Todd Rundgren is one of rock ‘n’ roll's truly enigmatic characters. Having scored pop hits in the ‘70s with “I Saw the Light” and “Hello, It's Me,” he promptly made a left turn into progressive rock with his band Utopia. After building a large following with albums such as “Utopia,” “Ra” and “Healing,” he promptly moved back into pop music. After scoring another hit with “Bang the Drum All Day” in the '80s, he swiftly moved to experimental electronic music.

In the years since, Rundgren has continued to be a maverick, exploring the fields of computer software, music video and Internet music delivery. Through all this, he has maintained a ferociously loyal cult following. That fan base was rewarded with his latest effort, “Todd Rundgren's Johnson,” a tribute to blues pioneer Robert Johnson, celebrating what would have been his 100th birthday. Recorded solo with bassist Kasim Sulton assisting, Rundgren does his best to turn each one of 12 Johnson songs on their side without completely deconstructing them.

The classic “Dust My Broom” opens the album with heavy guitars, pounding drums and a feel more like Black Sabbath than B.B. King. This heavy approach continues throughout the album, with scorching versions of Johnson standards like “Stop Breakin' Down,” “Walkin' Blues,” “Come Home In My Kitchen,” “Traveling Riverside Blues” and the uber-classic “Crossroad Blues.” Most significant is his take on the normally up-tempo “Sweet Home Chicago,” which he manages to effectively convert to a near funeral-like dirge.

In exposing his “Johnson,” Todd Rundgren once again shows that he is “A Wizard, A True Star.”

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