Todd Rundgren - Arena (Hi Fi Recordings) **

2:22pm Friday 3rd October 2008

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BIT of an acquired taste is Todd Rundgren - even his "good" stuff (Something/Anything, most of The Nazz back-catalogue) is at best erratic. As capable of creating louche muzak as pompous stadium rock, Arena falls somewhere in between with its quiet/loud song structures, metallic production and clearly inflated sense of purpose.

For all that though, Rundgren manages to keep his sonic adventures contained in single-length rock songs that twist and turn between acoustic scene setting and full-on hard rock exposition. The opener Mad gets almost baggy before rocking out and setting the tone for the rest of the record; Mountaintop on the other hand is a no-holds-barred rocker with a pop heart.

Ultimately though there isn't much here that you won't have heard elsewhere done better.