Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Ra (Utopia album)

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Released
  
February 4, 1977

Artist
  
Utopia

Producer
  
Todd Rundgren

Length
  
53:04

Release date
  
4 February 1977

Label
  
Rhino Entertainment

Ra (Utopia album) tralfazarchivescomcoverartUUtopiautopiaraFjpg

Recorded
  
at Bearsville Sound Studio, Utopia Sound and Turtle Creek Barn

Ra(1977)
  
Oops! Wrong Planet(1977)

Genres
  
Rock music, Progressive rock, Art rock

Similar
  
Utopia albums, Rock music albums

Todd rundgren utopia ra deluxe edition


Ra is the second studio album and third release by Utopia on Bearsville Records in 1977. Replete with an elaborate $250,000 stage show featuring a 22-foot-tall (6.7 m) pyramid and golden sphinx which took 18 months of prep, Ra was Rundgren's most ambitious live undertaking.

Contents

The cornerstone of the album and show is Singring and the Glass Guitar, which comprises solos by each band member battling the elements: water (drums), wind (bass), fire (keyboards), and earth (guitar). At the pinnacle of the live show, Rundgren played the final guitar solo while repeatedly climbing and flipping off the pyramid.

The album was modestly successful, peaking the Billboard Top 200 at #79.

Singring and the glass guitar part 1


Track listing

A number of Test Presses and a very limited amount of vinyl and 8 track tape(cassette release unknown)pressings were pressed using a rejected master tape that includes an alternate mix of the album. The songs "Communion with the sun" and "Sunburst Finish" are are almost entirely different takes, Communion with the sun having a more aggressive drum track, alternate vocals and instrument solos. Sunburst Finish lead vocals are similar but backing vocals are different and some backing vocals are missing. "Singring and the Glass Guitar" is slightly different as the intro to Willie Wilcox' drum solo is missing. All other tracks on the album are indistinguishable from the final master.

The only way to tell if the album or tape is from the rejected master is by playing them with the exception of the European pressing. A1 and B1 will be written into the dead wax of the vinyl. It is unknown as to exactly how many pressings were made.

Personnel

  • Todd Rundgren - guitar and vocals
  • Roger Powell - keyboards and vocals
  • Kasim Sulton - bass and vocals
  • John "Willie" Wilcox - drums, percussion and vocals

    • Production

  • Producer: Todd Rundgren for Alchemedia Productions, Inc.
  • Engineer, Calligrapher, & Voice of the Story Teller: John Holbrook
  • Assistant Engineer: Tom Mark
  • Communion with the Sun & Jealousy recorded at the Turtle Creek Barn using custom equipment owned and operated by Yes engineer Eddie Offord
  • Musical arrangements by Utopia

    • Charts

    Album - Billboard

    Songs

    1Overture: Mountaintop and Sunrise/Communion With the Sun6:54
    2Magic Dragon Theatre3:28
    3Jealousy4:44

    References

    Ra (Utopia album) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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