Adventures in Utopia is the fourth studio album by American rock band Utopia, released on December 27, 1979, by Bearsville Records.
Mixing their earlier progressive rock style with mainstream rock, pop and disco music, Adventures in Utopia achieved success both with the band's established fan base and wider commercial success, with the track "Set Me Free" released as a single. The song became the only Top 40 single for Utopia in the United States. "Umbrella Man" was its B-side.
The by-then established Utopia line-up of Todd Rundgren, Kasim Sulton, Roger Powell and John "Willie" Wilcox wrote, performed and produced the album on their own.
According to Rundgren, the album was intended for a release date of July 6, 1979 and was seemingly finished by then, but they did not have a record company to release it until its eventual release date at the end of the year.
According to Rundgren, the album was intended to be the soundtrack for a TV show the band was working on. Even though the album was recorded in a place with video equipment, they never got around to writing or producing the TV pilot.Rundgren, Todd comments from the 2018 CD reissue of the album put out by Friday Music
Track listing
Personnel
Utopia Todd Rundgren – vocals, guitar, saxophone (4) Roger Powell – vocals, keyboards Kasim Sulton – vocals, bass, electric piano (4) Willie Wilcox – vocals, drums
Technical
Produced by Todd Rundgren and Utopia Engineered by Todd Rundgren Additional engineering – Chris Andersen, Mike Young, John Holbrook, and George Carnell Photography – Bob Lampel, Danny O'Connor, Jamison Goodman, and Todd Rundgren Album package concept – Utopia and Danny O'Connor Package design and production – The Creative Directors, Inc. Utopia logo design – John Wagman Management – Eric Gardner
Charts Chart (1980) PeakpositionAustralia (Kent Music Report) 96 US Top LPs & Tape (Billboard) 32
References