I am familiar with all of those albums: much of it good, but rarely listened to these days. You could also add the recent 'Liars' to that list.
The egalitarian prog excess of early Utopia make them unlistenable to my ears. Edgier, new-wave stylings on later albums: Ooops Sorry Wrong Planet, Adventures, Swing To The Right, Oblivion and POV are all good albums. Without doubt His Toddness contributed the majority of the best material on those records. My affection for that band stems from the singing: 4 great voices singly and uniquely - in unison.
I am familiar with all of those albums: much of it good, but rarely listened to these days. You could also add the recent 'Liars' to that list.
The egalitarian prog excess of early Utopia make them unlistenable to my ears. Edgier, new-wave stylings on later albums: Ooops Sorry Wrong Planet, Adventures, Swing To The Right, Oblivion and POV are all good albums. Without doubt His Toddness contributed the majority of the best material on those records. My affection for that band stems from the singing: 4 great voices singly and uniquely - in unison.
Frankly, Roger Powell's voice is like John Wetton with a sinus infection, Willie Wilcox has a passable rock voice, and Kas Sulton's singing is the aural equivalent of "chewing the scenery".
I love everything from "Adventures" on, nonetheless. The self-titled, 3-sided "Utopia" album (just before "Oblivion") is a pop masterpiece.
"Liars" suffers from two major problems; Todd's refusal to abandon these occasional Marvin Gaye affectations that he began pursuing w/ "Lost Horizon" (from his '84 "A Capella album), and a huge decline in lyrical integrity. A lot of the words on "Liars" bug me. He can do better, and has, with his last album "Arena".
Frankly, Roger Powell's voice is like John Wetton with a sinus infection, Willie Wilcox has a passable rock voice, and Kas Sulton's singing is the aural equivalent of "chewing the scenery".
hahahahahaha "aural equivalent of chewing the scenery". I'm gonna put that witty metaphoritis away in the toolbox, and use it tonight. Also, Powell's sinus problem must have temporarily cleared when he took the lead mic for 'Zen Machine'. A sterling performance :)
Ornette Coleman: The Shape of Jazz to Come.
Herbie Hancock: Headhunters.
Von Sudenfed: Tromatic Reflexxions.
Klaus Schulze: Moondawn.
OHM: The Early Gurus of Electronic Music, 3cd boxset.
