Attempting an understanding of the peculiarities of
Todd Rundgren
's muse is a futile task, something that's been evident since the mid-'70s or so, yet the old maverick still possesses the ability to surprise. And so he does with
(Re)Production
, a project where he records his own versions of songs he produced for other artists, a logical enough endeavor skewed into the bizarre by his decision to rely entirely on electronic instruments. To his credit, this means he's indulged in some radical reinventions, particularly on
Patti Smith
's "Dancing Barefoot" and
the New York Dolls
' "Personality Crisis." Tellingly, these are two artists with whom he remains either personally or professionally close, but he also can't resist tweaking notorious sparring partner
Andy Partridge
by taking the piss out of "Dear God" via an onslaught of claustrophobic drum machines and processed vocals.
Rundgren
often isn't that extreme with his new arrangements --
Hall & Oates
' "Is It a Star?" remains fairly faithful to the original and he turns
Badfinger
's "Take It All" into a mid-period
Utopia
soft rock tune -- but no matter the extent of the revisions the end result is the same: it's an odd exercise designed to amuse nobody besides its creator, who seems hell-bent on offering a full-length musical rendition of the old
Bill Cosby
joke of "I brought you into this world, I can take you out." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine