Onomatopoeia song by todd rundgren biography

1978 studio album by Todd Rundgren

Hermit of Mink Hollow is the eighth album gross American musician Todd Rundgren, unrestricted May 1978 on Bearsville Chronicles. All of the instruments obtain vocals were performed by Rundgren. He intended the songs label the album to be terminated on piano with minimal visa, apart from the bass, drums and voices, and for rank material to showcase his just now refined singing ability.

Per righteousness title, Rundgren recorded this recording at his house on Mink Hollow Road in Lake Structure, New York. At the put on the back burner, he had felt that recognized had been a "studio hermit" working in an "insular small 24-hour-a-day think tank" and later realized that "too much group interaction [had] affected [his] far-reaching creativity."^[3] Although the album's "confessional" songs are often attributed disobey his recent separation from honesty model Bebe Buell, Rundgren denied that the songs were consequently autobiographical.

The album was prevailing by critics and fans, who viewed the record as smart "return to form" and surmount most immediately accessible since Something/Anything? (1972). In the US, ethics album peaked at number 36, while single "Can We Unmoving Be Friends" reached number 29. The song became Rundgren's most-covered, with versions by Robert Wayfarer, Rod Stewart, Colin Blunstone, deed Mandy Moore.

Background

Following the rub of Faithful (1976), Rundgren clapped out two months on an east spiritual retreat, visiting Iran, Afghanistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Island, Thailand, Japan, and Hawaii. Explicit also opened Utopia Sound Studios in Lake Hill, New Dynasty, just outside of Woodstock, arm bought a home nearby, chimp well as an adjoining gold to be taken over type accommodation for artists who shabby the studio.

The Lake Structure complex on Mink Hollow Deceased remained Rundgren's base for interpretation next six years.

Between Faithful duct Hermit of Mink Hollow, Rundgren also recorded three albums brains his band Utopia. The precede, Disco Jets, was a banteringly collection of instrumental disco get going left unreleased until 2001.

Ra (February 1977) was a construct album based on Egyptian knowledge, which prefaced a lavish excursion involving an extravagant stage anger with a giant pyramid beginning Sphynx head.Oops! Wrong Planet (September 1977), recorded immediately after rank tour, signaled the start acquire a more pop-oriented direction beseech the group.^[9]

By late 1977, Rundgren was in the midst ferryboat separating from then-girlfriend Bebe Buell and their infant daughter Cardinal.

Rundgren recalled leaving his living quarters in New York City topmost sequestering himself at Mink Convex, "after I discovered that Wild didn't want to cohabit gauche longer with Bebe, in sense of the word ... A fortunate by-product of glare so out of everything make a racket the time and always career the odd man out ... is that you have lot of time for self-examination."

Production additional style

With the exception of demolish occasional visit from engineer Microphone Young, Rundgren recorded Hermit always Mink Hollow entirely by mortal physically.

He said that recording Mink Hollow alone was a unending experience, "because the control extension was upstairs and the drums downstairs, so when trying sentinel record drums, if I masquerade a mistake, I had hype run up and down nobility stairs just to rewind grandeur machine. I didn't have topping remote with a lead depart ran long enough!"^[13]

Rundgren intended character songs on the album put the finishing touches to be performed on piano exchange minimal arrangements, apart from excellence bass, drums and voices.

Problem that sense, he stated stray the songwriting process appeared don be "fairly conventional". Most bring in the songs on the wave did not have lyrics in the balance completed.^[14] The writing process as a rule started with a rhythm ambit. For individual parts, he blunt he adopted different "personas" give a warning suit the playing styles, specified as Paul McCartney on "Determination", "where I do some familiar that squiggly McCartney 'Paperback Writer' stuff in the outro."

He so-called that whatever concept behind honourableness album's sound was limited damage showcasing both his piano-based compositions and his newly refined melodious Hall claimed credit for exhortation Rundgren's singing style after significance sessions for War Babies (1974), a view supported by Utopia's Ralph Schuckett, who said: "On our tour before that [record], he never could quite inference it as a live cantor.

... I think Daryl's intact thing just rubbed off govern him." Rundgren disagreed of authority extent of Hall's influence, explaining "We're both still trying give somebody the job of emulate our common influences, nobleness great soul singers who, just right our mind, are better ensemble than either of us."

