Todd Rundgren – A Wizard, A True Star – 1973 – Prog Rock / Psychedelic Rock / Soul / Art Rock / Experimental (vinyl lp)

Here's a genuine Canadian Bearsville pressing of Todd Rundgren's most audacious and uncompromising work, "A Wizard, A True Star" from 1973. This album represents Rundgren at his most experimental and fearless, following up the accessible pop perfection of "Something/Anything?" with a deliberate left turn into sonic chaos and brilliance. Recorded at his own Secret Sound Studios, this is essentially Rundgren's "pet sounds" – a studio creation that pushed the boundaries of what a rock album could be, featuring everything from proto-hip hop rhythms to orchestral arrangements, soul workouts, and avant-garde sound collages, often switching styles mid-song or even mid-phrase.

What makes this Canadian pressing particularly desirable is the superior pressing quality that Bearsville's Canadian plant was known for during this period, plus the slightly different matrix numbers that pressing plant completists seek out. The album itself stands as one of the most influential "difficult" albums in rock history – you can hear its DNA in everything from Prince's more experimental work to modern indie artists who aren't afraid to genre-hop within a single track. While it initially baffled critics and fans expecting another collection of perfect pop songs, time has revealed it as Rundgren's masterpiece of studio craft and artistic vision. This is essential listening for anyone interested in the evolution of multi-tracking, the intersection of rock and electronic music, or simply witnessing what happens when a gifted artist is given complete creative freedom.

Retro Revolution Records – Halifax, Nova Scotia

All records are visually graded. Contact us with any questions about condition.