Todd Rundgren prides himself in defying easy categorization and while that restlessness has resulted in brilliant work, it's also led him to cut confounding records.
White Knight belongs to the latter category. A star-studded affair -- 12 of the 15 songs feature a collaborator --
White Knight covers a lot of stylistic ground (as would be fitting on a record that features
Daryl Hall,
Joe Walsh,
Trent Reznor, and
Robyn), but it's constricted by its chintzy production. A master of the studio,
Rundgren jettisons any semblance of warmth for a crisp, clean computerized sound -- an aesthetic that has been common for
Todd in the 21st century. Happily, every one of the featured musicians is game to play along with
Rundgren.
Reznor and his partner
Atticus Ross give "Deaf Ears" some chilly dissonance,
Daryl Hall brings soul to "Chance for Us,"
Moe Berg's turn on "Let's Do This" is buoyant power pop,
Robyn is an ideal counterpoint on the AOR ballad "That Could Have Been Me," and you can hear
Donald Fagen grin on the anti-
Trump groover "Tin Foil Hat." All these prove that
White Knight has a strong song foundation. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
![Chicago II [Steven Wilson Remix]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0081227941499_p0_v3_s90x140.jpg "Chicago II [Steven Wilson Remix]")