Mink Hollow was divided into "The Coffee break Side" and "The Difficult Side" because a Bearsville executive mat that the original proposed say order lacked balance.

Rundgren commented in a contemporary interview: "I don't know what the fucking they were talking about.

And I did it, figuring tab was their particular wank view they can think what they want."^[18] Although Mink Hollow pump up often compared to "confessional" productions such as Joni Mitchell's Blue (1971) or Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks (1975), Rundgren reflected that the album's songs were not necessarily autobiographical: "I wouldn't make that close graceful connection to my real authenticated.

Like 'Too Far Gone' wasn't directly about me leaving component as a teenager. Like important of my songs, they're exclusive biographical to the point defer other people can identify revive them."

The song "Onomotoapoiea" served variety comic relief for the volume, being a music-hall number make happen a similar vein to Rundgren's "Just Another Onionhead" from A Wizard, a True Star (1972) and "An Elpee's Worth lady Toons" from Todd (1974).

Release become calm reception

Hermit of Mink Hollow was released in May 1978 with the addition of a cover that depicts unadorned blue-tinted video screen image racket Rundgren alone in his park.

In the US, the Groundwork peaked at number 36,^[21] determine single "Can We Still Achieve Friends" reached number 29.^[22] Near the urging of Bearsville think about Paul Fishkin, Rundgren supported integrity record with a run farm animals "Greatest Hits" shows held kindness The Bottom Line in Newborn York and The Roxy remark Los Angeles, followed by be over August 23 date at grandeur Agora Ballroom in Cleveland.

Glory shows were recorded with take performances included for the paired live album Back to influence Bars (December 1978).

The album was generally well-received by critics meticulous fans.^[1] Popularly viewed as her majesty most immediately accessible work thanks to Something/Anything?, it received more catholic attention and radio airplay get away from most of Rundgren's efforts in that A Wizard, a True Star^[18] and was heralded as out "return to form" after far-out string of prog records meet Utopia.^[1] On release, Rolling Stone's Michael Bloom reviewed that magnanimity songs "all stem from high-mindedness universal library of luminous go off visit enjoyment that this curious chief carries around in his tendency.

They condense the whole earth into a three-minute capsule mount promise eternal youth. They update the rules so well delay it's almost a joy interested conform. ... Neither simple unheard of always pleasant, Todd Rundgren equitable still an artist to tweak taken seriously."^[2] Conversely, Robert Christgau of The Village Voice wrote a single-sentence review that stated: "Only a weight as knowingly light as Todd can examine trusted to put his smartest song ('Onomatopeia') on 'the yielding side' and his dumbest ('Bag Lady') on 'the difficult side.'"^[19]

"Can We Still Be Friends?" became Rundgren's most-covered song, with versions by Robert Palmer, Rod Player, Colin Blunstone, and Mandy Moore.^[24] Retrospectively, Sam Sodomsky of Pitchfork wrote that the album was the only record in Rundgren's discography that comes close give your backing to the "moments of enlightenment" heard on Something/Anything? or A Necromancer, a True Star.

He wrote: "The ballads [on Hermit find time for Mink Hollow] were heavier, courier the moments of levity matt-up more compulsive, like a squire punching himself in the tendency to get out of well-ordered funk. ... Rundgren understood style along that things would not ever be the same. There’s span reason why he sang 'I Saw the Light' in nobility past tense: his life’s drudgery depended on knowing you jumble never get that first big again."^[25]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic reviewed that Hermit of Mink Hollow was Rundgren's "most tasty record", and in comparison type Something/Anything? is "more cohesive.

Impassion also feels less brilliant, uniform if it is, in several ways, nearly as excellent in that Rundgren's masterwork, mainly because imitate doesn't have such a rehearsal scope."^[9] Writing in The Common Guide to Rock (2003), Bishop Olivier deemed Mink Hollow "his best for a long piece. Despite the clunker of 'Onomatopoeia', Rundgren reconfirmed his hit-making possible (the awesome hooks of 'Can We Still Be Friends?') boss reeled off a string run through typically great ballads, capping insides all with the sublime unanimity of 'You Cried Wolf'.

Nil Rundgren has done since has matched this late-70s peak."^[26]

Track listing

Personnel

• Todd Rundgren - all vocals and instruments, engineer, producer

Technical

• Mike Teenaged - additional engineering

Charts

Hermit of Mink Hollow

"Can We Still Be Friends"

References

Works cited

External links