Todd Rundgren – Liars

So glad this got reissued, it was the only Todd album I really liked that I didn't have on vinyl. And at a good price point too. To be honest given the way this was recorded it's hard for me to tell if this is a good pressing or not. It doesn't sound particularly better than the MP3s I have but I wouldn't really expect it to. It doesn't sound like they did much to it, in fact the transitions between tracks are still there when leading into a side break which makes me suspect this was kind of a rush job.

As for the album, it's great, probably his best after Nearly Human. Todd's desire to keep things fresh and reinvent himself from scratch I think has kept him real creative. Unfortunately it also convinces him to abandon things he was good at - specifically, the way he used to record and produce. The songs on this are great and Todd himself sounds incredible. In the hands of an electronica producer who knew how to handle pop music this could have his best album ever. As it is it's kinda like the best homemade thing you could've gotten on mp3.com back in the day.

So…I love this album! Not only dose it hold a nostalgic tale for myself, the music is just fantastic and its one of, if not the most underrated Todd album out there. But we’re here for the vinyl!
The jacket has been recreated really nicely and the “bottle green” records look amazing matching the cover.
The record sounds OK. Now this was recorded by Todd in 2003 on a laptop and a cassette recorder…it’s bitty by default. That being said it’s always gained from a good master and that translates here. It’s obviously been out through a high filter compressor or something and not through the ears of a mastering engineer as parts just cut out higher frequencies (jazz flute solo in soul brother). I think, they have used the CD to master from as the another issue I have is that the tracks don’t line up amazingly from side to side. The CD had all the track interlink and here, they’ve tried to just fade out at the latest point (before the next track can be herd). Not that this is a bad idea, Unfortunately it’s a little off.
But enough of this paragraph, all in all, it’s a cool, rare item that sounds and looks good. I’m just glad this album Im has some copy’s in rotation again. The £400 originals are…let’s just say, there’s a reason iv only ever had the CD. I picked up mine for £28, I think a far deal but anything over I’d say is a little bit overpriced.

More of a blue, that matches Todd's shirt on the cover photo, than coke bottle green.

Apart from a few too many pops and clicks on side C this release plays well and sounds good to my ears.

I played this record constantly when it came out 20 years ago and the idea of lies and liars in media and politics was a fresher idea. And the whole thing was recorded digitally by Todd on his computer so not exactly an Abbey Road production, sounds more like an old Casio at times. Still, this is a great album - one of Todd's best - and I love having it on vinyl.

Helluva underrated album and killer pressing! So glad this is finally on vinyl!

What's the cover art like? Is it blurry or is it a sharp crisp photo?