The new 3-CD, 43-song set of live Todd Rundgren performances from Edsel is entitled For Lack of Honest Work: A Live History 1971-2006, after Todd's song "Honest Work."  But all of his joking with the title aside, Rundgren's career has been all honest work - as he's doubtless remained true to himself through various musical incarnations over the past near-50 years.  This set, the latest fine Rundgren release from the Edsel label, chronicles all of those "Rundgren variations" as captured between 1971 and 2006.

For Lack of Honest Work is a reissue of the set first released in 2010 on the MicroWerks label.  Edsel has spiffed it up a bit in a new digipak edition (more slender than the original clamshell box) also boasting a 20-page color booklet of copious and incisive liner notes by Paul Myers which handily best the original edition's foldout poster with notes on the back.  (Rundgren historian Myers fills his notes with keen observations and choice quotes, such as this one from Bat Out of Hell auteur Jim Steinman: "Todd is the only genius in my life that I have ever met.  The best evidence of that is his background vocal arranging.  That is the most awesome thing I have ever witnessed a musician do."

Plenty of that arranging genius is on display over the course of three discs, as are the artist's many styles as he performs solo and with ensembles of different sizes.  There's Todd the troubadour on the three opening tracks from Philadelphia's legendary Sigma Sound Studios as recorded on July 1, 1971: the killer triumvirate of "Be Nice to Me," "Broke Down and Busted" and "It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference."  (This concert was recently released, almost in full, by the Purple Pyramid label on Box O' Todd.)  Then there's Todd the rocker ("Black Maria" and The Nazz's "Open My Eyes," both from a 1973 Atlanta show) and Todd the prog hero (Utopia's "The Wheel," "Freedom Fighters") from London's Hammersmith Odeon in 1975.  (This concert has also been released, by Shout! Factory in 2012.)

Throughout these three discs, Rundgren shows his affection for showtunes with renditions of "Something's Coming" from West Side Story, Gilbert and Sullivan's "Lord Chancellor's Nightmare Song" from Iolanthe, "Never Never Land" from Peter Pan, and his own "Free, Male and 21" from the Public Theater musical Up Against It.  There's also plenty of blue-eyed soul, classic Rundgren balladry, a killer medley of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and "Mercy Mercy Me" and a quartet of selections from his A Cappella tour.  For casual fans, the major favorites - "Hello, It's Me," "I Saw the Light," "Bang the Drum All Day," "Can We Still Be Friends," "Love is the Answer" - are all here, and there are enough deeper cuts to satisfy the collector, too.  The collection closes out with late-period tracks such as "I Hate My Frickin' ISP," "Fascist Christ" and "Worldwide Epiphany," the latter from the electronically-flavored October 7, 1994 London Forum show just reissued on Esoteric Recordings.

For those who missed it the first time around, Edsel's reissue of For Lack of Honest Work is a winning chronicle of a musical career utterly unlike any other.  It's a clear upgrade in packaging and design; as on the original release, sound is eminently listenable and generally strong, but variable due to the many sources used in assembling it.  (Randy Wine's original mastering has been retained.)  You can order this engaging look at the live Rundgren oeuvre at the links below!

Todd Rundgren, For Lack of Honest Work: A Live History 1971-2006 (Edsel EDSX 3029, 2016) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1

1. It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference
2. Broke Down and Busted
3. Be Nice to Me
4. Utopia
5. Black Maria
6. Open My Eyes
7. Freedom Fighters
8. The Wheel
9. When The Shit Hits the Fan/Sunset Blvd./Le Feel Internacionale
10. Real Man
11. Eastern Intrigue
12. Black and White
13. Hello, It's Me

CD 2

1. The Seven Rays
2. Never Never Land
3. Mister Triscuits/Something's Coming
4. The Last Ride
5. Lord Chancellor's Nightmare Song
6. Healer
7. Love is the Answer
8. I Saw the Light
9. Bag Lady
10. Too Far Gone
11. A Dream Goes On Forever
12. Born to Synthesize
13. Johnee Jingo
14. Hadja
15. Honest Work

CD 3

1. Can We Still Be Friends
2. Cliché
3. What's Going On/Mercy, Mercy Me
4. Bang the Drum All Day
5. Love of the Common Man
6. Lysistrata
7. Hammer in My Heart
8. Song of the Viking
9. Free, Male and 21
10. Tiny Demons
11. The Want of a Nail
12. I Hate My Frickin' ISP
13. Fascist Christ
14. Worldwide Epiphany
15. One World

CD 1, Tracks 1-3 recorded at Sigma Sound Studios, Philadelphia, July 1, 1971
CD 1, Tracks 4-6 recorded at Fox Theatre, Atlanta, November 8, 1973
CD 1, Tracks 7-9 and CD 2, Track 3 recorded at Hammersmith Odeon, London, October 9, 1975
CD 1, Tracks 10-13 and CD 2, Tracks 2 & 4 recorded at The Bottom Line, New York. May 14 & 23, 1978
CD 2, Track 1 recorded at The Shaboo Inn, Willimantic, CT, November 11, 1978
CD 2, Tracks 5 & 11 recorded at The Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, April 4, 1982
CD 2, Tracks 6-8 recorded at Levon Helm's studio, Woodstock, July 3, 1981
CD 2, Tracks 9-10 recorded at The Venue, London, May 24, 1982
CD 2, Tracks 12-15 recorded at The Bismark Theater, Chicago, October 26, 1985
CD 3, Track 1 recorded at The Warfield Theater, San Francisco, November 22, 1986
CD 3, Tracks 2-3 recorded at The Oak Theater, Chicago, April 17, 1992
CD 3, Tracks 4 & 15 recorded at Park West, Chicago, November 23, 1993
CD 3, Tracks 5-10 recorded at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, Florida, January 28, 2003
CD 3, Track 11 recorded at Tokyo Sun Plaza, January 10, 1990
CD 3, Track 12 recorded at Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, September 4, 2006
CD 3, Track 13 recorded at The Sting, New Britain, CT, July 18, 1995
CD 3, Track 14 recorded at The Forum, London, October 7, 1994