Open Our Eyes: The Anthology : The Nazz : Review : Rolling Stone

Todd Rundgren made three albums with drummer Thom Mooney, bassist Carson Van Osten and singer Stewkey -- the Nazz -- in 1968 and 1969 but split before the second came out, off to be a top producer and the best one-man band of his generation. Yet all he later achieved is here in early bloom, in his writing, vocals, guitar work and production on this reissue of Nazz, Nazz Nazz and Nazz III. Nazz is taut Beatlesque punk and includes one of rock's great double-A-side singles: "Open My Eyes" (The Who Sell Out in 2:45) and the doo-wop plea "Hello It's Me." Rundgren envisioned Nazz Nazz and III as a double LP, and you can hear the sprawl of his genius in these tight quarters: the kick of III's "How Can You Call That Beautiful," the brute power of "Under the Ice" on Nazz Nazz, the grand R&B amour of III's "You Are My Window." This is the total, official Nazz -- and a total gas.

DAVID FRICKE
(From RS 918, March 20, 2003)