構成数 | 1枚

合計収録時間 | 01:04:18

Released at the same time as Rhino's similarly excellent two-disc anthology of Todd Rundgren's solo works, ANTHOLOGY (1975-84) is an excellent summation of this often-overlooked and misunderstood band. Due to Rundgren's prominence as a solo artist, Utopia was often thought of as Rundgren's backing band, but all four members--Rundgren, keyboardist Roger Powell, bassist Kasim Sultan, and drummer Willie Weeks--wrote and sang, and some albums feature almost as much material by Sultan as by Rundgren. Because their early albums featured fusionesque soloing and extended set pieces, Utopia was quickly tagged a progressive band. This compilation moves away from that perception, though. Instead, these 16 tracks prove that Utopia was more than capable of concise pop singles like the funky "Set Me Free" and the uncannily Beatlesque "Feet Don't Fail Me Now." In this context, even the potentially ponderous "Overture: Mountaintop and Sunrise/Communion With the Sun" sounds surprisingly catchy.

録音 | ステレオ (Studio)