the Rundgren live library. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Trapped (Lyrics) Todd Rundgren Utopia (3:07)
Abandon City Todd Rundgren, Roger Powell Utopia (5:21)
Love of the Common Man Todd Rundgren Utopia (3:37)
Last Ride /Last Ride [Talking] Todd Rundgren Utopia (7:07)
Shot in the Dark Kasim Sulton, Todd Rundgren, Roger Powell, Willie Wilcox Utopia (3:21)
The Seven Rays Todd Rundgren, John Siegler Utopia (13:05)
Can We Still Be Friends? (Lyrics) Todd Rundgren Utopia (4:08)
Gangrene (Lyrics) Todd Rundgren, Willie Wilcox Utopia (3:58)
The Wheel /The Wheel [Talking] Todd Rundgren Utopia (10:25)
Love Alone Willie Wilcox, Todd Rundgren, Roger Powell, Kasim Sulton Utopia (4:12)
Last of the New Wave Riders (Lyrics) Willie Wilcox, Roger Powell, Kasim Sulton, Todd Rundgren Utopia (6:24)
The Death of Rock 'N' Roll Todd Rundgren Utopia (4:04)
Just One Victory (Lyrics) Todd Rundgren Utopia (5:47)

Credits

Willie Wilcox (Vocals), Paul Lester (Sleeve Notes), Willie Wilcox (Drums), Eric Gardner (Representation), Roger Powell (Vocals), Antony Amos (Project Coordinator), Clayton Call (Photography), Todd Rundgren (Producer), Kasim Sulton (Vocals), Kasim Sulton (Bass), Steve Hammonds (Project Coordinator), Roger Powell (Keyboards), Rachel Gutek (Design), Eric Gardner (Executive Producer), Rachel Gutek (Art Direction), Todd Rundgren (Guitar), Todd Rundgren (Vocals)
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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more