Hermit of Mink Hollow

Todd Rundgren

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: April 1978
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rhino / Wea
• ASIN: B0000032PB
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #55,335 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The zenith of Rundgren's talent for rock and pop., October 17, 2000

By	Micheal O Mealoid (Dublin Ireland) - See all my reviews

Todd Rundgren is one of those legendary figures in rock that you hear about, but may not have actually heard. If that is the case, and you ever only buy one album to check him out, this is the one to get, no doubt about it! This album is the perfect showcase for Rundgren's vast array of talent. He plays all the instruments (guitars, drums, vocals, keyboards, everything), produced it, and wrote all the songs.

The twelve songs are catchy, but short and to the point, each one in a different style. Some are rock (Too Far Gone, You Cried Wolf), others are ballads (Can We Still Be Friends, Fade Away), others are kind of punky (Out of Control), while yet more are pop (Lucky Guy). The subject matters of the songs vary from the usual love, to old age, loneliness, friendship, envy, and determination (guess which song that is!). The lyrics are very good, they're intelligent, thoughtful and insightful, and will certainly make you think (Bag Lady is especially good on this point).

My own favourite, though, is Onomatopoeia, which is a very short and funny, starting off as a love song, but turning into a long list on onomatopoeias rattled off quickly in verse and in rhyme, each one followed by the appropriate sound effect, for example: "A sound in my head that I can't describe, It's sort of whack, whirr, wheeze, whine, Sputter, splat, squirt, scrape, Clink, clank, clunk, clatter, Crash, bang, beep, buzz, Ring, rip, roar, retch, Twang, toot, tinkle, thud..." etc. etc. A really great song, guaranteed to put a smile on your face!

The sound of the album is quite open and unpolished, which was typical of Rundgren in the mid seventies (similar, in my mind, to the sound of "L" which he produced for Steve Hillage in 1976). In a way, with this album, I think Rundgren was just showing off what he could do with pop and rock, and he makes it seem effortless. This is a truly fantastic album, with plenty of memorable songs. A must for any collection.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Understanding Todd, May 6, 2001

By	Anthony Noel (New Bern, NC, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

So much of what's in this masterwork comes from Rundgren's "real job" as one of the industry's finest and most-sought-after producers. Understanding this puts the work in a new whole light.

The background vocals all sound like Todd -- because they are. He also plays every instrument. And while multi-track recording made it all possible, it couldn't have made it easy. Just one listen to this complex, wonderful record will convince anybody of the labor, love, and insistence on perfection that went into it. But it's so much more than a showcase of Rundgren's talent and technical expertise.

"Determination," arguably the record's best song, defines what Rundgren the producer was saying. Consider this line: "So you're a New Wave raver and you like to talk tough/But can you still cut the mustard when the going gets rough."

"Determination" closes the vinyl version's quirky first side, which Todd labeled "The Easy Side" (literally: it's printed right on the album's label), and it foreshadows what's to come on "The Difficult Side," where the going *does* get rough, dealing with issues of hunger ("Bread"), homelessness ("Bag Lady"), anger over love lost (the unstoppable "You Cried Wolf"), and luck and the lack thereof ("Lucky Guy"). Each is treated with vocal feeling the likes of which only Rundgren can lay down.

Only on "Out of Control" does Rundgren succumb to a delicious sarcasm directed at the mechanized, electrified tripe so many "artists" were, aided and abetted by the record companies, trying to pass off as music at the time (1978). Rundgren even starts the song with a fade up, something no self-respecting producer would ever do, but which was heard far too often on the work of other "producers" of the day.

And that, I guess, is why I like this record so much. The message is: If you don't like what's going on in your world, speak up about it; do something to change it; hold those responsible accountable for it. And let the chips fall where they may.

"The Hermit of Mink Hollow" is a truly inspiring record that still manages to be a lot of fun. Enjoy!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pop doesn't get better than this, January 26, 2007

By	WillieB - See all my reviews

If I could own only one of Todd's solo works (wouldn't that be tragic) this would be it. This breathtaking album highlights what Todd does best... sing and write great songs. He is my favorite vocalist because you can empathize with him and his passion, depth, and tone are out of this world. You can feel his sorrow when he sings a ballad, laugh during an eccentric number, or sing along on a pop or rock tune. He has a knack to draw you into and be part of the music.

On this release, Todd did all the vocals, instruments, production, and arranging. Usually something suffers when one individual tries to do it all but that's not the case here. A little over 35 minutes long, this disc has twelve catchy songs and zero filler. It's hard to believe this was recorded in 1978, but killer music has no expiration date and this still blows away most modern pop/rock groups. If you have never heard Todd, this would be a good choice to start your journey with one of America's most talented artists.